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James 3:8 – Poisonous Tongue

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Will

But no man is able to tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Truth to Learn

Although men have managed to tame every kind of wild animal, no man can tame the tongue.

Behind the Words

“No man” is translated from oudeis anthrōpōn, which literally means “not one of men.” There is not one human being who can tame the tongue, his own or anyone else’s.

The word translated “unruly” is akataschetos, which means “unrestrainable.” There is a variant reading on this word with some texts using the word akatastatos, meaning “unsettled” or “unstable.” Whichever is the proper reading, it is nonetheless clear that the tongue cannot be completely controlled.

The word “evil” is from kakos, which literally means “worthless.” It refers to that which is intrinsically or inherently worthless, bad, or evil.

“Full” is from the Greek word mestos, which means “stuffed completely full.” It is the picture of a vessel that is filled to the brim without any room for anything more.

The word translated “deadly” is thanatēphoros, which is a compound word made up of thanatos, meaning “death” and a form of pherō, meaning “to bring” or “to bear.” Hence, it refers to something which brings death.

Though it may appear in our English translation that evil is full of deadly poison, the Greek construction makes it clear that James is referring to the tongue as being full of deadly poison.

Meaning Explained

In spite of mankind’s ability to tame all the wild animals, no one can completely tame the tongue, according to James. This is not to say that it is never brought under control for a time, but eventually our tongue gets us all in trouble. The way it bites is like a poisonous snake.

The Apostle Paul, quoting from Psalms 5:9 said a similar thing in his letter to the Romans:

“their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they used deceit”; “the poison of asps is under their lips” (Romans 3:13)

And the Psalmist, in Psalms 140:3 said:

They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips.

How many times has someone said something to you that hurt deeply, whether they intended it that way or not? And which one of us has not experienced a time when we said something out of the emotion of the moment, only to regret it as soon as the words were out of our mouth. “Oh, I wish I hadn’t said that,” we tell ourselves, wishing we could control our tongue.

Keep in mind that James is not saying that we can’t control our tongue, therefore we shouldn’t try. He is saying that with God’s help we need to work especially hard at controlling the tongue because it is such an unruly thing!

Application

Let us all take a few minutes in prayer right now and ask God to help us control our tongue. May our words be a blessing to God and to others, and may we give the praise to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

James 1:13 – Not From God

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Will

Let no one being tempted say, "I am tempted from God"; for God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one.

Truth to Learn

God is not the source of our temptation. When it does come, He wants us to grow in faith. And, even when we stumble and give in to temptation, He has already taken care of it.

Behind the Words

The word here translated as “tempted” is from the same Greek word, peiradzō, which was translated “trials” back in verse two. There it was explained that this word refers to “a trial, temptation, or a putting to proof by means of experimentation.” This word, however, can also have the meaning of “a solicitation to do evil.”

The word translated “from” is the Greek preposition apo which means “from” or “away from.” In other words, in this verse Paul is saying that no one should accuse God of being the originator of the temptation. Therefore, we could paraphrase it this way:

Let no one say when he is tempted, “This temptation is from God.”

“Evil” is from the Greek word kakos, which refers to that which is bad or externally worthless.

Meaning Explained

In verse two, James made the point that falling into various temptations produces a trying or testing of our faith. In this verse he is making it clear that God is not the source of the temptation, although He does allow us to go through trials. God cannot be tempted to sin and He does not tempt any of us to sin. It is our own sin nature along with the world system, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, which cause us to be tempted (see 1 John 2:16). God has no sin nature and there is nothing in the world system that He does not already have.

But what about Hebrews 4:15?

For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted just as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

This verse tells us that Christ was tempted to sin. How can that be if God cannot be tempted by evil? This is part of the beauty (and paradox) of the incarnation of Christ. He is completely God and completely man. His god-ness (his divinity) was never tempted, indeed cannot be (as James tells us here), but his human-ness (humanity) was tempted in every way we are, and yet He was without sin. He never gave in to temptation. That is the very thing that made Him a worthy sacrifice for our sins. If He had not become completely man (and without sin), he would not have been able to pay for our sins.

