Apostle Paul in Thoughtful ContemplationBible World
7:24Romans 7:24
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
It is the anguished cry of a person who sees himself carnal and enslaved to sin, longing for purity and righteousness he has no power in himself to attain. It is the cry of every burdened heart convicted of guilt and uncleanness, who feels cut off from God and His life and finds that the law can reveal the inward conflict but cannot itself give deliverance. The answer to that cry is Jesus Christ alone, the Lamb of God whose merits and sacrifice atone for transgression and whose blood brings remission of past sins to the one who accepts Him by faith. Those who utter it are to trust His word, choose to serve Him, and act on that trust, so that His Spirit joins their weakness to divine strength and gives them victory and spiritual life.
The Wretched Condition
The cry is the anguished recognition of being carnal and under sin, longing for purity and righteousness without personal power to attain them, and it is the cry of burdened hearts in every age for deliverance from sin. It is the misery and degradation felt after choosing life apart from God, when pleasures and self-reliance that once seemed satisfying leave a person in despair and aware of the need for deliverance from a sinful condition. It is the despair of those who recognize that sin has severed them from God and His life, so that they cannot make themselves holy, cannot live a holy life by their own effort, and cannot free themselves from sin's power, and who ask who can rescue them from this condition of spiritual death. It is the repentant sinner's misery at being held captive by sin in the flesh while inwardly desiring to obey God, with the law revealing sin and this conflict but unable itself to provide deliverance, and this struggle is the experience of every repentant sinner.
It was Paul's cry when he looked at his sinful condition and saw his nothingness, a cry from the depths of penitence for mercy and the love of Christ wrought by the Holy Spirit, joining deep conviction of sin with intense love and yearning for Jesus as Redeemer, and it is the experience of those in positions of responsibility in God's work. It is the cry of a soul burdened by guilt and condemnation because it indulges sin, mourns its failures, and does not overcome, asking who can deliver from this death-bound condition. It is the anguish of those convicted of sin and conscious of guilt and uncleanness before God, recognizing the need to be delivered from sin and its death. A life centered in self is squandered, wasting precious years and powers of mind and heart and soul and working to make oneself bankrupt for eternity, for separated from God to serve self a person becomes a slave of mammon, with the mind made for companionship with angels degraded to what is earthly and bestial, spending money for what is not bread and labor for what does not satisfy, and alone in the far country feels wretchedness and cries for deliverance from death.
It states the universal truth that one who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm and whose heart departs from the Lord is cursed and inhabits parched places in the wilderness, even while surrounded by God's love with sun and rain given to evil and good and just and unjust, because by separating from God people shut themselves away from sunshine and shower. A clear view of Christ's purity and holiness leads a person to recognize and abhor the corruption of self. It shows Paul engaged in warfare with himself, and this inward struggle gives evidence that he is accepting the Holy Spirit. It shows the condition of one in whom sin has been in undisputed possession of the whole person, ruled by the spirit that works in disobedience, apparently satisfied yet not at peace, meaning unrest and spiritual conflict, a struggle between sin and reason, the conflict of grace and nature. The image of the body of death describes a person weighed down by darkness and unable to lift himself.
Deliverance Through Christ
The anguished cry for deliverance is answered by the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Nothing but Christ's merits and sacrifice can atone for transgression and reconcile the sinner to God. By faith the sinner accepts Christ and receives remission of past sins through His blood.
Deliverance comes through Jesus Christ, not through the law, which reveals sin and the conflict between captivity to sin in the flesh and the inward desire to obey God but cannot itself provide freedom. Christ is able and willing to deliver those dead in sin from entrenched sinful habits, passions, and chains.
Those who recognize that sin has severed them from God and His life, leaving them unable to make themselves holy or to live a holy life by their own effort, are to trust Christ's word, choose to serve Him, and act on that trust. In doing so they receive from Him the strength they lack. He gives strength, brings spiritual life to those dead in sin, and frees them from sin's chains.
The struggle against sin requires Christ's help, and through faith the Spirit's power joins human weakness to divine strength and gives victory.
Deliverance from the body of death comes when the struggling soul, in unrest and spiritual conflict between sin and reason and between grace and nature under sin's undisputed possession, arises in the power and assurance that comes from faith in Christ and admits he has been wrong, thus breaking the spell. Pride that refuses that humiliating admission leaves him fastened more firmly in deception, with sin darkening the reasoning powers. The way out is to cease trusting in human beings, discern the excellency of God's perfect rule of righteousness, and break every yoke to gain eternal life.
The image of a body of death stands in contrast to the spiritual strength Christian workers gain as they serve others. Workers who recognize their lack of wisdom turn to God for help, He meets their needs, and they grow in truth and strength rather than remaining spiritually lifeless.
Christ takes the hand of the one weighed down by darkness and unable to lift himself, and lifts him into the light, so he should not remain in that darkness but turn to Christ and speak with hope and courage.
The plea for deliverance from a deadly condition also applies to asking God to deliver His people from the harm caused by a selfish, spiritually unhelpful influence.
