Monday, April 27, 2009

I Am What I Am...but by the Grace of God

Wow, Paul (in Romans 7) was just as confused as I am.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature...For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out....For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing...Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it...What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

But I'm counting on 2 Corinthians 12:9.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

and
...and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain. (1 Corin. 15:10)

2 comments:

Erin said...

Hey, just came across your blog and thought I'd say hi!

Isn't it awesome to know that not only are we not alone in our human struggles, but also that by the grace of God we may be redeemed?

Karie said...

To me, the best part about that scripture in Romans is that Paul is talking about how life was before grace, before the New Covenant, when "man" was still under the law. Under the Law we cannot do the things we know we ought to do (what the law says) for the law is powerless to help us live by it. However, now there is great and His Spirit, this is the part I love them most, in Romans 8 he continues on, "Therefore, there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. . . for what the law was powerless to do (help us keep it) . . . God did by sending His own son. . . do not live according to the sinful nature by according to the Sprit." What the law could not do, the Spirit can. Someday, hopefully, I'll live more by the Spirit than by my nasty old (getting older daily) flesh. Great scripture, thanks for sharing and encouraging.