Read Romans 7.
Despite the sin in us, God loved us and Jesus died for us. The great exchange took place as our sins were laid on Him and Christ’s righteousness was imputed (credited) to us. That is what we have noted in the first five chapters. Reaching chapter six, we discover that Jesus not only died for our sins, but we died in Him—the old sin factory that produced sin was dealt with, even as the sins which it made were blotted out. It is at this point in our Christian experience that we often falter, by rightfully engaging in a war but wrongfully using weapons of the flesh. It is a war you will not win.
Christians have been brought into the glorious liberty of being children of God (Rom.6:7, 14, 18, 22). Having been saved by faith, and now empowered to live in grace—the life of Christ in me—we often fall back into the bondage of rules and religiosity, trying to be holy through relying on fleshly effort and determination instead of on Christ’s work and the Spirit’s direction. Having been saved by faith, can we now be sanctified by works? That is a war we cannot win.
Even so great a champion as Paul expressed his frustration. The very things he didn’t want to do, he did, and that which he should do, he failed to do. Can you identify? He calls himself a wretched man—and it is a miserable place to be—to come to the end of yourself.
Yet, that is where God wants us! For instead of trying to win the war, we surrender—not to sin, but to Christ. Why would you try to beat the devil when you cannot win, and not rely on Jesus to do so, when He cannot lose?
Paul speaks of a law—the law of sin—at work in his flesh. It is like the law of gravity, that continually pulls us down. Try jumping up and see how long you overcome that law! Yet, you can board a plane that weighs tons, and it will fly! How? There is a higher law—the law of thrust—that brings to bear the principle of aerodynamics, as the power of jet engines pushes wind over wings, and up you go.
No comments:
Post a Comment