The War Within!

A war goes on between the sea and every sea-worthy ship that floats on it. The sea wants in the ship, and is relentless in its attempt to get in. However, all the water in all the world’s seas is no threat to even the smallest sea-going vessel so long as the sea does not get in the ship. Yet history is replete with examples of sunken ships. When asked, "Why did the Titanic sink?" people almost always answer, "An iceberg." True, of course. But until she collided with the iceberg, the sea had been kept outside her hull. After the collision, the sea began to pour in, and kept pouring into the ship until there was, no pun intended, a Titanic disaster. She sank, and 1,503 people died.

I’ve said all that to point to another kind of war – not between the sea and ships – but between sin and souls! Sin wants into the heart and mind of every person on earth judged by God to be accountable. A spiritual war is waged within, and it is described by the apostle Paul in Romans 7:21- 23 – "I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God in the inward man. But I see another law at work in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." Earlier Paul wrote words about his actions whose exact meaning and application Bible students continue to debate – "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do" (vs 15). He talks of sin as a power at work inside himself that seeks to sink his soul. In verse 20, just before first Scripture cited above, he wrote, "Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me." It is then that he writes about the war raging inside his mind to do what is right. Was Paul describing his own life as a Christian, or as a Jew seeking to please God through keeping the Law of Moses before he came to Christ, or simply unsaved people outside Christ? It is beyond the scope of this space to address those ideas. This much I know – the Bible teaches we all have free moral choice and can be set free from the condemnation and guilt of sin when we hear and obey the teaching we find in the gospel of Christ (Romans 6:1-7, 16-18). That being said, I also know from my own experience as a Christian and from observing others in the church for 45 years and counting, that just because we died to sin doesn’t mean sin has died to us! You can be baptized into Christ – but sin still seeks relentlessly to get in your life. How else do you explain Christian husbands who leave their wives and wives their husbands? Or Christians who gossip? Or cheat on tests at school? Or surf porn sites on the internet? Or lust after co- workers? Or covet someone’s place, space, or face? Or abuse alcohol or drugs? Or lie or steal? Or secretly harbor malice and unforgiveness toward another? Or leave undone deeds of service that could and should be done? The Bible nowhere teaches we are "born in sin." But it clearly teaches sin wants in and relentlessly seeks to sink you – sink your marriage, your home, your life, and your soul. Don’t let sin sink you. The war within is real and at stake is the eternal destiny of your soul (Romans 6:23). You can win the war within, but only through Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25-8:2). Have you really thought about it?

By: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN