Evil Lies
Close At Hand
For
we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery
under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but
I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the
law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells
within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh.
I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want,
but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is
no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
So I
find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at
hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my
members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the
law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue
me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through
Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then,
with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.
Romans 7:14-25
No
matter how smart we are, and how good a Christian we are, sin makes us stupid.
We do idiotic things. If we prayed about them, we would instantly see how
stupid they are. But we let our egos get the best of us. We think we are
special because we are Christians. We justify our actions, when there is no
justification.
How
else can you explain the actions of King David, the man after God’s own heart
turned adulterer and murderer? Or the reckless choices of
Samson? Or the public denials of Christ by Peter, the most public of
Jesus’ disciples? We are flawed people who are vulnerable to temptation and to
the foolishness of mind that can rationalize and justify almost any course of
action if we try hard enough.
If we
are to have a measure of victory over the power of sin, it will come only as we
lean on the strength and wisdom of Christ.
As
His grace strengthens our hearts and minds, we can overcome our own worst
inclination to make foolish choices.
God’s spirit is your power source – don’t let sin break
the connection.
Our Daily Bread –