Romans 7[18] I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. [19] For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing.
This passage basically says that we want to do good, but we end up doing evil instead.
I mean we all want to be good people, we don’t start off the day saying, “Oh, I think today I’m going to sin and think evil thoughts. I’m going to get annoyed at my family and then tell yell at my spouse. Then I’m going to church to complain about music and how those other parents can allow their kids to be so fidgety and also dress them in such terrible outfits and think, “Their kids are probably so misbehaved cause their parents dress them like total dorks.” Then I’m going to break my diet and then ditch exercising so as to not fit in any of my clothes.
No, we’re all like, “I’m a good person who’s gonna do good in this world. I’m going to love everyone, I’m going to be disciplined, I’m going to eat healthy and be nice to the elderly and feed some orphans then volunteer at the puppy shelter. Then I’m going to read my Bible for an hour and then go witness to those poor souls who shop at Walmart.”
But it doesn’t even get to that point cause the first thing that happens in the day is our alarm goes off and we say, “CRAP!” Not, “Thank you Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, that my alarm went off which means I am alive another day to spread His love and grace to those He has blessed me to minister to. Watch out Walmart shoppers cause here I come!”
Forget about our lofty goals of changing the world for good when that alarm goes off. The apostle Paul himself says he would like to do good, but he ends up doing evil. We’re all in the same boat. The verse mentions our sinful nature, which we must understand. Our sinful nature is always bringing us down, like a heavy backpack or dark shadow or the Black Eyed Peas. Our sinful nature is a constant reminder of something to be thankful for.
Rom 7[24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Christ’s work on the cross – that is what we should be thankful for. Every time we sin and ask for forgiveness, we should accompany that with thanks for His love, forgiveness and payment of our sins. This thanksgiving, let’s remember to be thankful for the greatest gift – Christ.
RO 7:14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. [15] I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. [16] And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. [17] As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. [18] I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. [19] For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. [20] 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. RO 7:21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. [22] For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; [23] but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. [24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. RO 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Today’s Fruit of the Spirit: Joy. Joy in understanding Christ’s work to redeem us from our sins. Take time to pray: Thank God for the gift of Christ, and how we are no longer slaves to sin. During this season of thanksgiving there’s a good verse to keep in mind, “…Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!” But what is this verse talking about? Thanks for what? How can you stand the tension? You must find out what this verse is talking about. It will be like a itch that needs to be scratched when it’s out of reach, or a hunger that must be filled when you have to wait for a table, or a TV’s channel that must be changed when the Jay Leno show is on.