So… whereas it is appropriate to say that God allows us to go through trials to strengthen our faith and to make us more like Christ, and those trials may be a result of giving in to temptation, the source of the temptation is not God. The source of the temptation is the tempter, Satan (Matthew 4:3 and 1 Thessalonians 3:5), and his world system (Ephesians 2:2 and John 12:31).

Application

On those occasions when we do not resist temptation but fall victim to it, we still have this promise:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Halleluiah! Our God has thought of everything. Give Him the praise!

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Thessalonians 5:15 – Do Good, Not Evil

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Will

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

Truth to Learn

Don’t retaliate when you experience evil. Do good instead.

Behind the Words

The word translated “renders” is apodidōmi, which is composed of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Literally, it means “to give from,” that is, to act in response to action done. Specifically, it refers to retaliation. Some translations have this as “return” or “repay.”

Kakos is the Greek word translated “evil.” This word refers to external actions that are “worthless, bad, or evil.” A different Greek word, ponēros, refers to wickedness or maliciousness as an internal motivation.

“For” is translated from anti, meaning “opposite” or “against.” Here it indicates action directed against someone else.

“Always” is from pantote, which is made up of a form of pas, meaning “all” and tote, meaning “then, in terms of time.” Thus, pantote means “all the time” or “always.”

The word “pursue” is from the verb diokō, which means “to pursue (in a good sense” or “to persecute (in a bad sense).”

Agathos is the word translated “good.” It refers to the quality or characteristic of goodness or usefulness.

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse, Paul taught us how we are to respond to certain issues within the church. We need to caution those who are unruly or disruptive, reminding them of the need for peace and orderly conduct in the church. We also need to provide comfort and encouragement for those who are overcome with fear and doubt. And, we need to support those who are weak physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He also said that we are to do these things with an attitude of patience.

Now he tells us what not to do, and what to do instead. Each one of us at one time or another has been the recipient of malicious action, whether it was intentional or not. The normal response, driven by our sin nature, is to strike back – to get even. After all, the Old Testament teaches “an eye for an eye,” right? But that’s not what the New Testament teaches. Paul says, “Don’t repay evil for evil.” Instead of retaliating for something evil that was done to us, Paul says we need to go after what is good.

Jesus Christ is our perfect example of this. He claimed to be the Son of God (which He truly is), thus claiming to be equal with God. (Matthew 26:63, 64) Because of this, He was condemned to die. He was then ridiculed, beaten, and hung on a cross to die. Even those standing around him said, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” (Matthew 27:40) Jesus did not deserve any of this kind of treatment, and He could have simply spoken the words and those mocking Him would have died. Instead, he chose to do what was ultimately the kindest, most loving thing anyone has ever done. He stayed on the cross and gave His life as payment for your sins and mine. He did what was good for all.

Application

The next time someone does something evil to you, remember what Jesus did for you. Remember what Paul teaches us: pursue what is good for all. This will glorify God.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:16 – Time and Eternity

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Will

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Truth to Learn

You only have one life. Live it with eternity in view.

Behind the Words

The word “redeeming” is translated from the Greek word exagoradzō, which is made up of ex, meaning “out of” and agoradzō meaning “to buy” (the marketplace of the first century was called the agora). Hence, exagoradzō, literally means “to buy and take out of the marketplace.” Figuratively it refers to “rescuing something from loss.” This is the sense in which Paul uses it in today’s verse.

“Time” is from kairos, for which there really is no English equivalent. A different Greek word, chronos, refers to a space of time, that is, a succession of minutes. Kairos, on the other hand, can refer to “an occasion or opportunity,” or it can refer to an indefinite period of time, “a season.” As used here, it probably refers to “the lifetime that we are currently living.”

