2-19 Days of Praise

The Self Life
by Henry Morris, Ph.D. | Feb. 19, 2009
"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24)

This despondent cry follows Paul's disturbing monologue on the inner strife between his two natures (Romans 7:13-24). Here the apostle describes the conflict that goes on in the life of every Christian, until the self-life is completely subjugated and the will of Christ reigns supreme. The ascendancy of self is indicated in these verses by the fact that the personal pronouns "I," "me," "my" are used no less than 35 times in verses 15-24 alone as Paul records his inner thoughts and feelings (e.g., "that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I"--v. 15). Such a testimony is pervaded with introspection, relating everything to self instead of to Christ. No wonder the conclusion is so miserable: "O wretched man that I am!"

Unfortunately, this is the status of most Christians whose interests are almost completely self-centered. Most Christian books and sermons are designed to appeal to such personal ...