The root of all sin is pride. My conclusion is this: why we keep sinning is because we get on the jazz from crossing boundries set by God. In a sense we are making ourselves like gods by saying I don't follow that boundary, I can cross it, I am higher than you God.

Galatians 2:20 This verse does not tell us to crucify ourselves. It says we HAVE been crucified. What a miserable existence- trying to do what has alreay been done! In making covenants many times groups were involved. One representative was needed to embody the group. Whatever that representative did happened to the group he represented. Christ went to the cross as the LAST Adam to be our covenant representative. He died on the cross by crufixion. When he died, it was my death. His was a death to sin. It was also my death to sin. The blood was shed for what I had done (sins) and the cross crucified me (the sinner who produces the sins) with Christ. We must go from mere substitution (he died for me) to identification- I died with him. If we try to crucify ourselves then we say that we can do it ourselves and spurn the act and work of Christ. It is pride to say, I will not believe what you have done, I will do it myself or maybe with your help if needed. We often ask God's assistance in doing it. We did not get saved that way. Jesus plus my effort never adds up to anything with God. Romans 6 shows us that our only deliverance from our old man in Adam came by the cross. Romans 7 teaches us that we are free from the law. The law was based upon human effort. The more we struggle to be free from sin the stronger sin will become. We must first know we have been crucified with Christ. If we are dead than the struggle is OVER. No more need to try to surrender ourselves. Jesus died our death to sin. He did our surrendering for us. We died with him. It has been done. Romans 7 is a Christian that has a desire to please God but still is trying to accomplish deliverance by will power. We are free from the law- having to produce for God. Stop trying to overcome your flesh and lust. Trust that in Him he did it. Galatians says "No longer I!" Do not try in the least bit to overcome what Christ has already overcome. Move on to "But it is Christ who lives in me" When Christ was raised from the dead you raised up with him and have his resurrection life on the inside. These truths happened in the Spirit realm in Christ. We still have the old man manifesting in our body because it is still in this natural world. God has not changed this natural realm yet although he did everything necessary in order to be able to do it. He left the natural realm unchanged in order for us to walk in faith in what His Word says. When we trust what God says is a fact in the spiritual it will become a reality in our experience. In Christ we have been crucified - this includes our flesh- Galatians 5:24- We are not requested to do this but BELIEVE this. When we do we will experience it. It is a grievious sin to not believe God and try to do or ask God to do what he has already done!! Trust that Christ is now living his victory and holiness in you. You are the branch and he is the vine. You need not struggle any longer! When a temptation comes do not try to overcome it, do not try not to feel it, or do anything with it. You need to use your faith in what you KNOW- You the old man in Adam died with Christ. When a man dies he is freed from the power of sin. Romans 6:7- Since you are free from the Law you do not try to do anything but you believe it has been done. You then acknowledge Christ within and say, Now my Christ live your victory in me. Your are the fountain of life in me. I leave it up to you to manifest victory in this situation. Often you will feel the desire for sin leave and will sense a desire for good. You will sense the stirring of the Holy Spirit within. You will sense direction. Follow it in faith and you will see his life manifested and new fresh victory. This does not make us passive in our Christian walk. We should not live passive lives but active. Howbeit, I say active in response to the the in-working of God based upon His redemptive facts and realities in Christ. We are active RESPONDERS to God's facts and power in us. We were never created to be INITIATORS. We must move from the knowledge of good and evil to the tree of life which is CHRIST! That tree is in you. Rely and partake of it for your deliverance! I encourage you to get a copy of the Normal Christian life by Watchman Nee and read and re-read it. God bless Rick