Romans 7:15-25
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. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 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. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 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. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 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.
For much of my life this verse 15 seemed to sum up my life: "I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate". This is a rather sad verse, but it describes well the state of many of us who feel trapped in our sinful behaviors. We generally know right from wrong, and give lip service to wanting to do the right thing, but then we end up falling short of our good intentions. The result is shame and a haunting sense of failure. "For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out" (verse 18). The problem is that there is a battle going on inside ourselves; as verse 23 says there is "in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind". This is a battle that we often lose, thus leading to the plaintive question of verse 24: "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?". This is an important question, but one we often don't ask until we admit how wretched we are. The answer is given in the next verse: "Jesus Christ our Lord!" (verse 25).
Lord, I have failed you more times than I can count. I want to do what is right, but I have to admit that I am weak and unable. I need Your help.
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. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 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. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 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. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 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.
For much of my life this verse 15 seemed to sum up my life: "I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate". This is a rather sad verse, but it describes well the state of many of us who feel trapped in our sinful behaviors. We generally know right from wrong, and give lip service to wanting to do the right thing, but then we end up falling short of our good intentions. The result is shame and a haunting sense of failure. "For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out" (verse 18). The problem is that there is a battle going on inside ourselves; as verse 23 says there is "in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind". This is a battle that we often lose, thus leading to the plaintive question of verse 24: "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?". This is an important question, but one we often don't ask until we admit how wretched we are. The answer is given in the next verse: "Jesus Christ our Lord!" (verse 25).
Lord, I have failed you more times than I can count. I want to do what is right, but I have to admit that I am weak and unable. I need Your help.