"THE DUEL OF THE DUAL NATURES" (Pastor Tom Henry) ~ 7/21/26

“But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” (Romans 7:23)

In every believer there are two principles, and they are at war with each other. The Christian is therefore a great riddle to those who observe him, and he is equally an enigma to himself. “He is discerned of no man,” not even of himself. In considering this confession of the Apostle Paul, Spurgeon remarked, “I question whether any man understands himself, and I am quite certain that no Christian does so. ‘Great is the mystery of godliness’ in more senses than one.” Believers are, as Venning noted, “Orthodox Paradoxes.” The philosopher Plato used to say of each man that he was two men, so may we with emphasis say of each newborn soul that he is two men in one. He has, by new birth, a renewed mind and spirit, having been created anew after the image of his Creator (see Col. 3:10). He also, however, still retains the old nature, which is constantly at war with the new. This is the warfare in which Paul here sees himself engaged - an internal struggle that he was personally and presently experiencing. We see in every Christian what was seen in the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon, as it were the company of two armies.

This is not always known by believers as they are beginning their new life in Christ. We start off knowing that we are sinners, and that Jesus is our Savior, but as we proceed, we find that we are more sinners than we thought we were. Many surprises await us. Have you come to realize, as Paul here confesses, that “to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not,” or, as he continued, “the good that I would I do not: but the evil that I would not, that I do…I find then a law, (principle) that, when I would do good, evil is present with me”? Is it not some degree of comfort that Paul himself experienced these things, and though he understood what was going on, even he could not solve the riddle?

We come across professors from time to time who boast that the principle of sin is utterly destroyed in them, and that they have no more evil tendencies and desires. Could that be true, I would congratulate them and greatly wish it were so with me. However, with these perfect people there will generally be sufficient evidence to contradict their claim. Topping the list is the fact that they are calling God a liar, for Scripture is clear, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us,” and “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him (God) a liar, and his word is not in us.” John was writing to Christians and was himself included in the “we” and the “us.” According to the Apostle, one who believes that he is “eradicated” of the old nature, that one is self-deceived. Paul was not self-deceived in the least. He could “see” another principle within him that was at war with his renewed mind, and it was a powerful force, intent on bringing him into captivity of the law of sin which was in his members. He longed for complete deliverance from it, crying out, “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Far from being complacent about it, or using it as our excuse to sin, as some professors might do, with him, as a renewed man, he fought hard against it. As he said in another place, “I keep under my body.” He was determined that he would not be brought into captivity to the law of sin; that sin would not be allowed to “reign in your (his) mortal body”; that sin should not have dominion over you (him)! (Ch. 6:12, 14)

It is clear to see that, Paul; as a new creature in Christ, has a new identity. Notice, he speaks of his old nature as “another law,” as if it is a foreign intruder; and he speaks of the new nature as “the law of my mind.” He no longer identifies with his old self, but rather with his new self. Let it be so with you and me as Christians. In this Duel of the Dual Natures, we must fight against the tendencies and desires of the old man and remember that we are now new creations in Christ, and that “old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.” (II Cor. 5:17)