Ep. 170: The Law of God the Law of Sin

I know it is wrong, and I do it anyway. Why? In Romans 7:20-25, St. Paul names the war inside every believer, and Father Genard Lazar walks through it: the law of God in the mind, and the law of sin in the members.

Paul is clear that the body is not sin. Mortality is the outcome of sin, and our bodily members become the instrument through which passions and desires seek dominion. Father Genard puts it plainly: if your conscience is burning you, you are in a good place. The danger is when it goes quiet. Those who sin in secret, thinking no one knows, are reminded that God is the surveillance camera, and what is hidden will be revealed.

Then the members are redirected. Eyes that look to lust can instead see creation and a brother or sister. Legs can walk to church, to Bible study, to people who need you. Hands can give help and charity instead of harm. But knowing the good is not enough. Like the gambler who has emptied the savings account and promises to repay every cent, knowing does not set us free. Paul's cry, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this mortal body?", leads to his answer: thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Key takeaways
• The body is not sin; mortality is the outcome of sin, and sin uses our members
• A burning conscience is a gift. Don't neglect it, and don't hide your sin
• Use your eyes, legs, and hands for holiness, not evil
• Knowing the good cannot free us; deliverance comes through Jesus Christ

Listen, share, and let the double-edged sword do its work in you today. Rate and review the podcast so more people encounter the living Word.