In Romans 7:17 the residence of sin is the impulse aroused by the law, neither real nor remarkable, not a permanent resident but an uninvited guest
Not one invited by me….rather one invited by the “thou shall not of the law”, an intruder that is not welcome, does not belong and has no permission to enter or stay, but comes in just the same.
This is the spiritual equivalent to the home invasion a term made popular by the media in recent years, describing the uninvited entry of those who would hurt harm or rob those who permanently reside in that dwelling, those who will make them do what they don't want to do by their demands and threats. Though the home owners would never invite these intruders who intend to do them great harm to enter, they are taken advantage of because they are unprotected, vulnerable, naïve even stupid. In most cases it is a matter of the residents being tricked by conniving con-artists posing as public servants or repairmen pretending they intend to do them good, whose only intention is to violate their will and do to them what they themselves would never want wish or will to be done.
Like a home that is targeted for invasion those within are always unprepared, ill-equipped and powerless to protect themselves from those who would threaten them, harm them, rob them of their privacy, property and liberty health and wholeness.
Under the Law that which I do not want, will or wish, that which I never invited visits me anyway by tricking me and by a pretense of well-doing robs me of all well-being and brings me instead into a state of dread and powerlessness that I cannot overcome for I am no match for the overwhelming force of the Law. |
