Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

I have always found Romans chapter 7 to be perplexing. If I desire to do what is right why can’t I do it? Why am I incapable? I do good things every day, at least I think I do. Am I wrong?

Thank God that Paul didn’t stop there and went on to chapter 8. Clarity of my two faces is found there.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

This law of the Spirit of life does not replace the law of sin and death but is rather the ruling force of the Spirit that has been given to direct our actions according to the will of God and not our good intentions.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

The flesh is still subject to the law of sin and death. The Spirit is not because He is God.

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

We live by the flesh but if  we choose to obey the Holy Spirit who directs all our choices to swerve the will of God we are not acting out our own desires. Does that mean we cannot do anything unless the Spirit gives us a commandment?

Let me explain by an example from my life. Upon the death of my first wife I received a call from the company insurance carrier that the insurance claim was misidentified. It should have been coded accidental, doubling my compensation. I prayed to God, “Let your will be done in this. If it is to be changed, show the error to the person who needs to change it.” My thinking was simple in that if an error had been made, let it not be mine. His answer came back clearly. 

“You got this!”

God does not need to intervene on our behalf for everything. We have the right to take care of things in this world. His realm is spiritual. The Spirit responds to the will of God and not my own fears and anxiety. I called HR and the matter was correct in minutes. We live in this world in the flesh. We have the ability to make choices which are earthly in design. “You got this!”

Exodus 33:11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. 

Exodus 34:29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Face:

means simply presence, as when it is recorded that Adam and Eve hid themselves from the “face [R.V., ‘presence’] of the Lord God” (Gen 3:8; Exd 33:14,15, where the same Hebrew word is rendered “presence”). The “light of God’s countenance” is his favour (Psa 44:3; Dan 9:17). “Face” signifies also anger, justice, severity (Gen 16:6,8; Exd 2:15; Psa 68:1; Rev 6:16). To “provoke God to his face” (Isa 65:3) is to sin against him openly.

The Jews prayed with their faces toward the temple and Jerusalem (1Ki 8:38,44,48; Dan 6:10). To “see God’s face” is to have access to him and to enjoy his favour (Psa 17:15; 27:8). This is the privilege of holy angels (Mat 18:10; Luk 1:19). The “face of Jesus Christ” (2Cr 4:6) is the office and person of Christ, the revealer of the glory of God (Jhn 1:14,18).

John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

John 5:44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Since I am writing to you, you cannot see my face. Faces carry messages that enhance our words,  carrying emotions that can go further than definitions or word choice can convey. It is my wish that my words should be enough to show you who I am, but I would rather do this face to face.

I cannot and so I am limited to hoping my words will be enough. Moses did not know his face shone but others could see it. You may not know your face has changed, but others can see it.

 John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Glory is His essence, His presence, full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

I can only see Christ in you when we are face to face. Until then I will write to you His Word.