The One Who Wills to Do Good!

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

Romans 7:21

Right before this statement is the famous passage in which Paul lays out so eloquently the battle that we all can relate with, the battle between our spirit man and our carnal nature. He discusses how he constantly is doing what he doesn't want to do and doesn't do what he wants to. How many of us can relate to exactly that statement? 

I don't want to lash out in anger and say things I don't mean...

I don't want to think those kinds of thoughts...

I don't want to keep lying to my boss about being sick...

I don't want to eat so much that I get sick...

OR

I want to read my Bible more...

I want to pray more...

I want to do more acts of kindness...

I want to give generously...

Paul, the apostle who God used to write two thirds of the new testament, tells us that he can relate to all of those statements. He calls those things exactly what they are, evil. But he also comes to a very important conclusion: even though there is evil with me, that is not my identity. I am not evil. I am the "one who wills to do good". 

If Satan can't get you to think that sin is okay then he will try and do the exact opposite. He will make you think that you are evil because of your sin. Paul calls that out and shows us that we are not evil. Regardless of how many evil things we end up doing, regardless of how many times we 'mess up' or how many times we sin, we are not sinners! We simply have evil present with us but we are the ones who want to do the right thing. 

As Paul continues on he references a war within us, a war that is going on in our own mind, and this is a war that we will continue to fight until we are glorified with Jesus. However, if we start of in this war with a false understanding of who we are we have already lost. Remember my last post, Jesus imputed righteousness to us, He made righteousness into one of our characteristics. 

You are the "one who wills to do good".