One would think that we would rebel against the rule of something over us, as we often do against God. But yet, we remain under the much more malicious influence and directive of sin.
Very often we are as Jonathan Edwards points out:
"The corrupt hearts of men naturally incline to stupidity and senselessness before God comes with the awakening influences of his Spirit. They are quiet and secure. They have no true comfort and hope, and yet they are quiet; they are at ease. They are in miserable slavery, and yet seek not a remedy. They say, as the children of Israel did in Egypt to Moses, "Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians."This verse comes from Exodus 14, as the Egyptians were bearing down upon Israel, with their backs against the sea, they turned accusingly at Moses with the words "Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" [Ex. 14:12]
So often we, or at least I, am like this. As soon as the going gets tough spiritually, as soon as it's not all pie and ice cream pursuing God, I'm tempted to imitate the Israelites' inclination. To think [and genuinely believe, as our actions indicate] that a deliverance from evil tyranny would be as simply as dessert is at best, foolish.
So then, the struggle is not to have victory or deliverance from sin; Christ has provided that: "Who will deliver me!? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" [Rom. 7:21-25] The struggle becomes to continue to rest in the redemption and deliverance he has graciously provided.
In conclusion, it's a choice between two masters: do you want to be a slave to sin, a malicious, unforgiving and eternally destructive master, or does God, the benevolent, gracious and eternally constructive master sound more appealing?
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