“Evil” is translated from ponēros, which is derived from ponos, referring to “sorrow, pain, or hard labor.” Ponēros properly refers to the influence or the effect of that which is bad. A different Greek word, kakos, refers to “that which is inherently bad.”

Meaning Explained

In order to fully understand today’s verse, we have to combine it with yesterday’s:

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Yesterday we learned the word “circumspectly” probably should have been translated as “carefully.” And, though we didn’t touch on it yesterday, the word “fools” is really “unwise ones.” So, we are to keep an eye on our own behavior, being careful to live in God’s light, loving those around us and behaving as God would have us behave.

Throughout his writings, Paul gives us a lot of things that we shouldn’t do and even more things that we should do. Some Christians will grasp hold of one or two things he says and cling to those ideas almost to the exclusion of all the others. The result is often a “splinter denomination” that doesn’t further the cause of Christ. Other Christians are so ignorant of what the New Testament teaches that they are easily swayed by beautiful sounding sermons that are not based on Biblical truth. Paul says we should not live like such unwise people, but as wise Christians, those who know God’s truths and who have learned how to properly apply what they have learned.

Why is it so important for us to live our Christian lives carefully and with wisdom? Because we live in an evil time! The influence of the world system under Satan’s leadership is not godly, it is evil. Without the light of Christ, this world will not get better, it will only get worse. So, rescue every minute you have in this life. Don’t let your life slip away filled with evil actions or indifference. Use every minute you have to live the kind of life that glorifies God.

Application

Our life on this earth is short. We can live it focusing on self and appear before the Judgment seat of Christ empty handed. Or – we can totally give ourselves over to God, so that He will receive all the glory. If we do the latter, we will receive crowns that we can cast at His feet with gratitude.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 14:20 – Construction, Not Demolition

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Will

Romans 14:20 – Construction, Not Demolition

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.

Truth to Learn

We are supposed to build-up the church, not tear it down.

Behind the Words

The word “destroy” is translated from the Greek verb kataluō. This word is made up of kata, meaning “down” and luō, which means “to let loose” or “to release.” Hence, we see that kataluō literally means “to loose down” or “to tear down.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood indicating a command and it is expressed in the present tense. We could paraphrase the opening phrase of this verse as, “Do not right now be destroying the work of God for the sake of food!”

“Evil” is translated from the Greek word kakos, which literally means “evil” or “worthless.”

“Offense” is from proskomma, which, as we learned a few verses back, figuratively refers to “something that someone stubs their toe on or trips over.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we learned that we are to edify, or build up, one another. Paul has previously used the metaphor of a building with reference to the church. In the previous verse when he said that we need to pursue those things which edify one another, he was referring to us building up the church, the body of Christ (with gold, silver, and precious stone).

Paul now says that we shouldn’t tear down the work of God for the sake of food. When we compare “building up” from the previous verse with “tear down” in the current verse, we see that in each case Paul is talking about the temple of God. No, not a physical building, but the body of Christ. In speaking to the Church in Corinth, Paul said:

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1Corinthians 3:16)

The words “you are” are expressed in the second person plural in the Greek text. So Paul is saying, “Don’t you know that you (plural) are the temple (singular) of God?” In other words, the Church, the body of Christ, is the temple of God. It is this temple that we are to build up, not tear down.

We should pursue those things which build up God’s temple (the body of Christ), but our insistence on sticking to our stance regarding food (or days of the week) will actually tear down the church which is God’s work. Clearly, that’s not something for which crowns are going to be given at the bema seat, is it?

In fact, I think that’s the point Paul is making in the second half of this verse. He says that “All things indeed are pure, but it is evil (or worthless) for the man who eats with offense.” He has just told us to build up the church not to tear it down, and now he says that if by eating (or doing anything else which our conscience allows) we cause a brother or sister to stumble, we are destroying the temple of God, and it is a worthless work (like wood, hay or straw).

