Bible Study Devotional – Day 36 – Commentary Romans 7:12-25a – Does sin live in a believer?

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!  But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, 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 know what I am doing.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  As it is, it is no longer I myself who does it, but it is sin living in me.  I know that nothing good lives 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 what I do is not the good I want to do; no, 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.  When 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 the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched person I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:12-24)

As Christians, we try to do good to please God.  But sin and Satan are powerful, greater than our willpower, and cause us to do things that we never dreamed we would do.  Drug and alcohol addiction, pornography, gluttony, cheating, stealing, rage, and adultery are some of the more common sins.  There was a time in our lives where we hated all these things.  Maybe we saw our parents committing these sins, and we vowed never to do it.  There are two problems with our vows: 1) I want to do right, and I can’t. And 2) What I hate, I do.  The evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.  I know what I’m doing is wrong because I’m breaking laws and God’s commandments.  I get “the heebie jeebies,” depressed, anxious, libido arousal, hungry, and pain.  I feel sin living within me.  The good person that I am deep down inside, my spirit, doesn’t sin.  It is sin living in me that does it!  The sin within me runs my hands, feet, mind, tongue, and libido.  What a wretched person I am!

Whoa!  Back up!  Recognize the warning signs!  Heebie jeebies, depression, anxiousness, increased libido at the wrong time, too much pain for too long, can’t afford to eat.  Get help!  There’s help out there, but you have to be persistent to find it, and you waited too long.  You don’t have the strength to seek it out.  You are ready for the answer to the question:  Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

“Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25a)  Start by praying! Start simple. Ask for God to give you strength, His power through the Holy Spirit living in you.  He will!  Call or go to church offices and find out what kind of help they provide.  Some offer free Christian Counseling or have “Celebrate Recovery” groups.  Google Celebrate Recovery.  If you need a place to stay or you’re hungry, call the Salvation Army. Seek medical help.  If you’re poor, you may need to apply for Medicaid first.  If these places can’t help you, they will most likely refer you to someone who can. You can be persistent through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit!