Romans 7:7-7:11 - Sin Comes to Life Through the Law

Calvin (9/10/01)

7:7: Footnote: In addressing coveting, or lust, Paul speaks of a very internal sin, one not necessarily shown in actions. The Law does not cause sin, it simply exposes the sin that is already in us. Apart from the Law, we are still capable of knowing right from wrong, but we have made ourselves insensible to it through our own self deceptions. This internal sin is chosen because it is the more hidden. Even one devoid of Law will denounce an evil plan, and praise an upright plan. But the most lawful of men may yet harbor covetous thoughts in his heart, and may well fool himself into thinking it no sin, until the Law makes clear the true case. No man is free of this issue of coveting, and so, no man is free of sin. This sin lies even deeper than our will, for it is the mover of our will. Civil law and philosophy both recognize virtue and vice in the soul of man, but somehow fail to consider the covetous thought as a vice. But God's Law remains clear on the fact, for this is at the root of so much further sin that a man may drag himself into. And whether that lust find expression or not, it remains a sin in and of itself.
7:8: Until the Law clarified our issues, we had still our lusts and covetings, but they lay hidden, and we thought them non-existent. The Law remains clear of the charge that it is the cause of sin. It merely makes evident that which we have long denied to ourselves. Footnote: Both the Law's effect of increasing our awareness of sin, and its effect of exciting our rebellious flesh to sin all the more are considered in this passage. Without the knowledge the Law provides, sin remains buried in secrecy.
7:9: Paul continues to narrow his focus, from the Law in general, to the specific law regarding coveting to his own personal example. The 'life apart from the Law' of which Paul speaks was not truly life. But, seeing as he did not recognize his sin, did not see the truth, he felt himself to be truly alive. Although Paul was doubtless taught from the Law from his youth, yet he rightly speaks of a time when he was without the Law, for he had only the letter. "Thus the eyes of hypocrites are covered with a veil, that they see not how much the command requires, in which we are forbidden to lust or covet." The Law 'came' when it became truly understood in all its spiritual impact. It is the false confidence of the hypocrite that is spoken of as being without the Law. It is the fully awakened senses of the spirit-filled believer that has felt the coming of the Law, felt their sins resurrected to their understanding, and felt their life slip away.
7:10: Remember always that the intent of the Law was to show us the way of life. It is our own corruption that has made of it a 'ministry of death.' The Law is not in itself hurtful. It is our own nature that takes hurt from it.
7:11: Again, it must be noted that the Law did not cause us to depart from righteousness. What has happened? We had wandered far from righteousness as we blindly followed our sinful passions. Never suspecting that we had turned aside, we plunged headlong after our every desire. But the Law has come, and with full understanding, thanks be to God, and with its arrival, we find ourselves map in hand. Now, we know. Now, we see how far we have strayed from our desired course, how closely we have approached death when we thought ourselves pushing on toward life. Footnote: It is the deceptive nature of sin that abuses the Law to promise life, but in reality only leads us onward to death and destruction.

Matthew Henry (9/11/01)

