Romans and the Flesh Monster.....The conflict of our desires

6807  Very good post TB. Its a real battle that starts in the mind and then we form an understanding of the object of our desires. And then the will falls in line. Because there are all kinds of desires that we have to overcome a persistent sin, we can not always trust in the reasons why we want to overcome an outward sin. We need to have the scripture define what a true spiritual desire is so that the principle part of our understanding would be able to cast down a sinful desire in order to overcome an outward sin. Because the object of each desire, which are many, will determine whether the unrighteous desire dominates the misguided desires and terminates the weaker desires to overcome an outward sin. The one inward sin will dominate in order to overcome the outward sin. Coveting to overcome excessive drinking.

 When we are in the growth process we must be enabled to overcome a temptation. We always choose what we desire the most, and that includes all of our body motions. So that we are completely responsible for what we choose even tho we are unable to meet the strength of the obedience at the present. Growing in Christ is really being able to gain the strength of desire to obey. And thats part of the wanting to do good but not doing it. Our want to obey desire is not stronger than our desire to sin. So we are responsible because we choose based on our strongest desire.The apostle Paul is not saying that he has an equal choice about the object and the sinning is determined by the resistance of the will. In that case then we could have levels of resistance (in a praiseworthy sense )as to equal obedience rather than a true personal responsible choice in desiring to sin.

 Nevertheless, we have longings to obey that are there. And these longings are the renewed desires. So that at some future time we will be better equipped in our minds to have the strength of understanding that will match our present longings. We are looking at the goal of becoming like Christ , but we have not arrived yet. But God sees our longings and He looks at the desires of our hearts. It is by grace that we learn the process of understanding the true spiritual desire. We could never reason on our own to have the understanding. But true spiritual desires will be formed in us by grace as we gaze at Christ, who had the praise worthy understanding so that all that He desired was the Fathers pleasure. And we look on Christ through the word.

 The process of being renewed is to be enlightened to grace, in which we learn what is praise worthy by the praise worthiness of Christ work on our behalf. And we learn to identify that glory, the real weightiness of the divine knowledge. The value of the desire is feeling that  weight.