ROMANS CHAPTER 7 Part 3
The wisdom of the fathers
ROMANS CHAPTER 7?????Part 3
When the Holy Ghost flashes his light into the?soul and shows the uncleanness there, and the lack?of conformity to Christ, like Isaiah the man cries?out, ''Woe is me! for I am undone!'' and like?Paul he actually writhes under the consciousness of?this inward "body of death," and so groans out,?"O wretched man that I am!"
The writer has seen many regenerated people?enter upon a Holiness meeting with great restfulness of spirit and self-satisfaction. Sometimes?they have abounded in smiles, bantering words,?and lightness of manner. But as the days proceeded, and the sword of the Spirit cut down between soul and spirit and discerned the thoughts?and intents of the heart, a great change came over?them. They became silent, anxious, troubled,?miserable, and groaned out in their testimonies?and prayers all that Paul said in the seventh chapter of Romans.
There is a second conviction for the human soul.?Not a second repentance, however, for we cannot?repent for inbred sin; we are convicted for that.?The first conviction is for personal sins; the?second, for inbred sin. With the writer the last was?far more painful than the first. In the first it was?''sins'' that bore him down; in the second it was?"the law of sin," "the body of death," that laid him in the dust with cries, '' O wretched man that?I am!''
This body of death is an evil nature, principle,?or bias - call it what we will?- that is like death in?the presence of the regenerated soul. The converted man feels?within him something that is antagonistic to the spiritual life he has obtained. It?seems to have a deadly influence. It kills joy in?the heart, kills life in prayer, kills religious energy repeatedly, kills Christian faith, hope, and love,?time and time again; so that there is a struggle?against this "body of death," which seems to be?sending out a cold, chilling, death-like influence?through every open avenue to the converted soul.
(from "The Old Man" by B. Carradine)