Paul says, “I do not understand what I do. For WHAT I WANT TO DO I DO NOT DO, but WHAT I HATE I DO…For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now IF I DO WHAT I DO NOT WANT TO DO, it is no longer I who do it, but IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME THAT DOES IT.” (Rom. 7:15, 19-20) Then Paul says, “What a wretched man I am! WHO WILL RESCUE ME …” (Rom. 7:24)
Paul was expressing condemnation for making such poor choices. The he realizes “There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to those who ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, who DO NOT WALK ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, but ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT (that’s the Holy Spirit). For the law of the SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS has MADE ME FREE from the law of SIN AND DEATH.” (Rom. 8:1-2)
He graciously goes on to say, “…what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…HE CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH…in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh SET THEIR MINDS ON THE THINGS OF THE FLESH, but those WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. For to be carnally minded is death, but TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh CANNOT PLEASE GOD. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, HE IS NOT HIS.” (Rom. 8:3-9)
IF WE ARE NOT HIS, WE WILL KEEP DOING WHAT WE DON’T WANT TO DO!
-Bill Stockham