“For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” Romans 7:15 [KJV]
Have you ever started down a road with great expectations but ended up somewhere else you least expected? It is like starting a new job that did not meet up to your expectations and now you are stuck hating the job. To whom did we yield ourselves to? We do not always pick the right job that was intended for us. We let our will get in the way and have gone a different direction. This has happened to me several times and I did not always choose every job I had. I think back and wondered about the harassment, foul language, and outright violence that I had to endure on the job.
I not only had to struggle with my own feelings but had to witness the bad behavior within others. There is not one person in the world that does not struggle between their own nature of being good or bad. In fact, that is why we have laws in place to ensure some kind of justice or peace for every human being. I rarely heard a pastor preach about the two natures that is within each individual, yet here in Romans the apostle Paul talks about it. Paul identifies with the struggle of our human failures of trying to be good, yet doing what is not good. No one mentioned that in the Bible, there is a spiritual law, yet we are carnal not walking in the Spirit at all.
“For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” Romans 7:14-15 [KJV]
To even think that what i hate, that I do simply does not cross our mind. Paul states that the law is spiritual, but he is carnal sold under sin. Have we not been saved from sin? The answer is yes. If yes, then what must we do?
“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
Romans 13:14 KJV
Paul tells us to “put on Christ.” Why have we not understood what this means? We put away the truth of who we are in Christ. For many, after being saved they believe that everything is settled in their life once for all. But that is not entirely true for each day brings with it its own troubles. Each day may bring some kind of test of our own faith, or trials that we must endure.
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”
1 Peter 4:12 KJV
We must not think it strange when we come across situations that may tempt us or cause us to act out in frustration. No one is exempt from having feelings that can get out of control. We need to find the truth in every matter and learn how to resolve the conflict. The conflict between two natures of being good or bad. It is like diving in too fast to eat your soup. Diving in too fast can burn you. Take heed to the words of the apostle Paul to put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh with its desires. Put on Christ is to subject yourself under Christ in faith, for He is Lord over all things including ourselves. Christ has broken the chains or bondage of sin through his resurrection. Therefore, we as Christians are no longer under its control. We walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit of Christ.
The result is found in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore, now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” What Paul is saying here is that our daily walk should follow Christ in our behavior and actions. This is done by yielding ourselves to God as the apostle Paul stated in Romans chapter 6, verse 13, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” We are to be instruments of righteousness and not of unrighteousness unto sin. We yield to God and put on Christ righteousness and not our own. Listen to what Jesus said in John 6:63.
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
John 6:63
We must remember that the law is spiritual, as Paul exclaimed in chapter seven of Romans, but “I am carnal, sold under sin” [see Romans 7:14]. Our checks and balances come from the word of God and through the Holy Spirit that points to Christ. When we struggle with our old nature, we take it to Jesus and ask him to intervene and allow His Spirit to take control over our mind and actions. We ask through prayer that we put to death any feelings of hatred, getting even, anger, or anything that does not project the image of Christ. Some may have to struggle in letting it go. Remember the flesh will not profit. There are those who have gotten even and later found that it did not bring them a lasting peace. Peace only comes through the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Reprove yourself and flee from doing evil things.
Let us pray and ask God to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us,” as David exclaimed in Psalm 51:10. Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death [see Romans 8:2]. Victory is in yielding ourselves unto God every day no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.