“I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.  But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.  I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.” Romans 7:19-21  

Footsteps # 328 Paul knows the depth of his own weakness. He is not saying that he cannot do anything good at all. Rather, as a Christian, he mourns the fact that that he is incapable of completely fulfilling the requirements of the law, which is perfection. (c.f. Phil.3:12-14)  

Justification is the work of a moment – the moment you make the exchange at the cross. Sanctification (spiritual growth) is the work of a lifetime and will never be complete until we are “changed in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet…”(1Cor15:52) The Christian walk is a continuous one, and it has its setbacks, challenges, and failures. But as believers grow in their spiritual life they inevitably develop an increased hatred of sin, an increased love for righteousness and God’s law, and an increased sense of their own weakness. Those aspects of growth lead to an ever-increasing reliance upon God.  

The ups and downs of our daily lives need not discourage us and make us feel like there is nothing good in us. But take courage. The same over-whelming discouragement came to Paul and David. They had their times of praise, joy, and peace. But when they failed they knew that their only hope was in God’s grace and power. In our downs remember; “be my failings what the will, Jesus is my saviour still.”  

Evil is always close at hand. It is everywhere, around us and in us. Remember, resident but not president! Unfortunately, our sinful natures (flesh) are attracted to it (tempted), despite the fact that as Christians we know the difference between sin and righteousness and even desire the good.  

Christians need to realise that being baptised and embracing new loves and desires does not imply a miraculous brain transplant. No, the same old “grey matter” is still between your ears, and it started your new Christian life with a full library of alluring images stored in its memory banks. Evil certainly does lie close at hand. I used to swear badly until my conversion at 20. By the grace of God, you will not hear those words on the outside, but I know that those words still wash around in my head from time to time. If I were to show you a verse in the Bible that said riding a bicycle is a sin then you could say, “OK I will never ride a bike again!” But you would never forget how. At any time, you could jump on a bike and peddle of down the road. So it is with sin.  

We can thank God that He is also close at hand and that we can call on His strength (and forgiveness when we need it). The Christian life is one of growth and development in which we come to a greater and greater sense of our own weakness and need of Christ and His righteousness.