“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.” Romans 7:23
November 16, 2023
It was Pogo, the cartoon character, who famously said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” There is important biblical theology bound up in such a statement. Imagine the Christian life as being compared to a battle plan: What is the state of the enemy and what is the state of one’s own forces (2. Cor. 10:1-4). There is more to it. But in order to take up one’s cross, denying oneself, and following Christ, the Christian has to come to terms with the fact that there is a resistance movement within us. There are different terms to describe this adversary, such as “the law of sin,” “my sinful nature” (Rom. 7:18). The tunnels used by Hamas in its war of terror against Israel illustrate this. It takes trained warriors in order to combat such an enemy. It’s called a law because it works with power, authority, and control that sin exerts in our lives. It carries on a campaign to make us “obey” its “will.” It is powerful and seeks to press us into its evil mold. Are you prepared for such warfare? It can’t be eradicated in this life. Emotionalism can’t overcome it, mind games like “self-discovery.” Can it be defeated? Absolutely. Christ has “overthrown its rule, weakened its power, and even killed its root” (Kris Lundgaard). Take, for example, the impulsive thought that I can create my own identity as the road to success. How wrong is that?! The Holy Spirit wielding the Word of truth crushes such unbelieving thought. Show courage, dear Christian, show courage.
H
“Sin may be the occasion of great sorrow, when there is no sorrow for sin.” John Owens