Daily Temptations and Struggles

Before we received Christ, all the law accomplished was to make us aware of our sins, and thus of our deserving of death.  It did nothing to take care of past sins, or to prevent future sin, as Romans 7:5 explains.  “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” 

When we receive Christ, we are effectively crucified with him and thus dead to that old life, so that sin no longer has power over us, as Romans 6 explained.   We become a new person, as II Corinthians 5:17 explains.  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  While we still have the same old body, we receive a new spirit, resulting in a whole new attitude, as I Corinthians 2:12 tells us.  “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”  With that new attitude or focus changes from just avoiding punishment to actively pleasing God, as Romans 7:6 tells us.  “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”

Though the law set a standard that would be required to get into heaven, it was only the minimum, and provided not resolution for mistakes or failures.  The sacrifices only deferred the judgment. when one messed up it constantly reminded one that they were not good enough, as Romans 7:7-16 describes.  “What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.  But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.  For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.  And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.  Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.  Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.”

While the law was intended to show what was required to please God, the realization that one wasn’t good enough tended to result in depression, and people often gave up and went even further into sin, convinced they had no hope anyway.  The problem is not God’s law, it is our rebellious and wicked human nature.  Each time we violate the law, we demonstrate the need for such a standard, as Romans 7:14-16.  “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.”

When we received Christ, we became a new person, but we still have the same old body.  It is kind of like putting a new engine and drive train in an old car.  While it is practically a new car, as far as how long it should last, the body still has all the old worn out parts that don’t work properly.   They do not keep the car from working, but they can sure be annoying.  Similarly, our old natural body can sure be an aggravation when we try to serve the Lord, as Romans 7:17-23.  “Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 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.”   

The new drive train in the used car may cause some of the old parts to malfunction or break, and sometimes our very efforts to serve God will cause our old habits and practices to break down and cause trouble at inopportune times.  It can be very frustrating.  Paul addresses this in Romans 7:24-25.  “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  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.”

Instead of becoming frustrated when we mess up, we need to realize our failures are minor and Christ has already forgiven us.  We are kept by the power of God, as I Peter 1:5 tells us, and will not lose our salvation.  “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  As a result, we can continue to focus on serving God even though our flesh may fail from time to time.  While our sin can be a real nuisance, we don’t have to throw everything away and start over every time we mess up.   We just need to deal with the current problem and continue to serve God.