How does Romans 7:23 describe the internal struggle between sin and righteousness? “But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.” The two laws at a glance • Law of my mind – the renewed, Spirit-led desire to obey God’s commands • Law in my body – the entrenched principle of indwelling sin inherited from Adam What “warring” looks like • Continuous combat, not a one-time skirmish • Aimed at gaining control over thoughts, choices, and actions • Experienced in real time whenever temptation arises Captivity explained • Sin seeks to drag the believer back into habits that contradict God’s will • Paul’s language shows sin acting like a jailer, even though its legal claim was broken at the cross (Romans 6:6) • The believer feels the tension of wanting holiness while sensing the pull of the flesh Related Scriptures that echo the struggle • Galatians 5:17 — “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit…” • 1 Peter 2:11 — “Abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.” • James 4:1 — “What causes conflicts…? Is it not the passions at war within you?” • Romans 8:5–8 — contrasts living by the flesh with living by the Spirit Why this matters today • Realistic expectation — believers are saved, yet still battle remaining sin • Encouragement — struggle itself is evidence of new life; the unregenerate feel no such conflict • Dependency — drives us to rely on the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13) rather than self-effort Practical takeaways • Feed the “law of the mind” through daily Scripture intake (Psalm 119:11) • Confess and forsake known sin quickly (1 John 1:9) • Walk by the Spirit, yielding moment-by-moment (Galatians 5:16) • Remember victory is promised: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25) |
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