When I Know It's Wrong

17But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18For 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. 19For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23But 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. 24O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Romans 7: 17 - 24 NKJV

I'm glad that we have the apostle Paul.  For without him we would not have some of the most endearing words of scripture which we have today.  Indeed, this man Paul was, and is, one of the greatest defenders of the gospel of Christ that history will ever see.  Of course, he wasn't always such a staunch defender of Christ.  For before he even came to know Christ Jesus within him, he was one of the strongest persecutors of the early church of Jesus {1 Timothy 1:15}.  Yet, despite all of his obvious flaws, God layed it unto Sauls heart that the very man he had been persecuting was closer to him than he ever thought {Galations 1:16}.  So we christians go along with the ideal that following his Damascus road conversion that Paul toiled away in his life of working and living for Christ.  That's a wonderful thought, if it were only true.  We also know from the words of Paul himself that his new life in Jesus also came with his own share of decisions between right and wrong.  This is evident as Paul struggles with those thoughts and behaviors which we all face every day.  Paul mourns the fact that the good he knows is right, that he does not do.  Yet the evil which he knows not to do, that he practices {Romans 7:19}.  I can certainly relate with Paul on this point.  In my own christian life I have struggled with those behaviors which I know in my heart are wrong to indulge in.  Yet on more occasions that I can mention, I have fallen victim to these temptations.  Does this somehow mean that Christ is no longer in me and that I am now but an outcast in my Lords eyes?  NO!  When Jesus gave Himself on that cross, He wiped away all of my sins.  Yes, ALL of my sins past, present and future!

1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8: 1 - 4 NKJV

I've come to the realization that although I may struggle and fall in what Paul called his own members at war with his mind, that it is not my heavenly Father who condemns me, but man {Romans 7:23}.  In fact, I dare say that when my own members war against me, that the only one who condemns me is myself.  That same struggle which overcame Paul.  But if there is no condemnation from God, why do we beat ourselves up over such things?  We're far from perfect, so it's not a matter of if we will give in to our desires, but when.  The bigger question is, how will we see ourselves when this happens?  Are we sinners whom our Lord cannot be in the presence of, or are we indeed Christ Jesus and we've simply forgotten who it is we truly are?  I would choose the latter.  I've been around that block often enough that I know in my heart when what I am doing is wrong in Gods eyes.  Paul assures us that it is no longer we who now live, but that Christ lives in us {Galations 2:20}.  Therefore, the entire notion that God cannot be with us because He cannot be in the presence of sin is...garbage thinking.  Sin no longer defines us, Jesus assured us of that.  However, that does not mean that the struggle is over.  Far from it.  For as they say, the struggle is real.  When we realize that it is Jesus who is in us and that we are not just sinners saved by grace we do ourselves a huge favor.  Of course, it always helps to have a close friend who tells you "Nor do I condemn you."

6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be adone away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.7For he who has died has been bfreed from sin. 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6 - 11 NKJV

~Scott~