WINNING THE WAR WITHIN: Frustration of Legalism

Defeat by the law describes the carnal man. He is defined by his struggle. Such a person knows the frustration of legalism. Paul had struggled with this and testifies to it in Romans Seven.

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under
sin.
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do,
that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it
is good.
17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells;
for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not
to do, that I practice.
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but
sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills
to do good.
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my
mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of
death?
25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I
myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
(v.14-25 NKJV)

Now, Paul shifts to the present tense to describe the frustration that every Christian knows. While we want to do good, there is still a part of us programmed to do evil—we’re a Jekyll and Hyde. The problem is that like Jekyll we try to fix ourselves. We fall back into legalism. We dedicate and rededicate. We consecrate and re-consecrate. We promise to do better, and we try and try and try…but, only to do what we don’t want to do and fail to do what we ought to do.

If a spiritual giant like Paul could fall into this trap, we surely can. His honesty is refreshing. Now, Paul isn’t a hypocrite. He truly loves God in his inner man (v.22). Yet, he has this body of death to deal with (v.23-24) and is wretched!

He cries out for deliverance. The Apostle recognizes the futility of trying to please God in the flesh. Victory requires surrender. Paul couldn’t save himself and he couldn’t sanctify himself. He looks to Christ to rescue him!

Then he goes from a pity party to a praise proclamation. He verbalizes his faith that Christ can do what he can never do. The same grace that delivers us from the penalty of sin is sufficient to deliver us from the power of sin.