I went to bed kind of mad at myself for how I reacted to something. It seemed silly in hindsight. There was no reason to respond that way, except one thing… the flesh.
Paul expressed it best when he said, “What I don’t want to do, I do; and what I want to do, I don’t… oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:15-24 summarized). This may not be how we say things today but it’s certainly relatable.
Know too much
There was a time when I would’ve camped out right here at verse twenty-four (stupid me syndrome). But I can’t do that anymore. Like Paul, I’ve learned too much. He went on to answer his own question: “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So with the mind I myself serve the law of God but with my flesh, the law of sin” (Romans 8:24-25).
I woke up the next morning still rolling my eyes (at myself) because I knew it was the flesh and it grieved me. But thank God, I also knew (like Paul) that I had a choice.
With my mind, I could recall the Word of God that has taught me so much about His love, forgiveness, help, and reconciliation. With the flesh, I unfortunately will fall again. Hopefully not often– because that’s another thing God’s Word has done for me. His Word, with the help of the Holy Spirit, has strengthened and built character in me.
We have a choice
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (that’s you and me) “who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). It’s a choice to follow the outbursts and selfishness of the flesh or to yield to and allow the Spirit of God to lead us into peace (despite outside influences).
A little later in this same letter to the Romans, Paul mentions how his kinsmen (Israel) had “a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2). I think that’s all of us to some degree. We can say we love God and mean it, but without knowledge of His Word buried in our heart, the flesh will condemn us. In other words, we’ll get stuck at Romans 7:24, “Oh wretched man that I am” instead of moving straight to Romans 8:1, “There’s no condemnation for those who are in Christ.”
Can you see how this works?
Paul acknowledged his shortcomings. He disliked them as much as any of us. But he had knowledge. “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). I have knowledge now too. And to ignore what I know and let my flesh have a pity party is like handing a whip to the devil.
Condemnation is never from God.
But notice what Romans 8:1 tells us: there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who do NOT walk according to the flesh. This simply means, if you won’t allow the flesh (or the enemy) to beat you up, there’s no condemnation from God. However, if you allow your flesh to go there and give the devil room, your enemy will happily pile on the condemnation.
Once I understood this, I stopped giving the devil that kind of power over me. Sure, I still disliked any actions that made me “feel” terrible and condemned, but I made conscious decisions to believe God’s Word and receive His grace and forgiveness.
So often it’s not God withholding these things– it’s us. We hold ourselves as judge and jury and let hell’s prosecuting attorney beat us up.
“Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Unfortunately, the flesh will fail us. But fortunately, we have an Advocate! “With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2 MSG).
Hallelujah!
