Acknowledgment of Sin and Salvation

In Romans 7:18 Paul describes the “flesh”—the nature we have inherited from the first Adam. Nothing good dwells in the flesh; it is absolutely powerless to do anything good. The flesh is entirely under the power of sin; it is sold under sin. Romans 7:14.

Paul describes his own flesh as an example as the pit of corrup­tion of human nature. Romans 3:10-18. There are those who interpret Paul incorrectly, saying that he did not have such a flesh when he be­came spiritual. Peter writes that Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote things that are hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction. 2 Peter 3:15-16. A person has been deceived if he has the understanding that the de­sires of the “flesh” will be taken away when he becomes spiritual. In Galatians 5:17 Paul says that in the life of a believer the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh—they oppose each other. Paul thanked God that he served the law of God with his mind and the law of sin with his flesh. Romans 7:25. Our further develop­ment will be in the wrong direction if we have an incorrect under­standing of sin and the laws that govern it.

Conversion and the new birth cannot come about unless I ac­knowledge my sin. Further salvation by the life of Jesus (Romans 5:10) cannot come about unless I come to this acknowledgment: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” For this reason it is very necessary to understand that I do have a flesh, in which nothing good dwells, for as long as I am in this body of death.

The young man whom Jesus asked whether he wanted to be per­fect had a good conscience, for he had kept the commandments. Matthew 19:20-21. However, the commandment had not made sin exceedingly sinful to him, and therefore he could not see his need for more salvation. We can also live new covenant if we have not forsaken everything and become a dis­ciple. Luke 14:33. “For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:19.

We come to that better hope after we have been brought to Christ by the chastening of the law and have entered into the death of Christ. Now the law of the Spirit in Christ makes unconscious sin­covetousness, or sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3)—come alive. The de­sires of the flesh must be put to death.

When I, in spite of a good conscience, can see that the evil is pres­ent with me (Romans 7:21), I understand how difficult it is for a right­eous man to be saved. 1 Peter 4:18. The church shall be presented to Him in glory without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27.

Our heart is kept pure if we put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit. Romans 8:13. Because we are renewed in the spirit of our mind (Ephesians 4:23), the area in which we can work out our salva­tion is enlarged by being faithful to the law in our inner man. Romans 7:22.

The purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5. The purpose of the law of the Spirit in Christ is, that those who are obedient attain to all the fullness of God.

We are considered worthy to look into “so great a salvation” (Hebrews 2:3) if we acknowledge that we have sin in the flesh, and love God. Concerning the woman who had been forgiven much, Jesus said that she loved much. Our love for Jesus will be kept warm and fervent if we do not forget that we have been drawn up from the pit of corruption.

With this understanding of our wretchedness according to the flesh, we are always open to an increasingly deeper cleansing and salvation.