The Believer and Indwelling Sin, Part 2

As a believer. The law continues to have the function of demonstrating to the Christian, the exceedingly sinfulness of sin when he sees the law of God which his heart longs to fulfill and in comparison sees the senator's wife. Failure is not fatal. It's the courage to continue the counts. That's a good thought to keep in mind as you battle against sin. Sometimes you will defeat it and other times sin will batter and bruise you. But the question is do you have the drive to keep fighting your sinful flesh. Because if you don't, what does that say about your spiritual condition is a question to keep in mind today.

As John MacArthur continues his current study from Romans chapter 7 titled why do I still sin. And now here's John MacArthur may need to remember that in the seventh chapter of Romans, Paul is basically talking about the place of the law and he is pointing out that even as a believer. The law continues to have the function of demonstrating to the Christian, the exceedingly sinfulness of sin when he sees the law of God which his heart longs to fulfill and in comparison sees the sin in his life. He loves the law and lows.

The sin and the testimony of his own struggle spiritually with indwelling sin is given in three laments it's a very it's a very sad passage. It's it's a very remorseful passage is a very poignant passage because it isn't often that we get this kind of deep inside of the apostle Paul's struggle, and each element has three parts. The condition in which she's finding himself the proof of that condition and the source of that condition. Look at the first Clement verses 14 to 70. The condition is in verse 14 we know the law is spiritual, but I am fleshy sold under Sindelar spiritual matters and proceeds from the Holy Spirit is energized by the mind and the heart of the will of God is holy, just any good says verse 12, but I am.

In contrast, spiritual law, spiritual.

I'm on spiritual.

This is his condition.

Condition of struggle. After giving us the condition in verse 14 it is the proof in verse 50.

Here's the proof that he still not all that he should be that he's on spiritual for that which I do, I understand, not her. I know not. Or I don't love her, I don't choose to do for what I would that do I not, but what I hate that I do not see the proof. Then he talks about the source because if you save up all your your Savior redeem them in words is coming from verse 16 and 17 give us the answer. If then I do that which I would not. I consent under the law that it is good. The room of the law because I can't keep it, doesn't mean it's wrong. What's your problem Paul, now that it's no more I either do it, but sin that dwells in me now my condition is I'm in a struggle. The proof of it is I can always do what I want and I do sometimes what I really don't want my deepest self and the source of it all is sin that is in me was the second limit. Verse 18. He says the sin dwells in my flesh so it's not really me, not the new me not to re-created me, not the divine and corruptible nature planted in me, not the eternal seed which cannot sin, it's not me it's it's my flesh so that in me, that is, in my flesh dwells no good thing. Here's the proof builders for the workers on the demonstrated to will is present with me the words or something in me that wants to do what's right. But how to fully perform that which is good. I find that many comes to the to the source again in verse 20 the condition proof in the source.

Now if I do the things I don't want to do is no more I that do it, but what sin the dwells in me. Let's look at the third laments and it's just like the risks, but this is one way to get the point across as of how sorrowfully so that he goes over and over and over and here come the same three things.

First, the condition verse 21.

I find then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me now here we come back to the same conditions as I find a lawn by that he means a principal is using the word law.

It's a literary device again. So he stays with that term. There's the law of God, and that I see another law. He says another principal, another standard that makes demands on me.

Another inflexible law that drives me to conformity. I see another law in me another principal operating another source of commands. Another standard than when I would do good, evil is present with me literally it says evil lies close at hand. It's right there it's battling every good thought, every good intention every good motive. Every good word for every good deed every good act isn't way away, isn't far off. It is never been eradicated, as some theologians would tell us that you get to the point where your sin nature is eradicated and then they say. From then on, you don't sin you just make mistakes.

Paul says it's right there it's right at hand.

It isn't the real me even more far away and the condition is one of conflict. Again, and then the proof verse 22. How can you prove this again while I delight in the law of God after the inward man is one side of the conflict in his inward man.

