In Romans 7, Paul
continues to describe the changes that take place in people's lives -
particularly in relation to personal sin - when they become true Christians. In
chapter 6 we saw that since we have a new identity or a new life because we
belong to Christ, we can no longer entertain sin in our lives because sin
contradicts who we are. In addition, in
Jesus, we have a new a new master, a new Lord, and therefore it would be sinful
to fail to recognise that and not submit to His will and ways. Here in chapter
7 (v1-6), Paul reminds his Christian readers that we also have a new love, for
now "we belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead"
(v4). This marriage metaphor strongly
suggests that when we sin, we are being 'unfaithful' to the true Lover of our
souls, Jesus. To sin, is to commit
spiritual adultery against Christ.
The problem is, that
despite these incentives not to sin - denying our new identity, rebelling
against our new master and being unfaithful to our new husband (cf Ephesians
5:25,32; Revelation 21:2) - we still do it, we still sin, again and again. And
again. For, despite the sincerity of our repentance, the depth of our remorse,
the desire to do better and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, we still
struggle with sin - even (especially?) as Christian believers. Paul shares his
own failing attempts to rise above his own sinfulness: For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do… For what I
do is not the good want to do; no, the
evil I do not want to do - I keep on doing. (Romans 7: 14-19). Paul is describing the normal and common
experience of every true, born-again Christian believer - if we have the
honesty and courage to admit it. It
doesn't mean that we are peculiarly bad at being Christian, nor that our
commitment to Christ is somehow weak and half-hearted. These things may well be
true, but that's not why we struggle endlessly to live consistently holy and
Christ-like lives. We struggle with sin because, although we have been
genuinely given a new life (a new heart) upon conversion, we have not been
given a perfect new life. That is given to us at death or when Christ
returns. Until then however, to be a
real Christian is to persevere in our struggle with sin all our lives; and to
neither give up in our spiritual battle against sin, nor give in to its
attempts to overwhelm us and turn us back from following and trusting Jesus. For our encouragement, Paul says, while this
struggle lasts a lifetime, it's still only temporary (v24-25); one day, through
Jesus, the struggle will be over. Secondly, despite the lingering and pervasive
presence of sin within us, because of Christ's death on our behalf, we are not
condemned but graciously accepted and welcomed (Rom 8:1). And thirdly, the Spirit hasn't abandoned us
because of our sinful behaviour, but we can be sure of His help to keep
battling on (Rom 8: 2). This, in essence, is what the glorious, majestic,
magnificently profound Romans 8 is all about.
The Holy Spirit
dominates this section of Paul's letter that we know as Romans 8. First, the Spirit makes a new Christ-centred
lifestyle possible (v1-12). We may never fully overcome our sinful tendencies
in this life, but the real and tangible progress towards Christlikeness and the
ability to say "No!" to sin that we do experience is due to the Holy
Spirit working in our lives and working with us to transform us (see
Philippians 2:13). Second, the Spirit
assures us that, despite our ongoing problems with sin, we are truly members of God's family, His
children (v13-17): by prompting and prodding us
towards holiness (v13); by giving us assurance of God's fatherly care
despite our waywardness (v15); by encouraging to develop our relationship with
the Lord in prayer (v15); by drawing alongside us in our remorse and doubts to
assure us that we belong to the Father (v16); and that we are His heirs of a
heavenly inheritance (v17,23). Third,
the Spirit helps us in our frustrations with life in general and with sin in
particular (v18-27). And finally, in the
very familiar and cherished Romans 8:28-39, the Spirit affirms to us that
nothing will derail God's intention and purposes in our lives to make us more
like His Son, Jesus. Nothing will cut us off from being the focus of God's
sovereign and loving blessing and affection.
Nothing. Do you believe it? If not yet, then ask the Holy Spirit to help
you to believe it and live humbly and confidently from this secure platform.
It's the very reason He indwells our lives.
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