Romans 7
by Philip Layton
Paul struggled with sin
Discussion Question
- Can you sympathise with Paul’s predicament (vv 15-20)?
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Going Deeper From 'Words of Life'
Do you ever struggle with sin? I do. If you don’t struggle at all, that’s great. But I tell you again, I do; and there may be others who do also.
Many of us sin – far more than we’d ever wish to do. Why is this the case?
Because base human nature rebels against God. It’s serious business.
What’s the answer? How can we stop sinning against the God we love so much? The main point that Paul makes here is that we can’t do it on our own. It’s only possible to stop sinning by asking for forgiveness, and inviting God’s Spirit to dwell within:
Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! (v 25).
When we ask God to do something for us, he usually does something in us. It’s like a child trying to lift a box that’s too heavy. Then an adult comes along and they lift the box with ease – together . What’s that ‘heavy box’ for you, for me? Maybe it’s something specific we’ve been struggling with for years. Or perhaps it’s something different each day. If we ask God to help us – deliver us – he will.
My father told of a wise and well-respected Native Indian chief in a small village in Canada. A few teenage boys wanted to prove that this old man wasn’t as smart as everyone thought, so they came up with a plan to trick him. They’d hold a bird in one hand and cover it with the other. Then they’d go to the chief, with everyone present, and ask him if the bird was dead or alive. If the chief said the bird was dead, the boy would open his hands and the bird would fly away. If the Chief said ‘alive’, the boy would squash the bird dead.
So they went, asking: ‘Chief, is the bird dead or alive?’ The wise chief saw what was happening, so responded: ‘It’s up to you!’
Will we choose to sin? It’s up to us. Christ will give us victory if we ask him!
Beverly Ivany
Tags: Romans