Saint Paul is confessing that...
Illustration
Saint Paul is confessing that, left to his own powers, he cannot live a life that measures up to God's expectations of all of us. Try as he might to live a pure life, he would slip and fall back into sin. He confesses that he is a prisoner to sin, living in a body that is subject to temptation, with no way out of the sinful, human condition. He is like a man trapped in a sunken submarine. Some years ago a crew of sailors was trapped when their submarine's engines failed and the sub slowly sank to the bottom of the sea. Trapped some 200 feet below the surface, they had to wait in desperation for possible rescue. Suddenly there was the clank of a diver's boot on the outside of the submarine. Wanting to relieve their deep fears, one of the sailors tapped out in code on the side of the submarine, "Is there any hope?" That is the basic question for everyone in this life. Is there any hope as we meet with disappointments or seek to overcome sin, or as we face certain death? If we believe in Christ, the answer is a resounding YES. Though we cannot win the battle against sin, the grace of God will save those who accept Christ for what he is, the Son of God and Savior of the world. He does for us what we cannot do as prisoners of sin. He brings the forgiveness of almighty God, made possible in Christ's death on the cross. -- Lentz
