Romans 7:18: And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. (NLT)
Most of us find comfort in Paul’s statement in Roman’s 7:18 don’t we? Hey if Paul struggled maybe I am not so bad! In Celebrate Recovery this is the biblical comparison for STEP 1. We have to admit we are powerless over our addictions and our compulsive behaviors and we have to admit we want to do what is right but we just can’t.
We can’t in our sinful nature or in our “flesh”. But we can if we live in the Spirit. In Romans 7:6 we are told we can serve in the new way of the Spirit. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. (NLT)
“But in the new way of living in the Spirit.” This is our hope this is our freedom. We just can not do it any other way. Like Paul, I believe I have used very similar words to describe myself as it is stated in Romans 7:24: What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (NKJ)
Good news! 7:25 shares the secret of the rescue: 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. (ESV)
Yes, praise the Lord. Because of Jesus I can live in the Spirit and I can be set free. Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (ESV)
We have been set free to serve in a new way by living in the Spirit. It is our freedom it is our hope. Yes there is a battle in our members but we can and will be victorious by living in the Spirit. Praise be to God!
I have found living in the Spirit to be awesome. Do I still have battles warring in my flesh? Yes, but I am more easily able to recognize those battles today because I admitted that nothing good lives in me outside of Him. What is your experience with Living in the Spirit? What does it look like, taste like and feel like to you.
Lord I pray that we live in Your Spirit. Thank you for Your Son Jesus Christ for freeing us and giving us Your Spirit where we can turn. Where we can live. How do you turn from the flesh to the Spirit?
Tom Raines
Christian Affirmations 4 Life
The Law is dead.
Long Live King Jesus who has redeemed us from ourselves, by His Sovereign choice and His merciful grace!
As a New Covenant son, I can honestly say aloud that I have no regard for The Law which brings death. I’m all about The Spirit who brings life. I do not wallow in the history of our faith, seeking to put upon myself the Law as some form of piety. (*ahem*, some folks still do this to this day…go figure.) I am not a Jew, but a Gentile who is now part of Israel. I have no familiarity with The Law (aside from knowing of it through The Scriptures) and I do not need any. It would be akin to studying Latin as a dead language. My history with Jesus begins the moment I was saved, back in August 1989.
The New Covenant was the plan of our God all along. I consider it so great a salvation, indeed. The Law is dead. Jesus fulfilled it and nailed it to The Cross. Amen and amen.
Now if we could just deal as decisively with our own sinful natures…!
Donald in Bethel, CT
Thank you Donald. Yes, Jesus is the fulfilment and I too praise God for His plan!! Thanks to His Spirit for helping us with our natures! Thanks for sharing!!
Reading your blog Tom and having one of those moments when words couldn’t possibly express the gratitude I have to the Holy Spirit Who led me to Jesus, and continues to do so, daily, through the Word. Luke 7:36-50 comes up in my spirit…
I don’t know if you have ever heard the song, “Rushing Wind” (written and sung by Keith Green). Makes me weep with joy. Decided to listen to it right now actually on youtube. Thanks for the work you do…being led by the Spirit.
Thank you Cindy! I so appreciate your checking in. This is a heart provoking message. I will go and listen to the song. Thanks for sharing!