Romans 7:15-20 (NIV)
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
This is the battle that exist in each and every human in each and every moment of their lives. Christians seek to understand the reason why sin keeps taking control of their lives even though consciously trying to do good and be good. Our goal on earth is to be transformed into the image of God as we were created before sin took over this world. But this is a difficult and hard road.
Conflict within ourselves is a daily occurrence. And conflict with our interaction with the world and how we absorb its complexities is an occurrence each second of our lives. Sin greets us at every corner, looks at us through every window and grabs us at every opportunity. Scripture in 1 Peter 5:8 says:
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
And how discouraging it becomes when we fall. Sin pulls us into a dark pit that seems to have no bottom. And as we try to slow down our fall through our own power we discover that the pit has no sides to grab hold on to. Why is this? The simple reason is that we seek justification for our sin. A cheating husband or wife will try to justify their infidelity by pointing out flaws in the character of their spouses. Forgetting that their characters are just as flaw. 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
When we fall it is not that obvious at first which in itself can be expected as satan wouldn't want us to recognise our fall until it is too late. He places us into situations which appear to be good at first (2 Corinthians 11:14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.), and as Christians if we do not seek light from God in everything we do we become easy prey for the deceiver. And as Christians we like to confess ignorance in our sin and declare that we did not know what we were doing was wrong. But to Christians even this is not an excuse because it is written in Jeremia 31:31-33 Behold, the days come, said the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was an husband to them, said the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, said the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And even before we can argue that this is old testament writing God repeats it in Hebrews 10:15-16 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says: 16“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put My Laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
We need to understand that the Law was not inscribed in us to convict us but to point us to Christ for redemption. The Law is is like a mirror which reflects to us our sinful nature, so that we can seek repentance at the cross. John 3:17-18 reads that "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Our sinful nature was carried to the cross by Christ and believing that His sacrifice redeems us from our sin starts the process of healing our flawed character. Num 21:7-9 "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
And the LORD said to Moses, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks on it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it on a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." Just as the Isrealites had to look at their sinful nature on the cross and believe that they will be healed, so too we have to look at our sinful nature that Christ bore on the cross for us.
The elected will be targeted by satan mercilessly. He will place an obstacle in our walk with Christ every step of the way. He will construct colourful deceptions to tempt our senses around every corner. We should pray that we keep our eyes fixed on Christ in our life's walk with Him and that He becomes the our guide.
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
And how discouraging it becomes when we fall. Sin pulls us into a dark pit that seems to have no bottom. And as we try to slow down our fall through our own power we discover that the pit has no sides to grab hold on to. Why is this? The simple reason is that we seek justification for our sin. A cheating husband or wife will try to justify their infidelity by pointing out flaws in the character of their spouses. Forgetting that their characters are just as flaw. 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
When we fall it is not that obvious at first which in itself can be expected as satan wouldn't want us to recognise our fall until it is too late. He places us into situations which appear to be good at first (2 Corinthians 11:14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.), and as Christians if we do not seek light from God in everything we do we become easy prey for the deceiver. And as Christians we like to confess ignorance in our sin and declare that we did not know what we were doing was wrong. But to Christians even this is not an excuse because it is written in Jeremia 31:31-33 Behold, the days come, said the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was an husband to them, said the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, said the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And even before we can argue that this is old testament writing God repeats it in Hebrews 10:15-16 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says: 16“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put My Laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
We need to understand that the Law was not inscribed in us to convict us but to point us to Christ for redemption. The Law is is like a mirror which reflects to us our sinful nature, so that we can seek repentance at the cross. John 3:17-18 reads that "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Our sinful nature was carried to the cross by Christ and believing that His sacrifice redeems us from our sin starts the process of healing our flawed character. Num 21:7-9 "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
And the LORD said to Moses, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks on it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it on a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." Just as the Isrealites had to look at their sinful nature on the cross and believe that they will be healed, so too we have to look at our sinful nature that Christ bore on the cross for us.
The elected will be targeted by satan mercilessly. He will place an obstacle in our walk with Christ every step of the way. He will construct colourful deceptions to tempt our senses around every corner. We should pray that we keep our eyes fixed on Christ in our life's walk with Him and that He becomes the our guide.
Psalm 119:105-112 " Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.
I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep your righteous judgments.
I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according to your word.
Accept, I beseech you, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me your judgments.
My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget your law.
The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from your precepts.
Your testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes always, even to the end."
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