but I see in my members another law waging war. . .

So, these last few days have been a draining war upon my soul. I forget so often the war that rages around and in me, over my righteousness, imputed by Christ, and my own sinfulness. For I was reading the book of Romans, which is actually a letter from Paul to the church of Rome, and in the chapter numbered seven he begins to be very open with his recipients about sin. The gist of the chapter is how the law, sent by God, allows us to recognize sin as it is. For along with the linked definition, comes the biblical definition of sin as any action or motive that glorifies the creature above the position of the Creator, and is opposed to the Creator's design for the creature. This is illustrated all throughout the Bible, and especially in this letter (Romans 1:18,21-25).

But what really was impressed upon me in Romans 7 is Paul's transparency with his own sin and nature of wickedness. For I have come face to face with this numerous times in my walk, as all believers can attest to, and to know that the Apostle Paul dealt with the same suffering is comforting. But most of all, the acknowledgement of seeing the sin, as a law, in the very flesh of our beings. This doesn't mean to mutilate the flesh to try and eradicate sin, for Paul speaks of this in his letter to the Galatians as being "of no advantage to you" and that its only by "faith working through love".

But as the title says, the statement made by Paul in Romans 7:22-23, there is a very war beneath your skin, in the depths of your mind and heart where no surgeon can cut away, except Christ as the atoning antidote for our sinful disease.

" For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members."

And as many believers before Paul and after him exclaim "Wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" For we are encased in decaying body of sin and death, not just the constant daily physical breakdown but the spiritual decay as well, but "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" for He became the sacrifice of sin and death to take the wrath of God from my soul! Also, so that I would not believe in His sacrifice and have to fight it upon my own dying power, He installed in me His very nature, the Holy Spirit, to combat my nature so that I may live, truly live. For to end this chapter of sin and death Paul then writes in chapter 8 about how though we are dead in our sin, we are given life by the Spirit. Here is the verse I will end on because it is the promise that I put full faith in:

"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11

Once again, the gospel reveals another layer of the amazing pronoun switch from third person to personal first to possessive. For not only is Jesus with you, He is IN YOU!

Through the power in freedom,

The Spirit in me