Perspectives

Romans 7:21) So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22) For in my inner being I delight in God’s law, 23) 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. 24) What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25) Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! (NIV1984)

Something deep within me can awaken my understanding to what is right and what is wrong. I sometimes do not understand why I do what I do. I try to do the right thing, but somehow I wind up doing just the opposite. What is wrong? How come part of me wants to do that which is right and another part of me wants to do that which I know is wrong? I am a Christian, and I believe I have an understanding what the Bible teaches about right and wrong. Why can I not live my life doing the things that would always please God?

The seventh chapter of Romans talks about this kind of struggle: The writer teaches us that the Commandments are good and they are righteous. The problem is not with the Commandments but with me, or with us. Due to our sinful nature, without Christ we find it hard to obey the Commandments. However, the author also recognizes that we want to do what is right.

There will be times when we do wrong and sin against God because our sinful nature inside us is so strong and we do things that are contrary to the will of God. However, having said that, the Commandments also show the right attitudes that we must desire, like when the Commandment says, “We shall not murder.” We know that murder is wrong, and we now know that if we keep from causing others to be harmed this is pleasing to God. Through the Commandments, we have discovered that we have a sinful nature; this discovery can be what causes us to feel guilty.

Jesus said: Matthew 5:21  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ (NIV1984) It is apparent from Jesus’ clarification of this Sixth Commandment (Exodus 20:13 …“You shall not murder.”) That we all may be guilty of violating the full scope of what this commandment seeks.

Jesus cuts through to the real issue. He reveals that our attitude can be as harmful as our actions. Indeed, attitudes precede actions. Attitudes usually lay the groundwork for actions to follow. Through our attitudes, we may be as guilty before God as if we had committed the very act. Jesus speaks of attitudes of anger, pride, ego, arrogance, and the like as He expounds on the Sixth Commandment. He imposes the same judgment on the one with these attitudes as on the one who commits murder. You see, there is more than one way to kill a person. These attitudes also kill. They destroy a person’s dignity. They destroy a person’s self-worth. They kill a person’s spirit.

I know perfectly well when I am doing things wrong, things that are contrary to the will of God. You see, there are folks who think that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour that all our problems and all our temptations are history. No more will we have to struggle trying to do good. But, it does not take long for us to realize that the sin struggle, far from being over, is just really getting stronger and tougher to deal with.

When we want to beat-up on ourselves and fight our spiritual battles without Christ, we lose. When I look into the mirror and really see myself in the light of God’s laws, I feel so hopeless. God wants us to come to Christ with our struggles. Why beat our heads against the wall. Why not do what the Apostle Paul did and ask, “Who can change me?” His answer is found in verse 25 … Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. In other words, thank God! It has already been done through Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set us free. Jesus is the only one who not only knows what is wrong, but who can also right the wrong. He is not laying blame at our feet, He is bending down to pick us up and set things right.

Would you pray this prayer with me? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have the peace in my heart that I yearn for. I really want that peace, joy and happiness that fulfills my heart’s desire. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will honour Your Name. Amen.”