Application

When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ we all want to receive rewards for having built up the body of Christ with valuable works, but our selfish stubbornness can result in tearing down the temple instead of building it up. Are you in the construction business or the demolition business?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 13:10 – Unselfish Love

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Will

Romans 13:10 – Unselfish Love

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Truth to Learn

Unselfish love is what God wants from us.

Behind the Words

“Love” is translated from agape, which refers to “good will” or “benevolence.” In other words, it refers to acts of goodness toward someone else.

The Greek word translated “harm” is kakos, meaning “that which is inherently injurious, bad, or evil.”

The word “neighbor” is from the Greek word plēsion. This word is derived from pelas, meaning “near” or “close.” Hence, plēsion refers to someone who is nearby, that is, physically close. However, this word is used generically throughout the New Testament to refer to another member of the human race.

“Fulfillment” is from the noun plērōma, from the verb plēroō, meaning “to make full, to fill up, or to completely satisfy.” Thus, plērōma refers to something that has been filled full, or as we say, fulfilled (completely satisfied).

Meaning Explained

One who truly loves his or her neighbor (fellow man or woman) will avoid all those things spoken of in verse nine. That is, they will not commit adultery, murder, steal, declare false testimony about others, and they will not have uncontrolled desires for things. As noted above, the type of love that is referred to here is agape love. This is not an emotional love like eros (sensual love) or philos (brotherly love). This is a love of the will, love in action, not a love of desire. It is expressed by doing what is best for the object of the love in spite of the personal sacrifice that it may involve. This is the type of love that God the Father showed to us when He offered His only begotten son to die a sinner’s death on the cross so that we might be saved from our sins. This is the type of love that Christ showed to the Father by freely giving Himself to pay for our sins. We owed a debt we couldn’t pay. He paid the debt He didn’t owe. He did it because He loves us!

If we demonstrate this type of love to others, if we consider the good of others a higher goal than our own good and we actually live that way, then we are fulfilling the intent of the Law. This is the type of living that fulfills the righteousness of God. Unfortunately, we sinful humans cannot do this all the time. That’s why we needed someone who could, and did, live this way to offer Himself as payment for our sins, the Righteous One for us unrighteous ones.

But that shouldn’t stop us from trying. We should all be constantly striving to be more Christ-like each and every day of our lives. Remember, we have been bought with a price, the precious blood of the Lamb of God, and we belong to the One who bought us. Therefore, we are obliged to do all that we can to serve Him and to please Him. We obey Him and strive to do His will, not to earn our salvation (which we can’t do), or even to earn His favor (which we can’t do), but because we want to show our Lord our gratitude and submission.

Application

If our good will to others is done to establish or improve our position in God’s eyes (to gain His favor), then it is selfish. If, on the other hand, we are good to others out of gratitude for what God has done for us, then we are acting out of love.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 12:21 – Good Versus Evil

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Will

Romans 12:21 – Good Versus Evil

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Truth to Learn

The proper way for a Christian to combat evil is with good.

Behind the Words

The word translated “overcome” is nikaō, a verb form of the noun nikē, which refers to “a conquest or victory.” Hence, nikaō means “to subdue, conquer, or overcome.” In both instances in this verse it is expressed in the imperative mood indicating something all Christians are to do.

“Evil” is from the Greek word kakos, which refers to that which is worthless in and of itself. Thus, it is often translated as depraved, wicked, or evil. It is expressed here with the definite article, so it literally refers to “the evil thing” or “the evil one.”

The word “good” is translated from agathos, meaning “profitable or beneficial.” It refers to general goodness whereas the Greek word kalos, which we looked at in verse seventeen, refers to something that is inherently good but not necessarily benefitting others.

Meaning Explained

Paul started off this chapter by stating:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

Throughout the remainder of this chapter, he has been showing us what it looks like when a person is a living sacrifice, totally submitted to God; for instance, someone who has presented his or her body as a living sacrifice to God will not repay evil for evil and will not avenge himself or herself.

