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14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.
17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.
22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25a Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Grace mercy and peace to you from God our heavenly father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ our text that forms the basis of our my sermon this morning is taken from our epistle reading from Romans chapter 7. we know that the law is spiritual but I am unspiritual sold as a slave to sin now the Apostle Paul in our epistle text is setting up the contrast between God’s holy law and our sinful nature and the picture isn’t pretty in fact the picture that is painted of humanity in this passage of holy scriptures grotesque painful to even read and yet if a person is ever going to understand the idea that sin is slavery and not our friend or a cute little exotic pet then he or she must wrestle with this passage yeah every now and then we get those news stories right of somebody who’s foolish enough to bring a baby alligator home you ever you read these from time to time right some poor fool went down to Florida and just thought oh that alligator is just so cute the babies are just the cutest little things and they bring it home and they put it in their bathtub right and they keep feeding it and feeding it and feeding it next thing you know you have a full-grown alligator living inside your home’s bathtub and you have no way to get it out of your house without you being devoured by it right that’s kind of a picture there of what sin is like and each and every one of us are born with a sinful nature so reality is this keep this in mind sin is an unsatiable or insatiable appetite sin craves evil and once it has been fed what it has been lusting for the hunger pains Begin Again problem is the next time the hunger pains are stronger now we all know someone let’s do this for a little bit we’re going to talk about Sin we’ll do this safely let’s talk about other people right okay don’t worry I’ll come back to us but um let’s do this let’s do this clinically here we’ll talk about it in the abstract because we all know someone whom sin has utterly overpowered and and enslaved maybe you know a meth addict who despite the fact that their teeth are literally rotting out of their mouths because of the effects of their drug they can’t stop or how about the alcoholic woman who night after night seeks to escape the pain of this life by disappearing into a bottle or the man who constantly flies into a rage and ends up beating the woman that he swore to love honor and cherish we know people like this right or the woman who spends her days on the phone mining people for juicy little bits of gossip and news about her neighbors so that the she can then turn around and venomously share that information with others and by doing so murder the character of her friends and neighbor or how about the couple to put that in air quotes the couple who are clandestinely having an affair secretly finding ways that they can spend time together in cheap little motels or you know places where the their spouse won’t know what their their spouse is won’t know what they’re up to right we all know people who’ve done this and the ones enslaved and ruled by these sins they know that it’s sin they know that they are enslaved and are utterly powerless to break free from sin’s grip and yet they are driven by their sinful passions deeper and deeper Into Darkness in fact you’ll find talking with these people they’ll say it’s so much easier to give way to sin’s power than to stand up to it in fact we all know this because there’s this annual ritual we do here in the United States it happens every year on New Year’s Eve we all make New Year’s resolutions I’m going to once again be as skinny as I was when I was 18 years old right I’m gonna stop eating and not exercising I’m going to take care of myself I’m going to stop lying about people or I’m going to do this or do that right and how long do those New Year’s resolutions last two three days a week for the really really self-confident those who really have the ability to gut it out three four weeks right it’s all an exercise in futility isn’t it yeah none of us can really ever seem to get our acts together can we why because all of us have a sinful nature now let me read to you a horrifying list now this is going to get personal we talked about Sin in the abstract let’s do a little examination in Galatians chapter 5 we have this horrifying thumbnail sketch of the acts of the sinful nature here’s what the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the holy spirit says he says the acts of the sinful nature are obvious they’re not hidden we all know this right let’s talk about the obvious sexual immorality yep we all know that that’s kind of a no-brainer Greek word there by the way is pornaya sound familiar we get the word pornography from it yeah sexual immorality is any type of sexual behavior that is not God ordained and God ordained sexual behavior only occurs between a husband and a wife everything outside of that is pornea then we have this wonderful word impurity akatharsia it’s a state of moral corruption vileness right when we hear about this we think about somebody who in a sense is somebody that we would describe as that person’s really nasty and we all know what we mean by that how about this one debauchery the Greek this is a fun word and the definition is somebody who is debaterous has a complete lack of self-control and engages in conduct that violates all bonds of what is socially acceptable think of it as self-abandonment if you would and then another Act of the sinful nature a lot of people don’t think of this as an act of the sinful nature and yet it is idolatry this is making your own God how many of you have had a conversation