Romans 7:1-25 KJV 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

As a boy chews bubble gum in the class room, there is a rule that says no chewing gum in class. As the boy is corrected by the teacher, the child goes throws it away only to later sneak another piece from his pocket, to only once more break the rule of no chewing gum in class. The thought process of obedience to the rule only if caught is now being applied by the boy. Most of us know how the scenerio will end, either the teacher will get stricter with the correction or the child will empty all his pockets of bubble gum before the end of the school day by adding another piece to his mouth each time, he spits it out. After all bubble gum gets old after awhile. Point is to know the law means little to people today. It is the world of I will do what I want when I want as long as I do not get caught. In truth somethings matter not even when caught. The idea the law can be changed not caring if it is. Pauling is address the law of God and the law of man in Romans 7. God's laws are often more restrictive then man's laws. Law of Moses was very strict to the point people were in fear of the law to the point of obedience. Stories of the judgment of God puts people in enough fear to control a group of people. Did the law of Moses change or were the laws of Moses only laws of their leader. The separation of church and state applies to laws of God and laws of man. One has to define what is God's law and what is man's law. Then ask what would Jesus do. If the law of God is holy and only some of the laws of man is holy based on the law of God where is the line drawn. The boy was willing to obey the teacher only if caught disregarding the respect for the rule in place. Are the laws of God in placed only if caught then I be in obedience to stop for the moment to only go back to the sinning against God. What about the law of man, a crook will stop when caught for the moment but not for a life time. If they stop for a life time something must of changed within their thinking or in their soul. The law of belief, is a law of God. It is the law that is defined by experience and not just taking someone's else word on it. The law not to beleive might be for some Monday thru Saturday and on Sunday they run to the church to get saved again. When will the law of God be not just a belief day for some, only God knows when the little boy chewing gum will final obey the law of the school not just when the error is pointed out. God knows when the person will truly begin to believe not just on Sunday morning. The law of God established when sin occurs. The disobedience to God, failing to obey His word because what we feel is right is really wrong. Our humanity calls evil good and good evil. God's rules are not grievous, in fact he gives us rules to live by the greatest one besides belief is love. To love others as ourself. To love our enemies but to hate the sin. We all sin and all fall short of the glory of God. God word is clear in Romans 3:23. But in truth the war we have in our own mind is against our own actions. We may serve God in our heart and mind, but until our actions speak what our mind and heart is convinced about what God speaks our action is in option. The law is in front of us, but the law is not in our action. Our submission to God is not there, and it is for a reason. We may even delight in the word of God and be humbled by it, but unless we desire change and allow God to change us, we never probably will change. The decision to believe God must also come to the point of submission to Him. The devil believes but only is subject to the law of God by what is preordain and can not be broken by the will of God. God's will is strong then the enemy. Yet he allows freedom and so the devil runs back and forth through the earth trying to deceive the people until the end of days. His power to deceive is real, but God's power as a child of God say resist and stand firm in faith for the devil roams, but God will bring you to a point of rest if you remain faithful. One remain faithful to obedience to God and resist the temptation to break the law of God is to not fall away into temptation. God is able to keep our feet from slipping if we will trust in Him to enable us. Paul talks about the war in him as being of the fleshly and spiritual. That he often obeyed the law of the flesh and not the law of God. That in his mind he knew to obey the law of God and he even delighted in the law of God. He even seen the holiness of the law that He desire to obey God. Yet he also admits that obedience to the flesh/desire was often greater. Is the reality of God so etched in your heart and mind that obedience to God is greater. Noah got drunk after the flood, Moses found himself kicked out from entering into the Promise Land because of sin, and Abraham found himself dealing with two wives and more to come. Think what all these men seen at the hand of God and they still fell short of the Glory of God. God still spoke and worked with these men to build there faith. The woman had to grow in faith too. Sarah laughed when she heard she would become pregnant, Mary mother of Jesus asked Jesus for more wine for the party. Isaac wife would send her son Jacob away because of her plot to deceive her husband, so Jacob would have Esau's birthright. I have to wonder if they knew there story would be told for future generation how many would have tired to bribe the author not to compose the sin in the story. Yet each story of failure is a blessing to those that hear and take heed not to sin. Sometimes it seems sin is glorified more then God. The victory of doing wrong and not being punished, no it should not be that way. The fact is one did get caught, nothing was done, but it does not change wrong to being okay or even being right. Even if correction never comes, it could come with a price late down the road. A little girl grabbing off the table of a seller at the market, makes the mistake of conveying it was okay for her to have it, only for the little girl to grow up to be thief. The point is where does it end. Sin and desire ends when God throws the devil and the angels into hell for the final time. The temptation gone, but will our desire still not haunt us. Only if our desires are cast away too, will the earth be free of sin. But the greatest sin of unbelief will be cast out for eternity. Dear Heavenly Father, help us to not just be believers but allow our actions to show our belief. In Jesus name, Amen. Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: 1 Peter 5:8-10 KJV 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. http://www.turtle30cshell.com