I was contemplating Galatians 5.17 - For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want (NRSV) – which brought me to Thomas Watson’s The Godly Man’s Picture. Watson, in section 19 of the booklet, describes the saint who struggles with sin. Here are a few of my favorite quotes.
“Though sin lives in him [the godly person], yet he does not live in sin.”
“Though sin is in him, he is troubled at it and would gladly get rid of it. …Sin in a wicked man is delightful, being in its natural place, but sin in a child of God is burdensome and he uses all means to expel it.”
“If we would have peace in our souls, we must maintain a war against our favorite sin and never leave off till it is subdued.”
“Grace and sin may be together, but grace and the love of sin cannot. Therefore parley [meet] with sin no longer, but with the spear of mortification, spill the heart-blood of every sin.”
“A godly man dare not travel for riches along the devil’s highway.”
So Luther said that the Christian life means a severe struggle which never abates until we leave this world.
shane lems
sunnyside wa
My pastor always says that only Christians can struggle with sin. That has really helped me to see that the reason I struggle with sin is because I am a Christian. Non-Christians simply do not see their sin as sin, therefore there is no struggle with their sin.
Thanks Shane, good stuff.
Yes! I really get tired of Christians who push “the victorious Christian life,” which is above struggles. Amen to Luther!
Completely agree with the dead-end of the supposed “victorious Christian life”.
It’s funny, I’m a long time reader who’s never posted, but I had to mention that I started reading this very book a week ago. It’s very easy reading, and Watson really packs in good, quick illustrations. It’s also easy to read this book in little chunks, like 10 pages a day, since he talks about each of the aspects of character in little sections.
Keep posting, and thanks always!
Thanks for the comments, guys. Chris – a preacher once said if you want to find real sinners, you have to look in a church, which sounds similar to your pastor’s wise words.
Richard/Tim – I was thinking of the “false advertising” of Christianity, the victorious life, so I’m glad you picked up on it.
And Tim, it is a great book to read in sections. In fact, I still use it quite frequently by referring to the table of contents or the “self-notes” I wrote in the back cover when I first read it. Trust me, you’ll go back to this book quite a bit in the years to come. Once you finish this, get more of Watson’s stuff!
Blessings,
shane
Wow! Are you the Tim Webb (Pastor of a church) from Georgetown, TX? If so, I am so happy to see you reply here. So very happy! I believe that those who love these sites are the most blessed of all man! I am so grateful for these sites as they encourage me greatly!
I haven’t read Watson much, but what I have read (The True Freedom of the Christian) was pretty moving. Great stuff and I’d agree with Tim – the reading is not too difficult.
Where in the Word of God does it say we have to be in bondage or does it advertise that we are to struggle with sin?
Calledsoldiers:
Thanks for the comment. First, notice I did not use the term bondage. The NT says Christians are no longer in bondage to sin (Rom 6.7, 18, 20, etc). At the same time, as I mentioned in Gal 5.17 above shows the Christian tension of the on-going struggle with sin.
Paul also uses language like “put to death what is earthly in you” (Col 3.5), “cast off the works of darkness” (Rom 13.12), “put off your old selves” (Eph 4.22), just to name a few. Also, consider the saints of old: Moses, Miriam, David, Peter, and Paul (who wrote Gal 5.17 from experience). In summary, though we Christians are saved from the tyranny and dominion of sin by Christ’s work, in this life we continually fight against it. The war is won, but little battles continue.
Thanks,
shane
I agree that Galatians 5:17 does say there is a war going on, but that is also advertised by those who would say the Christian lives a victorious life. In order to get victory you have to have someone who you have defeated in order to obtain that victory. You can’t have victory over nothing. Therefore we understand that there is opposition, but I recall in college football years ago (if you are familiar with that sport) the Nebraska Cornhuskers and their exploits.
They went out on the field and they played against opposition. They had those who were coming against them. Their opponents were determined to beat them, but in reality they had no chance. They would routinely pulverize their opponents leaving no doubt which team was superior.
In this Christian life we have to fight in order to win, therefore Paul exhorts us to put on the whole armor of God. Ephesians 6:11, but he also says we are more than conquerors… (ref. Romans 8:37) so the issue isn’t whether we fight or not, but how we fight and how strong the urge is to give in or give up. If you have a desire to go back into sin you need to pray and pray hard. You need to reconsider what sin did to you the first time around and think what God has done for you in lifting you out of the muck and the mire and straightening your life out. You need to develop a true hatred for sin and you’ll have no desire whatsoever to go back into it again.
Calledsoldiers,
Please read the last part of Romans 7, as well. They only reason we have “victory” is because Christ lived “the victorious Christian life” FOR us. He won our battles. To Him belongs the victory–not us. Praise Him. However, the Apostle Paul, who called himself the “Chief of sinners,” was clear we still struggle with sin.
Richard, I’m afraid there is some misinterpretation involved in those scriptures you offered up.
Romans the 7th chapter doesn’t depict the life of salvation at all, hence Paul in verse 24 that he was wretched and asked the question who shall deliver me from the body of this death? In verse 25 Paul answers his own question saying, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Note that the verse has a period right there. That’s the answer to the question and the whole of the statement. Jesus delivered him from the condition described in the previous verses.
Further we read that he said with the mind I myself serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin. Don’t stop at the end of the chapter, Paul is still on the same thought and says, “There is therefore no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.
Paul said if you follow after the flesh which is the only thing that can cause you to sin, you’re condemned, but if you are in Christ Jesus, you don’t do that you walk after the Spirit and the Spirit will not lead you into sin.
Further when Paul stated he was the chief of sinners he previously stated the Jesus came to save sinners. He was the chief of sinners (in his own estimation), but he was saved by Jesus Christ just like all others sinners who Jesus came to save.
Richard if you are still struggling with sin do as James advised in James 4:7 Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Don’t sit there and allow the devil to play around with your mind and your thoughts… resist him.
In the old testament law they said if a woman were grabbed by a man out in the field and forced if she resisted and yelled for help she would be considered innocent, but if she didn’t call for help she would be stoned as an adulterer. Well if the devil is trying to get you to sin or get off and you call on Jesus in a real way, end of struggle. Jesus didn’t barely beat the forces of the devil, but the Word of God says He overcame them. It didn’t say He had limited power, but all power heaven and earth is in His hands. When we comes to save you will be delivered in a victorious way.
Called,
When you say Romans 7 “doesn’t depict the life of salvation at all,” you are going against the most widely held view by Biblical Reformed scholars, including Augustine and Calvin, who state that verses 13-25 refer to BELIEVERS. If you are interested in their reasoning, I recommend you look up a good commentary–such as John Murray’s work on Romans, or even the ESV Study Bible, which contains excellent notes.
We sin daily, in thought, word, and deed. John says if we deny this, we make Him to be a liar. This is one reason why Luther said in the first of his 95 Theses that the entire life of a Christian should be one of repentance. We have the victory–because of the life Christ lived for us. Praise Him–not our life of victory, which will only take place in it fullness when we are in glory. Until then we continue to struggle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
Richard,
Paul said, “though we, or and angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8
Jesus said, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.” Luke 10:21
Augustine, Calvin, Luther nor John Murray wrote one book in the Word of God. Not one. Therefore I have no problem being in contradiction to such great and noted individuals, though they for their time revealed such great and needed light. I refer you back to the infallibly inspired Word of God and not the fallible word of man.
Let’s look that the verses in question to see emphatically what they referred to for the Word of God is not vague but clear.
Read the rest here: http://csog.webs.com/Romans7.pdf