“For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” Romans 7:19 Those that quote this passage of Scripture are most commonly those that bear the least resemblance to the one they are quoting. It is with a shameless aim toward justifying their sin that causes those to fall back upon this most popular crutch. For those that truly know the immeasurable depth and devotion of Paul’s ministry, would never have the temerity to impugn any portion of the Christian virtues that he so valiantly attained to through a life of unimaginable hardships. Since the Protestant reformation, man has taken the liberty to seize upon one line of Scripture after another to confirm the validity of his dogmatic and often erroneous doctrines. Any verse of Scripture that is not taken in context with those Scriptures that support it is nothing more than a pretext. Just try relating a cohesive conversation to another human being without the benefit of a beginning, a middle, and an end to your thoughts. Herein lies the wisdom and the folly of man. The wisdom – to seek truth in the Bible, and the folly – to think that he can formulate anything resembling irrefutable conclusions from a single line of Scripture. It doesn’t require a seminary degree to understand that Paul was not confessing an overwhelming stronghold from the powers of sin in the opening verse, all it takes is the elementary act of putting his statements in context with the adjoining verses. The key to success in this however does not lie in spiritual discernment (although necessary) but lies in a heart that longs to serve God and hungers to know the truth! There are many past tense words used prior to Paul’s proclamation in verse 19. Listen closely to the past tense words he uses here… He first states in verse 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. Then in verse 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. In verse 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. In verse 13; “But sin, that it might appear sin, WAS producing death in me.” Paul makes this declaration as a precursor to the following verses that will serve to demonstrate what he WAS before he was divinely delivered by the power of Jesus Christ. Rom.8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus HAS made me FREE from the law of sin and death.” Paul is no longer in bondage to sin because Jesus (Rom.8:4) “Condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled IN US who DO NOT walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Paul makes it plain that sin produced in him all manner of evil desire, that sin by the commandment deceived him, and by it killed him, that sin WAS producing death in him, but that now Jesus HAS made him FREE; terms that obviously denote victory over his former weaknesses. Paul goes on in verse four to declare that the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled IN US who DO NOT walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Get that? Paul no longer walks according to the flesh! Man cannot legitimately identify with the apostle Paul in stating “If Paul couldn’t obtain victory over his flesh, how can we?” Paul’s deliverance from sin came through Jesus Christ; his continued victory over sin came from his obedience to “walk according to the Spirit.” Later in his first epistle to Timothy, Paul once again confirms in no uncertain terms that he is no longer held in subjection to his former weaknesses! “Although I was formerly (past tense) a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it (past tense) ignorantly in unbelief.” 1Timothy 1:13 (12-15) Ignorantly meaning, that as soon as the Holy Spirit revealed his sin, he stopped! In Romans 1:32, Paul notes that those that know the righteousness of God, and continue to practice those things that stand in defiance of what they know, “are deserving of death!” In spite of Paul’s crystal clear resolution of overcoming sin, man continues to choose the self-delusion of Paul’s pre-salvation weakness to justify their own weakness and the love of sin that so stubbornly persists in walking according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. If this describes you, then I strongly advocate a time of prayerful self-evaluation and repentance for the sake of your eternal soul! “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.” Philippians 3:18-19 For a sinner to come to the cross and receive cleansing through the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ, and then to voluntarily return to the sin for which he was cleansed, is in for a rude awakening and a very bad day! For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” Hebrews 10:26-27 Those that attempt to justify their habitual sins by quoting the seventh chapter of Romans, are lacking a vital evidence of their regeneration! I die daily Some professing Christians say, “Well sometimes my flesh just gets the best of me” And they refer to daily dying to the flesh And this has been taught in the church for probably centuries I hear professing Christians and preachers, etc. say this all the time, “Paul said, I die daily” He di in fact say that, but what was he referring to? Lets see what this passage actually means 1COR.15:31,32 31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. Thus we have it clearly set forth. Paul is stating that his life is in jeopardy every day and every hour. He does not know what moment he may be thrown in with wild beasts and be compelled to fight for his life. It would seem from the statements here that he actually had such a combat. He does not know at what moment some howling mob may pounce upon him and stone him to death. We know that he did have such an experience, for they stoned him to death, as they supposed, end dragged him out of the city. But God raised him up. Thus, we see, that instead of referring to a gradual process of purification by daily dying, or even further dying out subsequent to purification, he is simply calling attention to the feet of facing literal death daily. His physical life was in constant jeopardy. So the statement is one concerning physical death, and not of spiritual experience. You see, the flesh or sinful nature is crucified, the old man crucified with Christ, the body of sin is destroyed, and the body of the flesh is surgically removed, cut off, or you are not saved! You say____ Jeff, how can you say this? Based on the authority of God’s Word, that’s how… Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. “Were ,were, were” What is the flesh? 1 It cannot be the physical body because we are told to crucify it Gal.5:24 The flesh or sinful nature must be crucified to come to salvation and stay with salvation! 2 The answer is graphically shown by revealing its sinful deeds in Gal. 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The flesh simply means living in sin! 3 Furthermore, the flesh, old man, body of sin and body of the flesh are all terms in the Bible for the old life! The old man is crucified with Christ and the body of sin is destroyed Rom.6:3-8 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life… 4 The body of the flesh has been surgically removed Col.2:11 and in Him…
Again, if the flesh is not crucified, if the old man is not crucified with Christ, if the body of sin is not destroyed, and if the body of the flesh is not surgically removed, cut off, you need to be saved!
Scripture references are provided for reading in your preferred Bible translation.
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