with a friend or neighbor maybe you’ve said this to yourself the god I believe in would never blank and then fill in the blank the God I would never the god I believe in would never blank and the blank is always something that God has actually revealed about himself in his word the god I believe in would never send anybody to hell the god I believe in accepts everybody and would never condemn somebody because they’re born gay the god I believe in would never vote Republican you know things like that right whenever you or anyone else says the god I believe in would never whatever the gods you believe in isn’t the god who’s revealed in scripture the god you believe in is a God you’ve made up and that God cannot save you because he doesn’t exist if the gods you believe in would never send anybody to hell that’s not the god revealed in scripture the god revealed in scripture does send Sinners to hell but the god of scripture also forgives and pardon Sinners by the shed blood of Christ then there’s witchcraft now this is a Temptation not a lot of people talk about this but how much do you want to bet somebody here has dabbled in this whether it’s the Ouija board or the rituals designed to get God to act on your behalf did you know sending money to a televangelist on TBN is a form of Witchcraft it’s a belief that by sending money that somehow you are engaging in a ritual that will then open up God’s hand and send favor your way that’s a form of witchcraft how about hatred Discord jealousy oh this is a big one really jealous that farmer has that combine I’ve been wanting that for years and I can’t afford it how did he pull that off I don’t care if it’s red or green right a little weird thing going on culturally here right fits of Rage now this one is an equal opportunity sin but men seem to have this one more than women when you put your fist through a wall because you’re so angry or when you throw chairs or women you throw dishes fits of rage are completely out of control all you see is red or where you’re so angry that when you’re talking all that’s coming out of your mouth is spit this is an act of the sinful nature dissensions factions oh yeah these are fun I want to get people on my side now this happens in the corporate world and it happens in churches you have these little parties all centered around a person who likes to talk behind people’s backs and build up a little bit of a following and then they work against the other group or against the pastor right this is all an act of the sinful nature and it’s damnable Envy drunkenness orgies and the like this little passage from Galatians 5 has this as the kicker at the end of the list Paul writing to Christians he says and I warn you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God now you may be thinking right now but but you’ve just described me who of us can say that we’re completely sinless in light of that list right yes I know I’ve described you because Paul in our epistle text this morning is preaching the law to us in order that we can truly see the darkness of our sin so here again our epistle text Paul writes we know that the law is spiritual but I’m unspiritual sold as a slave to sin I do not understand what I do for what I want to do I do not do but what I hate to do that’s what I keep on doing and if I do what I do not want to do well then I agree that the law is good as it is it is no longer I myself who does it but it’s sin that’s living in me I know that nothing good lives in me that is in my sinful nature for I have the desire to do what is good but I cannot carry it out for what I do is not the good that I want to do no instead it’s the evil that I do not want to do and this I keep on doing now if I do what I do not want to do it is no longer I who do it but it is sin that is living in me that does it so I find this law at work when I want to do good evil is right there with me for in my inner being I Delight in God’s law but I also see another law at work in the members of my body that is Waging War against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner to the law of sin at work that was in that’s within my members note here Paul is not talking here about his struggles before he became a Christian he’s talking about the struggles that Christians experience due to the war between the spirit and the sinful nature but the solution to this war the struggle is not the law of God just try harder just obey just do more right good luck on that the law does not have the power to save us it only has the power to condemn us that’s why Paul says oh what a Wretched Man I am who will rescue me from this body of death it’s a great question who will rescue us who will rescue us who stand condemned by God’s holy law and with the law shining in all of its bright Glory it only shows the darkness of our heart even more that’s what it does so who’s going to rescue us from this body of death I have to cheat a little bit and go forward in the text Romans 8. says this there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus none the law condemns and says you are a sinner you are guilty but you baptized Believers you are in Christ therefore there is no condemnation God does not condemn you at all because he’s condemned Christ for the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ from the law of sin and death for God has done with the law weakened by the flesh could not do by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin he has condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but we walk according to the spirit so the solution to this problem is the gospel the good news the Christ died for your sins that’s the solution and that’s the law of the spirit the gospel Johann Gerhart the great Lutheran Theologian writes puts it this way think of this Great Exchange Christ’s Soul was grieved unto death so that we might Rejoice forever Christ he sweated