Did you now our problem isn’t sin? It’s SIN combined with the LAW which says, “Don’t do it, or else!” When temptation meets the flesh (self-effort), sinful passions are aroused. The more we try to be good by our own self-effort, the more sinful passions are triggered in the flesh.
Whatever the sin is, the more we try not to do it, the more we want to do it. And then we end up doing it! It’s like a being in quick-sand; the more we try, the deeper we fall.
At our core is the desire to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. We are not “IN the flesh” anymore in the sense that we are joined in identity to it, but we can certainly walk “according to the flesh” by living in the demands of the self-effort and cravings of the flesh.
But now we have been delivered from the law having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:6)1
We have died to what once restrained us and held us captive, and we need to believe it! The law is what brings fear. The law is what makes us look at our circumstances, our flesh, and the flesh of others as if they are the determining factors of our lives. The law makes us turn our attention away from Jesus and look to ourselves. The law will not allow us to rest in His provision. The law will keep us up at night worrying about tomorrow. Why? Because the expression of the law today is simply, “I can handle this myself.” The weapon is fear – fear that we can’t do it, but that we are supposed to be able to do it. Fear that we won’t measure up, but we are supposed to try. Fear that we are unworthy, but we are supposed to earn our worthiness. And we will literally DIE trying!
But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]. (Romans 7:6, Amplified Bible)2
If we are conscious of Jesus, we can surrender our efforts and rest in His love and supply, and bear fruit to life!
(from pages 149-150 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
1Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman FoundationUsed by permission.”” (www.Lockman.org)”
