11/5/23 - The Struggle is Real! - Romans 7 - Pastor Jason Fritz

This is a very poignant description of somebody who cares deeply about people, the Word of God, and what God wants for him. This is the person who desires to obey God’s laws, but is disappointed with himself, because in spite of what he desires he is pulled and pushed away from what he wants to do into the very thing he hates. It is the personal conflict of a soul in turmoil. The struggle is real. It is so intense and so strong that it dominates the life of Paul, and it dominates our lives also.   You’re probably familiar with the classic story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Dr. Jekyll creates a potion in an attempt to separate himself from his dark and evil side which becomes Mr. Hyde. Dr Jeykll is kind and has many friends, but Mr. Hyde is evil and cruel. Two very different personas living inside one person. Have you ever said to yourself, “I can’t believe I did that! Why did I say that…again!” It’s like this little dark closet that exists within your heart and at times the beast inside reveals itself rather abruptly. Just as quickly it goes back into the darkness and closes the door…until next time.   Romans chapter 7 explains how that beast enters your life.    It might surprise you to know that Paul makes this admission at least 20 years after being a Christian, sharing the gospel and planting churches. The more Paul studies his Bible the more he sees the contradiction in his life. The law brings recognition of the magnitude of sin. Sin has consequences far beyond what we first realize. As I get older I realize this truth more and more. Sins I committed in the past have their effect on me to this day. That’s the weight of it. Alternatively, I’m more aware of my need for God’s grace daily and am thankful for it.   Once you recognize what fuels the beast you can begin to defeat it. The end of chapter 7 makes you want to quickly turn the page to chapter 8 becasue it’s there we are told how to win the victory, but first comes the struggle.