7:7: Recognizing that his prior discussions regarding the influence of the Law upon the dominion of sin could raise some concerns, Paul moves to dispel any misconception that would consider the Law as the author of sin. The Law remains useful as the guide to righteous living, although it fails as a covenant. The Law reveals our true situation to us just as a straight-edge reveals the crookedness of a seemingly flat surface. In the 10th commandment, it is the very root of sin that is shown sinful, the earliest thoughts that lead to later action. By this commandment, it is made clear that sin is already sin, even though no outward act occurs. Sin is already present in the thought.
7:8: The Law sought to restrain our actions, but our unregenerate mind only rebelled the more at seeing these restraints. Ever it is proven true that the forbidden fruit is our first and foremost desire. Sin was as though dead, when the Law was not understood. It was hibernating, and the warmth of the light of Law awakened it in us, stirring it to activity.
7:9: Many are like Paul, well versed in the letter of the Law, zealous in observing the forms, and thinking themselves good and proper. Not realizing the full import of the Law, they think themselves on track for life, even while remaining in sins they cannot recognize. Herein is one of the most excellent uses of the Law, for it comes to us as a light into the room. We see our room, and think it clean. But the burst of sunlight through the window reveals the dust that still clogs the air. So it is when the Spirit brings the Law to bear on our souls, where we had only cleaned the body. The fullness of our sin stands revealed, kindling in us a desire for greater cleanliness, the fullness of our sanctification. We are humbled to see ourselves as we truly are, and so are made ready for the Lord to work.
7:10: The Gospel is like a rock in the ocean. To some, it is a refuge in the storm, to others the cause of shipwreck. Just as one sun hardens some things and softens others, so the same Gospel is received by some to their salvation, and rejected by some to their destruction. The Gospel, as the sun, remains the same, and it's only in the submission of our souls to God's authority that we know a good outcome from it.
7:11: Sin, by denying the death it led to, deceived us into following after it, and so became the cause of our death. It took advantage of the Law, using the words of Law to goad us into rebelliousness.

Adam Clarke (9/12/01)

7:7: The Law does not cause sin, it reveals it, just as the sun doesn't cause the dust in the room, it merely reveals its presence. Notice how Paul moves from the 'you' of knowing the Law, to the 'we' of being subject to sinful passions, to the 'I' of the current verse. So, he gently turns aside any offense the Jews might have had to his words. (Ro 3:7 - Why am I judged as a sinner?) Paul demonstrates the insufficiency of the Law even as he vindicates it. (Ro 7:12 - The Law is holy, righteous and good.) The Law requires complete obedience, for it reveals even the most remote and hidden portions of sin. Because it's penalty is death, it provides sin with deadly force, while offering no help to the sinner, nor hope of avoiding its sentence of death. Apart from the Law, we would have judged our actions only by our actions, and so they would seem acceptable and unavoidable facts of being human. But when God reveals His rule and His perfection, we see our sinfulness for what it truly is. The Law is the straightedge that discovers the crookedness of our lines. The natural man is ever drawn most to do that which has been forbidden.
