On Monday mornings, Joel* meets with Tazig* church leaders for debriefing and coaching. For several weeks, the church has been studying the book of Romans. On the week they studied Romans 7, several questions arose. One verse, however, was easy for everyone to understand: Paul’s confession in Romans 7:19, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”
One of the church leaders shared a member’s response to this verse. The man had spoken up saying, “This verse is my experience. I have been doing something that I know is wrong, but I keep doing it.”
The leader asked him to share more, and the man confessed to asking for inflated receipts from hardware stores, which he then submitted to clients for reimbursement – a widespread practice. But the Spirit had convicted him as they read from Romans. After his confession, the church made a plan to help him get free from that sin.
Joel was so proud of the church leaders when he heard how they helped this man walk the path of Christ. “This is true discipleship in the Body of Christ,” Joel says. “Jesus commanded his disciples to make other disciples and teach them to obey everything he commanded them (Matthew 28:19). I praise God for the wisdom he is giving the Tazig church leaders.”
*pseudonyms