Reflections

¹⁴We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. ¹⁵I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.  Romans 7:14-20 New International Version

It pains me whenever the church is involved in a scandal.  When one member of the body is hurting we are all hurting.  Moments like this remind me just how easy it is to fall into sin.  We should never assume we are above sin and look down on others who are struggling with sin.  The truth is as Christians we are struggle and none of us is above falling into sin.  We are prone to wander from God.  Paul understood this.  In Romans 7 Paul discusses his own issues with sin and how it is in our nature to sin.   That is why apart from God we can do nothing including good.

God did not intend for us to struggle so much with sin and the law that is why He gave us His Spirit.  If we walk according to the Spirit we can overcome the struggles of sin.  The key is walking wisely by the Spirit and not according to the flesh.  The Holy Spirit will not instruct us to live on the edge of sin but will always give counsel in wisdom to keep us out of situations that can lead to falling back into a sinful lifestyle.  We have to be aware of the Holy Spirit and heed to His promptings that lead us away from sin.  We all struggle with sin but Jesus has overcome sin and those in Jesus can be free from the enslavement of sin.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:24-25