7:8: The word translated 'opportunity' or 'advantage' comes of two words, which in most literal form would be 'from impetus'. Classical usage takes them to indicate 'whatever is necessary.' Sin is depicted as a murderer, ever seeking the occasion to put us, its victims, to death. It finds occasion in the Law, seeing the penalty the Law provides, and goading us into actions that will draw that penalty. The general propensity that we have toward sin is the more excited by knowing it has transgressed a rule. It gives us the feeling of power to do our own will, and not His. Where the Law is not present to declare penalty, sin has no power to work death in us, for one cannot offend against a law that is not there. Attempts are made to declare that the period 'without the Law' was that period before Moses received the tables. (Ro 5:13 - Until the Law came, sin, although in the world, was not imputed because there was no law.) [Given that the death penalty was yet imposed, it seems hard to argue this case. The personal nature of the argument Paul is making also seems to counter this thought, for he most certainly was not present before Moses.] The Law defined and forbade evil, but gave no power to pardon or purify. Concupiscence, or coveting is the sin of desire, the sin of the mind to do what is contrary to holiness. Another [and better] view of what it meant to be 'without the Law' is that it indicates the time when Paul's understanding of the Law was only in its ritual, outward from, and not in its spiritual significance.
7:9: Sin is an enemy seeking our destruction through every means it can find. (Ro 7:23 - The law of sin that works in my body is at war with my mind, which serves the rule of righteousness. 1Pe 2:11 - Abstain from the sinful lusts of the body, which are at war with your soul. Heb 12:1 - Considering the many witnesses we have to righteousness, set aside the sins that so quickly entangle us, so that we can run with endurance to the goal. Ro 6:12 - Don't allow sin to reign, causing you to obey it. Jas 1:14-16 - We are tempted by our own lusts, which proceed to sin, and then to death. Were we not deceived as to the outcome, surely we would never begin the process. Heb 12:4 - Your battle against sin has yet to come to the point of bloodshed.) Sin is a violent enemy, and finds in the penalty of the law a weapon to use against us, just as it used the penalty of God's one command to Adam to destroy him. (Ge 3:13 - The serpent deceived Eve, and she ate. 1Ti 2:14 - Adam was not deceived, it was Eve, and deceived, she fell into transgression.) Sin was as though dead when it had not the power of the Law to use as a weapon, and so man was alive. But with the Law of Moses came the possibility and the penalty for disobedience, and so sin was made powerful, and we, made subject to death. (Ro 5:20-21 - The Law came such that our sins would increase, but grace increased to meet the need. So, sin reigned in death, but grace in eternal life in Christ.) During the period between Adam and Moses, the death that came was due solely to Adam's sin. With the coming of the Law, sin gained power to bring death to each man for his own actions. [I fail to see how this becomes life for sin, for by this idea, it gained no new power at all.] (Gal 3:19 - The Law came because of our sinfulness, sent by God to keep us until the seed of promise would come. Ro 4:15 - Where there is no law, there can be no violation.) Sin was just as sinful, but without the Law to reveal it, we would have had absolutely no reason to stop.
7:10: The Law was ordained to be the rule leading to life for him who would obey it. (Lev 18:5 - The one who keeps My statutes will, by doing so, live.) But in failure to comply, it was found to be the instrument of death, for it gave the rules, but not the means of resisting sin.
7:11: In the Law, sin found a strong weapon, seeing in it the threat of death. But it hid that penalty from my eyes, and showed me only the promises of gratification, and so deceived me into sinning. (Ro 8:8 - Those in the flesh cannot please God.) [I assume this verse is mentioned in consideration of the fleshly observance of the Law common to the time, which was devoid of spiritual understanding, and so only deceived the observer into thinking himself in compliance.] The death which sin wrought through its deception was such that it rendered even the preceding life span wretched and miserable. The sinner is exposed to death and knows it. Thus, his life is a living death, producing a most miserable state of mind.

