All my life, I truly have always heard Romans 7 spoken of one
way. That this chapter explains our
plight as believers – we Christians are plagued with this body of death –
doomed to struggle, wanting to do good, but just cannot – oh, what a lot we
must endure…
Yet is this the true meaning of Romans 7? I “hear” Romans 7 entirely different. Instead, it’s more like a forward to an
exciting book about FREEDOM! Or like
Sheppard Smith as he says with his opening line to Fox News and with
enthusiasm, “Get ready...for the Fox Report!”
However, in this case it’s, “Get ready…for the God/Christ
Report!”
Yes, Chapter 7 is indeed, the anticipation for Romans
8. Paul has been explaining so many
things up to this point from chapter one to seven, but then will proceed with
the climax of his explanations in Romans 8.
And here’s part of the climax: We are not bound to the LAW anymore. We are married to Another, Jesus Christ.
The Law contained in commandments had been engraved on
Tablets of Stone. Tablets do not have breath;
have a heartbeat, pulse, etc. The
living, resurrected Person of Jesus Christ breathes, speaks, has a pulse, etc. For is He not still the Man, Christ Jesus
seated at the right Hand of the Majesty on High?
Years ago I had a dear sister in Christ who faced a serious
physical challenge in her life. It was
something where she had to go in the hospital and they had to “wash her blood.”
She called for me and Gary to come over and pray with her
and her husband – oh, a dear couple.
Gary was off speaking with the husband.
I listened to her as she shared this trial, yet went on to say how she
got up every morning to “do” her quiet time, read the Daily Bread, the Bible,
etc.
While she was speaking I was praying in my heart, asking the
Lord to give me His words for her – anything.
I just did not want to speak or act like I knew how to minister to,
because I didn’t. But again, while she
was speaking this insight came up in my heart, that I even had to ask the Lord for
courage to share with her, what came to my heart. The insight spoke to me too!
God gave me the way to say it, but in essence this is what
was shared: “You know, I keep hearing
how you get up each morning reading the Daily Bread, having your quiet time,
etc. but I feel in my heart the Lord wants you to begin to treat Him like He is
a Real Person – Someone you are meeting with, talking to, living by…”
As some days passed, I visited her in the hospital and she
said those words changed her life. She
began to treat Jesus Christ as a Person, not events she was performing,
information (only) she was gathering, etc.
She said it was a blessing to her heart just to know that as she was in
the hospital, He was right there walking with her – but also lives in her
heart.
Paul is saying this in Romans 7 – this is the smashing
point. We are not “waltzing” with two
Tablets of Stone – they do not have arms.
But we are married to Him who is dwelling inside the human heart now –
as the ONE and ONLY ONE who is the victor, the life, the ability, the creator,
the love, the all in all of the Christian life and walk. Yes, we are waltzing with our Savior, our
Lord, our Friend, our Brother, our Keeper, our Shepherd. Thank God, we do not have to see Him with
physical eyes to know Him, to know He indeed is REAL, living in our hearts,
producing genuine effects of life and fruit.
Now next devotion I want to share the “technical” side of
Paul’s explanation in how he himself “saw,” that it was not flesh and blood’s
striving, struggling to perform the commandments. It truly was indeed discovering the Spirit of
Life in him, through Jesus Christ that brought about ALL victories of this present
life.
If we get a hold of this one reality thought, on a daily
basis – of abiding in Jesus Christ all the time, relying on His Spirit for
teaching of His Word, effects of His Word, and Life of His Word – there is no
“ceiling,” no boundary to the fruitfulness of our lives. For whomever Jesus Christ is, so we are and
so we shall be!
And this is why Paul emphasis throughout His letters to live
and walk by faith in and of Him – that we are not “doing” religion. For Christ Himself has satisfied all the requirements
before the Father God, on our behalf.
Let us not only labor to enter God’s true Rest, but enter
the Joy of the Lord.
Until next time,
Sue Gaither
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