Personal conviction

Continuing with LifeWay’s Explore the Bible lesson “Freed Through Christ” from Romans 7:1-25, step three calls for us to “admit the desires” (Romans 7:14-16). In terms of admission, the central idea in this passage to me is personal conviction. Without it, we blame others, and perhaps even the law itself.

To review, we now live by the Spirit and not legalism (vs. 6), so Paul asks, “Is the law sin?” (vs. 7). The answer is “no”. We can’t blame the law, it’s a teacher and it’s holy and spiritual and good (vs. 7, 12). Through it, death came because once a command of the law was learned, sin swooped in as a power within us to create every possible means of breaking the command (vs. 8). We then do what we know is wrong (vs. 15-16). Death is the result, but the law is good (vs. 14) because sin brought about our condemnation (vs. 13). Sin is our master (vs. 14). Because of our sinful nature, we yield to sin (vs. 17).

Are you convinced, or better said, convicted of what is right and wrong according to the law? Does your conscience convict you (Romans 2:15)? Or do you allow for shades of gray to justify your actions? Privately, make a list of your recent personal transgressions and then identify the ones you fully agree with God and accept as utterly sinful verses the ones you rationalize. We must truly agree with God and fully admit our sinfulness to live by the Spirit and bear fruit for God (vs. 4).