Did you know you can't please God by your efforts in the flesh? Roman 7-8

Romans 8:8 (NASBStr)

and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

In one of the most glorious sections of Romans, and perhaps the entire Bible, Paul has been telling his readers where victory in Christ comes from (chapters seven and eight).   As we reach the above verse we have already passed some of the greatest treasures of Scripture that provide insight and understanding to the above pregnant, albeit, short, sentence.   Paul is telling his readers that the reason for the need for Christ is that we are full of sin.   Sin, in the flesh, has control over our old nature to the point that we can't, by ourselves, rid it from our body.   Sin was brought alive by the Law, making the Law good, but, never-the-less, sin bad in our bodies.   BUT, because of what Christ has done for us on the cross, we are free from the penalty of that sin nature and are being set free from the presence of it, because it no longer has power over us.   It no longer has power over us as long as we don't try to fight it in the FLESH.    That is his point in the above passage.   When we try to conquer sin based upon our performance we are living in the flesh ... and, the flesh is totally corrupt.  We can't do ANYTHING in the flesh to please God; subsequently then, nothing done in the flesh will have the power of God to free us from the power of sin.   In Hebrews 11:6 it tells us that we need faith to please God.    So, the answer to being set free from the power of sin over our lives is the faith we have in Christ to accomplish that freedom for us.   Freedom from the power of sin comes from faith in the power of Christ to exact that freedom.   I don't quit sinning because I am strong, go to church and read my Bible.   I am giving the strength to quit sinning by having faith in Christ.   To the extent that going to church and reading my Bible emboldens my faith, those things are good.   But, my effort of doing those things does not sanctify me. In my flesh I can't please God - so why keep trying.   In is in faith that I please God.  I believe His Word and I believe my worship of Him in a community is obedience to Him and that gives me strength in the Spirit that defeats sin.   All by faith - nothing by flesh.