Why I Do The Things I Do Series

Why I do the things I do?

Romans chapter 7:14-25

Introduction-

We started a new series last week “Looking for answers”.

Last week we looked at what it means to be alive in Christ. We also saw what it meant to be dead without Christ.

This week, we ask the question, “Why do I do the things I do?

Did you ever wonder that?

We don’t do what we intend to do, things that we do not want to do, that we end up doing. Why?

What does God’s Word have to say about it?

It is the final word on the matter, weather we agree with it or not!

Romans chapter 7:14-25

Again Paul is the writer of the words of God concerning this question.

Don’t you think sometimes it’s a scene out of Dr. Jekyll and Me. Hyde?

Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel about right and wrong, joy and despair, the struggle of good and evil, natural man vs spirit man.

Stevenson, the author was asked- “Where did you get the model of your character of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? He said I found it in my nature.

He was a Christian and had learned that every saved person has a new nature and an old nature inside.

People hate their sin and love it at the same time.

It really boils down to the fact of struggling with sin.

Paul in 7:11 says “sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandments “deceived me.”

Sin, when it wins the battle within us- deceives us into thinking we have won, we have gotten away with something, pleasure without cost… but it deceives us.

In our text this morning, Paul talks about the law being good. Talking about the 10 commandments. But the law only shows us that we cannot possibly please God by trying to obey the commandments

Forbidden is always tempting!

We saw that with Adam and Eve. They could not stand that God said leave that tree alone.

We see it with kids- “Do not touch”! “Do not go into that cookie jar”

we see it with adults also- “Wet paint” we have to touch it to see if the paint is still really wet.

Sin or struggling with sin can take something good and lovely and corrupt and pollute it.

There is a saying- “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step”

So what does Paul say we need to do to conquer this battle that rages within us?

How do we have a change of allegiance?

The sin problem has two sides.

1. Sinful acts- Romans 3:23- “All Have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

2. Sinful nature- Romans 7:14- “We know the law is spiritual, but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.”

We are born with the sin nature!

The solution to the problem is Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ offers salvation and He offers to give us victory in our lives as believers!

Salvation of Christ is 2 fold.

One is the Born-again experience. Before that, we are from last week alienated from God. It is accepting Christ and His redemption. Which includes forgiveness, justification, regeneration, adoption into the family of God.

The second part is being filled with His Spirit. No one outside of the family of God can be filled with the Spirit of God. Which includes the Sanctified experience . Heart purity. Sin nature taken and eradicated by Christ.

In filling of the Spirit of God for the empowerment to live a victorious live in Christ while we live in this fallen world.

You see where I am going with this? Christ has to do it. You cannot do this for yourself.

Illustration-

Close your eyes. Do not think of chocolate cake. Don’t think of that delicious looking piece of cake. (Hard right?)

God is the one that changes our allegiance.

We struggle with sin because we often times try to do this in our own strength and we fall short.

Some commentary writers accuse Paul of being schizophrenic. His dual nature.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

This is almost a scene from the movie Rain man.

Paul is telling us that the 10 commandments are good, but that cannot break the power of sin in our lives.

He is telling us that there is a carnal side of us – fleshly self destructive side that is in rebellion against the things of God.

There are consequences of us claiming Jesus Christ, but trying to live our lives in our own strength.

1. when we attempt , that is what it is… a bad attempt to live by God’s standards on our won, we will find ourselves inwardly torn inside.