Answer to Paul’s question

This [Who will deliver me] is the cry of a mature believer. Well, happily Paul has an answer. It is so simple. It is so beautiful. It is so comprehensive. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That is, it! Paul’s question was a question not of despair, because he had an answer. It was a question of distress, alright, but not despair. He has a glorious answer. The answer of faith. Faith that takes hold of a Saviour outside of me. A living Saviour, revealed in the Word and by the Spirit to the heart of wretched needy sinners. I thank God through Jesus, Saviour of all sins, to hold your salvation. Jesus Christ, the anointed of the Father to be my Prophet, Priest and King. Our personal Lord. My Master. My Possessor. These three great, rich comprehensive names of Jesus. Paul has set his hope upon this Saviour, upon the names and the content he represents. This Saviour who was delivered for our offenses, raised again for our justification. This Saviour who was of God, made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Paul sees this by faith. He grasps hold of this by faith. He sees, he is fighting a winning battle even though he feels this battle scars of fighting against sin. And so, Paul knows, even though he is losing many a skirmish, he will win the battle in the end, because of Jesus Christ.

And so, like Joshua, who could thank the Lord for victory, before the walls of Jericho fell, so, Paul here, looking up to Christ, says, (in the present tense), I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is saying: In Christ I am already delivered. And I shall be delivered. Christ has already defeated sin on the cross. He has already blotted out the handwriting of the law which was against us. Paul is jubilant. He speaks with full assurance. He knows that his death as a believer in Christ, will be gain, and that to be with Christ is far better. The conflict will never return one day, when he is with Christ. Even his body will be redeemed with all its parts at the resurrection. O, to sin no more; with my eyes; with my mind; with my heart; with my affections. Yes, he sees the victory. Even as he bemoans the damage that sin still does to him.¹

Joel Beeke