RE Verse reading–Isaiah 1:1-20 (day five) “Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion?” (vs 5) One of the clinical definitions of addiction is “behavior that continues despite negative consequences”. In some sense all sin is addiction. It is deeper than a bad choice. It is a bad choice that we continue to make even after it becomes clear that no good will come of it. Why do we stay loyal to such behaviors? Why do we persist? “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it”. We are powerless to change our inner tendencies. Paul experienced the same defeat. “Wretched man that I am! WHO will set me free?” (Romans 7:24) Like all other things, our sin teaches us that we need Christ. I have ONE job every morning. You have the same job. Find the Lord! Apart from Him and His partnership, none of us will ever be free from our addiction and all of its destructive power.
I do not understand Romans 7 the way you do….I could probably debate it for hours….I feel that strongly about it. To me, Paul is giving an example (speaking as if he was still such a man… even though he was not) of what it is like for an unregenerate man under the law. Like I said, I could go on and on, but will refrain. Wisdom has taught me to have one goal in situations of disagreement. …. as it says in 1 Cor 2:4 “may my message and my preaching be not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power”….those who are wise/hungry will be drawn to the Lord through this. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18)
To me this is such an important chapter. The Truth in it will set you free… if you will let it. Oh, that we could drink deeply of the Truth in this chapter and cast aside the doctrines of men created by those who desire (to their demise) to have their cake and eat it too.
What IS clear…and what we can agree on….is that Christ is the answer. Although I am not on a search to find Him (“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”) 1 Cor 3 what I am on an all out mission to do is to know how to live from this new nature He paid so much to give me. May it be so…. may it be so!!