Barnes' Notes (9/13/01)

7:7: It would be quite natural for the Jews to react to Paul's discussion indignantly. It seemed that his argument made the Law a cause of sin, but Paul clarifies his position, pointing out that the Law is good and pure. In response to the suggestion that the Law is somehow evil, he says not. However, while it is in no way the cause of sin, he maintains that increased sinfulness often followed where the Law came. It excited sin in its hearers, but remained good itself. In addressing the 10th commandment, Paul addresses all of God's law, however revealed. Every law reveals something as wrong, which we would not know as wrong without that revealing. Not only did the Law reveal what was wrong, but it caused in us the raging desire to do precisely what was forbidden. Covetous and lustful feelings doubtless existed before the Law came, and were doubtless acted upon, but these feelings were not known as wrong. The Law revealed the wrongfulness of that behavior. (Ex 20:17 - You are not to covet your neighbor's house, his wife, his servants, his livestock, nor anything else he may possess.) Paul chooses this particular law as his example because it is addressed at the heart issue, and not at a particular act.
7:8: Sin is personified in this passage, but is not to be taken as something distinct from our minds. It is the very corruption of our passions, and inclinations. The Law gave occasion to sin, it gave sin something to act sinfully about, just as the object of temptation gives our sinful thoughts a reason to act. What was created to restrain the mind, instead proved to powerfully excite the very desires it sought to control. So it is with all attempts to oppose sin by force and denunciation. It only serves to excite sin to greater energy, both by opposing our intentions, and by revealing them. Legal restraints ever manage to bring on greater wickedness, a greater stubbornness in our actions. Authority breeds resistance. This is especially true of the sinner faced by the Law. Knowing the Law to be right, he nevertheless plunges into further iniquity, seeking victory over his own salvation! Thus, in times of revival, there may well be greater rage and cursing than there was when the church was relatively dead in spirit. Abusive and outrageous opposition to God is a certain indication of a man under conviction for his sins. The writings of the authors of antiquity show that this trend is just as true for all law. (Pr 9:17 - Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secrecy is pleasant.) So it ever seems to man. Knowing this effect to be true, it becomes clear that the Law cannot serve to sanctify. Sin was dead prior to the Law inasmuch as it was unrecognized as being evil. The knowledge of its forbidden nature simply brought a greater excitation to pursue it.
7:9: Before the Law, we feel ourselves alive, thinking our own standards suffice, (and we ever look good in the light of our own choosing.) We were free of conscience, and thought ourselves secure, thought our own works sufficiently good. (Php 3:4-6 - If there were cause to be confident in our actions, I would have more cause than most, for I was circumcised in accord with the Law, born of Israel, bred in the Law as a Pharisee, zealous in persecuting the church, and perfectly righteous by the letter of the Law. Ac 23:1 - I have lived with a perfect conscience before God up to today. Ac 26:4-5 - It is common knowledge that from my youth, I lived as a Pharisee, the strictest of Jewish sects.) Thus, before the Law, was a time when he understood the letter, obeyed the literal prohibitions, and yet did not recognize the spiritual state of his heart. Until that Law was applied to his heart, he knew not its power. Prior to this heart knowledge, Paul was proud and unrestrained, confident in his own self-righteousness. When the Law sunk deep, it revealed to him his true state, but this served to give new life to his sinfulness. As sin was awakened, he was sunk in guilt and misery. All the confidence he had placed in himself was torn away from him, and he stood exposed to God's judgment. (Ro 5:12 - Through one man, sin came, bringing death to the world, which spread to all because all sinned. Ro 5:14-15 - Death reigned even over those who lived prior to the Law, and had not sinned as Adam had. But the gift of Christ is unlike Adam's sin, for by his one sin, many died, but the gift of God's grace in Jesus abounded to save the many.) In the Law, all self-confidence and security is shaken, and the full extent of our sinfulness is revealed to us. Far from sanctifying us, the Law only brought home the full shame of our filthy state, leaving us condemned and hopeless before God.
7:10: (Jn 3:36 - Who believes in the Son has eternal life, who doesn't obey has not life, but only the wrath of God abiding. Ez 20:11 - I gave them My commandments which would cause them to live if they would but observe them. Ez 20:13 - But they rebelled, rejecting my Law which would have brought life. They profane My Sabbaths, so I will pour out wrath upon them in the wilderness, and destroy them. Ez 20:21 - They were not careful to observe my rules, by which they could have life, but profaned My Sabbaths. I will accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Ez 18:9 - If he walks in accord with My ordinances faithfully, he is righteous and will live. Ez 18:21 - If the wicked man turns from his sins and observes all of My Law, he will live, and not die.) The Law is good. It has no evil, nor can produce evil. Were man pure and obedient, it would produce only life and happiness, as it has those in heaven. This was its purpose, but man being a sinner has not obeyed, and thus knows only the curses it has pronounced on the disobedient.
7:11: Sin was a seducer and deceiver, drawing us away from the path of virtue. (Ro 16:18 - Such men are slaves of their own appetites, rather than Christ. By their flattering words, they seek to deceive the heart. 1Co 3:18 - Don't be fooled. If you think yourself wise in this day, you need to become foolish so that you may be made wise. 2Co 11:3 - I fear lest you be led astray from pure devotion to Christ as Eve was deceived by the craftiness of the serpent. 2Th 2:3 - Don't allow anybody to deceive you into thinking otherwise: apostasy must precede the coming of Christ, the man of lawlessness and destruction must come first.) Our sinfulness is just like these other deceivers, seeking to blind us to the truth, urging us to follow down the path to destruction. (Pr 7:21-23 - She seeks to persuade and entice by her seductive flatteries. He follows like an ox led to slaughter, or as one being corrected as a fool, never changing course until the arrows pierce him through. Like a bird rushing to the snare, he doesn't recognize that he forfeits his life.)

