“I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:25)
Sorry folks, you do not get to use that as an excuse, you cannot say to the Lord, “It’s not my fault, it was the flesh serving sin.”
As you have read in these letters many times, you are accountable for your every action, your every thought, you are responsible for every temptation you fall into, and do not think here that Satan or one who was cast out with him follows you around continuously attempting to make you fall into that temptation, for even if that were true, you are still the responsible party. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:18)
It is the way that the Almighty has deemed it to be, Satan fell first, Eve was tempted by him and fell, then Adam, by his own free will denied the commandment of the Lord to be just and worthy, to be adhered to. All three were punished, chastised if you prefer that word, yet Satan found no grace while Adam and Eve did.
I would contemplate that Satan and a third of the angels were also offered a form of grace, perhaps a conversation attempting to help them to see the error of the path they were beginning to choose, but that is just conjecture on my part.
It is inconceivable to the human mind to believe that anyone, angel or man, could be shown the Lake of Fire and still choose against the Sovereign Lord of all creation, but it happens every day, for Romans 1:20 stands as a truth. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
In many who have professed Jesus Christ as Lord there is a hint of doubt, a doubt that a loving Father would punish one of His children for such a minor infraction, for such a small momentary lack of obedience. A small “white lie,” taking a single rubber band out of a box of thousands of them, following the train of thought of the lust of the flesh for a season, minor infractions that really hurt no one, that are not really considered by them a sin, but simply the remnant of the flesh, and so, at least in their minds, not truly their fault. After all, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” (Romans 9:20)
You cannot be perfect in this life, the Law, all laws, prove this to be true, but you are commanded, not asked, to be holy. That requires effort on your part, that means you are in a battle, and unless you can control what you dream about, every waking moment you are in that battle. Against our adversary, yes, but only if he notices you and only then if he is allowed to attack you.
Your greatest battle as one who has been crucified with Christ is against yourself, against your flesh, against that old man, the sinful nature within each of us.
Not one excuse offered on your day of accounting will be accepted, and every infraction, every sin if not confessed will be dealt with in accordance to the will of God. No servant is allowed to go down a path of their own choosing.
I know it’s not easy, it is not meant to be, the Lord Jesus Christ suffered, we are to suffer with Him, He denied the flesh, we are to do the same, He resisted temptation, as you are to do.
To carry your cross is to reject not only the world and all it offers, but to deny self, our flesh and its desires. The battle will not end until the flesh, that old man that hounds us continuously is removed. “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1st Cor. 9:27)
Easy to say, not so easy to do, but it must be done.
Grace and peace to you, my friends.
