It Wasn't Me! - Ro. 7:18-21

"No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't. When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don;t want to do, I am not really the one doing it, the sin within me is doing it. It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do right, I inevitably do what is wrong." Ro. 7:18-21

This sounds like the argument my kids try to use when I ask for one of them does something wrong. Their first inclination is to point their finger and blame someone other than themselves. Is that what Paul is doing here? Using his "sinful nature" as an excuse and license to sin? Not at all! He, in fact, displays the most complete grasp of the power of the cross written anywhere in the Bible in Ro. 7-8. He technically states it even more clearly in 7:3-4. He describes a woman who can no longer commit adultery after her husband dies--she is free from that law. His conclusion, "...The law no longer holds you in its power, because you died to its power when you died with Christ on the cross." Should we then feel free to sin? Absolutely not! God's law has not been abolished. Will we sin? Absolutely! Our sinful natures are alive, well and thriving. The difference is that our sin no longer condemns us. We are free to do good deeds for God through the power of the Holy Spirit, without fear of condemnation due to our INEVITABLE sin. That was Paul's word, "inevitable." I find this VERY freeing! Not that I should feel good about the fact that I will sin, but that God KNOWS that I will and still has a purpose for my wretchedness in this world! He still wants to use ME! It is important that we are single-minded in this area, otherwise Satan will gain a foothold. Too many Christians live in bondage to their sinful natures, not feeling worthy to advance the Kingdom -- Sad, as this is EXACTLY what the cross set us free from.

God, forgive my weaknesses and my sinfulness--thank you for dying for me and setting me free! Keep me focused on the goals YOU put before me everyday of my life; banish Satan from my airspace.

Today's reading: Prov. 4-6; Ro. 8