Wycliffe (9/14/01)

7:7: If by Christianity we are released from the Law, is there something wrong with it? No. The Law serves to reveal our sinful desires for the sin they are. Sadly, the revelation that such desires were sinful tended to make us desire them all the more.
7:8: Sin claimed the Law as a base of operations, and from there worked to bring all kinds of forbidden desires. Sin is dead before the Law not in that it does not occur, but in that it is not apparent to us that it is sinful. "It takes a carpenter's level to make clear how far from straight a board really is."
7:9: Until there is full understanding of the Law in all its implications, we can think ourselves to be in obedience to it. (Mk 10:20, Mk 19:20, Lk 18:21 - The rich young man declared that he had kept all the Law from his youth on.)
7:10: At some point, the 10th commandment was finally fully understood by Paul, and he came to understand that in spite of his ritual observance of the Law, he remained most sinful in his desires. In forbidding these desires, the Law also speaks to the matter of how we are to live, and clearly reveals that we are not living in that manner.
7:11: Sin had deceived, and as understanding increased, the degree of that deception became more clear. It had brought death, it was a lethal deception.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (9/14/01)

7:7: It is not the fault of the Law that it stirs up our corrupted nature. Note that at this point, Paul switches to the first person, speaking of his own experience. Note also that from here to v14, Paul writes of his experience in the past tense, describing his unconverted state, and switches to the present at v14 to describe his condition after conversion. It is not the sinful act that was unknown, nor is it the principle that sin exists that was unknown. It was the fact that such 'a virulence and strength of sinful propensity' was to be found within himself that was revealed by the Law, when he came to truly understand it. Even pagans understood the existence of sin, recognized it in act and deed, but the dreadful nature of it required the spiritual understanding of the Law to truly comprehend.
7:8: Lust, or coveting, is to be understood to comprehend in its definition every form of improper desire, every longing after what is forbidden. Paul had long understood that he was not to desire those things specifically identified in the 10th commandment, but the full understanding suddenly hit him that this commandment was inclusive of every ungodly desire. Suddenly, he found not only that he had had these desires all along, and so was already guilty by that Law, but that these desires, once recognized, grew stronger in their hunger after the forbidden. Until this complete understanding is found, sin - that powerful principle of sin in our very nature - is as though dormant, for we don't recognize its actions. In our self-righteousness, we think ourselves alive.
7:9: In our ignorance, we think ourselves righteous and 'entitled to life.' But when our spirit grasps the whole of the Law, sin reveals itself in full force within us, and we suddenly know ourselves to be dead men.
7:10: That which was designed to impart life through being obeyed, was turned into a tool of death because of our disobedience.
7:11: Sin seduced us, drew us away from the path of obedience into the very acts Law had forbidden, hiding from us until rebellion was accomplished the fact that we had brought upon ourselves irrevocable condemnation by our actions.

New Thoughts (9/15/01-9/16/01)

It is in the heart that sin must be addressed. Until it is rooted out of the heart, whether or not it ever takes action, it will still be present, and it will still be sin. This is the understanding that Paul had had to reach. It is the understanding that we need to reach. This is the issue the 10th commandment addresses, the heart's thoughts that lead to later action. The other commandments also have this factor in view, but it is not so plainly seen in them. That is why Jesus found it necessary to clarify the full intent of the Law to those He preached to. It has always been, and always will be, the heart that is at issue. Our actions and our words are no more than expressions of our inner condition. We can pretty them up. We can 'do our best.' But cracks will always appear in our thin coat of self-righteousness, and our true nature will ooze out. All that is hidden will be revealed. In the Law, God seeks to reveal to us the very things we have done our best to hide from ourselves.

