ROMANS 7:7-13 THE STRUGGLE When we first faced up to the danger we were in because of our nature as sinners, the law of God clarified the position sin had left us in. The sense of something missing, of dissatisfaction and of guilt was brought into the light of God's holiness when the law that condemned us was used to bring us to Christ. It truly was our schoolmaster that directed us to the Savior. What joy and thankfulness we had when the Gospel revealed the grace of God to us in Christ giving His life as a ransom for us. The delight and relief of being in Christ was the occupation of our mind and heart. We had died with Christ and were risen with Him and free in Him.
And then - after the morning glow of new life had settled into the routine of every-day new life, we were conscious of indwelling sin that was still with us. There was no doubt that Christ had "suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." But this sin within still made itself known. The Holy Spirit is within, so why is there this struggle? This "Slough of Despond" often bogs down the new believer who thought they were done with sin and they try various means to deal with this struggle. Some become discouraged and wonder if they are saved at all. Some fall under the influence of teachers who say they have lost their salvation. Thinking this is true, they re-profess salvation again believing they can start all over, and the confusion increases rather than is solved. Others will go back to being "law-keepers" and try by self-imposed, or others-imposed "do's and don'ts" to overcome the evil desires (coveting) within. There are some misguided instructors who seek to move them into a legalistic frame of reference so they can seek to maintain holiness and live in good conscience.
Paul, the apostle who the Spirit of God used to write this letter, seemed to have been doing pretty good when he was first saved. He was giving his testimony and preaching the Gospel publicly. He kept in with the Christians at Jerusalem and was a power for God and a help to God's people. Then he was sent to Arabia for three years and from there to Tarsus. It must have been at one of those places he became conscious of the evil desires (coveting) within him still. The law said, "Thou shalt not covet," and he coveted. Perhaps Paul, like most law-keepers, was concerned with the outward things of the law - the positive and negative things people try to keep. We all have to admit that there is within us the tendency to evil desires and that sin tends to exploit its power over us by using the commandment to condemn us. Hence the struggle that seeks to empower a believer and make them ineffective.
This struggle can be avoided if we grasp the true fact of having died with Christ and now have been raised with Him. Faith claims what we may not feel. I am dead unto sin and I am alive unto God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The law points out the evil desire and sin seeks to condemn me because of that. But a living vital faith in Christ and what He has done, and what the Word of God says is true, keeps that evil desire, the temptation, from being yielded to. Faith in what God says keeps this from being a concern to us in relation to stumbling with doubts and fears. The law is like a sign that says, "No Trespassing." Wise people will obey the sign and find another way to reach the desired destination without a struggle. The headstrong person who does not obey the sign (the law) will have to face the consequences imposed by the law. The law is not the problem. It is doing what it is supposed to do. Yielding to self-will is the problem. That self-will was dealt with when we died to the old Adam. Believe it, and live in the good of it.
Sin will try to take advantage of us by using legalism imposed sometimes by the man-made laws of men, who interpret the law to be our guide into on-going righteousness and victory over sin. This keeps us from the liberty we have in Christ. The law is good because it does what it is supposed to - expose sin. Sin will deceive anyone who thinks they can keep it to be accepted by God. An honest person will apply that law with its commands to himself, and praise God that he is free from it because he had died in Christ. The law has no authority over a dead person. Now he lives in the Risen Christ in freedom from the law that showed him how terrible sin really is.
It did what it was supposed to, it condemned me. It gave me a mirror glass myself to really see. It showed me what was wrong, what I was truly like. It exposed me to God's holiness by the law's perfect light.
It condemned by exposing what I once thought was hid. It showed sin within, not just in the things I did. It made me understand sin is not only a deed or act. It made me aware of this, sin in me is a real fact.
It took away all excuses to continue on just the same. It made me to know there was no one else I could blame For the sin that was in me, not just the outward deeds. It made me stop to consider the Word of God I must heed.
There is no point of me struggling to make myself clean. The death of Jesus Christ for me, dealt with all that sin. To try as a Christian to make myself more acceptable By the things I do, must really be to God very contemptible.
For Christ has accomplished what I could never do. It is not right for me to try and add anything to a work that is through. The response I should have is simply to trust and obey, And gratefully accept that for which I cannot pay.
No, I am not against the law, the law is really for me. It was given by God as a perfect standard that I can see What is holy by God's standards, which are very different than mine. When I submit to the warnings of law, the right way I can find.
But the truth is quite clear to me, people misuse the law. They think that by self-effort, they can fulfill them all, Not realizing that in Christ believers to those demands are dead. And now we are alive to God through Christ our Risen Head.
"Heavenly Father, it is my desire to give honor to Thee here this morning. For Thy great grace, I give Thee thanks. For saving me, I will forever be grateful. For being so patient with me in my failures and mistakes, I humbly thank Thee. For allowing me to hold Thy Word in my hand, read it and speak to others of Thy revealed truth, this unworthy and unprofitable servant bows to honor Thee. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."