Wretched Man That I Am

Many people relate to the teaching on prayer from Luke 18 where the publican "standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." (Luke 18:13)

Mistakenly taking the teaching of Jesus regarding the publican and the Pharisee, "I tell you, this man [the publican] went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:14) They add to this the teaching of Paul "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom 7:24)

Why do I say mistakenly? Isn't that what both Paul and Jesus intended us to feel?

In a word, NO!

So many Christians are stuck at Romans 7:24, unable to move on to Romans 7:25! How is it this horrible, condemning verse is so well known, and the next verse is forgotten? For it says,

"Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin."

What of this next verse? And how could that be "thanks be to God"?

Unfortunately, a long time ago verse and chapter numbers were added to the Bible. (Unfortunate only in the fact that some divisions occur where they disrupt a thought.)

Thus Romans chapter 8 begins (as we all know) "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!" (Rom.8:1) (We all know this verse, but we have learned it in isolation, not relating it to the two verse right before it.)

Why do we condemn ourselves when God has said there is now no condemnation? The better question would be, "Why have we been taught to condemn ouselves?"

There is now no condemnation.

How can anyone call themselves "wretched" when they know this truth: ^"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21)?

Righteous or Wretched? What has God said?

What then about, "standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven" (Luke 18:13)?

Please! "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb. 10:19-22)

Yes! Draw near to God with confidence! Having faith in the rightousness bestowed upon us in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

^"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Consider this my attempt to "provoke" (literal translation) you to love and good deeds, and especially assembling together in fulll assurance of our righteousness in Christ and our standing before God with no thought of condemnation.

What God has declared righteous, who are we to call "wretched"?