THE WAR THAT IS GOING ON May 2023
Romans 7:14-25 (NKJV)
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 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. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 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 epistle to the Romans was written about 55 AD and documents an ongoing war and how it can be won. Saint Paul, as he addressed the Romans, also reminds us that we exist with a constant, internal war. Since the Romans were strict to mark and severe to punish, just like the story that is referenced in Matthew 18:32, 33, they lauded their power over the Jews, then. This disposition was a perfect launching pad for Paul to hold their attention. The Roman brethren were already versed in the dos and don’ts of the law, so they could easily identify with Paul’s teaching.
Law: Boundary that governs a people to create cultural responsibilities for the peaceable existence of everyone. The infringement of such boundary results in predetermined consequences. (As per Dr. O. A. James)
Saint Paul in his letter to the Romans, speaks of various laws: the law of God (verse 22); the law of the mind (verse 23); another law (verse 23); the law of sin (verse 25). These laws in totality tend to be contrary to each other, but when we concede to the law of God, we submit to building the inner man and keeping a live conscience. Today, there is so much evidence of lawlessness, it is highly important to examine the root cause.
People possess a precious commodity: the soul, that is housed in our body. Therefore, we are spirit beings, supported by a body, and controlled by our will. One of our inalienable rights is that of freedom of choice. Specifically, having the option to ultimately please either God or ourselves.
Whereas, human nature, (the carnal man) is inherently selfish, we tend to gravitate towards what feels good. This, without regard as to whose rights we may be infringing on. “Me, myself and I and if there is anything extra, I’ll hoard it for a later time when it may become handy,” seem to be the norm. Our prayer may even be like the one that said, “Lord, bless me and my spouse, my son, John and his spouse, we four and no more.”
Although the law of God (Matthew 22:37) requires us to love God wholeheartedly and treat people the way we want to be treated, we wrestle with that. It becomes effortless for us to retaliate hastily against injustices. Repaying evil for evil becomes spontaneous. We have no qualms about not taking that and standing up for ourselves, tit for tat, whatever it takes. Demonstrating humane acts is a vital trait to be acquired.
To place the spirit man in the forefront, is to give in to the plan that says, “You will show me the path of life…” (Psalm 16:11). Have we really grasped the concept that the law is spiritual? If we believe that our warfare is against spiritual wickedness, then it is our spirit that should confront spiritual wickedness. “…But I am carnal, sold under sin”, (Romans 7:14) suggests that our fleshly nature is inclined to dominate our actions, to the extent that we cannot reasonably explain.
Our will was bartered in the Garden of Eden; therefore, it is so much more natural for us to resist the law of God, which speaks to our being just, merciful, and humble. (Micah 6:8) Frequently, our loyalty to God is on the auction block, and sadly, we sometimes sell ourselves short, by promoting our desire.
Mankind’s innate longing after the Divine causes a tug of war between doing the right thing and choosing to disobey boundaries. You may ask, “Who determines what is the right thing?” That takes us back to the law of God. The war rages on because the struggle for the flesh to rule is real.
The continuous inner turmoil that functions in our subconscious being, manifests itself in outward conflicts. In the dispute between the flesh and the spirit, the coveted prize is the soul. The combat begins inwardly, but it spills over against others. It doesn’t end there. The enemy is not yet satisfied, so the squabble seeps into society. This domino effect continues until it escalates between and among nations. (James 4:1a). Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?”
Peace, the opposite of war, can be experienced and shared if we keep our mind on God. It is the believer’s responsibility to subdue evil forces, therefore, discord among/between humans does not win unless we consent to it. That reality should help us believe that God is able to keep us from falling into sin. (Jude vv. 24, 25). Such a decision is made in the mind.
The law of the mind is addressed in Romans 12:2. We can easily follow the trend, be with the in-crowd and be popular or we can renew our mind. What may seem to be old school, peculiar, or not fashionable is being ridiculed, so we become concerned about people’s judgment of us. Our actions need our permission to either comply with the spirit or succumb to the pressure of going with the flow.
