The battle within

Tom and Jerry

A: Do you ever feel like the Christian life is one of constant failure?

E: Last week of the first half of our Romans series before summer break.

Having laid out the gospel in chapter 1:16

Paul has taken us on a journey deep into depths of its theology. Seen nature and depravity of sin, it’s hold over all manking because of our connection with Adam, but also own sin. Seen that we cannot save ourselves, not even by keeping God’s law - but rather that God’s law makes us conscious of our sin. As Paul plunges us deep into muck of sin, he shows us the beaty of the gospel of grace - that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. That through faith we are made righteous, as we are united to Christ in his death and ressurection - the bondage under Adam to sin and death is broken, and now we belong to a new master - who is good and loving and kind, who knows us and gives life. So what are we to do, but give ourselves completely to him, and why wouldn’t we. He offers all that we truly need.

Here then is problem - why do I keep on sinning? Why don’t we live for Jesus as we know we should, as we would like to? Why are we so hard hearted and slow to change? Is something wrong with our faith? Or with the gospel? Or with God’s law?

So easily our sin can drag us into sense of despair, or guilt, or anger at God, that he has failed, or apathy.

What are we to do?

In battle with sin keep looking to Jesus

Do you resonate with Paul’s experience?

Romans 7:7–25 (NIV)

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 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. 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. 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.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 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. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 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.

I don’t know about you, but one of those parts of bible where you just find yourself saying AMEN?!

Tease it out. What is Chrisitan life to look like - how are we to keep going in the battle against sin.

You may have come across the repeat mantra. I’ve seen it in wrestling - one wreslter has eat sleep conquer repeat. Boris Johnsons would be hands face space repeeat. What is helpful mantra for Christian life?

Recognise rely rejoice repeat.

RECGONISE the reality of sin

2 things to rcognise from passage.

Sin’s decieptfulness and horror

Romans 7:7–8 NIV

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.

God’s law - Mosaic law - 10 commandments and what followed given in Exodus. Good. Show people what it looked like to enjoy relationship with God. But sinful nature seized opportunity. Think about this. As people were gathered, Moses up mountain, 10 commandments - including not making images - first thing people did - make golden calf! Why? Something wrong in God’s law. NO. Sin seizes opportunity of law to produce sin.

Back to our fallen nature. In Adam. Self sufficient and self ruling. Deep desire to be in charge of world and of our lives. Every law God gives infringes on that desire, reminding us we are not God - he is God. So sin kicks back. Springs forth.

Augusting illustration about stealing pears:

“Near our vineyard there was a pear tree, loaded with fruit, though the fruit was not particularly attractive either in colour or taste. I and some other…youths conceived the idea of shaking the pears off the tree and carrying them away. We set out late at night and stole all the fruit we could carry. And this was not to feed ourselves; we may have tasted a few, but then we threw the rest to the pigs. Our real pleasure was simply doing something that was not allowed. I had plenty of better pears of my own; I took these ones in order that I might be a theif. Once I had taken them I threw them away, and all I tasted in them was my own iniquity, which I enjoyed very much.”

(Continued)

Ley Hill sign breakers. Vandalism.

Root of all sin is idea that we can be God. Tom and Jerry - What does Tom want? Desire is not actually to kill Jerry - infact some episodes they are freinds. Pursuit. We pursue pleasure outside of God, because we like feeling of being in control. That we can play God. Paul saying. Covetness. Object not important. Desire to own and rule what was not his.

Horror of all sin, is that it is always about robbing God of Glory that is rightfully his, and we dispute his rule over our world and our lives.

2) Sin’s real presence in life of believer

Tension in these verses, and in Christian experience. Seen how Jesus has freed believer from penalty and power of sin, and yes it is still present in our lives. We have power to say no in Spirit, but we don’t. There is some debate over whether Paul is describing pre conversion life, or life as believer in 14-23. I am convinced is former. Talks about delighting in God’s law v23 - unbeliever cannot do. He speaks about how law is good, and his desire is to do good, which again is mark of believer, and Spirit works in a persons heart.

Incredibly reassuring that apostle describes this struggle. (not only place he does). We will struggle to - normal Christian experience. Why?

We have been freed from sins penalty through death and ressurection, and its power, with Spirit of God now indwelling, but not from sin’s presence.

Believer is living in two worlds.

Romans 7:21 NIV

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

Romans 7:25 (NIV)

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.

Because we are still in sinful flesh, sin is still present, and will sometimes feel like still has power. Recognise. Do we give time to recognising that we are sinner before a Holy God.

Look at v24 Paul’s conclusion.

Romans 7:24 (NIV)

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

Do we recognise that in our sin we are wretched? Or have we started believing we are pretty good?

RELY on Jesus

What is our response as we are faced with our sin. As we say what a wretched man/woman I am. So important that we dont’ stay there. It’s also so important that we don’t go into bob builder mode trying to fix it ourselves. Point Paul has been making - Law cannot fix us, because sin will only use it to make us sin more!

“Law informs us of our duties before Godm, but it does not give us the ability to fulfil those duties.”

Repent. Turn from old way of life. turn from our pride, self ruling. What will cause us to do that? Glory of God in face of Christ. What does law do but show us our sin before God, but also his Glory, and his grace. So we recognsie that we are not God, and turn and trust in Jesus. relying on him - first to save us, throug his death and ressurection. But relying on him also to change us by power of Spirit

2 wolves

2 wolves are sin and grace. Starve sin. Feed grace.

Dwell and reflect and meditate on and experience and know, Gods underserved kindness to us as sinners.

Rely completely on Jesus. His death, sacrifice, blood. His forgiveness, his compassion, his power. His ressurection power and lie giving spirit.

Galatians Paul tells us if we want to bear fruit - we are to keep in step with the Spirit. Walk behind Him. Following Jesus as King means not asking him to help fight - but asking him to carry us in the fight. Stand in front of us in the fight.

Whatever battle has looked like this week. don’t stop in recognition, turn and rely on Jesus.

REJOICE in gospel of grace

Romans 7:25 (NIV)

Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

How do you know you have grasped the gospel of grace? Thankfulness. Only response to such a good and gracious King. This truth that breaks through all the darkness. That however our week has gone. Whatever we have done or failed to do, we can look up and know that Jesus has delivered us, is delivering us and will deliver us. Believer can be sure that we are right before God, through death and ressurection of Jessus and our unity with him through faith.

Look up to the one who has delivered us from sin’s penalty and broken its power over us, and is day by day by his Spirit freeing us from its presence. Might feel like taking along time, but old habits die hard. But Jesus will deliver us from this body of death, because he has already delivered us from it’s destiny.

Philippians 1:4–6 NIV

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

More we recognise our sin, more we come to rely on him, more we will rejoice - and need to help each other do that. On my own i won’t always recognise my sin. If I do, I wont always rely, my be wallowing in my shame. why we have missed singing so much, because waht are we doing but singing to each other and God of his goodness, that our emotions might catch up. Have to go through first two, but have to rejoice

Recognise, Rely, Rejoice,

REPEAT! Keep looking to Jesus

This is the Christian walk. Life is one where we continually and increasingly recognise our sin, as we stand before Holy God.and one where we continually and increasingly see the sufficiency of our Saviour jesus, and learn to rely on him more and more, and rejoice in him.

How do we keep going when its hard, when we have failed, when impatient, when apathetic - Keep looking to Jesus.