The conflict of two natures

S- Romans 7

The Conflict of Two Natures

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

O- Paul here writes a fascinating but truthful depiction of what I go through and trying to explain the new nature I have with God in me, yet still a war inside of good and evil. Now Paul is speaking to the Romans for both words of encouragement and edification. They are becoming, or will become, a great influencing force of the church because of Romes far reaching influences. So Paul knows that the depth of description of our faith is necessary to describe for future generations what it means to be born again, having died to our old self, reborn of a new spirit, a new creation. What he describes here is why we Christians will continue  to have inner conflict between our old nature and our new. As he describes our flesh which used to be a slave to the law and our sinful nature ruled ourselves, but now having been born again through Christ we are now slaves to our spirit which is been renewed in Christ. I.e. a slave to righteousness.

A-The application for me may seem more understandable and the exclamation of where my freedom in Christ comes from. My read and interpretation into a Paul is saying, confirmed by my own personal walk with the Lord, it says that I am a new creation I have new options available to me to respond to all the situations in which I allowed my flesh to lead me. In the past when someone offended me my flesh would say defend yourself, even inflict harm on the other. This was my old self. As Christ came into my life, his spirit in me went to battle with my old, Wanting to resist the temptation to inflict harm on my enemies, Christ began a new work in me to respond in the way he would in circumstances where I feel offended and defensive. While slow to get there, victory in Christ has been my changing response when others offend me. In every case it has been easier to respond like Christ. Oh but I don’t confess that I’ve mastered all of this, it is as Paul has written the battle is raging inside of me  between my old flesh and And the Holy Spirit that lives in me.

P-dear heavenly father thank you for this devotion today. It reveals your work in me through your apostle Paul and be inspired word he wrote wrote. I pray Lord that you would continue to do a good work in me allowing more and more of your spirit to rain in me to be champion over my flesh, and my old self.  I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.