Understanding the Flesh

“For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:15-25

You are a believer. The deepest yearning of your heart is to know, serve, and please God.

But before you trusted Christ, you had a severe problem with anger. You still do. Before salvation, you grappled daily with depression. Now, as a believer, you still are easily discouraged.

So what do you do? You commit yourself to study the Bible, pray regularly, memorize Scripture dealing with your particular albatross, read books, and listen to CDs.

What is the result? Sometimes temporary conquest but almost always eventual relapse. It all can lead to a very frustrating circle of resolve and regret.

Why does this seem to be such a common experience? Although we became new spiritual creations in Christ at salvation, our minds, emotions, and habits were not automatically transformed.

Once saved, we realize that these old patterns are not compatible with our new identity. Our natural response then is to do all we can to improve our behavior.

While such effort is admirable and makes us feel a little less guilty, it doesn’t work very well. The root cause requires a radical approach that is foreign to our familiar problem-solving techniques.