Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
I believe that coming to terms with this law, may be essential to truly living a Spirit-filled life. I’ve heard Romans 7:24 quoted many times. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Then the next verse is read. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And the book is closed and that is supposed to be the answer to this grand question Who shall deliver me? And they all say, Amen! Glory to God! And everybody goes home. But we keep reading and we see the real conclusion of Romans Chapter 7. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Whoops. That doesn’t sound like deliverance to me. So then means this is just plain so. So then is the end of the matter. It’s a law. Romans Chapter 7 is Paul’s scientific analysis of his current state. And at the end of his research, he finds a law. Laws don’t change.
Never in Chapter 7 or Chapter 8 does Paul promise a deliverance from the body of this death in this life. Instead, what Paul demonstrates is that though we are not delivered from the body of this death, God does delivers us through it. He will deliver us through it to that glorious day, the redemption of our body (8:23). In that day, this man will at last be delivered from the body of this death; when my mortal body steps out of the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. (8:21)
There may be certain temptations that plague you and sins to which you wonder if you’ll ever have victory. The flesh is discouraging to our spirits and causes us to doubt if we’ll ever truly grasp or attain a Spirit-filled life. Consider the words of Paul (2 Corinthians 12:8,9) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. I want to encourage you, brethren. Ask and keep on asking. Seek and keep on seeking. Knock and keep on knocking. A lot of times, we look at Paul’s experience with this thorn in the flesh as if he was denied or disappointed. No. No. No. If you ever get a word from God that is so sure to where you would say He said unto me, O believe me, you won’t be disappointed. (Matthew 5:6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
All your life, you’ve served the flesh. You’ve been under the law, serving in the oldness of the letter and walking after the flesh. Don’t assume the second you got saved, you just spontaneously, instinctively knew how to serve in newness of spirit and to walk after the Spirit. If that was so, Paul would have had no need to write Romans, Chapter 6,7, and 8 or the letter to the Galatians for that matter. Take the a quick Romans 8 test:
- Do you walk after the Spirit?
- Do you mind the things of the Spirit?
- Are you spiritually minded?
- Would you say you have a spiritual mind?
- Does the Spirit of God dwell in you?
- Does the Spirit of Christ dwell in you?
- Do you through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body?
- Are you led by the Spirit of God?
- Is your spirit bearing witness with the Holy Spirit?
- Do you have the firstfruits of the Spirit?
My point is that if we’re honest, we’ll admit that we just are not near as spiritual as God wants us to be, nor is our understanding of the Holy Spirit as deep and thorough as it can be. (John 4:24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Don’t be content. But seek a higher spiritual plane than the one of flesh you so long have operated on. As that great song says,
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Canaan’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
The flesh is a briar patch that chokes out all fruitfulness. But the Spirit is the seed bed of all good works. Both are inside of you. I know that this is a bit of a stretch of an application, but it reminds me of Jesus’ parable about the wheat and the tares. (Matthew 13:24-30) When they found both wheat and tares growing together, the servants asked the householder if they should go and take up the wheat. But the householder said, Nay… Let both grow together until the harvest… Together they exist. Paul said, when I would do good, evil is present with me. But alas, the great day of the harvest is at hand. (Luke 21:28) Lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
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