We still have a great deal of trouble with self-righteousness (at least, I do.) We continue to think that somehow, we are doing the right things, we are making a difference, we are the answer. Thinking these things, we are sure we are alive, sure we have somehow earned the right to life. Hey! We deserve it, don't we? So long as we continue to choose the standards, we can continue to live up to them. And it feels good to live up to something, and we all would like to feel good about ourselves. But, in the Law, light has entered the room, the true standard has been delivered, and we cannot but see how far from its measure we are. No place is left us in which to hide, and we are forced to face ourselves as we truly are. Compared to His perfection, which is our rule, we cannot but notice how far we have strayed. All that confidence we have built up, every shred of "I'm a pretty good guy," every bit of "at least I'm better than them" is torn away, and we are exposed. No hiding. No avoiding. No denials can remain. The truth is out.

In light of this truth there can be but two reactions. When a man is exposed to the truth about himself, he must either seek the only help that can change him, or resign himself to the life of one condemned. This is how the Gospel is to the world. To those that hear it, and turn to the One it speaks of, there is absolute hope. He, who lived in perfect righteousness, who loved in perfect sacrifice, lives on as our perfect Mediator. He has given the promise of salvation, and He alone is able to deliver us. He alone can break the chains of sin that have bound us. It is He who opened our eyes to see what was truly happening, and it is only He who can do something about it.

But, He does not offer this salvation without demand. He demands obedience to God, just as the Law did. However, He demands full obedience, the obedience of the heart. He comes to us as the sole Authority in our life, and in all too many, that authority continues to breed nothing but resistance. This is the other reaction to the Gospel, that recognition of what has been revealed about us, but refusing to change. Thus, it becomes the shipwreck of our souls to those who will not accept, who willfully continue in their rebellion. How can we continue so? It's in our nature to hunger after power. For men especially, there is a need to feel capable, to feel 'in control' of the situation. We are raised to find our level of power, to seek the higher position, and the Gospel comes with the exact opposite message, telling us to seek the lower position, to lead only in serving others. Oh, how our flesh dislikes this concept! It's alien to us, and for all too many, it continues to seem an impossible and unreasonable demand. So, refusal to submit to our Lord and Savior continues.

Sin, as Mr. Clarke points out, is an enemy seeking our destruction through every means it can find. In our very nature, it finds a fine weapon named pride. In the Law, and in the Gospel, it finds another weapon named authority. When pride and authority collide, there will be rebellion. There is a great need for us to let go our pride, and humble ourselves before God. Until we do so, we are like the bird of Proverbs 7:23, rushing headlong into the snare, not recognizing that we are forfeiting life in doing so. I suppose it must be noted that this is exactly what occurred in the lives of those men involved in the terrorism of this last week. They knew well enough that they would die to this life by their acts, but the remained deluded as to the impact it would have upon their eternal souls. It is useless to pray for the dead. Their opportunity for decision has passed. Over and over this week, I've wondered how many died in this tragedy thinking that they could wait to make their decision. How many died thinking that the decision had already been made against them, and that there was nothing they could do about it anyway? That is the true tragedy. The number of souls that still thought themselves 'good enough,' the number of souls who thought themselves 'beyond redemption.' As I said, it is useless to pray for the dead. Instead, I continue to pray (as has been on my heart throughout this last week) for those who worked to deceive these terrorists, who kept them from recognizing the truth regarding their choices and their souls. May God find it in His heart to forgive even them, to save even them.

