Romans 7:21-25

21: I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
22: For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,
23: but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
24: Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
25: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

*** 

Paul expressed the desire he had to do good and resist evil. He said he agreed with the law of God in the inner man—joyfully so. In this passage we see the three parts of man discussed. First, the inner man, which is the spirit, the part that is born again, loves God, and desires to follow His ways. Next, the mind, which Paul said he serves God with. And then the members of the body—the physical body—or the flesh, which experiences ungodly desires, temptations, and wars against the mind. If followed, the flesh will bring a person captive to sin.

Paul asked the question, “Who will set me free from the body…?” He answered by thanking God through Jesus Christ. We see here that your spirit—the "real" you who believes in Jesus--and your mind where you make your decisions, will follow God joyfully, but not without a struggle in the flesh. The body needs the discipline of the spirit and a renewed mind to keep it in check much like a child needs the guidance and discipline of the parents.

As Christians, we have the ongoing experience of choosing to follow the ways of God over and over, on a daily basis, even when the desires of our flesh would pull us in another direction. It may be uncomfortable, but the more you resist evil and do good, the more your body gets the message, the stronger you become in resisting evil, and the more peace you’ll have within your entire being.

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