“18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man:
23 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.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:18-24
O how long must we stay here? How long must we dwell in Romans 7? The wretched man that we are delights in the Law of God. Our minds seek to do that which is good and right according to the Word of God but in our members we see another law at work bringing us into the dominion of sin. That which we would not do, we do. The will to do that which is right is with us but how to perform is not…and their lies the problem. HOW? We know what to do but don’t know how to do? Our good intentions, sincerity and zeal cannot overcome the law in our members bringing us into captivity of the sin nature.
“25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death.” Romans 7:25 – 8:2
YES! Take me to Romans 8:2 O’Lord!
These vain philosophies presented to the people for victory over sin have stunted many Believer’s growth in the Lord. They continue fighting with all sincerity and zealousness a fight that they were never called to fight. These philosophies seem good and right. They appeal to the flesh and cause our members to war against the Law of God in our mind. We are a house divided. We are Saved. We are Baptized into Jesus’ Death and raised a new creature in Christ Jesus. The Law of Sin and Death to which we were espoused to before our Salvation, we are dead to. This Law of Sin and Death is not dead but we are dead to it and espoused to another, namely Jesus Christ, through the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.
The Holy Spirit alone is the One Who can make us free from the Law of Sin and Death and when we are Saved that is just what He does. He (the Holy Spirit) will only perform the work of God in our heart when our faith is placed solely and exclusively in the Cross of Christ. After Salvation when our faith is moved to those vain philosophies to fight a fight we are not commissioned to fight for victory over sin, we turn back to the Law of Sin and Death and make the Cross of Christ of no effect in our life. We dwell in Romans 7 for far too long because we usurp the ministry of the Holy Spirit to free us from the Law of Sin and Death. We commit spiritual adultery when we turn back to the old ways and depend upon our flesh to overcome sin.
There is but one way to have victory over the sin that so easily besets us and that is by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Without such faith, the Cross of Christ is of no effect. We are warring with ourselves.
The only fight the Believer is called to fight is the fight of faith in the Cross of Christ. It is then and only then that we give the Holy Spirit latitude to free us from the Law of Sin and Death because of the Law of the Spirit of Life IN Christ Jesus, buried with Him, baptized into His Death, surrendered to His Will and His Ways because we can’t but He can.
Choose this day in whom you are going to serve.
“23 And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 