Waging War: Me versus I

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I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

- Romans 7:15

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.  What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!

- Romans 7:21-25

 

Paul, even when he became a Christian, still struggled with sin.  What he did not want to do, he did; what he wanted to do, he didn’t do: a struggle with sin in the flesh.  He wanted to do, and he did desire to do God’s law, but seemed he was a prisoner (still) of sin.  A Christian has still struggles with sin indeed.

I so can relate with Paul! There are things I want to do but I do not do.  And there are things I do not want to do but I do.  SIN!  My sinful nature seems to have a switch; it turns on and off.  It’s a struggle that every Christian goes through.  As what Paul said, Jesus Christ will rescue us from this body of death.  Our flesh and our heart fail us most of the time, and our growth depends not on our own strength, but on the power of the Holy Spirit.  Yes.  We fail many times, and we cannot earn merits by observing the law or by good behavior, but ONLY we can depend on the finished work of Jesus Christ for our salvation. Justification is a one time event. Sanctification, on the other hand, is a lifetime progression.

We are wretched men! We are all sinners. Period.  We can only be saved through the work of Jesus Christ.  And being a Christian does not mean we are “fireproof” from temptations and sin; being born again takes a moment of faith, but becoming like Christ takes a lifelong process.

We are rescued from death by Jesus Christ.  We are to remind ourselves that we have died from sin, and are now alive in Christ Jesus with a new life.  He gave us victory over sin!

[PRAYER]

Father God,

Thank You for saving me through Your Son, Jesus.  I am a wretched woman, only saved by grace through faith.  Father God, yes, I still sin and I struggle with sin up until now, but thank You for Jesus’ power over sin and death; that power is available to me as well.

Help me to live a victorious life in Christ Jesus so that I may become more like Him.  Father God, remind me that though my flesh and my heart may fail, You are my strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Though I may still have struggles, Your love for me does not diminish – it’s complete and unconditional.  This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[Journal entry: August 3, 2012]