He delights in God's law. And again, I would draw you to Psalm 119, which I think is the best Old Testament parallel to Romans seven. I love anybody's ever said that before, but I'd like to suggest that Psalm one 1977. Let thy tender mercies, unto me, that I may live. Listen to this for thy law is my delight, and it may well have been that Paul had in mind that very passage and when he says, I delight in the law in the inward man is affirming the heart of the psalmist in Psalm 119 versus 111 and others, but took Jessica 111 thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart. Again his delight in verse 20 of that same Psalm just one other.

My soul breaks for the longing that it has unto thine ordinances at all times own a tremendous burden. My heart actually breaks at the longing that it has to thine ordinances at all to and what is the mark of the truly spiritual man in Psalm 12.

His delight is in the what law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night. The regenerate man is marked by a love of the word of God love of the law of God, delighting in that law after the inward man.

Now I want you to notice that phrase after the inward man. It really says from the bottom of my heart that's the meaning from the deepest part of me in the deepest part of him. The bottom of his heart. The inward man the inner man. The real inside guy hungers and longs and delights and loves the law of God, the deepest joy the truest expression of personhood is to delight in God's law. I believe the inner man of the inward man is that renewed redeemed nature and even though Paul says of the Corinthians, even though the outer man is perishing the inward man is being what renewed day by day's ingredients for 60 and we are strengthened with might by his spirit. Ephesians 316 the Spirit does his work in the inner man.

That's the area of the new creation.

That's the real self, the center of redeemed person but then the proof of the conflict takes us to verse 23, but I see another law of another principal and where is this one, where is it is what it is members and what we say. The members are. They are the human factors the bodily factors, the flesh, humanness, unredeemed mortality, and he used his use of terms is completely consistent so he sees in verse 23 another law and this law isn't in his real self is deeper self's inner man fits in his outer man is it's it is members attended humanness and it is warring against the law of my mind, and the law of his mind is the same as that which is the law of God that which is the inner man. So the mind is equated with the inner man, and he sees the war and sometimes he confesses the law in my members wins against the law of my mind and thus brings me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members makes a very clear distinction.

Listen, beloved, if this were a an unbeliever.

Here, the law of his mind would be just as rotten as the law is member for the carnal mind is enmity against God, but his mind, which is his inner man is truest self is redeemed. Creation longs for the law of God and is warring against the law of his members, which, of course, as we said is his humanness and notice again.

Verse 23 sometimes the battle. Those in favor of the law of his members and watches brings him into captivity. Listened I would have to be redeemed person because unredeemed people can't be brought into captivity. Why they're already there.

But when Susan wins the victory in the spiritual struggle, then the believer is brought into captivity to that sin and becomes captive to that sin. So he demonstrates again the condition verse 21 and then proves it. The conflict between the law of his mind, which is his inner man, longing for the things of God and the law is members and keep in mind that consistently through chapter 6 verses 12, 1319 chapter 7 verse five it all through this part of it. In all those places. He always puts sin in the members.

The bodily parts is what it refers to. That does not just mean the flesh that means the mind the thoughts, the emotions, all that goes with our humanness, and there is a war going. What's the source. The proof is in first part of verse 23 where he says I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bring me into the captivity, the law of sin which is in my members was the source box right there in that same verse bringing me captivity in captivity to the law of what sin which is in my members while you sit what is this guy didn't do a good job to save because your new nature is in complete because you're not prepared for heaven, yet you still gotta earn your way in, but why do you sin because what sin is still there in your humanness and this has to be a believer because unbelievers are brought into the captivity of sin there already there and your members. Your humanness include your mind and your motion you're feeling your body and all those in second Corinthians chapter 10 verse three below.

We walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flash, the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, he says, you know that we have to walk around in this flesh. When you get to the real us. It's really not flesh it all is the weapons with which we fight are not fleshly spiritual three laments and they emphasize the condition of the believer. It's a condition of conflict. They emphasize the proof of that inability to do God's will, to the extent we know we ought to, and they emphasize the source of that indwelling sin.

