O Wretched Man That I Am!

Romans 7:14-25 (NASB):

14For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
15For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
16But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
17So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
19For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
20But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
21I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
22For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,
23but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
24Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Been pondering on this passage for a little while now... it may seem a little schizophrenic at first, but in reality it's a question that faces many people (both Christians and non-Christians who relate it to the Christians that they know). People often ask, "Why is it that as Christians we still sin?" Well the answer to that is basically found in that passage there. But what I've been thinking about is this: today we recognize that our actions are governed by our choices. Even science tells us that our brain sends signals through motor neurones to our muscles, which causes those muscles to contract and results in what we call "motion". Except for certain rare occasions (which we normally term "spasms", although more severe forms such as epilepsy and schizophrenia also exist), we are almost fully in control of our actions - not counting, of course, the vital functions such as breathing and heartbeat which are controlled automatically by the body. Having said that, I remind all of you, my dear readers, that sin is not merely in the physical, material, "action" realm, i.e. it's not just by "doing" sin that we sin - but rather, thoughts and beliefs can also be sin.

If, then, Paul (and I believe that it applies to all Believers who have repented, too) says that with his mind he serves the law of God, but with his flesh he serves the law of sin, and we recognize that actions come as a result of choice, can it be then that Paul, even Paul, chose to sin? Or was he just schizophrenic? (For argument's sake, I'll assume that he wasn't for the rest of this discussion) If he chose to sin, then our conscious, decision-making selves (i.e our mind, brain and body) are part of what what is termed "flesh" which serves the law of sin. If so, then what is this "inner man" which serves the law of God? I used to think that this "inner man" was any part of us which is not physical (which meant that our thoughts and choices were part of this inner man too). But if that is so, then by Paul's statement we would never sin, would we? So this "inner man" must exclude our thoughts and physical choices (choices to act, that is), and it is this inner man that is redeemed from sin while our flesh serves the law of sin. (By the way, I'm not condoning sin here - I'm merely assuming that we as humans can never fully rid ourselves of sin). Think about it. Even judicial systems recognize that if you had no control over your actions, you cannot be penalised for having committed a crime (I think?).

So, here's some questions I'd like to leave with you and if you've got any answers to them, please feel free to discuss them with me or with other people that you know would benefit from such a discussion. Firstly, this "inner man" that has been redeemed - can he still sin? If yes, how does he sin? And how does he stay out of sin? Or if no, then does that mean we are saved forever? And if that were true, then what is the meaning of
"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" (Heb 10:26, NASB)?

The Dash

I first heard this poem when my class teacher in Primary 6 read it to the class near to the end of the year - I guess she was trying to inspire us to make something useful of our lives.

It came to mind again recently when a relative passed away. (Those of you who remember my MSN nick at that point in time, this is where it came from). Uncannily, the widow of this late relative received it in her email and sent it on to a few of us in the family, saying it reminded her of the eulogy for her late husband.

Here's the link to what's been circulating via email:
http://www.the-dash-movie-poem.com

but for those of you with time constraints, here's the text version (go visit the link lah..got music some more..nicer!)...

The Dash
by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between the years.

For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own: the cars, the house, the cash...
What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard: are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real
And always try to understand the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives, like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile
Remembering that this little dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read, with your life's actions to rehash,
Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?

Of Monks and Slingshots...

Hmm..I was about to name this entry something about Benedictine monks, then I thought about Benedictine Dom. And then I remembered that I've got a friend (former colleague, actually) whose name is Dominic (short form: Dom). And he's got a twin brother whose name is...... did you guess Benedict? So there you have it: Benedictine Dom. OK sorry, not funny to be making fun of people's names. Ben and/or Dom, if you're reading this, my apologies. Now back to the real topic....

If you've read the very first entry in this blog, you would have read something about the Benedictine monks. Just to save you the trouble of turning to that entry, I was explaining about how this blog got its name, and part of that story was how the abbotts of the Benedictine era would, when there was a decision to be made, ask the opinions of each of the monks, beginning with the youngest.

When I just read that entry again, I realised the wisdom in doing that. You see, when you ask the youngest first, you benefit from the fresh, new perspective that he brings because he may look at an old situation from a new angle or bring fresh insight into something. However, as you go further down the line and seek the opinion of progressively older people, each one (I assume) would have heard the opinions of those who have spoken before, and would inject their own experience and opinions into their view. The resultant final solution would therefore be one that is on the one hand novel, shedding new light on the situation, yet on the other is built upon using the wisdom and experience of elders to give rise to a solution to which everybody has contributed. Cool...just some food for thought. Yum yum....*slurp*

Thanks!

I noticed that when I indicated on my MSN nick I've updated my blog, I actually get a number of different people visiting it. Cool. Thanks guys! But err...next time leave note/comment also can? Then I know who u are.. :-)

It's the little things...

I realised I have 2 other posts in the making, waiting to be published but I haven't finished them yet. The first I started, then put it aside to start on a second since I had the inspiration. Then I put that one aside and now I'm starting on this one. Sigh.

Went for a mini hike (err...ok, nature walk) at MacRitchie Reservoir Park this morning. To be more specific, it was the HSBC Treetop Walk - you know, that long (yeah, right!) wooden suspension bridge stretching across a valley at the height of the forest canopy so you can see the flora and fauna from up high? Ok that's immaterial with regard to my point so I won't go into too much detail about the walk itself.

