When I Want to Do Good, Evil is Present Romans 7:21

Paul the apostle told the people in Rome, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” He continued, “for the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do”, and he wrote, “Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.” In chapter seven and verse twenty-one of Romans, Paul told his readers, “when I would do good, evil is present with me” where we read:

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

The verse begins, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, ...” Paul began with the words, “I find then” which means “Paul discovered, understood, came upon and learned” “a law” or “rule producing a state approved of God”,“that” which means “because and since”, “when I would do good” or “at the time or moment Paul desired, intended, resolved, determined, purposed and wished to produce, make ready, bear and render anything beautiful, handsome, excellent, choice, surpassing, precious and admirable”. Paul referred to the “rule” which included his “desire and passion” to “produce precious and admirable” things.

The verse continues, “... evil is present with me.” Paul added the word, “evil” which means “bad nature which is base, wrong, wicked, injurious, pernicious, destructive and baneful” “is present” or “is near at at hand” “with me” which refers to “within Paul himself”. At the time Paul desired to do “good things”, he recognized that “wicked and destructive” ways were within him.

When we consider these words of Paul, we see how deep the “sinful nature” is within people. Though Paul desired to do “good”, the very opposite, “evil” was within him. Jesus Christ came to the world to “save” people from that “wicked and sinful nature”. There is no other way to deal with the “sin” which is within every person other than “believing and receiving” Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Without Jesus, a person is doomed to continue in their “sin”, but when He comes into their life, He gives them the power to put their “wicked and evil” ways aside to be obedient to God and His ways. May all who read these words receive the “saving grace” of Jesus Christ and be promised “everlasting life” with God.

Next time Paul tells his readers, “I delight in the law of God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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