The true believer the spiritual believer, the godly believer cries out for deliverance from this is if three laments hard enough, he lets out a wail in verse 24. A wail that exceeds the other laments a wail that goes beyond anything he said he just cries out in the distress and the frustration answers so wretched man that I am using yourself can this be the apostle Paul. Can this be a Christian in the wonderful and God blessed commentator. Years and years ago. Haldane says men perceive themselves to be sinners in direct proportion as they have previously discovered the holiness of God and his law in his right. This is a believer who says oh wretched man that I he wants to be all that God wants them to be. Psalmist cries out in Psalm 60 Lord rebuke me. Not in thine anger neither chasten me and thy hot displeasure, have mercy upon you, Lord, for I am weak all Lord healed me for my bones are vexed, my soul is very vexed terrified means but thou, Lord, how long return the Lord deliver my soul, save me, for thy mercy safe for and death.

There is no remembrance of the and she will him shall give the thanks I am weary with my groaning all the night make on my bed to swim.

I water my couch with my tears and what the psalmist is saying is I'm so sick and tired of not being everything I ought to be. And David is saying little else than what Paul is saying, oh wretched man that I am my heart panties. My strengths fail with me wanted to be more than he was and he found himself debilitated by his humanness. Psalm 130 out of the depths of. I cried under the old Lord, Lord, hear my voice let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If thou, Lord shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand, but there's forgiveness with the that thou me is to be feared. I wait for the Lord my soul with Wade and in his word. Do I hope there again, crying out of sin by one who is godly. This is the way of the redeemed ball wretched man that I and then he asked the question in verse 24, who shall deliver me from the body of this death, would you keep in mind again. Where is his problem is in his what his body and it is a body of what death the word delivers the word rescue is used to denote the active soldier runs to his comrade in the midst of the battle and he rescues him from the enemy in the body of death is very interesting. It literally refers to the body, which is subject to sin and death is the unredeemed mortality again and again. The terms are consistent is the body, the members, the flesh is been reported that near Tarsus where Saul was born was a tribe of people who inflicted the terrible penalty upon a murder.

When a person murdered someone. It was their custom to fasten the dead corpse to the murder so tight with the bonds that he could not free himself from his few days is all it took for the corruption of death. The pass to the living take his life and Paul looks at himself, and he sees that in his own case and senses that he is face to face, chest to chest side of thigh to something that is damaged and corrupt and chilling cries.

Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver through any hope there's hope.

Verse 25 I think God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That sounds like triumph tomatoes that you that is assurance. When we sample some mystical kind of thing you get deliverance from the conflict through Jesus Christ our Lord already have in my I believe what he has in mind is expressed in the eighth chapter of Romans the start of verse 18 for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. And then he talks about the creation waiting for the full manifestation drop down to verse 23 and not only day that is not only the creation groans and travails waiting for its glory, but ourselves also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit. In other words, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit. We have the new creation.

We have the eternal seed.

We have the divine nature and its daring us, but we also grow within ourselves, waiting for the adoption. That is the redemption of our lot of our body is you were waiting for the final fees of salvation, for we are saved in were still being for that day when we fully are freed and redeemed in body as well as soul and I believe that's what Paul is looking forward to in verse 25 Jefferson I think God, he says that the end of the conflict is going to come through the Lord Jesus Christ and it's going to come when he appears, then when we are glorified when we enter into his presence and are glorified.

That's when the end comes the end of the battle more here. In the words upon prescriptive 15. When this corruptible shall have put on what in corruption and when this mortal shall have put on what immortality that's when he says in verse 57 thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ almost the same phrase that he uses in Romans 725 and here he says I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And it's the same day that he sees when this mortal shall put on immortality and this corruption shall put on incorruption.

So is looking ahead at the time of redemption and he says I see it, and it's coming and I'm living in a home that indeed it will come. It's the same thing he had in mind. The segment is 54 when he says we that are in this tabernacle do grow. Why because we are burdened with our humanness and we would like to be not enclosed it but closed upon when mortality is swallowed up by life. Great. We look for that day the same day that he had in mind in writing to the Philippians when we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our lowly body that may be fashioned like his glorious body that's a triumph of hope is meanwhile verse 25 until the with my mind.

