Message by Larry Thacker Jr from September 28, “Flesh Trap”
We all know the struggle. It is common to the human condition. We just do not have it within ourselves to meet even our own standards, much less God’s. So when we read what Paul writes in Romans 7, we strongly identify with it. Maybe we feel a little better about ourselves. If someone like Paul can’t overcome sin, what chance do we have?
Context is always important. We recognize this in our daily lives. The same words spoken in different circumstances can have entirely different meanings. Sometimes tone of voice can convey the very opposite meaning to what is being said. If you receive a long letter, (or more likely email these days) it is unlikely that you will be able to understand it’s intent by reading a few lines at random from the middle of the message. The plot of a novel isn’t likely to be revealed by a single chapter.
So it is with our Bible. Translators added chapter and verse for our benefit, but the original language didn’t have these features. We usually break books into chapters, but we do not do the same with letters. They are meant to be read as a whole. If we are to properly understand what the author meant to communicate, we need to read the whole thing and follow the author’s thought process.
With writing as complex as that which we find in Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome, this is admittedly not an easy task. We also have the added layer of translation, since none of us speaks ancient Greek. Scholars have been arguing about what he wrote for centuries, but as people who love the Lord and desire to understand what He wants us to know, we will pursue the truth that is found in His word.
Now, what was that all about? Hopefully, it has prompted you to ask the question, “Is there something here that I’ve been missing?” I suspect for many of us the answer would be yes. It certainly was for me until someone caused me to question the common view. We pick up our study in Romans 7:14-25, but to understand it properly, I suggest reading chapters 6-8.
