Romans 7:21–25 ‘For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.’(vv22–23)
Adam and Eve leave Eden in disobedience yet clothed in God’s promise. The Garden wasn’t evil, but they wilfully chose to violate God’s instruction. Paul reflects their struggle, one common to us all. We must learn that we too live subject to the subtle temptations of God’s enemy, Satan. There may be a strong desire to love and serve God and yet there’s another irresistible drive towards things we know offend God.
We too seek to disguise this aspect of ourselves, fearing exposure and rejection. Fearful we may succumb to Satan’s charmed voice and like our first parents yield to what appears good and pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom (Gen. 3:6). Shame always follows rather than precedes our infringement. Throughout life, we are at war with Satan, the consequences of which can damage us and hurt others.
Sweet reason in various forms will attempt to excuse our disobedience, yet its fruit, separation from God, can only create the opportunity for us to turn against God. Discipleship is learning to choose God, doing whatever it takes to resist the ‘law of sin’ as it works to destroy us. Our futile attempts to hide from sin’s reality only drags us deeper into Satan’s clutches.
We must look to God’s Word and honest confession for our release from sin’s icy grip. Selwyn Hughes described the Christian life as ‘being trained in the knowledge of God’s Word to overcome doubt and opposition and see God working in and through you to extend Christ’s Kingdom’.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Eccl. 7:20–22; Rom. 7:1–20, 8:1–17; Jas 4:1–12.
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, who can rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thank You that You deliver me through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.’ (Rom. 7:24–25)
Photo by Michael Starkie on Unsplash
