Wednesday, July 3: “Unlikely Liberty”

Romans 7: 22, 23: “For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man. but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.”

St. Paul talks about two different laws here, and throughout chapter seven: The Law of Moses, which is holy and righteous and good (v. 12), and the law of sin, which says that due to the weakness of our flesh, no one can keep that first Law. The second law always wins. But don’t worry, here’s a tip: Whenever you read Romans chapter seven, don’t stop there. Paul didn’t. He goes on in chapter eight, verse two (the reading for tomorrow, which is quite fittingly July 4, US Independence Day) to introduce a THIRD law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which fulfills the first law, trumps the second, and sets us free. Now we are free to love and serve the Lord; spirit, soul, mind–and body. Unlikely? Highly, except for God’s amazing grace.