Daily Bread Romans 7
Daily Bread Romans 7
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power. I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Observation:
In Chapter 7, Paul takes off his theologian’s cap and shares his own experience. His own experience of knowing what is the right thing to do, and yet doing the exact opposite. In another translation he exclaims, “Oh what a wretched man I am!” Paul acknowledges that it is not just knowing the good thing to do which is important, but carrying it out.
But this is not the end of the story. It is only through this experience of Paul coming to the end of his rope that he can discover the answer in Jesus Christ. Paul’s experience of the grace of God in Jesus Christ is the key to freedom and getting out of this endless rut.
Why? As Paul describes it, our sinful nature is aroused by the Law and only rebels all the more against it. It is sort of like when you see a sign that says “Wet paint do not touch!!!” What do you see next on this same sign? Fingerprints! Our basic human nature is to do what we want to do, when we want to do it. But Paul says this type of lifestyle leads to slavery and eventually death, spiritually certainly and sometimes physically as well. Not only do we see the consequences of our behavior, but we also become disconnected with God, our source of life and joy.
Application:
Can you relate to Paul? Can you relate to knowing the good you want to do, and yet falling short time after time, again and again? Well at least you and I are in good company. Perhaps the most influential Christian of all time came to the same humbling conclusion, “What a wretched man I am.”
Many people do all they can to deny this basic spiritual law that none of us are righteous, no not even one. We try to disguise it many ways. Sure there are good things that we all can do. We are made in God’s image, so we see the basic desire to be a good person in most people.
And yet when we begin to learn about what God desires, we see this battle within us of what we should do and what we often end up doing. This is the process of discovery that we are sinners in need of a savior. And the bottom line is we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. But we see God’s compassion as He sends His Son to give us a way out of this destructive pattern. God sees we need a Savior and sends His only Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Have you come to the point where you have asked Jesus to be Your personal Savior? Have you realized that you cannot become righteous in God’s eyes on your own? Have you concluded when you were truly honest and looked in the mirror, “Oh what a wretched man/woman I am?”
This is not meant to be self deprecating, it is merely to be honest about who we are before God. It is the first step to realizing the saving grace of God has for us through His Son, Jesus. And the best news of all it is open to anyone, anytime they are willing to ask for it. You might ask for it like this…
Prayer: God I know that I cannot become a better person without your help. I admit that I do not do what it right and often fail to be the person you intended me to be. When I keep falling over and over again I am miserable. But I cannot thank you enough for sending me a Savior. Thank you for providing me with an answer to this problem that I cannot solve on my own strength. Jesus, I accept your death on my behalf and I invite you into my life to change me from the inside out. Take my life and make me a new creation so I can become the man/woman you had in mind when you created me. In Jesus’ name Amen.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power. I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Observation:
In Chapter 7, Paul takes off his theologian’s cap and shares his own experience. His own experience of knowing what is the right thing to do, and yet doing the exact opposite. In another translation he exclaims, “Oh what a wretched man I am!” Paul acknowledges that it is not just knowing the good thing to do which is important, but carrying it out.
But this is not the end of the story. It is only through this experience of Paul coming to the end of his rope that he can discover the answer in Jesus Christ. Paul’s experience of the grace of God in Jesus Christ is the key to freedom and getting out of this endless rut.
Why? As Paul describes it, our sinful nature is aroused by the Law and only rebels all the more against it. It is sort of like when you see a sign that says “Wet paint do not touch!!!” What do you see next on this same sign? Fingerprints! Our basic human nature is to do what we want to do, when we want to do it. But Paul says this type of lifestyle leads to slavery and eventually death, spiritually certainly and sometimes physically as well. Not only do we see the consequences of our behavior, but we also become disconnected with God, our source of life and joy.
Application:
Can you relate to Paul? Can you relate to knowing the good you want to do, and yet falling short time after time, again and again? Well at least you and I are in good company. Perhaps the most influential Christian of all time came to the same humbling conclusion, “What a wretched man I am.”
Many people do all they can to deny this basic spiritual law that none of us are righteous, no not even one. We try to disguise it many ways. Sure there are good things that we all can do. We are made in God’s image, so we see the basic desire to be a good person in most people.
And yet when we begin to learn about what God desires, we see this battle within us of what we should do and what we often end up doing. This is the process of discovery that we are sinners in need of a savior. And the bottom line is we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. But we see God’s compassion as He sends His Son to give us a way out of this destructive pattern. God sees we need a Savior and sends His only Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Have you come to the point where you have asked Jesus to be Your personal Savior? Have you realized that you cannot become righteous in God’s eyes on your own? Have you concluded when you were truly honest and looked in the mirror, “Oh what a wretched man/woman I am?”
This is not meant to be self deprecating, it is merely to be honest about who we are before God. It is the first step to realizing the saving grace of God has for us through His Son, Jesus. And the best news of all it is open to anyone, anytime they are willing to ask for it. You might ask for it like this…
Prayer: God I know that I cannot become a better person without your help. I admit that I do not do what it right and often fail to be the person you intended me to be. When I keep falling over and over again I am miserable. But I cannot thank you enough for sending me a Savior. Thank you for providing me with an answer to this problem that I cannot solve on my own strength. Jesus, I accept your death on my behalf and I invite you into my life to change me from the inside out. Take my life and make me a new creation so I can become the man/woman you had in mind when you created me. In Jesus’ name Amen.
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