Bondage

O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Romans 7:24 NKJV

How many times have we been told, that if we work harder, pray more or ask for just more of Gods forgiveness that our problems will be somehow solved?  I'm thinking that no amount of prayers we offer up will suddenly transform our sinful flesh into something new.  First off, God has already provided for our very forgiveness and salvation by sending his very son to die for us.  Yet, we're continually told that we need to seek Gods forgiveness for our indescretions!  Well, I think the little secret that we all need to know in our hearts is that God already KNOWS that we're going to sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Roman 3:23 NKJV

You may notice that Paul doesn't say that only the unrighteous have sinned.  No, ALL have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.  That means you, that means me, everyone.  So, there is nothing in our power that we can ever do to erase this perpensity of  our human bodies to rebel against our Lord.
In Romans 7:24 the aplostle Paul refers to his earthly flesh as his "body of death."  Paul understood that there was absolutely nothing that he could do to escape the sin of his flesh.  However, he also understood that he didn't need to.  See, his forgiveness had already been acounted for, and Paul understood this also.  It may be enlightening to know that Paul, one of the greatest defenders of the faith the world has ever known, also struggled with those very same sin issues that we do.

For I know that in me (That is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  For the good that I will do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
Romans 7: 18-19 NKJV

Whoa!  Here's  Paul, the great minister, pretty much admitting that he cannot ignore his sinful flesh!  However, Paul also understood that it wasn't his TRUE self that was the cause of this fault.  I believe that he makes this distinction when he refers to his sinful flesh and it's inability to do good.  So, still think you've got a sin issue?  You're in good company.  

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2: 8-9 NKJV

Do you want to single handedly invalidate what our Lord Jesus did for you on that cross?  Well, start believing that there's something you can do to earn Gods forgiveness!  Something like working harder, praying harder or asking for a bit more forgiveness.  The truth is, we are no longer under the bondage of sin, but have been redeemed through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus who lives within us.  We no longer need to be on that cycle of sin and forgiveness, we are free in Christ!  In our flesh NOTHING good dwells,  but it is not our sinful flesh now that defines us, but Jesus who loved us and gave himself for us.  God has, once and for all, provided for our freedom from that bondage of sin.

~Scott~