THE GOOD THAT I WOULD DO I DO NOT

PROCLAMATION

“For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. … For I delight in the law of God after the inward man;  But I see another law in my members, waging war against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”  Romans 7:19-23 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  Paul began this chapter describing how the law has dominion over men and women. (Romans 7:1-3)  Then he tells them that once they are saved they become dead to the law by the body of Christ, and they should serve in the newness of The Spirit. (Romans 7:4-6)  Paul stated that he was at war with himself, a constant inner struggle between his sinful nature and his knowledge of The Word of God.  (Romans 7:15 and 7:19)  He stated that he delighted in God’s law, but he still found himself at times doing the things which were wrong.  He knew that he was a wretched man and that only Jesus, The Christ, could deliver him. (Romans 7:24-25)

 

APPLICATION

When we become believers and accept Jesus, The Christ, as our personal savior, we do not become perfect sin-free people.  Unfortunately, our old sinful nature is still within us.  We need to understand that on our own we do not have the power to defeat our sinful nature.  We need God’s help in order to resist the temptation to do wrong.  Sin no longer has complete control over our behavior, but we need God’s help to fight off the urge so that we do not yield to influence of sinful temptation.  The more committed we are to walking God’s way, the more attacks we can expect to get from the devil.  That is why we need to put on the whole armor of God in order to withstand the attacks of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11-13)  The more wrapped up we are in the whole armor of God, (Ephesians 6:14-18) and in The Word of God, the more likely we are to resist the temptation to fall into sinful behavior.  We cannot win this war on our own, we need His help.