Romans 7

In the beginning of chapter 7 Paul reiterates what he has been saying: "But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive" (vs 6). Then he tackles one of the most frustrating questions a Christian could ask: Why do I continue to sin after I have been saved? If I have been made new, and set free from sin, why is it that I go on sinning? Talk about discouraging.

To address this problem Paul introduces this thing called "the flesh." He's not talking about our bodies or our skin; the flesh represents the sinful desires in our hearts. Before we were saved our flesh ruled over us, but even after becoming a Christian the flesh is still there. It hangs around to tempt us to sin, and we are called to fight against it, as we talked about in yesterday's reading.

But sometimes we don't do that. Sometimes we do what the Bible calls, "feeding the flesh." We give in to our sinful desires, and our flesh grows. Even Paul knows what that feels like: "For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (vv 23-24).

There is a war waging inside of us! Our inner being, which delights in God is fighting a war against our flesh, which delights in sin. Don't go to battle empty handed. If you were fighting a powerful adversary, you wouldn't just use your fists. Put a sword in your hands! Arm yourselves with the best weapon for fighting the devil: the sword of the Spirit. Use it to hit the enemy with a force he cannot resist! Use it to make war on your flesh!