Romans 7:13-25
Chris Peoples
The book of Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Eight ways Paul endured the tension between obedience and sin.
Eight ways Paul endured the tension between obedience and sin.
Call out sin by name and own that it’s part of your life.
Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
I remember a time that I was driving to a meeting eating a Snickers bar. For me, a white dress shirt is a magnet for anything that can stick to it. Except, I didn’t know I had chocolate on my shirt until I got to the meeting and stopped by the restroom. When I looked in the mirror, the mirror threw a spotlight on this little piece of chocolate.
Maybe you can relate to this one. In high school, there was a girl that I had been trying to ask out for a long time. I was a wimp, but I finally got enough courage to ask her to a movie. That morning, I woke and looked and had the world’s largest pimple on my right cheek. It seemed like it was the same size as my glasses. I didn’t notice the pimple until I looked into the mirror. And, then all that I noticed.
I can’t blame the mirror for doing what is supposed to do - expose reality. I can’t blame the white shirt for me eating chocolate while I was driving to a meeting. I can’t blame the Bible for throwing a spotlight on my sin because that is what it is supposed to do - expose reality.
When we own the fact that we are sinful and we don’t try to sugarcoat sin - we call it what it is (sin might be shown to be sin) - we don’t justify it - it is easier to endure the tension between biblical obedience and sin trying to beat us down.
Be mindful that sin always intends to grow.
Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
I have said this before. Sin will always try to take us further than we ever thought we would go. Sin has one mission in our life - kill us. Take us down. Lead us away from the cross quickly. Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt because she loved sin beyond measure.
I’m thankful that I don’t love sin as much as I used to. But, I am faced with temptations every day to compromise biblical values. I’m not alone, you are faced with the same temptations. Every temptations that we surrender to intends to grow cancerous cells in our life.
When we take preventative measures that leave temptation no room to grow, it is easier to endure the tension between biblical obedience and sin.
How does one do that? Follow the pattern of Titus 2.
The low-hanging fruit is Sunday School meets at 9am.
Ladies - biblically, you should be in a discipling relationship.
Men - biblically, you should be in a discipling relationship.
Here is how that works. It doesn’t have to be one-on-one. It can be group of 3 people. The content is the Bible. Choose a book, read a chapter for each time you meet, sit around a table and discuss it. Talk about how it applies to your life. Talk about what God is teaching you from it. Tell the truth. Pray with each other. Be looking for a 4th person to join you, so you can become two groups of 2 that are looking for a third person each.
Pastor Chris, can’t I do that on my own? No. No, you cannot. Not if you want to be a biblical follower of Jesus. Refer to Hebrews 10:19-25. Walking with Jesus is an individual commitment, but it is not an isolated friendship.
Remember that your human nature has been sold out to sin.
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.
In this verse, the difference between a believer and an unbeliever is one word. Paul says, “I am of the flesh.” An unbeliever is “in the flesh.” As a believer, our nature might be sold out to sin. But, our soul has been redeemed. This is the tension of our life.
Celebrate when your actions agree with the Bible.
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.
Paul didn’t understand. How can I hate sin and commit sin at the same time? Instead of beating ourselves up because we are still sinning, let’s celebrate that we hate the sin we just committed. We aren’t satisfied with living a sinful life. Let’s celebrate that our conscience is sensitive enough to see sin. Let’s celebrate that are unwillingness to commit sin agrees with the Bible. Paul said, “that is good.” Let’s celebrate those things instead of allowing our guilt to beat us down.
Be mindful that sin wants to be squatter.
So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
When sin dwells within me, there is a constant reminder that sin is there.
I have a thing on my neck. Fatty tissue that needs to be surgically removed. It’s easier to let it remain where it doesn’t belong than to go to the process of surgery.
As a believer, sin doesn’t belong there. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, sin is surgically removed and should remain homeless.
Condition yourself to agree and rejoice with the Bible’s stand regarding sin.
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Remember that you cannot save yourself.
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Wholeheartedly serve the one who has declared “it is finished.”
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Every person, in this room or on the other side of the camera, struggles with sin. When the tension of sin seems powerful in your life, stand strong in the reality that IT IS FINISHED is much more powerful than the sin that is trying to beat you down.