Where Does Lasting Change Come From?

Before he met Jesus, Paul spent all of his time seeking to earn God’s favour (see Galatians 1:14, Philippians 3:6). Yet when he encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus Road (Acts 9), he came to see that the Law could never make a person right with God (Rom 3:23).

Paul came to understand that the Law, far from saving people, arouses the sinful desires in a person resulting only in spiritual death (vv 8-9). It was this inner arousal brought on by the Law that created inner turmoil for a “good” Jew like Saul of Tarsus (vv 15, 18b-19).

It is because of our sinful nature that no one can ever obey the Law perfectly—which is the prerequisite for gaining eternal life through the Law. Who, then, can be saved? Paul exclaims, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (v 25a).

Under the new covenant God gives us a brand new heart, and he implants his Law deep within it, as the prophet Ezekiel prophesied, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Our obedience to our heavenly Father now flows directly from our innermost being—something that never existed under the old covenant. Our desires, our attitudes, and our ways of thinking—God changes all of these, from the inside out, bringing about a transformation that will last through all of eternity.

Respond in Prayer

Heavenly Father, I admit that I cannot change myself, try as I may. Forgive me for believing otherwise. Lord, cause your Holy Spirit to work deep within my heart in order to make me less like myself and more like Jesus in thought, in word, and in deed. In his name I pray, Amen.

Wayne Baxter