WAR WITHIN! _______________________________________________________________________ The seventh chapter of Romans provides us with a macro view of the inward struggle of the person who has been justified by faith and has peace with God (Rom 5:1). Some have been led to believe that "peace with God" means no trouble, no conflict, no agitation, and no turmoil. This is not at all the case. While we do have peace with God, as long as we remain in the body, we are in a hostile environment. We are NOT at peace with the world (Gal 6:14). We are NOT at peace with the devil (1 Pet 5:8). We are NOT at peace with principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph.6:12). All of these influences have the capability of causing disruption, agitation, and turmoil WITHIN the believer. The only victory that one can realize over these powers is through faith. As it is written, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). -- Tomorrow:
CORRECTION TO YESTERDAY'S DEVOTION
The first sentence should read, "The follower of Jesus should NOT be surprised when confronting conflict."
"But I see another law in my members, WARRING against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" (Rom 7:23).
Devotion 11 of 23
A Macro View
However, in addition to these contradicting forces, every child of God has difficulty with his body and everything that belongs to it. As long as we are in this world, we are a dichotomy of good and evil, flesh and spirit, heaven and earth, new and old. There is a part of us that is growing stronger and stronger, and another part that is growing weaker and weaker. Part of us will die, and part will not die. Our person is divisible, and a final separation of these parts is appointed. Until that time there is a fierce competition between what is dying and what is living; what is waning and what is growing; what is from heaven and what is from earth.
The passage with which we will deal in the next few lessons addresses this inner conflict. There is no question about the words that are in the text, or the conflict that they portray. However, there is a difference among professing believers concerning their meaning.
The conflict of reference has been interpreted by some to refer to life without Christ. Specifically, it is taught that this was Paul's experience when he was "under the law," or outside of Christ. This is a wholly false view, and tends to disarm the believer. It is in sharp conflict with the consistent manner in which Paul spoke of himself. He did not deliver lengthy disquisitions about his personal feelings and experiences prior to being in Christ. Further, it is not the manner of the Kingdom to elaborate on experiences that occurred while in a state of alienation from God. Only brief references are made to our former lives, and they are very general in nature, depicting our condition rather than minute personal experiences (Rom 5:10; 6:21; 1 Cor 6:9-11; Eph 2:11-12; Tit 3:3; 1 Pet 4:3, etc).
PRESENT TENSE USED IN ROMANS 7:14-25
In dealing with his personal struggle against evil, Paul consistently uses present tense words. Beginning at verse fourteen of the seventh chapter of Romans, and concluding with the twenty-fifth verse, there is not a single reference to past experience – not a single one! Describing his experience prior to coming into Christ, Paul consistently referred to the past – a past from which salvation delivered him: "I had not KNOWN sin . . . "I had not KNOWN lust . . . "WROUGHT in me . . . I WAS alive without the law once . . . when the commandment CAME, sin REVIVED and I DIED . . . the commandment which was ordained to life, I FOUND to be unto death . . . for sin, taking occasion by the commandment, DECEIVED me and by it SLEW me . . . Was then that which is good MADE death unto me? God forbid" (Rom 7:7-13). The only present tense word in that passage pertains to the Law, not to human experience – "that which IS good." This section described how the Law was Paul's schoolmaster, teaching him of his sinful condition, and readying him for salvation – bringing him to Christ (Gal 3:24-25).
How differently Paul speaks of his contemporary experience – since he had been justified, and made accepted in the Beloved. Note the following expressions in verses fourteen through twenty-five.
1. "I AM carnal" (v 14).
2. "That which I DO" (v 15).
3. "I ALLOW not" (v 15).
4. "For what I WOULD" (v 15).
5. "That DO I not" (v 15).
6. "But what I HATE" (v 15).
7. "That DO I" (v 15).
8. "But what I HATE" (v 16).
9. "That I DO" (v 16).
10. "If then I DO" (v 16).
11. "That which I WOULD NOT" (v 16).
12. "I CONSENT unto the law" (v 16).
13. "That it IS good" (v 16).
14. "NOW then" (v 17).
15. "It IS no more" (v 17).
16. "I that DO it" (v 17).
17. "But sin that DWELLETH in me" (v 17).
18. "For I KNOW" (v 18).
19. "That in me (that is in my flesh) DWELLETH no good thing" (v 18).
20. "For to will IS present with me" (v 18).
21. "How to perform that which IS good" (v 18).
22. "I FIND not" (v 18).
23. "For the good that I WOULD" (v 19).
24. "I DO not" (v 19).
25. "But the evil which I WOULD NOT" (v 19).
26. "That DO I" (v 19).
27. "Now if I DO " (v 20).
28. "That I WOULD NOT" (v 20).
29. "It IS no more" (v 20).
30. "I that DO it" (v 20).
31. "But sin that DWELLETH in me" (v 21).
32. "I FIND then a law" (v 21).
33. "When I WOULD DO good" (v 21).
34. "Evil IS present with me" (v 21).
35. "For I DELIGHT in the law of God" (v 22).
36. "But I SEE another law in my members" (v 23).
37. "WARRING against the law of my mind" (v 23).
38. "And BRINGING me into captivity" (v 23)
39. "The law of sin which IS in my members" (v 23).
These words identify contemporary experience, and are not employed to analyze the past. "I DO not DO the things I WANT, but the evil that I DO NOT WANT is WHAT I DO" (v 18). It is difficult to imagine how Paul could have stated contemporary experience with any greater clarity.
At the time of this writing, Paul had been in Christ for twenty-five years. He was not merely reflecting on a struggle that existed over a quarter of a century ago, but on one in which he was currently involved – a struggle that had relevance to the saints. Suffice it to say, we are dealing with the experiences of one who is in Christ – in fact, an unparalleled veteran in the good fight of faith.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, help me to see the real nature of my own struggles.