Romans 7 describes a severe struggle where you can't do what you want & where you do what you don't want to do. Not "struggling with sin" isn't the same as never manifesting those actions.
I can tell the difference between making a choice to do or continue something vs. me being a victim of the power of sin. I am never a victim of the power of sin. Why? Because I know Jesus has had victory over it. But you have to share in His victory for you to experience the benefits & leave the battle field. How do you leave the battle field? Live focused on God's gracious love for you rather than keeping commands.
Romans 6:14, "Sin will have no power over you, because you aren't under Law but under grace." Do we have to struggle with something powerless? No, but you give sin power when you put yourself under law. 1 Corinthians 15:56-57, "The power of sin is the law. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ!"
When I wasn't living under grace I was a victim of sin because I put the power in its hands by believing its power. I gave it the gun & the ammo. Doing that led me into shame spirals, long stretches of sinful behavior, & made me very hesitant to engage God.
Here is something that is true that Christians aren't "supposed to" believe,
You can be totally free from sin without having to behave sinlessly.
We can "throw off the sin which so easily entangles us." How? By "Focusing on Jesus & thinking about Him" (Hebrews 12:2-3).
In short, we punk ourselves out by thinking sin is a worthy opponent & not knowing that Jesus already has the victory over it. All sin can do when we refuse to empower it is dizzily lay on the canvas grabbing at our ankles. But what does that analogy mean in practicality? It means sin will lie to us to encourage us to justify our poor choices. Even after impulsive reactions the thought of "I should stop doing/saying this" comes to our minds by our loving Father. We then choose whether or not to listen to our Father or to sin's lie of "you're justified in doing what you're doing."
The person Romans 7 pictures is someone who is under the law &/or walking by the flesh, it paints that person as a victim & rightly so. But once your mind is renewed to trusting in God's love for you, you are never a victim. It is always your choice. You never struggle as if you were a victim but you're still not someone who loves perfectly every time the opportunity arises. The slave who lives under the law is oppressed. The saint, the son, the daughter who lives under grace is free & where there is freedom there is opportunity.
Things that will victimize you (make it harder for you to control yourself):
1. Feelings of guilt & shame (sin consciousness)
2. A Sense of obligation (law mindset)
3. Feelings of fear/insecurity
All 3 are fixed by gaining knowledge of God's love for you.
Your beliefs shape your experiences. When you let go of the idea that you have to struggle you'll see those struggles fade away. When you let go of the idea that God charges us with sin you'll realize sin is not the focus of the Christian life, Christ is.
Related Posts
Freedom from Struggling with Sin
Romans 7, Rebirth, & Renewed Minds
Our New Creation in Christ & sin
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