This seems like a strange grouping: courage and a Scripture, Romans 7, which is somewhat dark, to say the least. I’m thinking especially of verse 18a, For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells NKJV.
Just in passing, the rest of the verse has something to say about the “free will” controversy, which is still very much alive and well. Pay careful attention to what Paul wrote: for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good, I do not find (emphasis added). Do you not find this to be true? Have you ever tried to do something – lose weight, quit some bad habit? Perhaps start some good habit? Eat better, be more faithful in prayer or Bible reading? How has either of those worked out? “To will,” to decide, make a decision, can be easy; “to perform,” to actually follow through – and keep following through, sometimes, not so much.
When Paul refers to his “flesh,” he wasn’t writing about his physical body, but the human nature he, and all the rest of us, inherited from Adam, that fallen, sinful human nature. He says of that part of us that there’s nothing good in it Godward. He writes about the struggle, the warfare, v. 23, of that Adamic nature – “the law of sin” – with the new nature God gives us at our new birth, when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And it is a warfare, make no mistake about it. The Adamic nature – “the flesh,” still believes Satan’s lie in the Garden, that it is God, determining for itself what is “good” and what is “evil”. We see the evidence of this everywhere. Even in our country, we’ve seen pictures of the recent burning of a pile of Bibles.
I think even the modern tendency to use a small “b” when referring to God’s Word is a part of this warfare, or the use of a small “g” when referring to “God”. I had a discussion about this with the publisher of my latest book. The proof came back with “bible”. I can hardly type that sitting here in my comfortable recliner. I have no problem with “a sportsman’s bible,” or, “a fisherman’s bible,” books talking about those respective activities, but God’s Word is the Bible; it’s not just another “how-to” volume.
I’m afraid the time might be coming when God’s Word will be illegal in this country, as it is in much of this world already, and even in parts of this country. It’s already illegal in school, in government. Even many religious organizations which call themselves “churches” don’t really believe its teachings or live by it.
This is where the other part of the post’s title will come in: “courage”.
For the most part, we’ve been very blessed in this country. True, there have been those who have suffered for their faith, but we haven’t had to worry about our doors being broken down and us hauled off to jail for even possessing a Bible. This happened in the very beginning of our country, before the Constitution was formalized, guaranteeing freedom of religion. “The flesh,” though, reads that as “freedom from religion.”
Believers have suffered throughout church history, and are suffering even today in parts of this world, for daring to profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs may yet have a chapter about modern America.
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