Our Struggle With Sin And Our Hope Within

“For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” – Romans 7:18-20

That was the Apostle Paul – the great encourager of the Faith sharing about his struggle with sin. I am certain that you don’t have that problem, but know other Christians who do. Yeh, right!  The reason that God inspired the writing of those words is because He knows our struggle. The same struggle Paul had and every other Christian has had or will have.  I can remember my step-dad and spiritual father, Don told me after I was born again, “Your trouble has just started.” What did he mean by that? Before I was born again, all I knew was the sinful nature. Now that I am born again, having the Spirit of God in me and the truth of God in His Word before me, I know sin for what it is. I also know that my sinful nature, my flesh, wants to rise up and dominate me.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” –  2 Corinthians 5:17-19

That sounds like sin should be behind us doesn’t it.  Well the temptation to sin is not but the penalty of sin is. The power to not give in to the temptation is no longer a function of our moral will – but the power of God through the presence of the Spirit and our willingness to submit to the Spirit and not our flesh. Because you struggle with sin and perhaps think the same thoughts that Paul had does not mean that you are not saved or have somehow lost your salvation. What it means is that there is a struggle going on in you, the one my step-dad referred to, that can only be there is the Spirit of God is in you and the Spirit of God can only be in you if you are born again.

“I [Paul] say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” – Galatians 5:16-17

So that is our lot in this earthly life my friends.  Do not think it strange that you struggle. But rejoice – the struggle is evidence of the Hope that is in you.  Embrace the truth that Paul concluded with and give praise to God .

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” – Romans 7:24-25

Hallelujah!