The War of the Mind – Sin, Death and Choosing Life

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Romans 7 is one of the maximum transparent examples in Scripture of a man acknowledging his faults to the world around him. In this case, we’ve got the Apostle Paul sharing his heart in a letter to the church at Rome, wherein he describes being enlightened to the sin in his lifestyles thru the Old Testament Law. He holds very little back in his portrayal of finding himself doing the very things he did now not need to do. Few folks would have the braveness to be so ambitious. In truth, our tendency might likely be to hold our faults mystery and ways out of reach of these around us. However, Paul takes a one of a kind technique and overtly factors to the conflict that every people face in our minds, specifically the vibrant war of words or warfare between our advantageous intentions and practical disasters.

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THE CONFRONTATION

Notice the manner Paul wrote about this disagreement. “I discover that this precept that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do accurately. For I joyfully concur with the regulation of God in the internal man. Still, I see an extraordinary law inside the participants of my body, waging the struggle against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the regulation of sin that is in my participants.” – Romans 7:21-23 (NASB).

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Paul uses the metaphor of a conflict to highlight how we are faced with any such vehement colliding of legal guidelines: The law of the internal guy who wants to do what is ideal (vs. 21-22). The regulation of sin in our individuals attracts us toward doing evil (vs. 23). He writes this in the context of Romans 7, which is aimed at displaying how the Old Testament regulation become not able to deliver any individual who observed it to some extent of righteousness due to the fact the flesh (carnal nature or sinful passions) became aroused by that law, as a result leading one back to a degree of violating that regulation. And but, he ends that bankruptcy with an impassioned proclamation, “O wretched guy that I am! Who will set me unfastened from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

BEING FREE OF THE DOMINION OF SIN

What becomes Paul acknowledging on this proclamation? He becomes pointing to a brand new reality to be had for each Christian based on the atonement furnished using Christ via his death, burial, and resurrection: “For sin shall now not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law however under grace.” – Romans eight:16 (NKJV) For me, this is in many ways the clincher when it comes to residing free of the strength of sin and choosing existence. It indicates that believers who follow the Lord do now not should carry the weight of the Old Testament Law or worry about being sure by way of our sinful passions. There is an entirely new law set in motion, one wherein we are empowered via God to move past one’s unhealthy passions and enjoy a real feeling of peace, electricity, and love. That new regulation is referred to as The Law of the Spirit and is identified via Paul in the following declaration:

“For the regulation of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and demise.” – Romans 8:2 (NKJV). The implications of this moving of legal guidelines are huge, in the main because it relates to the alternatives we make and the way we live our lives as believers. We are empowered presently in records to literally take of God’s Spirit and do the matters that aren’t handiest appealing unto him, however, which also help us preserve the existence and peace he has known as all of us to revel in. So, my question to everyone is that this, “What can we do with what we had been given?” My wish and prayer are that we can choose lifestyles.

OUR RECONCILIATION

The beauty and energy of our reconciliation with God via religion in Christ isn’t always easy to fathom, considering lots of us would assume a just God to punish us for our sins or failures strictly. Yet, thru Christ paying the penalty for our sins thru his suffering and death on the pass, those who have chosen to have confidence in God (Romans 10:nine-10) are forgiven of those sins and brought right into a needed and existence-giving fellowship with Him. Furthermore, we are let out from the stronghold of sin and death (Romans 6) and receive the Spirit of God (John 14:15-18, Acts 10:44-46). The receiving of God’s Spirit is crucial because of what it involves for the believer. We have (1) a humble attestation of our place as a toddler of God (Romans eight:16), (2) an unquestioned hope of salvation and redemption (Romans 8:23-25), and (three) the electricity of his Spirit at paintings in our hearts; that equal energy which raised Christ from the useless, which additionally leads and empowers us to stay a life of righteousness unto God.

The factor is that we are not alone in this system of selecting life. Rather, we are empowered by God to reap that case. The question we have to ask is whether or not you and I will receive the grace and salvation provided via God in Christ and pick out to stay by the empowerment and hope of his Spirit that he gives unto us, even if we are subtly or powerfully enticed using our flesh to try this which is sinful and opposite to righteousness.

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CHOOSING LIFE

In conclusion, you and I bear the responsibility for identifying to hold our minds set in the matters of the Spirit of God. Yet, we will have a good time like Paul in understanding we’re empowered to just that, temptations notwithstanding. I’ll stop with a citation from Paul which superbly highlights our capability to select existence: “Therefore, brethren, we’re borrowers – not to the flesh, to stay in step with the flesh. For in case you stay consistent with the flesh you’ll die; however if via the Spirit you placed to demise the deeds of the body, you’ll stay.” – Romans 8:12-13 (NKJV). May we continue to be committed continually to choosing existence!