In the past few verses Paul has not been giving us commandments so much as he has been showing us what the evidence of our submission as a living sacrifice looks like. And so, he wraps up this chapter with a final piece of evidence of a person who is totally submitted and committed to God. This person does not allow himself to be overcome with evil; instead, he overcomes evil with good. A literal translation of this verse could be:

Do not be conquered under the evil one, but conquer the evil one with goodness.

Some would say that “the evil one” refers to Satan, for he is sometimes referred to in that manner. In this case, however, I believe Paul is referring to anyone who does evil to you. If the result of an evil act on you causes you to do evil in return, then you have succumbed to the temptation of retaliation and you have demonstrated that you are not fully submitted to God. But, if evil is done to you and there is within you the ability to plan and carry out goodness toward the one doing evil, then you are showing that you are still lying on the alter, a living sacrifice to God, and He will use you when you live that way.

Application

It’s not easy to remain on the altar because we each have a sin nature that wants us to be in control and wants to get even with those who hurt us. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit we can remain submitted to our Lord and we can respond to the evil done to us with goodness. That’s sacrificial living. It’s pleasing to God because it allows Him to receive all the glory and all the praise.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 12:17 – Reactive or Proactive?

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Will

Romans 12:17 – Reactive or Proactive?

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

Truth to Learn

We should be benevolently proactive, not selfishly reactive.

Behind the Words

The word translated “repay” is apodidomi, which is a compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Hence apodidōmi means “to give away” of “to deliver up.” In the current context it can certainly be interpreted as “repay,” although it does not imply repayment of something owed.

“Evil” is from the Greek word kakos, referring to “that which is worthless in and of itself.” It does not refer to a bad effect (that would be the word ponēros) but to an intrinsic worthlessness. Thus, kakos usually refers to an evil thing or an evil action.

The words “Have regard” are translated from pronoeō. This is made up of pro, meaning “before, in place or time” and noeō, which refers to “action of the mind (to think, perceive, or consider).” Thus, we see that pronoeō means “to consider in advance, to plan ahead, or to premeditate.”

“Good” is from kalos, which refers to “that which is good in quality or character.” It is often translated as “beautiful.”

Meaning Explained

In this verse Paul contrasts two thoughts. Do you see what they are? He says,

Don’t be reactive and respond with evil acts when evil acts are done to you. Instead, be proactive and consider ahead of time what good things you are going to do for others.

When someone does something to us that is unkind, offensive, hurtful, or just downright mean, our first reaction is to respond in kind and “get even.” I’m sure we’ve all heard the expression, “I don’t get mad – I get even.” That’s precisely what Paul is telling us not to do. Don’t allow your sin nature to control your actions. That’s the result of our “flesh” which Paul was talking about back in chapter 8 when he said:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:5-8)

We should not behave like the unsaved do. They are slaves to their flesh and have no choice but to obey it because they are spiritually dead. But we have been set free from the bondage of our flesh and are now spiritually alive. We have a choice and that choice should always be to do good, not evil.

Application

Do you want to please God? If so, then you need to let His Spirit control your thoughts and actions, not your own flesh. Your choices are to please yourself or to please God. Which will it be?

“Ouch! That makes my own toes hurt!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 12:9 – Sacrificial Evidence

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Will

Romans 12:9 – Sacrificial Evidence

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Truth to Learn

Here is the evidence of a living sacrifice.

Behind the Words

The word translated “without hypocrisy” is the Greek word anupokritos, which is a compound word made up of a, meaning “without” and a form of hupokrinomai (from which we get our English word, hypocrite), meaning “to pretend” or “to put on a false front.” This word originally referred to the art of acting on a stage. An actor portrays someone other than who he or she truly is and that is the salient meaning of the word hypocrite.

The Greek word translated “abhor” is apostugeō. This is another compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” but often used as an intensifier, and stugeō, which means “to hate, abhor, or detest with horror.” It expresses an extremely strong hatred for something.

