Freedom from the Body of Death

Oh, wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24 ESV) Have you ever felt trapped? Truly stuck with literally no way out of the situation that you are in? Today at International Lutheran Church, we address this very common experience with these words from Romans 7, as Paul shares the freedom we have in Christ alone. As we are sent out “On the Roman Road,” we see again how we carry a message that is critically important for our lives today.

This summer we have been reading through the letter to the Romans and examining how Paul describes the Christian life. Last week Paul described the purpose of our freedom in Christ with these words: “so that you might belong to another.” (Romans 7:4 ESV) In this second half of Chapter 7 of Romans, Paul is honest to reveal the inner struggle that is a part of our new life in Christ. While we are powerless to change ourselves, Paul shows how we are freed by Jesus from the power and control of sin that reigns in and through our mortal bodies.

Two things need to be addressed as we look at this passage of Scripture. First, the situation that Paul describes is not an abnormal one but rather part of our new identity in Christ. As a Christian, we now have a real battle going on inside. Second, these words are not an excuse to give in to sin or give up in despair, but rather the bold call to hold on to our only hope in Jesus. Our sure hope of victory is through our Savior Jesus and Him only. The fact that the Christian life is a struggle and even a “war” should not surprise us. Our reading last week from Jesus’ discourse to the Twelve, who were sent to the House of Israel in Matthew 10, says quiet clearly that His Kingdom does not bring peace but a very real separation and division, even within ourselves. Paul’s exhortations in other letters, such as Ephesians 6 concerning the armor of God and our need to be daily dressed for battle, is also a clear indication that the attitude is not one of defeatist resignation, but rather sober calculation of what we are up against. Luther popularized the three-headed enemy in terms of the devil, the world and our own sinful flesh. He exhorted his hearers to daily remember that they are baptized and that “the old Adam is drowned” in the promise of God so that we would rise and daily be active in the world and in the relationships around us.

This message is still needed today. As much as we have liberalized our thinking in our modern independent lives, the reality of our flesh still catches us and takes hold of our very actions. “The good” we so hope to do, know to do, want to do - that we don’t do. But the thing we hate, the “wrong” we know we need to expunge from ourselves, that seems to keep on going with no end in sight. Paul describes this as a wretched, miserable state, literally a “body of death” from which we are powerless to do anything about. The contrasting conjunction “but” couldn’t come at a better moment. Indeed, Jesus’ appearance, His life, His death in the Body was for just such a proclamation of God’s action to change our final situation. Through death, He has swallowed up death. As we are freed from the bondage of the Law in His death, we are also freed from our lives of sin and death by His death. In Him, we do find rest. This is why we daily put on the armor of God, daily remember our baptism, daily live in the hope of God’s victory for us.

As we join in worship today and gather to hear His Word of victory in our lives, we are called to live in this freedom we have in Christ and freely share this freedom in all the world where He sends us!

Pastor Carl