Romans 7
There are chapters in the bible sometimes that make me feel like I don’t know how to read good. Romans chapter 7 did that to me today. It is one of those that requires multiple re-reads and some dissecting for me to follow the teaching that is inside of it. Sure, we can all get the point once over, but it feels like in this chapter the point is made several times over in different ways. Maybe that IS the point?!
Paul is writing here in Romans that the law is holy and good because it reveals to us just how sinful we really are. Everyone struggles with sin every day, sometimes many times throughout the day, and those that say they don’t are fooling themselves.
Verse 20, “Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” It is remarkable how often I catch myself committing a sin and soon after thinking, “You know that wasn’t the right thing to say/do”. And if it was a ‘small’ sin we kind of forget about it and move on with our day. Maybe if it was a ‘bigger’ sin we take a few extra seconds to think about it and try to tell ourselves to not do that one again. Paul is saying that sin is in all of us. Sometimes we sin not because we want to or mean to, but because it lives in us and it is our own responsibility to understand that and be able to ask for God’s help to stay on the right path. Also remember that we are never ‘annoying’ Him if we need to repeatedly keep asking for said help. He is way more disappointed in us when we don’t ask than how many times we do.
This chapter also reminded me of a show I binged over this past weekend. ‘The Bondsman’ starring Kevin Bacon. It is at best 4/5 stars where Bacon is a bondsman that is given a second chance but must send back demons who are trying to escape hell. It is vulgar and gory at times, BUT here is how it reminds me of sin and what I mentioned above. Every time a demon(sin) was present, it showed its face in the mirror. Just like sin, sometimes you can see it plain as day and a lot of times you can’t, but it is always lingering around. It is on us to keep it at bay and we can easily do this by praying to God for a little help…..as often as we need to.
Verse 24-25, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”