I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?  Thank God!  The answer is in Jesus Christ.” Romans 7:21,24b,25a

Have you found that you can’t live a holy life? Good for you—you’ve discovered one of the most important principles in life!

People the world over try to live good lives. This might look like doing kind deeds for others or sharing with the poor.  But when it comes to being holy—unselfishly living for God and others, both in our behaviors and thoughts, that’s different story. In the Bible God says, “Be holy, as I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Even the most spiritual person will never live up to the holiness of the God who says, “I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9).

Oswald Chamber expressed man’s dilemma like this: “It is quite true to say—’I cannot live a holy life,’ but you can decide to let Jesus make you holy.” We need something called redemption, which means that “Jesus Christ can put into any man the hereditary disposition that was in Himself…His teaching is for the life He puts in.”[1]

Did you catch that?  Jesus’ teaching is for the life He puts in. Jesus effectively “opens the lid on my casket.”[2] My part is “agreement with God’s verdict on sin in the cross of Jesus Christ.”[3] After I agree to that and hand my life over, I can rest in Him and obey as an expression of that rest.

The Apostle Paul said, “I have discovered this principle of life– that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?  Thank God!  The answer is in Jesus Christ” (Romans 7:21,24b,25a).

[1] Chambers, O. (1989). In My utmost for his highest: Selections for the Year: The golden book of Oswald Chambers (pp. 86–86). essay, Barbour.

[2] Smith, S. (2021). The Lyric and Music of the Gospel. In I John (pp. 18–18). essay, New Growth Press.

[3] Ibid.