Are We Really Sinners?

 

Struggling with Sin - Romans 7

14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

After spending six and a half chapters describing how we are made right with God by grace through faith, Paul shares his own personal struggle with sin.  He describes our sinful nature in relationship to the Law.  The Law is good because it came from God, but it has no power to change our lives.  In fact, the Law actually arouses our sinful nature because it points out what is wrong.  What I love about Paul is he is not "holier than thou", he realizes he is no better or worse than anyone else.  He describes with vulnerablity the struggle every human fights.  He states, I know what is right and want to do it, but I do the very opposite.  I know what is wrong and and don't want to do it, but I still do it.  He knows what he is supposed to do, but he can't consistently do it every time. 

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.

He reiterates his previous points above in a different way.  I want to do what is right, but I can't.  I want to do what is good, but I can't.  I don't want to do what is wrong but i do it anyways.  That about covers it.  Because of his complete inability to do what is right and his powerlessness to avoid doing what is wrong, he agrees it is not about his will but it is about his very nature.  He says, "sin is living within me".  We are all born with a sinful nature.  We are also born in the image of God. This is why we want to do what is good.  So we have a problem on the inside, and we are going to do need go to do an inside job to redeem our nature.

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 within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 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.

Paul continues to explain the characteristics of his own sinful nature.  He points out that he loves God's law with all of his heart and yet there is another power at war with his mind.  He readily admits he is a "slave to sin".  This may seem a bit extreme.  A sin slave ... really? But it is a little bit like an alcoholic admitting they are powerless over alcohol.  Until they admit they are powerless they can't be open to a power greater than themselves that can restore their life to sanity.  Until we can say with Paul, "I am powerless over my sinful nature!", we can't truly accept the solution to our problem.  If we don't have the problem, we don't need the solution.   

But Paul ends with the Gospel, the Good News about God's solution in Jesus Christ.  Paul exclaims, "Thank God!"  Oh what relief it is that we don't have to live life ruled by our sinful nature and face the judgment we deserve.  He will tell us more about the nature of this solution and what it means for our lives in the chapters to come.  

Do you relate to Paul's description of the sinful nature?  Do you see this same principle in your life?  Do you think you've come to a point where you can say like Paul, "I am powerless over sin.  I don't do what is right, and i do what is wrong!" (Note: this is not about self hatred or self shaming, it is about being honest about who we really are in light of God's perfect law! An addict who says I am powerless over drugs is not saying that defines who he or she is, they are acknowledging what is keeping them from being the person God wants them to be!) Do you agree with the statement that unless you can come to terms with the bad news you can't really receive the good news?