... our fallenness points us to our need for someone greater. Someone who could save us from ourselves.
Maybe it's just me, but the older I become, the more aware I grow of my flaws. Not just superficial ones, either. The ugly, cold-blooded, deep-rooted ones we wish didn't exist within us yet still wrestle with. I'm constantly reminded of the Apostle Paul's words in Romans 7:15-20:
"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell 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 I do not do the good I want to do, but 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" (NIV).
The Message paraphrase frames it this way: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell 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 I do not do the good I want to do, but 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" (Romans 7:15-20, The Message).
Both are lengthy passages but ones I believe are well worth our time. Why?
Two main reasons:
1. They Help Us Realize Our Fallen Nature
In wrestling my flesh, I've mentioned a growing awareness of my sinful nature. Romans 3:23 reaffirms this claim: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (KJV). However, this wasn't God's original design or intent. We were created for life, not death.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, the perfection we had access to was terminated. Romans 5:12 explains this best: "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned" (NLT).
No matter how "good" we try to live our lives, we can't outrun the sin we're born with. Think about it. You don't have to teach children to lie, steal, or cheat; they just do. No one had to teach us to be jealous, prideful, or selfish. They are deep-rooted feelings and behaviors within us. There's a reason Romans 12:2 warns us to be different than the world. Because at our core, we aren't good. We are sinful. We are very messed up.
But Jesus? He's good. He's perfect. He's already paid the price in full. And knowing this, our fallenness points us to our need for someone greater. Someone who could save us from ourselves.
2. They Point Us to Our Need for Jesus
Seven months after getting married, I sat on the floor of my newly decorated bedroom and wept. In physical pain, I had lashed out at those I loved the most. In regret, I wept until I thought my eyes would turn into small droughts. I had no excuse. My hormones and grief had gotten the better of me.
As I processed my emotions, I journaled. Out poured a list of things wrong with my heart, mind, and soul. I was anxious and depressed. I was jealous and angry. I placed people, places, and things above love for my Creator. I needed to place others' needs above my own. I needed to prioritize my relationship with God over my to-do list.
In surrender, I tightened my fists and then laid my to-do list down. Though I'm tempted to pick it up again, every day reminds me of new mercies. Another chance. Greater hope. Yes, I still struggle, but I'm human. That's the beauty of an awareness of your sin and your need for Jesus.
David explains this human experience in Psalm 32:3-5: "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin" (NIV).
Isn't that good news? The more aware we are of our sins, the greater our love and appreciation for the forgiveness Jesus gives us. Not that we would continue to sin, but through the power of His Spirit within us, we would be more equipped to fight them.
I'm a firm believer of "progressive sanctification," a fancy way of saying that while I believe freedom from sin is possible this side of heaven, we're also sinful and messy humans living in a fallen world. There will be times we still stumble, fall, and mess up. Not because we aren't Christians, but because we're human. No one is perfect except our Creator King and Lord.
How Do We Cling to Hope?
Today, my prayer is that if you're aware of your fallenness, don't let it drag you down, but rejoice. How blessed are we to serve a God who knows our faults and flaws and loves and pursues us anyway? Confess your sins to Him, and ask for help and victory over your struggles. It won't be easy or go away overnight, but in His presence is the comfort and joy we seek.
If you're reading this and have never been aware of your sin before, it's my prayer that you will recognize your need for a Savior. If we were perfect, without sin, and all-knowing, there wouldn't be a need for Jesus. The gospel would be null and void. The story wouldn't make sense. But that's not how the radical testimony of grace and our story goes.
God sent Jesus to die for our sins because He knew we couldn't save ourselves. There's no amount of perfection, work, and admiration you can strive for to make you right with God. Deep inside your soul, I think you know that. It's why you work and work, and work some more, only to wind up feeling empty inside. You were created for more. With purpose and design specific to you. We were created for a place that's not yet our home.
Asking Jesus to be your Savior and Lord is a first great step. Confessing your sins is a second. Developing a relationship with Him that ebbs and flows over time is a third. On this side of heaven, you'll never reach perfection. You can spend your entire life trying and never succeed. But Christ calls us to become like Him. He knows we aren't perfect. In humble submission and surrender to Him, however, there's hope.
Day by day, He can and will transform you into His image. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, He sees us as pure, holy, and spotless. The blood that sets us free now becomes our testimony.
There's power in acknowledging the fight with flesh. There's also power in knowing your need for Someone greater than yourself to fight that battle.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Javier Art Photography
