Devotion 7.2.26

Romans 7

My Constant Struggle With My Sinful Nature

"14 Certainly we know that the law is spiritual, but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not keep doing what I want. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 But now it is no longer I who am doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 Indeed, I know that good does not live in me, that is, in my sinful flesh. The desire to do good is present with me, but I am not able to carry it out. 19 So I fail to do the good I want to do. Instead, the evil I do not want to do, that is what I keep doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who am doing it, but it is sin living in me.

21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is present with me. 22 I certainly delight in God’s law according to my inner self, 23 but I see a different law at work in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me captive to the law of sin, which is present in my members. 24 What a miserable wretch I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Paul is confessing that he sins regardless. The Law exposes that sin, as opposed to causing it. Christ rescues us from that sin.

The Founders knew the hearts and desires of men, and as they designed a government to protect the citizens in the US, their interests and their liberties, they wanted to design one that worked slowly, that ground out decisions in a long and deliberate manner. Why? Read Alexander Hamilton in Federalist 1: "...the honest errors of the minds led astray by preconceived jealousies and fears. So numerous indeed and so powerful are the causes which serve to give a false bias to the judgment, that we upon many occasions, see wise and good men on the wrong as well as the right side of questions of the first magnitude to society."

"...Ambition, avarice, personal animosity, party opposition, and many other motives not more laudable than these, are apt to operate as well as those who oppose the right side of a question."

"...those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people..., and ending tyrants." "The Federalist No. 1," Oct 27, 1787

We are driven by unspoken biases, ambition, animosities.... You read the list Hamilton wrote, and as such, the government was designed by the Founders to check the passions of the people, represented by "factions," and give them an opportunity to vent those passions. They knew themselves and didn't trust intent.

Paul is speaking of this as he writes of the Law. God's design as our true sovereign gave us the Law. This is how God's people are to act. Christ came to the world and expanded the Law by speaking of the spirit of the law, not just tangible violations, but also what is on our hearts. Paul is confessing that regardless of how hard he tries, he fails. His confession is our confession. If it isn't, hear the words of John in his epistle, 1 John 1: "8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

Paul concludes his familiar passage in Romans with the confession we should state every time we are in prayer: "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Pray with me: Gracious Lord, I am imperfect and live in an imperfect world. My heart is full of sin - malice, deceit, jealousies, and a host of other imperfections. Forgive me. Renew me. Lead me.I thank You through your Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord. In your service as a prisoner of hope. Amen.

Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.