Satan has both sides of this dilemma in his hands and plays me alternately, when I allow it.

One of the things that has become more real to me over the past few years is the issue of God’s subtlety.

This is really what lies behind the purpose of this blog.

I have attempted to be a “perfect” example and model of Jesus in my relationships, but, this has led me to subconsciously itemize my strengths and weaknesses for the sole purpose of either underlining the problems, for needed work, or ignoring the strong points as being already accomplished.

I have tended to become, on the one hand proud and self-reliant or defeatist and downcast on the other.

Either case does not serve Jesus commission to me. Satan has both sides of this dilemma in his hands and plays me alternately with both lists.

I can display an attitude that comes across as; “I’ve got this covered, because it is a strength.” Then I forget from where my Power comes. This typically results in very awkward and embarrassing moments in front of a Bible study groups, when it happens as I prepare my lessons. When I fail to pray for help I fall flat. When I pray, Jesus is glorified. It is this simple.

My eventual recognition of the two extremes has allowed me great freedom. I now know that “yes, I am imperfect in my carnal nature”, but that I am made perfect in my Spiritual nature.

This is what the apostle Paul talked about in Romans 7.

14 The law is good, then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master. 15 I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. 16 I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.

18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. 19 When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. 20 But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.

21 It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?* 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

You will notice the emphasis that I have put on verse twenty, the reason for this emphasis, is that Paul quite clearly does not identify with the sinful nature. He hates his sin and says in verse sixteen that this revulsion of the sin and his conscience is a testimony to the goodness of the Law.

This point was, to me, like a hammer on a drum. It is good news.

Folks, if you feel bad when you do wrong then you are in tune with who God is and who Satan is.

Our guilt, if we feel it, is a very uplifting emotion. So long as I feel sorry for committing sin, then my heart is standing for the Lord. Paul is making this point, and he goes further, to say in verse twenty-five, “Thank God! The answer is Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus will extend grace to you as long as you are looking to him for your perfection. It’s not inside of your natural/carnal nature. It was not in Paul’s carnal nature. It was however, in his spirit or his heart and that prompted a gift of God, the Holy Spirit, which transformed him, as well as us, to the image of Jesus. When the Father looks at me He sees Jesus. He doesn’t see my old sinful shell.

This encourages me. I don’t have to keep lists. I don’t have to fear my sinful nature. And, I have no strengths of my own force of will. If I am not being tempted with a particular sin that used to drag me down, then praise God for my continual transformation to the perfect image of Christ. I can’t claim any credit for the growth. That is God’s territory. My heart is just the soil for the seed.

So, the next time you find yourself involved in sin, don’t give-in to despair, instead do what Paul did in Roman 7:25, praise God the Father and thank Him, as well as Jesus Christ and God’s Holy Spirit, for giving you a ‘new heart of flesh and removing from you, your old heart of stone.’ (Eze. 36:25-27)

It’s a very subtle (nuanced) difference, but it’s a big difference, nevertheless, and it culminates in the difference between hope in life and despair in death…, for me.

God bless,

DSM