"I want to do what is right, but I can't. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don't, I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway." Romans 7:18-19 NLT
Sound familiar? Of course it does, but not only for you, but all of us. We are all the same, we all want to do great things for God and we may well achieve it, but then, we go and let ourselves down by getting involved in sin. Why is this? Well, when we came to Jesus, we were born again, baptised in water and possibly baptised in the Holy Spirit. In other words, our nature was renewed, but our flesh wasn't; it is still active. Tony Evans gives an interesting description about this:
"When you come to Christ, your identity changes, but your location stays the same. There is now a distinction between who you are and where you live. You are totally redeemed, totally sanctified, totally brand new in Christ, but you live in a body contaminated by flesh, Thus, when we as Christians sin, we are no longer the one's doing it; it is the sin that lives in us (7:20). In saying this, Paul is not excusing our sin. He is reminding us that our true identity is no longer found in our actions, even if we keep sinning. When I want to do what is good, evil is present with me (7:21). Note that it's me. My 'I' has changed from sinner to saint. Therefore, when sin wants me to define myself by what I've done wrong, I remember that God defines me by who I am in Christ"
The Tony Evans Bible Commentary
Paul recognises that, mostly we are helpless when it comes to resolving our problems in this area. He recognised it himself and this is why he wrote: 'Who will rescue me from this body of death? (7:24). Some days it was like he was walking through quicksand and the harder he struggled, the more he sank. We are so like this; what we don't want to do, we end up doing and it's almost like we have no control over this. Like Paul, we have to recognise that Jesus Christ can and will, rescue us from this. Paul says, 'thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (7:25).
Therefore, we need to pray regularly each day and, ensure that we are clad in the armour of God. If you take a look at Galatians, there is a great prayer we can use:
'My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me' (Galatians 2:20 NLT.
So remember in your Daily Life with Jesus, you will struggle with sin but, God is there to rescue you.
Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.
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