The Inner Corruptions

​Romans 7:18-19 ~ “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”
 
We come today to one of the most pressing Scriptures that weigh upon our lives. There are some who will embrace this text as a means of excusing their sinful behavior. Others will take this as the accepted default condition of their lives, almost in a nihilistic approach to their spiritual journey. In truth this is the Christian life—a battle of surrender, either to the flesh or to the LORD. Paul would say in Romans 7:15, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Can you relate to this? Is there a hatred in you for the things that are contrary to Christ? And yet, do you also find that you fall into behaviors and actions that coincide with the corruptions that you despise? It is frustrating, even despairing at times that there remains the residual wickedness of the flesh. Before you go further, read Romans 7:14-25.
 
We begin with a very simple question: what do you know? Our text opens with the declaration of the apostle, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.” This, dear ones, is where it needs to begin. You have to know yourself rightly before you can ever step one foot forward in faithfulness to the LORD. And yet, it is true that those who are born-again have received a new nature. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” So how could the Apostle Paul say that nothing good dwells in him and that he is a new creation in Christ? Simple—the new which has come is the nature which abhors the sinful nature, and it is the very essence of the believer’s life. Yet the old nature, though passed away, still contaminates the new and is subject to the continuing temptations of the flesh. Paul cries out in Romans 7:24, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Do you know that nothing of your old, sinful nature is good? The only good that you or I possess is given through Jesus Christ, dwelling in you by the Holy Spirit.
 
The next question is this: what do you desire? Paul continues with this statement, “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” The new nature will desire the things of the LORD Jesus. And yet... here we go again! We have the desire but not the ability. We want to do what is right—and fail to carry it out. The will is there, the ability is not. This is where the great frustrations of our journey are found. Paul would say in Romans 7:21, “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.” The wickedness of our former life is always present, for we cannot escape ourselves. God Almighty warned Cain of this very thing in Genesis 4:7, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” We must be hidden in Christ, and find in Him the strength to overcome the evil that is crouching at the door of our heart.
 
Our third question is similar, but addresses our actions: what do you want to do? Paul confesses, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” Have you found yourself there? You do not want to gossip, but when the opportunity for gossip arrives, you can’t seem to keep yourself silent? You do not want to envy, but when another person is honored and you are ignored, your heart rises up with all manner of envious thoughts? This list is as long as the sins of mankind—for the evil of our former self still wars against our new nature. Paul addresses this in Romans 7:23, “but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” You cannot say that you long to be free from sin if you continue to seek out opportunities to indulge in the flesh. But if you are at war with your former nature, and cling to the LORD Jesus as your only strength, then beloved, hear the words of Romans 7:25, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”
 
Your perceptions, desires and loves have all changed in Christ. And, as you seek Him in His word you will discover through His Spirit a growing strength in you to overcome the residual sinfulness. Though we will never be totally free from them in this world, we look forward to the day when we will never know sinfulness again.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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