Romans 7 - The Enemy Within
- Chad Werkhoven
- May 17, 2022
- 2 min read
If you're wondering why life is so hard, it's because there's a war that's being waged inside of you.
Read / Listen to the chapter:
Read the chapter in an outlined format
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Romans 7 Summary
This chapter centers around your complicated relationship with God's Law. On the one hand, the Law is good, as it is a guide for living a godly life. On the other hand, your sinful nature (which we often refer to as Sarx, the Greek word for 'flesh'), causes you to look for ways to twist and break God's commandments, which of course leads to death.
The opening paragraph uses the example of how a married person is freed from her vows if her spouse dies; she's no longer obligated to the first man and is free to marry another. In the same way, "you died to the law through Christ," so you are no longer obligated to all of the law's details and requirements. BUT, this doesn't mean that you're free to do as you please.
Verse 4 makes clear that the reason Christ freed you from the law is "in order that you might bear fruit for God." The best way to bear fruit for God is to live according to His law. Do you see why your relationship with the law is complicated?
Dig Deeper
The difficult thing about the Christian life is that the victory has already been won by Christ, but the battle is not yet over. You have a war that's being fought within you each day, between Sarx (the personification of evil that's always whispering temptations in your ear), and your desire to do what is right that comes from having a regenerated heart that loves God.
While this battle is brutal and unceasing, Romans 7 gives you peace for two reasons.
First, know that you're not the only Christian fighting this battle, and even being occasionally knocked down by it. Even Paul succumbed to Sarx on a daily basis, and so does every other Christian in the world.
Secondly, and most importantly, be reminded that even when you lose the daily battle, the war has already been won by your Savior, who is Jesus Christ our Lord (v25).
AAA Prayer:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father God, who gave us His law as a picture of what His holiness;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God for continuing strength to win the ongoing battle within you so that you might bear fruit for Him (v5, 23).
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
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