I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin, noticing until that day the battle but goes on and it goes on as long as we remain in the flesh, and we continue to cry with Tennyson.

All for a new man to arise within me and subdue the man that I am. So the battle is not to be over till Jesus gives us immortality and incorruption full deliverance awaits glorification. That's the point that's bound for dear father, we thank you that you've let us into the heart of this beloved apostle and into the heart of the psalmist for both of them have articulated the cries of our own hearts. We want to be so right. We want to be all that other people need one ministry the way we should want to love the way you love want to be always dedicated and committed.

We want always to speak the truth always to have integrity, character, we want to have the purity and the gentleness and meekness want to have the strength of character want always say the fitting word.

We always want to bring strength to weakness, but Lord so often we just don't were indifferent to people were selfish, self-indulgent, critical, unfaithful to promises made. We just fall short.

And as we lament that power of indwelling sin. Help us to know father that even in such admission were saying more were saying that we know you're a holy God is given us adjusted holy and good law. And so even in our sensitivity to sin and even in the sense of sorrow that we have. There is a hope for. It speaks of one redeemed.

It speaks of one moving along in spiritual growth. Seeing soon for what it really is the law of God for what it is and it's even comforting father to know that we hunger for those things are only just and good.

Even though we don't always perform. Thank you for that reverse effect in our sorrow, we find a measure of joy.

Help us to have our hearts filled with hope for the coming of Jesus Christ. In the meantime be delivered from deceit by the power of the spirit in us and that's John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary, wrapping up a study here on grace to you that he calls why do I still sin. No John back to what you said about Paul's ability to obey God. How it doesn't match his desire to obey God. A few days ago you talked about the struggle with sin and you said that until the glorification of our bodies we are going to have a constant struggle with sin. It's a constant frustration for all of us this side of heaven.

So here's my question, will the battle against sin ever get any easier. We will always battle soon. That's always going to be an issue.

The fact that we grow in grace, that we become more righteous doesn't mean sin disappears, nor does it mean that we treat sin any differently. We have to be vicious in the way we deal with sin the language of Scripture is kill all sin kill sin and there is an Old Testament illustration of this.

It's been very, very graphic in my thinking for many many years. You remember Saul in the first Samuel 15 was was not obedient to the Lord.

He was told to kill the pagan king, a gag, that's a very graphic illustration of what you need to do with your sin if you allow your sin to live.

It'll continue to do greater and greater and greater damage. You need to attack it with a kind of viciousness that was symbolized in the slaughter of a gag. Your sin has power to do great damage in your life and you have to deal with it in a very very aggressive way that wonderful story about a gag is now available for you in a booklet. We titled it.

Fittingly hacking a gag to pieces, and the story itself is riveting, but when it's applied to how you deal with sin in your life. This booklet can make a difference in your life. Here's the good news will send it free to anyone who requests a copy just ask for the booklet hacking a gag to pieces. That's right, friend. If you are frustrated by the day-to-day struggle with sin you really need to read this booklet it will equip you to deal with temptation. That's sure to come again.

We will send you a free copy just ask for it. Hacking a gag to pieces are number here 855 grace and our website TTY.org. John's booklet hacking a gag to pieces will show you how to live in the spirit and the dangers of partial obedience and how to tear sin out at its roots again for your free copy of hacking a gag to pieces, call 855 grace go to TTY.org and when you finish reading hacking a gag to pieces. Let us know how it helped you in your battle with sin would also love to know if you been strengthened by John's teaching on the radio, or by an article you've read on our website and especially if the Lord has used this ministry to bring you or someone you know to faith in Christ. Please email us at letters@TTY.that's our email address once more letters@tty.org or if you prefer regular mail.

You can write to Grace to you. Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 now for John MacArthur. I'm Phil Johnson encouraging you to be here tomorrow when John looks at the marks of true salvation.

He's starting a series titled examine yourself with another half hour unleashing God's truth in one verse at a time on grace the