The Battle of the Ages

Romans 7:21-24

“So I find this law at work:  When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

When we are born again, the Spirit of God comes to live on the inside of us,       and with it, a strong desire to live to please God.  A sinner has little desire to please anyone other than himself.  But a Christian has a new nature working on them, pulling them in a heavenly direction.  Which, in short, means the battle is on!

In this passage of Scripture the Apostle Paul is lamenting about the struggle that- he, the super apostle, was having with his flesh.  The constant self-condemnation and frustrations he felt was because he truly did want to do right, but almost before he could stop himself, he would see himself evidencing a sin nature. So much so that he considered himself a prisoner!

Many of the situations that people become imprisoned in- addiction; toxic relationships; moral and ethical compromise; a web of lies- all start from a single decision to deviate from their conscience, and if they are a Christian, from the truth of the Bible.  In this passage Paul is identifying with the person who becomes ensnared in sin but seems to lack the ability within themselves to be set free.

But the rest of the story to this passage occurs in the next verse.  After asking who will rescue him, verse 25 states that “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We have a rescuer today Who has already come and paid the price to make us free!  He has redeemed us and canceled the weight and penalty of sin from our lives.

So why is it that so many of us continue to be imprisoned after we come to Christ?  The truth is that although Jesus takes the keys to eternal life and unlocks our prison, many of us choose to continue to remain inside it.  We are the free, living like the bound.  Does the desire to sin go away?  Do we never again have to worry about being bound?  Sadly, no.  But the good news is that we don’t have to be.  We can continue in the freedom he has provided.  When the enemy comes to tempt us to sin, God “makes a way of escape” for us.  He gives us an “out” we just have to be willing to take it. 

For a Christian to return to bondage they do so ignoring all the bells and warning whistles the Lord is sounding to keep them on the path.  It takes a foolish person to drive off the side of a mountain because they are unwilling to read the numerous posted warning signs. 

We have to renew our minds in order to think as the Bible thinks rather than according to our fleshly nature. A Christian must constantly resist the temptation of the flesh and of the enemy. But we have the power through Christ to do so.  He gives us strength where we are weak and grants us supernatural wisdom to see through the traps of the devil.

Dear Lord, today I pray that you will help me to overcome my sin nature in every decision I make.  Help me resist the urge to please myself and enjoy the pleasures of the moment.  Enable me to live in Your strength, walking in freedom and in the power of the Holy Spirit.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen

Sherri