The enemy within


 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.Romans 7:15-20NASB
            This is a difficult reality; you can see the difficulty as Paul tries to explain the reality of the Christian’s internal struggle. We are now able to desire righteousness, doing right, but we are not entirely free of the impulse to do wrong. There is a new nature in Christ, but still an old nature of sin. These two war against each other constantly. There is an enemy in each of us, the most intimate of enemies ever, present inside ourselves working against our new inclination and desires. It never learns any good lesson, never moves beyond the primal instinct of selfishness and instant gratification. It is deeply rooted in us, more deeply than we know.
            Some take hold of the language of the flesh and locate this sin nature, this old man, the contrary will wholly in the physical form; but this is not the Christian idea. It was Plato who taught that the physical was the host of evil and corruption, the Bible paints a far grimmer picture. The sin which remains exist all throughout us, in the body and in the soul so that it is not enough to conquer the body alone, or the soul; but both must be brought into subjection.
            We have to exercise discipline and self-control as it is written in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, and also in 2 Corinthian 10:5.  This is an ongoing process with us we have to grow-up in our new nature as we had to grow-up in the old nature. Just as we had to learn lessons about the old life, we must learn lessons of the new life. Just as we had to build-up our earthly bodies, and minds, we must rebuild the body and mind in light of the new world we now live for. This is an arduous process because we are not simply learning as for the first time, but very often we must unlearn and re-learn. The world and the Enemy work against us in this trying to reinforce, and maintain the old ways of thinking and behaving. Their work will be easy for them if we fail to confront the enemy within.
            It is one thing to fall to sin, and to get up and realize what has happened and repent and go on. It is another to completely give into sin, excusing it as natural or even as good and remaining unrepentant. If the will is to do good and not evil than the work of redemption is ongoing. At times we need others to help us see our sins. But if the will to do right and avoid evil is not present, if when confronted by sin we do not repent; then there is a serious problem. The struggle against sin will continue until we die or are called Home. The key word is struggle.
Prayer
Lord have mercy on we wretched sinners.
Song
Weary of Earth, myself, and sin

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