Paul talks about the struggle we have with the FLESHLY NATURE, “So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 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. I want to do WHAT IS GOOD, BUT I DON’T. I don’t want to do WHAT IS WRONG, but I DO IT ANYWAY.” (Romans 7:17-19) “Oh, what a miserable person I am! WHO WILL FREE ME from this life that is dominated by SIN AND DEATH?” (Romans 7:24) Condemnation (conviction and judgement) will continuously plague us when we sin. What do we do?
“So now there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who BELONG TO Christ Jesus. And because you BELONG TO Him, the power of the LIFE–GIVING SPIRIT has FREED YOU from the power of sin that LEADS TO DEATH.” (Romans 8:1-2)
“But you are NOT CONTROLLED by your sinful nature. You are CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT (the Holy Spirit) if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them DO NOT BELONG TO HIM at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives YOU LIFE (zóé: the eternal fullness of life) because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, LIVES IN YOU. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give LIFE (zóé:) to YOUR MORTAL BODIES by this same Spirit living within you.” (Romans 8:9-11)
Father, as we now LOOK INTO YOUR WORD, we desire that You would cause the Word to BEAR MUCH FRUIT in our lives. “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham