Legalistic Bondage (Part 4)

It was Paul’s desire, before Christ, to live a life that was holy and acceptable to God. However he was deceived into believing that he could obtain that goal by legalistic observance of the Law of God. His zeal to be holy, and yet seeing how unholy he was had become a constant losing battle. Here is what he says on the subject. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Romans 7:15-24

I want to make a very bold statement. Paul, or Saul of Tarsus as he was formerly known, was truly passionate for a right relationship with God. Even as he presided over the death of Stephen as the coats of those who stone Stephen were laid at his feet, he truly wanted a right relationship with God. Many better theologians, teachers, and pastors may disagree, which is their right, but it is what I believe. I will explain why I believe that here briefly. Paul loved the law of the Lord, and wanted to follow it. Paul hated sin and did not want to practice it. He was constantly at war within himself trying to follow every law, but constantly failing. God’s holiness would tug him this way, and sin and evil would tug that way. He was a prisoner to sin, and wanted to be free from that captivity.

The problem was the deception that the enemy of his soul, Satan, had pulled on him. He had Paul convinced on some level that he could purify himself, but the more he tried to clean himself up the more he found out just how dirty he was. Paul was spiraling down, down, down. So much so that his hearts cry was – WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! WHO WILL DELIVER ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH? Legalism had bound, gagged, imprisoned, and thrown away the key on poor old Saul of Tarsus (or Paul). My dear brethren has your cry ever matched Paul’s cry?

Father,
It is my hear cry, who will deliver me. I can not attain holiness by legalism. Save me, sanctify me, wash me clean, and teach me to walk in your ways.