For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Romans 7:19
I pause my study of 1,2,3 John (using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books) to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which focuses on the apostle Paul's struggle with sin and his Godly posture and response to this struggle. Romans 7 captures this struggle, Paul's posture and his response, starting with v14 and running through v25. Paul shares the daily struggle all believers face with sin - regardless of where we are in the sanctification spectrum. I DESIRE to do good and please God, but I often falter and sin anyway. We all sin and need a Savior. Until we meet Jesus face-to-face in Heaven, all believers continue to sin, despite our desires to please God and how God is in us (Holy Spirit). Paul shares how just as God is in Him, so is sin (v20). Paul's personal battle and struggle with sin is shared in more detail in v19, and vv21-23. In the Solid Joys daily devotion for today, John Piper uses Paul's model as he lays out the antidote for when we falter: "[w]e should say":
- "I love the law of God. (verse 22)
- I hate what I just did. (verse 15)
- Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (verse 24)
- Thanks be to God! The victory will come through Jesus Christ my Lord. (verse 25)"
We are encouraged to follow Paul's model and avoid "hypocrisy, posing, boasted perfectionism, [and] churchy pasted smiles or chipper superficiality." We must also be self aware enough to avoid "blindness to our own failures" and avoid judging others. We must focus on our own faults vs those of others. We are urged to embrace "honesty, candor, and humility" as Paul did.
Comment and discuss this post.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is so full of grace and compassion and I know I can run back into Your arms when I sin and You will never stop loving me and offering the same mercies that are new every morning and never cease.....thank You Jesus for Your amazing grace! Of course I am not deserving of such a gift...my sin is great and it continues...daily. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
