My Mom and Dad routinely changed the decor in our home. Mom preferred Early American furniture. Dad thought of himself as the “I can do that” craftsman. Their home was filled with federal eagles and stained colonel pine furniture, most of which Dad built or antiques he refurbished.
Mom would have an inspiration of what a room could look like with a different color or new wallpaper, and then she leaped into the transformation. It would not be long before Dad would be involved. The updating occurred until they were in their eighties. The last room renovated was a small bathroom. There was a problem. Neither Mom nor Dad could see well, and the end result was a clear statement of their creativity and their diminishing eyesight. The walls were all painted but not well covered. With their sight, the walls looked fine. It was the worst paint job they had ever done. The DIY duo completed all the actions of painting but lacked the ability to see the quality of their work.
Over the last two months, I have pondered Romans 7. I understand the big picture of what Paul is saying but this chapter leaves me bewildered. Between his great intellect and far different culture, I stagger as I try to obtain a clear view of his wisdom and insight into how the Kingdom works in my time and culture. I read what commentators have said, and that was helpful. There is something in me that just will not rest until I filter his thoughts through my thoughts and translated into my words. These are important words; I want to know them.
Chapters five and six of Romans are very clear; sin is always dead and dying. If I am under the control of sin; I am under control of death. I am dead. I am dying. The law tells me why my life is so stinking miserable. If I do not feel that death, then I do not know I have a life deficit. This is where the picture of zombies is interesting; the walking dead. I believe it is possible for a person to come to a self-manufactured peaceful place in life. In that peaceful place, there is no need for a Savior because life has the “sense” of peace. Peace is not a feeling. Such peace creates emotional ups and downs.
The peace that God offers is the same peace Adam and Eve experienced in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. That peace was dependent upon the presence of God. For the follower of Jesus, Jesus does not dispense peace: He is peace. His presence in my life is my peace. Regardless of the tribulation of the moment, He is peace in me, and I can draw on that peace.
When God’s Word reveals our motives and actions, we have vivid sight to see ourselves. We have tried to be “good” or “better” people, but the law gives clarity of sight and thus reveals the flaws of our best efforts. Self-manufactured (or reasoned) peace is a faux peace: It has an appearance of peace but lacks the substance of peace. In the dark, all looks fine and even healthy. But in the light, it is not real peace! The Word, administered by the Holy Spirit, allows us to see ourselves. The difference between what we consider acceptable and what God considers acceptable becomes staggeringly real. For those who find their peace to be lacking, there is a brilliant rising of the truth that peace is not a feeling of comfort or control but a person; Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Prince of Peace.
Baldwin Heirlooms 