We, as God's people, are called to pray for our enemies. We are called to allow God to pursue His own vengeance. We, as God's people, need to recognize that He remains in control. He still sits on His throne. He still pursues and accomplishes His purposes on this earth. Pride is our greatest enemy. We are all guilty of pride. For some, it is pride in our ability to pay our own way. We have learned to trust in our finances. For some, it is pride in our strength. We have learned to trust in our ability to defend ourselves. The sins of this nation cannot be limited to those horrible, evil folks outside the Church. By no means! We, as a nation, have allowed ourselves to fall into idolatry. What else is patriotism, but a lifting of the nation above the Lord? Prior to this week's events, my study for home group was intended to look at Ps 127. That psalm opens with the familiar verse: "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build at all." Oh! How I pray that we, as a nation, will take this verse to heart. How I pray that our President will take this verse to heart. I pray we all would also recall that indeed "Vengeance is Mine, says the Lord." If we, as a nation, are to be victorious against those that have caused this great hurt, we must be absolutely certain that we pursue our course in perfect obedience to the will of God. Otherwise, the war effort we build will indeed be built in vain.

Mr. Barnes points out that in times of revival, there may well be greater rage and cursing than there was when the church was relatively dead in spirit. Abusive and outrageous opposition to God is a certain indication of a man under conviction for his sins. This comes almost as a relief to me. As I was reviewing this section of study in preparation to write, I looked back at the prayer I had offered back when I first came through these verses, and was saddened to recognize that I could not, at that moment, honestly and willingly offer that same prayer. There has been in me a resurgence of things I thought long since dealt with. Sins I'd thought conquered and done away with have come back with a vengeance. There has been an incredible amount of anger and frustration in the house. I discovered that I was not alone in this situation. My wife had also been dealing with her own trials and failures. The veneer is being peeled off. I praise God that He chose to use my daughter to bring me to a place where I had to deal with what was happening. I praise God that He indeed will reveal all that we try so hard to hide from ourselves and from others. I, too, am a longtime practitioner of pride. I have found myself asking why all these things have been resurfacing. It seems clear that there remain deeper issues that must be addressed. The sins I have dealt with have remained surface things, reflections, as it were, of the real issue. I note that throughout the time I have been studying this book (and a good deal of time prior to that) pride has been the overriding issue. Over and over again, as I review last year's notes and thoughts, I am reminded of that issue of pride. We, as a nation, have now been reminded of that issue of pride. I pray that we recognize that pride is the real issue. Pride is the thing that has poisoned every fiber of our being, has colored our view of ourselves, of each other, and of God. It is pride that has caused so many of us to find God unnecessary.

But there is revival in the land. True revival. No, I'm not speaking of those who have suddenly found cause to include God in their patriotism. I'm not speaking of that reaction which simply follows the old adage "there's no atheists in a foxhole." I'm thinking of true, heartfelt turning to God. It's happening. It's happening in the church, where for too long we've fooled ourselves into a complacency of deadly proportions. God's people are finding the light of Christ shining brighter into their souls, revealing the things that we've hidden from our own eyes. He is forcing us to acknowledge the work that remains, to acknowledge the lies we've still been telling ourselves. He is forcing us to remember just exactly how much we depend on Him. Oh, it makes us mad! We thought we were doing fine. We are just like Paul, just like the rich young man. We think we've done all that's required, and it really bugs us to find out we're not even close. It hurts to discover we're not good folks at all. It hurts to discover we haven't come nearly as far as we like to think. We have largely been a church dead in spirit, even in our most charismatic and free churches. Thank You, dear Lord, that You are waking us up. You are showing us those places where we've been fooling around, and fooling ourselves. Remove the blinders from our eyes, dear God! Wash away the scales that keep us from seeing our true need. Shine Your light into every corner of our lives, Lord, our corporate life in the Church, and our "private" lives in the home. Cause Your truth to stand once more as the rule of our lives, and help us, dear God, to turn to You and You alone for the power and ability to conform to that rule. May Your Name be praised throughout heaven and earth in these days! May Your purity shine forth, and bring conviction to all men. May You shed Your mercy upon those that are feeling Your tug, help them, my Father, to set aside their pride and follow You.