Struggling with Sin
Struggling with Sin
Romans Chapter 7 has a lot to say about sin and the desire to do good.
Paul spends some time beginning at verse 15 talking about wanting to do what is good and right, but finding himself doing the very things he hates.
In verse 17 he says something odd. He says that it is no longer he who does these evil things, but it's sin living in him.
He goes on, saying that nothing good lives in his flesh. The Greek word he selected for flesh is "sarx." This word refers to our human tendency to walk according to the flesh, to walk by sight instead of walking according to the Spirit, walking by faith.
Nothing good lives in that proclivity toward navigating life by our senses. It leads us to behave like those who do not have the Spirit.
Paul relates this struggle. He puts the blame on sin living in him. He says (v23) that there is a war going on between his mind, which is set on the Spirit, and the members of his physical body, which tend toward the senses.
The members of our physical body include things like our eyes, our ears, and our mouths. Since our senses are so integral to our body and we live in a temporal environment, we very easily find ourselves falling back on our own ability to respond to the world and make decisions.
This is the struggle Paul relates. He concludes that he is wretched about this and has no hope of resolving the issue. You may well identify with him in this. I know I do.
Then in triumphant joy, he points us to the God through Jesus Christ as the way out.
In his mind he serves the law of God (believe, and love). He is referring to his inner man here--the part of him that has been made new, righteous, and blameless.
The flesh (sarx) wants to navigate life by sight.
Fortunately (Chapter 8:1) there is now no condemnation. Our sin has been taken away and Father remembers it no more.
The Spirit within us guides us into truth, Jesus teaches us to deny ungodliness and live upright godly lives.
It is He who works in us to desire, and to actually do, godly things. For this reason, sin is no longer our master. We are not its slaves.
