Wretched man that I am

Today’s Encouragement is Romans 7:24-25 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? [25] 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.

Wretched man that I am –

I recognize this is an awkward subject but bear with me… Paul wrote this in first person, speaking of himself, not an abstract concept or ‘some people’.  He recognized that he is a wretched man, his flesh served sin, while his mind served God.  He did not say “I was a wretched man in the past before I knew Christ and now, I’m a good man.” No!  Now, as an apostle of Jesus, preaching His truth everywhere he can… Paul still confesses that he is, now, Wretched!

Friends, we want to do good, to be good; we believe in Jesus, we are saved and assured of our salvation through His Grace.  And yet, we still have this flesh, this sinful aspect to our lives (which is impolite to talk about).  Yet Paul did not shrink from the daunting task of addressing the issue of our ongoing sinful nature. 

Notice he doesn’t prescribe any ‘how-to’ for dealing with this burden… except… “thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  Jesus alone is our Deliverer! 

His grace is sufficient! For all our sin, past, present, and future! 

Thank You Father for the cleansing power of Jesus’ sacrifice; that we are washed white, as if we had never sinned. Thank You that now, as Your redeemed children, when we do sin, Jesus’ perfect sacrifice still erases that sin and we are forever free from sin.  Help us remember also, that we are not free to freely sin.

Your grace is enough

Matt Maher