“For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 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. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” ~ Romans 7:22-24, NKJV
In chapter seven of his epistle, Paul focuses on the law and the role it plays in our lives. Human beings are born slaves to sin. The law exposes our true natures, making our sin "exceedingly sinful," (vs. 13) through the commandment, because the very fact that we are told something is wrong awakens our desire to do that very thing. The law is good. We are not. But in Christ, we died to the law that condemns us and are born again under grace. At salvation, we are given a new nature, an "inward man," who delights in the law of God and desires to do good. Paul recognized the dichotomy that existed between his inward man and his flesh (his physical body). One wills to do the will of God. The other wills to do the will of the flesh, that is, sin. For the believer, life is a continuous battle between these two natures! No wonder Paul cried out, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" As believers fight their flesh and seek to let God's Spirit take control of their lives, we cling to the hope of verse twenty-four: "I thank God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Our salvation is not yet complete. There is a day coming when my body and not just my spirit will be resurrected into new life, wholly free from the old law of sin. Jesus took my old nature with Him to the cross. Soon He's coming again, and He will deliver me from my body of death and bring me into the fullness of life.
by Rebecca...
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