Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Paul’s Transparency
I love how humble Paul was, and his transparency is revealed for all
the world to see in Romans chapter 7. He admits that what he wants to do
is not always what he does do, and what he hates do is the very thing
he ends up doing (Rom. 7:15). Is that like you? It is very much like me.
I know what the right thing to do is, but, like Paul, I end up not
doing it and instead end up doing what I know to be wrong (Rom. 7:19).
The good news about this is that we are at least in the battle. To be
battling our own sinful nature shows that the Spirit of God is
convicting us of sin because if there is no battle, there must not be
the Spirit of God working in us. The reason we don’t always do the right
thing is because there is the old man still fighting the new creature
in Christ (Rom. 7:20). Yes, we are a new creation in Christ (1 Cor.
5:17), but the old nature doesn’t die very easily (Rom. 7:23). So what
do we do? The same thing that Paul did knowing his sinful state (Rom.
7:24): He cried out for deliverance. That comes from the Deliverer, and
that is why he gives thanks to God in Jesus Christ (Rom. 7:25a).
The Witness of Our Inadequacy
When I witness to people about Christ, I bluntly tell them that, as
Martin Luther said, we are both sinner and saint at the same time. We
will never fully escape the pulls of the flesh in this life. That
complete freedom from the sinful nature will have to wait until Jesus’
return when we have new bodies and completely new natures. Until then, I
admit to those who are not yet saved that I still have a sinful nature
in being a slave to sin but have now become a slave to God in striving
for obedience to God’s holy law (Rom. 7:25b). To admit that we are still
weak and battle sin every day is to give others hope that they don’t
have to be perfect before coming to Christ because none of us can. The
good news is that when we trust in Christ, we have Jesus’ own
righteousness imputed to us, and then God sees us as He sees His own
Son, having His own righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).
No Works Are Enough
It actually takes a heavy weight off our shoulders when we admit that
we can’t ever do enough works to be saved. If it took works, I would be
hopelessly lost, but there is true joy knowing that it doesn’t take
works to save us but only the free gift of grace (Eph. 2:8-9). The very
best of my very best works would be so repulsive to God that He would
seem them as filthy rags that are untouchable (Isaiah 64:6). That’s
because there isn’t any person today, nor has there ever been, who’s
ever been good–not even one (Rom. 3:10). That’s why Jesus’ sinless life
and perfect sacrifice were necessary, because we couldn’t ever save
ourselves. Our new birth in Christ is fully a work of God; therefore,
God receives all the glory. I hope you won’t ever be afraid to admit
your inadequacies to save yourself and admit to everyone, the lost
included, where your life falls short of what Scriptures teach, just
like me!
A Closing Prayer
Righteous, Heavenly Father, You and Your Son alone are perfect, along
with the Holy Spirit. Thank You for saving me because I couldn’t ever
save myself. Help me to live a transparent life before others, admitting
my own shortcomings and being honest with myself and others, and in
Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment