“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold as a slave under sin. For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me. So I discover this law: When I want to do what is good, evil is present with me.” (CSB – Read the chapter)
Almost without fail whenever a Looney Toons character was faced with a moral quandary and was actually struggling with it, the struggle was portrayed by a tiny angel version of the character on one shoulder, and a tiny devil version on the other shoulder. The two would comically debate back and forth until a decision was reached (and the decision usually went the way the devil version was pushing). Everyone has a basic sense of right and wrong that is coded into their operating system. That programming leaves us at least aware of what’s right and even desirous of it, but we show a remarkable ability to resist that desire in favor of what we know to be the wrong thing. Why is that? In a truly classic passage here, Paul wrestled with that very question. Over the course of this post and the next, let’s explore it with him to see where he lands.
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The Nexus 