I’ve already stated the Ephesians 2:10 is maybe my favorite
verse in the Bible, but do you want to know what another verse is that’s up
there at the top?
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I guess I shouldn’t wait for a response so I’ll just go ahead and tell you.
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 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. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. (Rom 7:15-20 ESV)
You wanna know why I love this verse so much?
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Oh yeah, you can’t respond…
It lets me know I’m not alone. Paul is flat-out admitting that he still struggles with sin. So often we view the Apostles as almost godlike. I don’t use that term lightly, either. They are up so high on pedestals that we forget that they were human. And, I should say, that this isn’t without reason. After all, these were the dudes who were trained by Jesus to go out and bring the good news to the world.
But they were human.
And they weren’t without sin.
On multiple occasions Paul urges those he has spiritual authority over to imitate him (1 Cor 4:16,1 Cor 11:1), but this same man who said that he has “the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”
Paul, who “knew a man” who was called up to the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2) and witnessed things he couldn’t even describe (most scholars believe that the man he was speaking of was himself, but since he said he didn’t want to boast, this was his way of not boasting.)
I want to break something down here.
Paul (or whoever) was granted a visit to heaven … to paradise. And this is from the guy who doesn’t do that good who wants but does the evil that he doesn’t want to do. This is how far the grace of God goes. The grace of God can bring we who struggle with sin all the way to the place where the Tree of Life resides (Rev 22:14).
And this is all because of the blood which Jesus shed on that tree. We are still warring with our sinful nature, but we have been made righteous by our faith in Jesus our Messiah. And because of this, Paul was able to stand on that holy ground of heaven.
So when slip up and I say something I’m trying not to say, or I do something I’m trying not to do, I know that the life-giving sacrifice of our Messiah is on my side. Anyone who has read any of my writing will know that I’m not using this as an excuse to sin (Rom 6:1-2), but it’s reassuring to know that even Paul warred against these same things. Even Paul, who Jesus personally picked out to go out and tell the world the good news that they can have covenant with the God of the universe, had trouble keeping his actions in check.
And that makes it easier to try. And that makes it easier to keep going. And that makes it easier keep striving after holiness.
…
…
…
I guess I shouldn’t wait for a response so I’ll just go ahead and tell you.
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 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. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. (Rom 7:15-20 ESV)
You wanna know why I love this verse so much?
…
…
…
Oh yeah, you can’t respond…
It lets me know I’m not alone. Paul is flat-out admitting that he still struggles with sin. So often we view the Apostles as almost godlike. I don’t use that term lightly, either. They are up so high on pedestals that we forget that they were human. And, I should say, that this isn’t without reason. After all, these were the dudes who were trained by Jesus to go out and bring the good news to the world.
But they were human.
And they weren’t without sin.
On multiple occasions Paul urges those he has spiritual authority over to imitate him (1 Cor 4:16,1 Cor 11:1), but this same man who said that he has “the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”
Paul, who “knew a man” who was called up to the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2) and witnessed things he couldn’t even describe (most scholars believe that the man he was speaking of was himself, but since he said he didn’t want to boast, this was his way of not boasting.)
I want to break something down here.
Paul (or whoever) was granted a visit to heaven … to paradise. And this is from the guy who doesn’t do that good who wants but does the evil that he doesn’t want to do. This is how far the grace of God goes. The grace of God can bring we who struggle with sin all the way to the place where the Tree of Life resides (Rev 22:14).
And this is all because of the blood which Jesus shed on that tree. We are still warring with our sinful nature, but we have been made righteous by our faith in Jesus our Messiah. And because of this, Paul was able to stand on that holy ground of heaven.
So when slip up and I say something I’m trying not to say, or I do something I’m trying not to do, I know that the life-giving sacrifice of our Messiah is on my side. Anyone who has read any of my writing will know that I’m not using this as an excuse to sin (Rom 6:1-2), but it’s reassuring to know that even Paul warred against these same things. Even Paul, who Jesus personally picked out to go out and tell the world the good news that they can have covenant with the God of the universe, had trouble keeping his actions in check.
And that makes it easier to try. And that makes it easier to keep going. And that makes it easier keep striving after holiness.
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