“Evil” is from ponēros, which refers to “that which is bad or evil in effect or influence.” There is a similar Greek word, kakos, which refers to “that which is bad or evil in character.”

“Cling” is from kollaō, meaning “to be glued to something.” And the word translated “good” is agathos, meaning “that which is good or beneficial.”

Meaning Explained

Paul started out this chapter telling us that we need to completely surrender ourselves to God as living sacrifices to be used in His service as He chooses. He then told us that we should have a humble opinion of ourselves because we are all members of the body of Christ (the church) and that we each have gifts which we are to be using as members of that body. Having talked about some of the gifts, he now goes on to tell us what a living sacrifice should look like to others.

He says, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” Our love should be sincere and not done as an act to try to convince people that we are different than we really are.

Paul also says that we should “abhor what is evil.” In other words, we should hate that which has an evil effect or that which produces evil with as much emotion and force as that with which we love God.

This is a verse that all Christians would do well to follow. It seems that we have become soft and we tend to tolerate evil without saying much about it. When we see someone do something evil, we should not turn around and forget about it, we should be filled with indignation and absolutely hate the evil act. Incidentally, even though we should hate the sin, we need to love the sinner.

Finally, Paul says that we should be “glued to that which is good.” When two things are glued together, they are inseparable. That’s how we should be – inseparable from things which are good.

Application

These are three key characteristics of Christians who are committed to God, who have placed themselves on the altar as living sacrifices. Their love is genuine, they absolutely hate that which is evil, and they are good through and through.

Is that how others see you?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 7:21 – The “Badness” Law

Posted on May 11, 2010 by Will

Romans 7:21

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.

Truth to Learn

There is a “law of sin” that can control our actions.

Behind the Words

The word translated “a law” is the Greek word nomos, which means “something that has been parceled out.” In the Greek text there is a definite article before this word, so literally it says “the law.”

The word translated “evil” is the Greek word kakos, which means, “something that is bad or worthless.” It is not the word usually translated “evil.” That word is poneros, which means “malicious or indicating willful harm to others.” So, although it is not really a word, I guess we could translate kakos in this verse as “badness” to distinguish it from evil.

“Is present” is a translation of the Greek word parakeimai, which means “it lies near” or “it is nearby.” It is expressed here in the present tense, active voice, indicative mood which implies present continuous action, not a past event or a onetime event.

Meaning Explained

One confusing part about the current verse is Paul’s reference to “a law.” There has been considerable debate about what he means by this expression. The usual sense of “a law” is something to which we are subject, something that is imposed by a superior, something that binds, controls, or influences us. There are many things we call laws that really aren’t laws; rather they are things that we have learned by observation. We refer, for instance, to such things as the laws of physics, the law of gravity, or the scientific laws of thermodynamics. These are not really laws in the sense that some legislative or ruling body has declared them so and which has assigned officials to enforce these laws (unless, of course, you consider them as having been imposed by God Himself).

The law that Paul is talking about in today’s verse is just such a law. He is saying that he finds an unwritten law which seems to say that badness is constantly present, close at hand, ready to take over whenever he desires to do right. And, once again, we see the word “wills” which is from thelō, indicating not just a wish or a desire to do good, but a determination to do good.

Although we have said it before, this is an apt description of our sin nature, or our tendency to sin. Whenever we want to do the right thing, when we are determined to be obedient to God and to do His will, our sin nature is ever present and ready to lead us into doing the wrong thing instead.

In just a few verses Paul will refer to this sin nature, to this law that makes badness ever present when we’re determined to do good, as the law of sin.

If I were allowed to vote on this law, I would vote that we repeal it and make life a lot easier on all of us!

Application

Lord, help us to see this battle that is going on within us. Help us to recognize that even though we are saved through the blood of Christ and we are determined to obey You and do Your will, our sin nature keeps dragging us away from You. Lord, give us strength to resist our sin nature and give us the desire to submit ourselves completely to You. Amen!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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