This Thing Is Too Fast!

Romans 7:8
But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.

Romans 7:9
Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.

Romans 7:11
For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.

Apostle Paul in Romans Chapter seven takes time to explain the problem of sin, the role of the law of God, and how we are indeed saved by grace. The Bible tells us that because of the sin of Adam and Eve we became sinners. We are born sinners. We may call babies angels, but in the biblical perspective they are no angels, they are just sinners, typical raw sinners. If a child is immediately separated from human beings at birth and is secluded and fed by machines to adulthood. That child will still develop sinful tendencies. That child would still be selfish, hating, and preferring evil over good, etc. Sin is not in the environment, it is in us and we make the environment.

Sin is presented as an enslaving power, Romans 6:17, and Romans 6:20. We are forced to act as we do by sin. In Romans 7:21-23, Apostle Paul explains that he wishes to do good, but sin forces him to do the very evil he does not want to do. He, like all of us, is a slave to sin. Sin enslaves!

We should sympathize with each other as we struggle because we are slaves of what we do, knowing well we shouldn’t do them. A slave to gossip should not feel superior to a slave to cocaine. Both of them are slaves to sin and they will die unless they get help. A slave to tribal and racial hate condemns a slave to sexual sin. Unless they both get help, they will roast in hell. A slave to religious pride, citing verses and identifying with the church, will need help as much as a slave to crime and corruption. A robber of tithe and offering and a public official who steals money intended for the public good are both slaves to despicable corruption. We are slaves to sin from birth to death unless external help comes.

A slave cannot liberate himself or herself. We are slaves to sin. We cannot liberate ourselves. No amount of good behavior will liberate you from the power of sin. The good we do is sin in a mask. We need external help!

While in that state of helplessness, under the slavery of sin, Apostle Paul tells us that God introduced His law to us. The law came as a mirror. Before we saw the mirror we were dirty. When the mirror appeared we realized exactly what we were, we are dirty. Did the mirror make us dirty? Is the mirror the problem? To blame the mirror is childish and a lame excuse. We were sinners before the law came. When the law came it revealed to us how sinful we are. The law did not make us sinners. The law showed us that we are in trouble and we need help. The law, therefore, is not to blame and is not bad. The law is good!

Apostle Paul tells us in our text today that in our helpless state in sin, the law made things worse. The law made things worse because sin took advantage of what the law said to enslave us. When the law said do not covet, sin made us covet immediately, Romans 7:7. Now sin produced all kinds of coveting in me, because the enslaving power of sin did not want me to be free, Romans 7:8. Now the law that had been brought to help us see how wrong we are and so that we seek help, had now become a problem.

Sin was so fast. Sin beat us. The law was to show us that we are sinners so that we can turn to the Saviour. But before we could even imagine turning to the Saviour, sin very fast seized the opportunity and made us worse people. Sin made us useless and hopeless. Sin was too fast!

Apostle Paul explains that sin has overpowered us in speed. Sin seizes any opportunity to defeat us. The language used suggests speed, high speed, high reaction. Before you blink it’s done. Sin was too fast. In fact, the Apostle says in Romans 7:9 that sin sprang into action. Sprang! There is no gentle springing, this is fast in a flash. When the commandment showed us how bad we were and that we should seek a Saviour, sin sprang in to ensure we do not seek a Saviour.

Sin seized the opportunity, which means the only chance we had to run for salvation was wrestled from us by sin. Sin seized the opportunity. We do not seize politely, we seize by force and speed. Sin seized the opportunity and we do not even know what happened. In boxing language, we were knocked out before we could throw the first punch. We are not even sure why we are lying on the floor of the ring. It was too fast. This thing is too fast!

We were helpless sinners. Then God brought the law to start in us a dissatisfaction that would trigger the journey of seeking a Saviour, Galatians 3:24. But sin, realizing that we who are its slaves were about to get freedom acted very fast to ensure we remain slaves. Sin sprang into action. Sin seized the opportunity. This thing is too fast!

As a result of sin springing into action and seizing the opportunity, we are unable to do the good we know we should do, Romans 7:15. The evil we know we shouldn’t do, that we keep doing, Romans 7:19. We are slaves to sin. Unless external help comes, we will perish in sins. On our own, we are unable to overcome sin. This thing is too fast!

This power and speed of sin is the reason why all new year resolutions will fail again and again. Particularly if they are resolutions to do the will of God. Resolutions to sin can never fail except by the grace of God in order to save us. This thing is too fast!

When you resolve to give tithe and offerings, sin springs to action and you shop online using God’s money. When you resolve to stop betting and gambling, sin seizes the opportunity and a close friend wins a bet and you are tempted to stay longer. When you make up your mind to be a good husband, a good wife, or boyfriend or girlfriend, sin seizes the opportunity and an old issue arises and old wounds open up and you go back to square one. Sin acts very fast to keep us slaves to sin. This thing is too fast!

When you resolve to quit drinking alcohol and smoking and other drug abuse habits, sin springs to action and you get free offers than you have ever received. When you disagree with anyone over a small issue, sin seizes the opportunity and causes you to re-analyze the situation and see the other person as having been evil all along yet that is not the case. When there is conflict, sin springs to action, and many people appear to encourage separation rather than restoration of unity. In the event of an altercation, sin springs to action and reminds you of some choice words that will really hurt the other person and make things worse. Sin springs to action. Sin seizes the opportunity. This thing is too fast!

There is nothing good that any of us is capable of. Even when we think we plan to do good, sin springs in. In the counseling session, sin springs in and it becomes a scandal. In choir practice and gym attendance, sin seizes the opportunity of frequent interaction to lower the guard and cause infidelity. Sin springs to action. sin seizes the opportunity. This thing is too fast!

Apostle Paul realizing how helpless he is cries out for help. He cries because he is a slave. He cries because whenever he has a chance to escape, sin springs in, sin seizes the opportunity from him. Paul cries and asks, “who will help me,” Romans 7:24. Then he gives an answer that Jesus is the Saviour from slavery to sin and the speed of sin. Only Jesus can set us free from sin. Only Jesus can counter the speed of sin. Without Jesus, we will remain defeated. Jesus is our only chance because this thing is too fast!

Without Jesus, we will keep failing in social relationships. Without Jesus, we will keep failing in our income-generating employment. Without Jesus, we will keep failing in school or if we pass exams, sin springs in and causes joblessness. Without Jesus, our health will keep oscillating from good to terrible. Without Jesus, our spiritual life would best be summarised as hypocrisy. This is because, in all situations, sin springs to action. Sin seizes the opportunity. This thing is too fast. Only Jesus can save from slavery of sin and counter its speed.

Save us dear Jesus, Amen!

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