O Wretched Man That I Am!

A long time ago, when I just started working, one of my coworkers said, "I don't go to church because there are too many hypocrites there!"

And we still hear this today! Is it true? Yes? Now why is that?

Well, there are some folks that are lukewarm "believers" who are "Christian in name only", cultural Christians who are not bothered by their sin.

But I believe that many of these "hypocrites" are people that are truly troubled by their failures. They really don't want to sin.  They really don't want to disgrace the name of the Lord Jesus! They really want to live holy lives and glorify the name of Jesus, but it seems like they just can't! Alas! Why? I believe they are living the life described in Romans Chapter 7 verses 15 thru 20:

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 

16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.

17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Well, what is going on here? And why is this happening?

Let me tell you about a lady named Mary (for that was her real name), who was a cultural Christian. God saved her in a meeting that her friend had invited her to. And the Spirit of God came on her, and she became sensitive to her behavior. And now her little transgressions really bothered her. We could see that she was quite upset about it. So, my dad and I prayed for her to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Well, she was released and almost immediately started exhibiting true joy. Hallelujah! (And she became Helen's friend.)

This illustrates the path described in Romans chapters 6, 7, and 8:

Romans chapter 6 describes our standing in the kingdom of God, and in how God's sees us. Note verse 11:

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans chapter 7 describes our battle between the flesh and the spirit. Here the bad news is that our flesh is still very active and fighting against us. Note verse 15:

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 

Chapter 8 describes our victory when the Holy Spirit fills us, anoints us, and truly frees us from continually losing the battle described in chapter 7. (But note that the flesh is still there. It is just not victorious anymore (unless we yield to some deception. OK, then what? Confess it and repent!)). Note verses 1 thru 3:

1.There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,...

Let's compare this with Galatians Chapter 5 verses 16 thru 18:

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh wars against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

This is saying the same thing as the three chapters in Romans: chapters 6, 7 and 8, but in a more condensed way.

So, believer, ask the Lord God to fill you fully with the Spirit of God! After that, thank the Lord for the deliverance He has brought to you!  Also, ask the Lord God to put a hunger for His word, the Bible, in you! You don't need to wait for this. Just start reading the Bible, and the hunger to continue will come! Where? Start in anyone of the Gospels.

Larry Carroll