I find myself intrigued by the Apostle Paul. So many ways we can relate to his life…His walk. He openly writes a testimony to his sinful nature. His desire to follow the laws of God and yet he documents the struggle that ensues once you start your journey with Christ. I don’t recall thinking about sin until I met Jesus. Knowing Him reveals so much that is in us. The good, the bad and the ugly.
Paul assisted in the murder of Christians. I am pretty sure that would be classed sin. He calls it what it is. He is open with the readers of God’s word. I wonder if we often compare sins. Well, he/she murdered someone. Now there is sin! God’s eye sees all sin the same. Would He have a discussion such as: “Good morning children of my universe. I see Kate there. Now, I don’t see much going on. No murder! Just a bit of worry, fear, anxiety, history of gossip, following the crowd, eating too much, coveting a little, tad bit of bitterness, a tinge of jealousy, but thankfully, no murder!” No! He sees that tad bit of jealousy, that gossip…All on the same level. Sin is sin.
What do we do with that?
One of my favorite passages from God, transcribed by Paul, is Romans 7:14-25. Such a picture of the ongoing struggle within us to do right, while dealing with a nature born of sin. It is difficult to follow but so true. The struggle between good and evil. We know what we should do. We know how to act as Christians. We try to do it, and yet we do not! We are each a walking battlefield! A struggling child of God. Knowing and seeking to do good and yet confronted daily with our weakness.
I have news. God knew that! He figured out a way to help us. He knew we could not make the correction on our own. We needed help. He sent a lamb. He did that once before. He sent Abraham to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice
his own son, Isaac. He needed to see obedience. Abraham went ahead to do God’s will. He was sure that God would provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering. Just as Abraham raised that knife to take the life of his son God stopped him. He sent a lamb to replace Isaac. Sound familiar? A lamb that would offer Himself to be sacrificed once and for all, was sent for us. To take our place. Take our sin upon Himself.
The tendency is there ever morning. How different would our day be if we start our day calling God into it? Bring Him into our day with prayer. He will send a counselor to stay with us, whispering conviction of those things that are sin for us. Not our spouse, our children, our neighbors sin…Our sin. Don’t we try to divert attention away from us to someone who is “really” sinning?
Take heart. God has sent a lamb to our rescue! Jesus Christ of Nazareth took our sin with Him to the cross. He was victorious. He died and was raised again on the third day! We have victory in Him, because He was victorious!!!
If that knowledge doesn’t put a skip in your step I don’t know what would.
Romans 7:14-20
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 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.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (AKJV)
Romans 7:21-25
21-23 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. (The Message)
Prayer For Today:
Hello Father! That thing we do? That we do not want to do? Please take it from us. We pray for discernment to recognize sin in our life and overcome it with Jesus. Forgive us of our sin. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
©2015 Kathy Ledbetter. All rights reserved.