What I did want to highlight was that there were a few younger kids with us, ages ranging from..oh I dunno..4 or 5 to about 12? Anyway..what really amazed me about this bunch was their determination to go on despite the circumstances and the difficulties. One of them had an injured foot and spent pretty much the whole journey limping instead of walking normally. Yet, he was still determined to keep up with the rest of the adults and, in fact, he spent much of the journey ahead of most of us.

Then, towards the later half of the walk, another young boy had difficulty keeping up and wanted to be carried, but for certain reasons (I won't go into details), people generally preferred that he kept going on foot instead of being carried. A few of his friends then surrounded him and gave him constant encouragement, supporting him (morally and physically!), singing with him familiar songs like "You Raise Me Up" and the Hokkien "Hold my hand" to keep his spirits up and sometimes even somewhat dragging him just so he would continue on his own.

Seeing that, I flashed back to some memories I had of the not too distant past, when I was in school. Being a bit..erm...big, I was always the slowest on the track, not to mention the fact that in those days I (usually) couldn't run even a relatively short distance like 2.4km without stopping. It's at those times that I did stop running (i.e. I just gave up and walked on the track) that my friends who were running with (or usually overtaking) me would basically take me by the hand (!) and drag me along, forcing me to keep up with them at least for a brief period of time.

Back to the present: said boy stops again, squats down and refuses to move. Friends again encourage and spur him on.
Flashback again to even more recent past: images of BMT recruits doing a route march or face down on a hot surface doing pushups. It's tough, but each person does his part, carries his load and that of his buddies if necessary, encouraging each other, sticking with each other no matter what happens (well..mostly).

It's hard (or perhaps when it comes to these kids, it's not so hard) to think that in 10-15 years' time, these young kids will be doing the same thing again, this time wearing green, with dirt on their faces and mud on their hands, carrying much heavier loads and with much more responsibility on their shoulders than just a little water bottle and their friend's comfort. They'll have their own lives and the lives of each other, their commanders, their colleagues and their men to take care of. They've gotten a good start, I think. And I think they'll do well later on, if they keep this up.

Uncles and aunties, parents of these children, I applaud and salute you. Perhaps someday when I think the going's getting tough, and I hear "You Raise Me Up", I'll think back to this day and I'll remember the encouragement of your children, and that will be enough to keep me going. Perhaps.

Revival...

...of my blog lah! Yes, it's been a really long time since I last posted anything in this space. In fact, I was reasonably confident that my blog had already seen its last entry - after all, who actually reads it or bothers about it, right? But for a number of months already, I've been pondering about this comment that a reader had left, and in this comment she explained in not too much detail that one of the entries in this blog had encouraged her - I can't even remember offhand which entry it was now, but from what I do remember it wasn't one of my "pet" entries, i.e it was a "blast and forget about it" kind of entry, not one that I had spent an unusually long time on or that I had devoted too much thought to.(afternote: after checking, I realised it was one of my "pet entries", although it didn't take too long to come up with, it still did hold some significant meaning for me) Anyway, as I read that comment that she had left, I remember thinking "now isn't that why I created a blog in the first place? Not to describe in vivid detail my daily, quotidian (and, very often, boring) routine, but rather to share thoughts and reflections on things that matter to me, whether they be songs, situations, Bible passages or whatever, and in the process hopefully someone somewhere who comes across my blog would see some sense or be encouraged by what I have to write.

Well that was a lost vision for a number of months, though somewhere in the back of my head I still remembered my blog and what it could have been.... until just - yeah, like maybe half an hour ago as of 022040H (or 8.40pm GMT +8 on the 2nd of October to you civilians out there) - when I read the newly started blog of a friend, and learnt of how his views about blogging were at least somewhat similar, if not identical, to mine. OK, I will admit I have, in the not-so-distant past, been known to require one or several slaps in the face (NOT literally so please don't start getting ideas...) to wake me up to reality. But this was one major WAKE UP CALL, and so it didn't take me too long to decide to respond by doing the only thing that seemed appropriate at the moment - to revive this blog and get it moving again. So here we are, at the end of this very long winded entry, probably not much wiser than we were at the beginning. But it has been said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - I guess my journey of a thousand kliks (kilometres, for those unfamiliar with the slang) just began with a few clicks, hmm?

How Beautiful...

Speaks for itself, I think. Yet, it speaks insufficiently for itself, because no amount of words can truly describe just how beautiful the body of Christ is, nor can any human in his finite self comprehend the infinite beauty, majesty and perfection of Christ - not just as He came in the flesh as we read in the Gospels, but also as He is now, in His glory.

How Beautiful
by Twila Paris

How beautiful the hands that served
The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long, dusty roads and the hill to the cross.

How beautiful,
How beautiful,
How beautiful
Is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the heart that bled,
That took all my sin and bore it instead.
How beautiful the tender eyes
That choose to forgive and never despise.

How beautiful,
How beautiful,
How beautiful
Is the body of Christ.

And as He laid down His life,
We offer this sacrifice:
That we will live
Just as He died,
Willing to pay the price,
Willing to pay the price.

How beautiful the radiant Bride
Who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes.
How beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure lives so that others may live.

How beautiful,
How beautiful,
How beautiful
Is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the feet that bring
The sound of good news and the love of the King.
How beautiful the hands that serve
The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.

How beautiful,
How beautiful,
How beautiful
Is the body of Christ.