Gracious Father, we know that your law is spiritual. And for that we are thankful. It serves as a UV light for our soul holding high what is holy, pure, and righteous while casting light on our sinfully saturated flesh which is completely unspiritual and a slave to sin. We do not understand what we do. For what we want to do we do not do, but what we hate we do. While we hate this, each time we do what we do not want to do, we are agreeing that the law is good as it continues to shed light and convict us of our sin. It is no longer us who do it, but it is sin living in us.
While the old sin nature (old man) no longer controls us, our fleshly nature serves as a powerful bully and nothing good dwells in it. It doesn’t improve over time. For we have the desire to do what is good, but we cannot carry it out. For we do not do the good we want to do, but the evil we do not want to do—this we keep on doing. Now if we do what we do not want to do, it is no longer we who do it, but it is sin living in us that does it.
So we find this law at work: Although we want to do good, evil is right there with us. For in our inner being we delight in God’s law; but we see another law at work in us waging war against the law of our mind and making us a prisoner of the law of sin at work within us. What wretched people we are! Who will rescue us from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers us through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Gracious Father, through Christ we are free from condemnation because the Spirit who gives life has set us free from the law of sin and death. You did this by sending your own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so, you condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Indeed, through Christ alone, we are free from condemnation.
You have invested the Spirit of Christ in us guaranteeing what is to come. We are no longer in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit since the Spirit of God lives in us. While our body is still subject to death, your Spirit gives life because of righteousness. Your Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, is living in us giving supernatural power to our mortal bodies. You set us free from the obligation to the flesh which manifests lifeless results. Indeed through Christ alone, as we lean by faith on you rather than fleshly desires, we experience life.
Oh Father! Through Christ you have adopted us as sons. Your Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are your children. How wonderful! Eternal God, Holy Creator, Almighty and All Powerful One, through Christ, you are our Abba, Father, our daddy. Indeed, through Christ alone, we are your beloved children, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, as we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
In Christ,
Blessings!
Romans 7:14-26
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 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.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Romans 8:1-4
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:9-17
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.(AD) 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 6:6
knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.