This fertile soil, the mind, will reproduce whatever is sown there. It is therefore necessary to let the law of God water our mind. Christ’s ambassadors will represent Him well, by speaking for Him as their Commander-in-chief. They also follow given guidelines and are protected by Him, whose mission they execute. Our goal then, should be to nurture and elevate the spirit man.
Paul blames sin to be the culprit that fights against the spirit man to suppress him. This law that presents evil can be starved into submission. The Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:10 tells us that God’s will is being done in heaven and should also be done on Earth. In heaven He is always exalted by angels. We should also seek to glorify Him by our lifestyle.
Impulsiveness, saving face and concern about people’s judgment of us, are factors that feed another law in our inner being: pride. Haughtiness appeases the flesh and makes us captives in the prison of sin (transgression of the law). It engages us to spiritual combat in our reasoning and emotions. Consequently, there is a price to pay: our victory podium remains unused. Paul despaired when he became aware of the depravity he had created and called himself wretched. He later declared that his help was through Jesus Christ.
A new attitude, new resolve, and new power are found in our willingness to relinquish our will to God’s leading. We fail to produce pieces of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22) if protecting our ego becomes the underlying motive for our actions. If the flesh responds when anger, unkindness, fear, and doubt knock at our heart’s door, the spirit is both quenched and grieved. God is seeking to communicate with our spirit since He is spirit.
When we acknowledge that our sinful nature has preeminence in our life, honesty with ourselves will cause us to be dissatisfied with our condition. Until then, we become self-satisfied and remain in captivity. This is described as the body of this death. Nothing grows there. Everything is stagnant and will ultimately produce a stench. That situation is undesirable, and no one wants to be behind bars.
There is good news. A remedy is available. The process of transformation is set in motion by renewing the mind. That means to think like the mind of Christ. (Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8). The war between the mind and the flesh began in Genesis 3:6. The desire to be wise, to satisfy the taste, and appeal to outward beauty, is always irresistible when we are governed by our flesh. Can we hear Eve in the Garden of Eden, saying, “The Devil made me do it.”? She coined that response centuries before the comedian, Flip Wilson, in the 1970s.
Nowadays, believers revert to the modernized version: “… because I am human.” Yes, we are, and as such we are comprised of spirit, soul, and body. (1Thessalonians 5:23) We have the power to allow either the spirit or the body to be the dominant part of our being. To grow in grace is to practice the principles that are laid out in our GPS, the Bible. The knowledge of Christ dictates that we strive to be doers of the Word, although the warring factions, spirit, and body, do not go on vacation.
The frequently quoted Galatians 2:20 speaks not only of the battle, but also of the possibility and ultimate triumph for believers. To be crucified with Christ means that the sin nature cannot be allowed to have a death-grip on our reactions. Christ lives in us, and He desires to show Himself strong on our behalf. It is up to us!
Sometimes, we interpret Matthew 7:12 to be applicable to others and the way they should treat us. That is so erroneous. An immersion of self into the scriptures and a hunger to please God, require that we personalize the command, thus allowing the flesh to be subdued.
Jesus was presented with many occasions when His flesh was tempted. He always overcame them by doing what His Father willed. He is our greatest example of surrender to the spirit. We are called overcomers, beloved, and children of God. In reflecting Him, His light shines through. Let us walk as children of light as God restores us to the enthusiasm, we once had to please Him. God declared over Jesus that He was well pleased with Him.
Since it takes faith to please God, we must intentionally acknowledge Him even with our reactions. Visualize the Lord singing over us. (Psalm 32:7; Zephaniah 3:17). Songs of praise accomplish great feats in the spirit realm. While we are seeking to be freed from yielding to the senses (sight, hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling) may God allow us to join the songs of deliverance that He sings over us. Victory is ours via our mustard-seed faith.
“Onward Christian soldier, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before…” (Baring-Gould and Sullivan). May we experience a fresh sense of purpose for our life and run the race with patience and endurance to win THE WAR THAT IS GOING ON.
Dr. O. A. James
REFLECTION
What does Romans 6:22 mean to you?