It is the anguished cry of a person who sees himself carnal and enslaved to sin, longing for purity and righteousness he has no power in himself to attain. It is the cry of every burdened heart convicted of guilt and uncleanness, who feels cut off from God and His life and finds that the law can reveal the inward conflict but cannot itself give deliverance. The answer to that cry is Jesus Christ alone, the Lamb of God whose merits and sacrifice atone for transgression and whose blood brings remission of past sins to the one who accepts Him by faith. Those who utter it are to trust His word, choose to serve Him, and act on that trust, so that His Spirit joins their weakness to divine strength and gives them victory and spiritual life.
The Wretched Condition
The cry is the anguished recognition of being carnal and under sin, longing for purity and righteousness without personal power to attain them, and it is the cry of burdened hearts in every age for deliverance from sin. It is the misery and degradation felt after choosing life apart from God, when pleasures and self-reliance that once seemed satisfying leave a person in despair and aware of the need for deliverance from a sinful condition. It is the despair of those who recognize that sin has severed them from God and His life, so that they cannot make themselves holy, cannot live a holy life by their own effort, and cannot free themselves from sin's power, and who ask who can rescue them from this condition of spiritual death. It is the repentant sinner's misery at being held captive by sin in the flesh while inwardly desiring to obey God, with the law revealing sin and this conflict but unable itself to provide deliverance, and this struggle is the experience of every repentant sinner.
It was Paul's cry when he looked at his sinful condition and saw his nothingness, a cry from the depths of penitence for mercy and the love of Christ wrought by the Holy Spirit, joining deep conviction of sin with intense love and yearning for Jesus as Redeemer, and it is the experience of those in positions of responsibility in God's work. It is the cry of a soul burdened by guilt and condemnation because it indulges sin, mourns its failures, and does not overcome, asking who can deliver from this death-bound condition. It is the anguish of those convicted of sin and conscious of guilt and uncleanness before God, recognizing the need to be delivered from sin and its death. A life centered in self is squandered, wasting precious years and powers of mind and heart and soul and working to make oneself bankrupt for eternity, for separated from God to serve self a person becomes a slave of mammon, with the mind made for companionship with angels degraded to what is earthly and bestial, spending money for what is not bread and labor for what does not satisfy, and alone in the far country feels wretchedness and cries for deliverance from death.
It states the universal truth that one who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm and whose heart departs from the Lord is cursed and inhabits parched places in the wilderness, even while surrounded by God's love with sun and rain given to evil and good and just and unjust, because by separating from God people shut themselves away from sunshine and shower. A clear view of Christ's purity and holiness leads a person to recognize and abhor the corruption of self. It shows Paul engaged in warfare with himself, and this inward struggle gives evidence that he is accepting the Holy Spirit. It shows the condition of one in whom sin has been in undisputed possession of the whole person, ruled by the spirit that works in disobedience, apparently satisfied yet not at peace, meaning unrest and spiritual conflict, a struggle between sin and reason, the conflict of grace and nature. The image of the body of death describes a person weighed down by darkness and unable to lift himself.
Deliverance Through Christ
The anguished cry for deliverance is answered by the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Nothing but Christ's merits and sacrifice can atone for transgression and reconcile the sinner to God. By faith the sinner accepts Christ and receives remission of past sins through His blood.
Deliverance comes through Jesus Christ, not through the law, which reveals sin and the conflict between captivity to sin in the flesh and the inward desire to obey God but cannot itself provide freedom. Christ is able and willing to deliver those dead in sin from entrenched sinful habits, passions, and chains.
Those who recognize that sin has severed them from God and His life, leaving them unable to make themselves holy or to live a holy life by their own effort, are to trust Christ's word, choose to serve Him, and act on that trust. In doing so they receive from Him the strength they lack. He gives strength, brings spiritual life to those dead in sin, and frees them from sin's chains.
The struggle against sin requires Christ's help, and through faith the Spirit's power joins human weakness to divine strength and gives victory.
Deliverance from the body of death comes when the struggling soul, in unrest and spiritual conflict between sin and reason and between grace and nature under sin's undisputed possession, arises in the power and assurance that comes from faith in Christ and admits he has been wrong, thus breaking the spell. Pride that refuses that humiliating admission leaves him fastened more firmly in deception, with sin darkening the reasoning powers. The way out is to cease trusting in human beings, discern the excellency of God's perfect rule of righteousness, and break every yoke to gain eternal life.
The image of a body of death stands in contrast to the spiritual strength Christian workers gain as they serve others. Workers who recognize their lack of wisdom turn to God for help, He meets their needs, and they grow in truth and strength rather than remaining spiritually lifeless.
Christ takes the hand of the one weighed down by darkness and unable to lift himself, and lifts him into the light, so he should not remain in that darkness but turn to Christ and speak with hope and courage.
The plea for deliverance from a deadly condition also applies to asking God to deliver His people from the harm caused by a selfish, spiritually unhelpful influence.