Loving the Law, Loathing the Sin
Loving the Law, Loathing the Sin
Text focus: Romans 7:16–17 (LSB)
"But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me."
Your "want-to" has been changed by God, even when your "do-to" lags behind.
Thomas Watson often referred to the Law as a "looking glass" that reveals our spots. The believer "agrees with the Law" because their "want-to" has been fundamentally changed by God. Watson emphasized that while a Christian cannot obey perfectly, they can make a "sincere endeavor" to obey all that God requires. The Gospel "sweetens the law," making the believer serve God with delight rather than out of cold, legalistic duty. The Puritans taught that while sin remains in the believer, it no longer reigns over the believer.
Practical Application:
Text focus: Romans 7:16–17 (LSB)
"But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me."
Your "want-to" has been changed by God, even when your "do-to" lags behind.
Thomas Watson often referred to the Law as a "looking glass" that reveals our spots. The believer "agrees with the Law" because their "want-to" has been fundamentally changed by God. Watson emphasized that while a Christian cannot obey perfectly, they can make a "sincere endeavor" to obey all that God requires. The Gospel "sweetens the law," making the believer serve God with delight rather than out of cold, legalistic duty. The Puritans taught that while sin remains in the believer, it no longer reigns over the believer.
Practical Application:
* Audit Your Desires: Do you agree that God’s commands regarding honesty, purity, and speech are "good," even when you fail them? If so, take heart. The fact that you no longer find pleasure in your sin is a profound evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in your soul.
* Check for Universal Obedience: Aim for "universal obedience"—not just avoiding big sins, but respecting all of God's commandments.
* Grieve Healthily: A "godly man weeps" for the outbursts of sin, not because he is lost, but because he loves the God he has offended.
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