One of the sources, not the only one, of this hopelessness, is an unbiblical perfectionism.

That does not provide people with categories to understand their own failure as a Christian.

And therefore, when they stumble and fall into a sin or some repeated sinning,

that don't have any way to explain what's going on in their lives

and they despair that they aren't a Christian.

When sin feels overwhelming, where can we find hope as Christians?

In this episode of Light and Truth, John Piper opens Romans 7, 14 to 25

to stress both the reality of indwelling sin and the sustaining power of God's grace.

This sermon was originally delivered at Bethlehem Baptist Church on June 24, 2001.

Father in heaven, my heart's desire now, as we look into your word, is that you would

guard me from error and grant that my spirit would be in tune

with yours when you inspired this word so that both the truth is spoken and in a demeanor that is fitting for these realities.

Then I pray for every mind and heart here and those listening elsewhere,

that there would be a tenderness towards the truth and that you would grant a spiritual taste for the things of God.

I pray for those without Christ that they would be moved to see you, Father, through him by the Spirit in the Word.

And I pray for believers that you would help us to navigate the torturous waters between destruction

of hopelessness on the side of perfectionism and the destruction of hopelessness on the side of perversity,

and that we would steer a straight course to heaven.

Lord, make us warriors, I pray, who get up again and again and again when we are knocked down.

Teach us about your grace in this matter and about your power.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

The main thing that Paul is doing in verses 14 to 25 of Romans 7 is to defend the law of God against several false inferences,

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