Paul goes into this deeply in Romans where he says with great puzzlement, "I do what I do not want to do." This is a very existential statement; he is frustrated and he understand this question as well as anyone. He concludes that although his life is grounded in the Spirit or redemption, the nature of the flesh or sin is still there. The answer then is twofold. First of all, we must realize that the work of redemption is completely not dependent on us. We do not obtain it by works, and we do not keep it by works. The work of redemption is having a fresh stance with God as righteous - a stance that will never leave us as we are washed in the righteousness of Christ (again nothing we obtain on our own). The work of redemption also creates us anew, free from the bonds of sin. Does this mean none will sin after redemption? No. It does mean that we are no longer bound by sin and its effect on us. Moreover, it really does mean that desires have changed from wanting to fulfill sinful urges to wanting to fulfill holy urges. If this is not present in a person, it is quite possible they have never truly understood and taken on the faith they think. This is actually the clearest test for evaluating someone's sincere faith - the New Testament church used it.
Secondly, we must remember that while redemption is complete in its covering of our sins and victory over sin, it does not wipe away our memory. A person who was a drug addict and then became a christian does not mean they will not struggle in that area anymore. He addict still remembers the rush, the feeling, and the comfort that can come from such an addiction. While he may have fresh desires to never touch the stuff again, there will be times that those memories and even body urges will press hard upon him. This is why no christian should claim to be perfect; as Chesterton said, "When the world goes wrong, it proves rather that the Church is right. The Church is justified, not because her children do not sin, but because they do." Even when we look at the Mother Theresa's or Billy Graham's we find struggle in their life if they are willing to admit it. The beauty of Christianity is what I have said in the past: Ideals are fleeting, but the journey towards them is quite concrete.
So the redemption is complete as we are covered in Christ's righteousness, and that we are changed in desire and perspective. However, sin still remains as long as we are human, have a memory, and have experienced sin. But isn't the whole point of Christianity the idea that man is a wreck without God? Without God's continual grace and our continual desire to follow after God, even the christian is a wreck.
3 comments:
Amen! Excellent post. You are so right in the fact that without God, we are wrecks. Excellent post. Well done.
I do find one thing in your post that seems to perplex me. You say in the first point in your explanation that we are no longer of the effects of our sin. I know that I still have effects that happen to me because of my sin. You then say later in your post that the drug addict who becomes redeemed still has the desire to get high. Am I misinterpreting you?
Yes, or rather I did not explain myself well enough.
By effects of sin I was referring to what Scripture commonly calls death. Meaning spiritually deadness and eternal separation from God. So maybe the consequences or responsibility of sin is a better way to put it.
The drug addict will definitely remember the feeling of being high physically, mentally, spiritually. So in this sense, the effects of our sin, or maybe the effects of our actions, are still quite real. But even these can be redeemed with God's grace and love as we allow Him to heal.
What if this passage in Romans 7 is actually referring to people who are not even followers of the Messiah.
For a counter-perspective, see here:http://letsbehonesthere.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/romans-7-a-normal-christian-experience/
That post reflects on the same class I took in seminary where I gained from Dr. Walt Russell this more illuminating perspective. :)
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