Scripture: Romans
7:14–25a
As Paul works through his letter to the Romans he describes
the work of God’s Law and Gospel in the life of the believer. The end of
chapter 7 is a powerful description of the brokenness of human nature and the
frustrating struggle between the sinful nature and the new godly life that is
in the Christian through Christ. This is a sober description of the Christian
walk as we forgiven sinners begin to love God’s Law and seek to obey it and
find our old sinful nature undermining us. The futility of our struggle drives
us back to Jesus, the one who saves us from our sin, including our sinful
nature.
Teaching
There is a false belief that is held by many Christians.
That false belief is that people are naturally good. That belief, however, does
not match up with the teachings of the Bible. Romans 7 beautifully records Paul’s
dealing with his own flesh. This is no mere personal experience. He is holding
forth his experience as a description for all people’s experience of sin and
the Law. He senses his complete inability to do God’s will and therefore throws
himself on God’s mercy, crying out “Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our
Lord!”
The Formula of Concord, examining Free Will, describes the
human condition citing Romans 7. It says, “[T]he human being who is not reborn
resists God completely and is totally the slave of sin. The reborn, however,
desire to practice God’s law according to their inward self, but see at the
same time in their members the law of sin, which resists the law of their mind.
Therefore, they serve God’s law with their mind but the law of sin with their
flesh.”[1]
We are constantly in conflict, torn between slavery to sin and the freedom to
obey God.
Life
Have you ever known you shouldn’t do something, but you did
it anyway? Or have you known you should, and then didn’t? That sensation of
knowing one thing and doing another is what Paul is talking about. We know God’s
Law is good and we should obey it. Too often, however, we just do what we want
despite the Law’s teaching. Such is our sinful state!
What should we do when we find that struggle within us? We
trust in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. We cling to God’s promises that
his Spirit is in us. We confess our sins and receive absolution. We keep
struggling. What is key here is why we keep struggling. It is not so that we
can please God or add to our salvation. It is because we are redeemed. God has
made us new, and we long to live according to his good will for us as his
forgiven people.
Prayer
O God, you know how we struggle with our sinful nature.
Because you have redeemed us and made us your people we love your Law, at the
same time we are sinners who break your Law and disobey you. Thank you for
Jesus’ sacrifice and forgiveness. Thank you for your patient grace which moves
you to forgive us over and over again for Jesus’ sake. We know our brokenness.
We feel the constant temptation of our sinful nature. Help us to live in your
forgiveness and overcome the temptations of the flesh by you Holy Spirit within
us. Amen.
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