Why Can't I Do Right?

Most would agree that Paul, the Apostle born out of due season, was perhaps the greatest example of sinful man living a life pleasing to God. He himself speaks of his life, both before and after his conversion, as one that was driven to obey the Word and live out the faith by which he trusted the Messiah.

But Paul also tells of the struggle with the flesh, and the desire to overcome it. Read with me in the book to the Romans, beginning in chapter 6, verse 11:

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

I know - you have to read it a couple of times to let it sink in - Paul's translated writings are very wordy - that's part of his personality the Spirit allowed to flavor the inspired Word. It takes some getting used to.

So there it is, Paul says to reckon, or see yourself, as dead to sin so you are no longer a slave to it. In Bible times bond slaves were slaves for life. But it would be obvious to anyone reading Paul's letter then that a man couldn't be a slave after he was dead - of what value is a dead slave to his former master

Now lets look at Paul's struggle to do right in chapter 7 of Romans. Starting in verse 14.

"For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

For I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."

The triumph over sin is never more obvious than in the first verses of chapter 8 of Romans.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."

I know that we've just read a lot of scripture, but these are very powerful verses, that when understood can give you the tools to allow the Spirit of Christ to reign in your mortal body, rather than the law of sin.

Read these verses often and understand them. They are the key to surrendering the flesh to gain victory over sin.

Mark Tabor