The Continuing Battle With Sin

Have you ever known not to do something and did it anyway? Have you known to do something and didn’t do what you should have done? If you are reading this post then I know the answer to both questions is “yes”.   All of us can say “yes” to both of these questions. I mean, deep down, inside, you all know that you should be Dallas Cowboy fans and yet many of you resist!!! In Romans 7 Paul writes about this continuing battle with sin. Though the believer in Jesus has been released from the requirements of the law and he is no longer a slave to sin, there is still a battle. Paul writes about that battle here: 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

 That last phrase, “it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” isn’t intended to give us an excuse for sin…a sort of “the devil made me do it” idea. Rather, I think Paul is reminding us that though the power of sin has been broken to control us, sin is still present in our lives. Our new nature is righteousness, but we choose to turn away from righteousness and choose to turn toward sin. I’m thankful for the grace of God that provides not only eternal forgiveness of sin but day to day forgiveness. There is a continuing battle with sin but with the power of Christ you can win many more battles than you lose.