I do not understand what to do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know what nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is not longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
I remember the first time I read those verses. I could not believe they were actually in the bible! Here was someone writing words that described exactly how I felt-but this was a holy bible-guy! It was not some regular person that struggles with wanting to do the right thing, but ends up doing the wrong thing because of sin and temptation in his life. This was Paul-like the super-hero of the New Testament (second to Jesus, of course). When I read this, I felt almost relieved that someone else knew how I felt. My heart was so willing to do what is right, so ready to live for the Lord. But my flesh was so weak, and constantly failed and disappointed. If Paul had the same problems as I did, there had to have been an answer. I quickly read on!
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? Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
I knew it had to have something to do with Jesus. I knew that his death on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins was somehow the answer. But what did this look like in my everyday life? How did I get out of this pattern of swinging from mountain top experiences to valleys of frustration? How could I break the power that my sinful nature seemed to hold over my great intentions? There had to be more answers. I read on.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
According to the spirit…that had to be the answer. But what did that exactly mean? I wish I could say that I figured it out myself. But I didn’t. Someone explained it to me. It simply means that we are walking by faith, and trusting in the Holy Spirit within us to live the Christian life through us day by day. In fact, it is more like moment by moment, as we choose to allow him to direct and empower us to live for God. It is a choice we make to say “no” to sin, and to follow his direction. He gives us the power to do it…all we have to do is choose it. It sounds like a magic formula, but it is simply a process of trusting that he will provide all we need to depend on him every hour of every day. I read further, and he said more.
What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
More than conquerors. Isn’t that just like God to give us more than we need? He graciously gives us all things in addition to giving us his own son! We can rest assured that he will give us the power to live this victorious life because he gives us more than we need for it. So what it our part? We have three things that we are responsible for. One is that we confess our sins so that nothing stands in the way of our fellowship with God (1 John 1:9). Secondly, we ask God to empower us with his Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). And thirdly we ask him to change those areas in our lives that are displeasing to him (Galatians 5:16-25). Then we trust that he is leading and directing our lives and we walk in obedience to him. He supplies the power, we supply the obedience. And he will make us more than conquerors. Isn’t that just like God?
prayer
Holy Father, thank you that you have made us so frail and dependent on you. We want our lives to bring you glory as we allow you to live through us. Help us to remember that you supply the power, even for this job of living for you. Use your Holy Spirit in our lives to direct and guide us, and help us to please you in everything we do. We love you. Amen