bloody sweat and struggled in the throes of death so that we need never despair in the agony of our deaths Christ was led in captivity so that we would never have to be eternally captive to the devil Christ was bound so that he would rescue us from the bonds of sin and Hell Christ was forsaken by all the disciples so that he can reconcile us with God from whom we have become disgracefully alienated in disloyal apostasy Christ was struck in the face so that we would not be eternally battered by the fists of Satan and his angels Christ was falsely accused so that the law could not accuse us before God’s judgment Christ kept his silence when he was falsely accused so that we would not have to be struck dumb before God on Judgment Day Christ was despised so that we would not end up in Eternal humiliating disgrace Christ was stripped of his clothes so that he would win for us the Garment of his righteousness Christ was stabbed with thorns in order to heal every sticker and thorn in our hearts Christ was sentenced and condemned to death so that we do not end up in Eternal death Christ carrying the burden of the Cross so that he could lift up the burden of Eternal punishment from us Christ felt nothing less than that he was actually forsaken by God so that we would not be eternally forsaken or rejected by God Christ suffered thirst on the cross so that we did not end up in Eternal thirst Christ gave up his spirit with a great price so that we would not have to fall into Eternal wailing and gnashing of teeth Christ became for us a curse upon the timber trunk of the Cross so that we would not be eternally cursed by God Christ was pierced in the side to atone for the sin which was brought into the World by Eve who was crafted from the side of Adam Christ died so that we might live forever and from this we see the suffering of Christ as the clearest reflector of comfort in the face of sin this is what Jesus has done for us and this is what defeats sin death the devil and even overcomes the law all of this was done by Christ in order to set you you free from slavery to sin and now that Christ has set us free now that Christ has set you free and has washed away your sins and the Waters of your baptism and given you the Holy Spirit as a deposit that guarantees your inheritance or as Paul says in Romans 8 the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ from the law of sin and death that means that we who are in Christ can now walk according to the spirit and begin mortifying our sinful natures and stop obeying its sinful Desires in other words we who are now in Christ can walk in Freedom this is what Paul talks about in Galatians chapter 5. this is a great cross reference by the way Romans 7 and Galatians 5 they work together he’s talking about the same thing so let’s take a look at the same thing from a slightly different perspective Galatians chapter 5 13-26 you my brothers were called to be free that’s right you were called to be free free from slavery to the devil free from slavery to sin free so do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature rather serve one another in love or as Christ says as I have loved you so love one another and how has Christ loved you he’s loved you by dying for you right so the entire law is summed up in a single command love your neighbor as yourself but if you keep on biting and devouring each other watch out or you will be destroyed by each other so I say live by the spirit you can also say live by the gospel they’re kind of interchangeable in this text for and you you live by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature for the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the spirit the spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature they are in conflict with each other so that you do not do what you want but if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law now the acts of the sinful nature are obvious sexual immorality impurity debauchery idolatry witchcraft hatred Discord jealousy fits of Rage selfish ambition dissensions factions and envy drunkenness and orgies and the like I warned you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God but but the Fruit of the Spirit the fruit of the Gospel is love Joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control against such things there is no law and those who belong to Christ that’s you you belong to Christ those who belong to Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and its desires and since we now live by the spirit the gospel let us keep in step with the spirit so let me use the words of Our Lord from today’s Gospel text to end up what does Jesus say come to me and I’ll put a burden on your back come to me and I’ll give you steps that you can apply to make things work out in your life that doesn’t work that’s the law and it only condemns no Jesus says this come to me all who are weary and burdened is that you are you weary and burdened of your sin word burdened by the fact that you are helpless to change yourself that you haven’t got your act together and you know you stand condemned before God knowing that you you just can’t seem to measure up no matter how hard you try are you burdened Jesus says come to me and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls he says my yoke is easy and my burden is light and the reason why his yoke is easy and his burden is light is because he has carried your burden for you to the cross there’s nothing left for you to do except for to believe and receive this wonderful gift this good news that Christ died for your sins and he rose again on the third day for your justification you are in Christ your burden is lifted Christ has borne it for you and carried it to the Cross suffered and bled and died for it and by doing so he has suffered and bled and died for you there is no burden left to bear come follow Jesus in the name of Jesus Amen