Romans 7:1-25
The flesh of man is a powerful foe that promotes and provokes sin in the lives of men. Thankfully the cross of Christ is more powerful still. However, as long as we are in these fallen bodies, we will be enlisted in a battle that rages in our hearts. This chapter depicts this battle.
THE FLESH IS IMPRISONED BY THE LAW OF SIN: Paul uses marriage as an illustration of the power of sin over the flesh. The only means by which a man may be released from the bond of marriage is by the death of his spouse. This too is the only means by which a man may be set free from the bond of sin. As long as we live we are in bondage to the law of sin that reigns over our flesh. Death is the only way that we can be set free from the power and authority of sin. This makes the truth that Paul taught in the previous chapter all the more vital. The truth is that we have already died as we are in Christ through faith. The law of sin no longer has any claim over us, for we have died with Christ. The power of sin has been vanquished and we are free in Christ. God calls us to live in light of this truth.
THE FLESH IS IMPASSIONED BY THE LAW TO SIN: How sinful is sin? Very sinful! So sinful in fact that it is able to desecrate the Law of God into a desire for sin. God gave the Law, not to be a means by which men could be saved, but as a means of showing man his need of salvation. God wanted us to realize that we were unable to live in a manner that is acceptable to God. No man is able to keep the Law. Christ alone was able to do that. But because of the Law we realize that we desperately need forgiveness. However, our flesh is so sinful that it takes the perfect and holy Law and ends up being motivated to sin because of it. All we need to do to test this is establish some sort of prohibition. Tell someone not to open a door and they suddenly have an irresistible to open a door that they, otherwise, would have never even thought about. Their desire to open that door will increase directly in proportion to the amount of emphasis that the prohibition is given. Our flesh has a passion for sin that is fanned into a flame by the Law.
THE FLESH IS EMPOWERED BY THE LAW IN SIN: The desire to sin is a powerful one and is a battle that rages in our hearts. The good things we want to do become increasingly difficult while the evil that we don't want to do ends up consuming us. This is the way that the flesh works. It will never be any different. We cannot take our flesh to a spiritual hospital and hope that someone be able to make it better. The flesh has been infected by a lethal disease called sin. The flesh does not need a doctor or a therapist what it needs is a mortician. The only solution to the problem of the flesh is death. Those who have been justified by faith have been crucified with Christ and raised to walk with a newness of life. That is our spiritual reality and is the secret of sanctification. We will not be able to be victorious in our daily battle with the flesh and sin apart from our faith in the work of Christ. Only He is able to release us from this body of death to which our flesh is chained. He does this through faith. One day, we will experience this reality when our bodies are glorified and released from every desire to sin, until that day we must continue to fight our flesh through faith in what Christ has already done as well as what He will do.
THE FLESH IS IMPRISONED BY THE LAW OF SIN: Paul uses marriage as an illustration of the power of sin over the flesh. The only means by which a man may be released from the bond of marriage is by the death of his spouse. This too is the only means by which a man may be set free from the bond of sin. As long as we live we are in bondage to the law of sin that reigns over our flesh. Death is the only way that we can be set free from the power and authority of sin. This makes the truth that Paul taught in the previous chapter all the more vital. The truth is that we have already died as we are in Christ through faith. The law of sin no longer has any claim over us, for we have died with Christ. The power of sin has been vanquished and we are free in Christ. God calls us to live in light of this truth.
THE FLESH IS IMPASSIONED BY THE LAW TO SIN: How sinful is sin? Very sinful! So sinful in fact that it is able to desecrate the Law of God into a desire for sin. God gave the Law, not to be a means by which men could be saved, but as a means of showing man his need of salvation. God wanted us to realize that we were unable to live in a manner that is acceptable to God. No man is able to keep the Law. Christ alone was able to do that. But because of the Law we realize that we desperately need forgiveness. However, our flesh is so sinful that it takes the perfect and holy Law and ends up being motivated to sin because of it. All we need to do to test this is establish some sort of prohibition. Tell someone not to open a door and they suddenly have an irresistible to open a door that they, otherwise, would have never even thought about. Their desire to open that door will increase directly in proportion to the amount of emphasis that the prohibition is given. Our flesh has a passion for sin that is fanned into a flame by the Law.
THE FLESH IS EMPOWERED BY THE LAW IN SIN: The desire to sin is a powerful one and is a battle that rages in our hearts. The good things we want to do become increasingly difficult while the evil that we don't want to do ends up consuming us. This is the way that the flesh works. It will never be any different. We cannot take our flesh to a spiritual hospital and hope that someone be able to make it better. The flesh has been infected by a lethal disease called sin. The flesh does not need a doctor or a therapist what it needs is a mortician. The only solution to the problem of the flesh is death. Those who have been justified by faith have been crucified with Christ and raised to walk with a newness of life. That is our spiritual reality and is the secret of sanctification. We will not be able to be victorious in our daily battle with the flesh and sin apart from our faith in the work of Christ. Only He is able to release us from this body of death to which our flesh is chained. He does this through faith. One day, we will experience this reality when our bodies are glorified and released from every desire to sin, until that day we must continue to fight our flesh through faith in what Christ has already done as well as what He will do.
Comments
Post a Comment