| Subject: Inner Man Vs. Outward Man |
Author:
Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 09:00:37 05/06/13 Mon
Inner Man Vs. Outward man
Ro 7:14-25 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
The dilemma that Paul found himself in is one that I think every Christian who has ever lived has faced and is facing. How to do good when the flesh fights you to resist the desire to follow God. Paul recognized his hopeless situation concerning the flesh. "I am carnal, sold under sin". No matter how devoted to our Saviour we are we still carry the baggage of the flesh. We, as Paul, have a desire to please God in everything but we just can't bring ourselves to totally submit to His will. Why? Paul blames the sin that dwells within him for the lack of performance in serving God. We may consider this to be a "cop out" but are we any different? Look at verse 18. "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing"! How can that be? You mean that Paul did not consider the indwelling Spirit of God to be a good thing?
Here is one of those places where the casual Bible reader gets totally tripped up and confused. The truth of the matter is that the Spirit of God does not reside in the flesh but He resides in the "inward man" (ie the soul). God has separated the inward man from the outward man so the sin in the flesh does not touch the perfected inner man where the Spirit of God dwells. (Heb 4:12) This is the heart of the matter concerning the security of the born again Christian. God in His infinite wisdom has made it impossible for sin to touch the redeemed soul.
"But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." "Spiritual warfare". Not so much as the warfare of the Christian against the devil but the warfare of the flesh against the redeemed soul within. We don't always correctly blame Satan for our constant inner conflict. The outward man is quite capable of trying to undo what God has done in the act of redemption and if it were possible it would succeed in destroying that which God has created in us. Notice carefully that Paul states that the law (nature) of the outward man brings into captivity the "law of the mind". This law of the mind pertains to the inward man of verse 22. It is the blood bought soul that is trapped or made captive of the outward man and can only control the outward man through the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells the soul.
Paul realizes that his own power is not sufficient against such an enemy and cries out; "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Paul then answers his own question and it is our remedy also. "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." His heart is sold out his Saviour and God and his body still fights him every step of the way. The only victory he can know in this battle is through the power of God indwelling us through His Holy Spirit.
Praise God for the "Comforter" (Joh 14:16) which is the only source of strength we have in this battle.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
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