Post Brengle Reflection 1

During one of the sessions at Brengle, a comment was made about Romans 7 (the "I do what I don't want to do, and don't do what I want to do" passage) which really challenged me. In fact, I found myself strongly disagreeing with the comment. The comment was that this passage should not be interpreted as Paul's testimony, rather his description of Jewish Christians who were struggling with the inability of the law to empower them to do the good they wanted to do.

As I wrestled with this interpretation I found myself examining the source of my reaction. Was my disagreement a theological issue or an experiental issue? My self examination revealed to me that I found a sense of security, almost justification, in the thought that Paul shared the same perpetual struggle with sin that I did. I was confronted with the reality that my resignation to a lifelong struggle with sin was not Paul's experience, nor the experience that he was calling the Roman Christians towards. In fact, Romans 8 could be interpreted as Paul's testimony, rather than Romans 7. In Romans 8 Paul describes a life that is dead to sin and alive in the Spirit, where we are no longer controlled by the sinful nature, but by the Holy Spirit.

A Romans 7 driven life is one that is bound by the sinful nature and the constant struggle to do what we have the inability to do. Whereas, a Romans 8 driven life is one that is contolled by the Spirit who gives us victory over the sinful nature and empowers us to live a life of holiness - that is, fully sanctified! Such a life does not demand obedience to the law, but full submission to the Holy Spirit.

This time of reflection reminded my of the words of Joseph Prince in his book, "Destined to Reign":

"Awake to righteousness and sin not. When you believe that you are righteous even when you sin, your thoughts and actions will come in alignment with your believing. In contrast, believers who do not know that they are righteous even when they sin will remain in their cycle of sin." (Joseph Prince, Destined to Reign, 245)

I think that the struggle we have as Christians is based on a wrong foundation of belief. If I live out of the mindset that I am a sinner and will always be a sinner, then my behaviour will reflect that belief. However, if I believe that I am saved by grace, set free from the bondage of sin and filled with the Spirit, then my behaviour will that belief. Even when I do mess up, I remind myself that I am the righteous one of God (by His grace) and bring my behaviour into alignment with my transformed nature.

Fundamentally, it comes back to submission. When I am fully submitted to the Spirit, then I will walk in the Spirit.