To be perfect as God is perfect, Christ already in us must progressively increase (He certainly needs no improvement!), and our already-crucified sinful nature must progressively decrease (it certainly cannot be improved). God would not have crucified His Son and us all with Him if we descendants of Adam could have been improved!
Just as Jesus became perfect by repeatedly driving the devil out of his human soul by speaking forth the word and living it (see Hebrews 5:8-9; Luke 4:1-13, also Part II), our sanctification progresses as we repeatedly drive the devil out of our souls by confessing these truths aloud and living them.
This is an excerpt from The Joint Enterprise of Grace and Faith: Making the Word Become Manifest – Part III. Since many others have started following The Lord Is With Us, He has put on my heart the need to emphasize this truth:
Using Paul’s terminology, Christians deal with two components: our new true self in Christ which is one with God in spirit in our hearts, and our old (already crucified!) self which rebels against God. The sanctification process is progressively increasing the amount of time during which we live through our new self united with Christ, and decreasing the amount time during which we live (a lie!) through our old self. We are changed by putting on the new self, what we already are in Christ, and by putting off that old self, the sinful nature – letting it waste away. (See 2 Cor. 4:16-18, 5:17; Gal 4:6, 5:16-18.)
So consider this: when we are irritated, which self is it feeling irritation: our new true self which is one with God in Christ, or the old fallen self which has already been crucified with Christ? Just Who do you suppose sent us that irritant?
It was Paul’s old self which called the person God had sent to help sanctify him a “thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me” (2 Cor. 12:7); Paul was likely making reference to King David’s comment, But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns (2 Sam. 23:6). Note that what Paul’s old self thought was of the devil was actually from God to continue sanctifying Paul! The old sinful nature is a lie (it has been crucified already with Christ!), and is deceived. Praise God for the deliverance and life we have in Christ Jesus!
As written in the first post on this blog, overcoming in Christ is never overcoming the persons God sends our way that the old self finds offensive, but is overcoming through the indwelling Holy Spirit that old self so offended – all such persons are simply instruments in the hands of the sovereign Lord!
See also The Vital Distinction between “Becoming of Christ” and “Becoming Christ-Like“, Putting God’s Word into Practice – Applying Truth to the Lies, and The Least Appreciated Means of Grace: The Discipline of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord Is With Us 
I need to link this to my “Changes” series. This is what it’s all about!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Praise God for loving us so! For progressively unveiling Christ to us, Christ within us, our very Life within. All demons disperse in His presence within us! The old is GONE in His presence! Hallelujah, we are set free indeed! Now we are empowered to set the captives free! It’s Isaiah 61 season! His will being done on earth as it already has been done in heaven! Praise the Lord!
“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Luke 10:17-19)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to disagree with the ‘sinful nature’ part Sister because Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7 actually does not talk about ‘his sinful nature’ but rather; ‘his persecutions/ his outward sufferings/ his weakness in the flesh’ which is acceptable (2Timothy 3:12; 1Peter 4:12-16). Contextually, the next few verse justifies this when he said in verse 10, “…I TAKE PLEASURE in infirmities, in REPROACH, in NECESSITIES, in PERSECUTIONS, in DISTRESS for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. ”
It would be wrong for him to say, he takes pleasure in…if it’s about his sinful nature. Furthermore, the Bible describes our body as God’s temple and that we are members of Christ (Ephesians 5:30…). God is holy, and does not look at sinful things (Habakkuk 1:13); therefore He won’t dwell in a temple (body) that is sinful.
Yes, we might sin sometimes but sin is no more our nature (spiritually and physically). We do not have ‘sinful nature’ because we now have ‘God’s nature – righteousness’. That’s the only nature we have. It’s like someone barking like a dog; that doesn’t mean he has dog nature. He’s only doing things that isn’t in his nature to do. Same way with Christians that sin. Sin is a nature and we were saved/delivered from that nature the moment we were born again. This is why the very Paul said, “When we WERE sinners…” (Romans 5:8). This means, we are no more sinners (having nature of sin).
Sin actually is not what we do outwardly but what’s conceived from the inside and make manifest in the outside (Read what the Lord Jesus said about this in Mark 7:15-23)
LikeLike
Look at Romans 6:6-7 and Romans 7:7-25. Ro. 6:6-7 says “for we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should [note the word should] no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.” Romans 7 then relays Paul’s struggles as a believer with what he calls “my sinful nature” which still exists in him and is incapable of itself in overcoming itself [we always need our Savior/Sanctifier]. That phrase “my sinful nature” comes in v. 18, wherein his new true self in Christ cries out “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.” He continues “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me who does it.” (vv. 19-20). We see here that Paul is indeed a believer, because he wants to do good, and he confesses that he has a sinful nature – unbelievers don’t know that! “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” he asks in v. 24, and then, of course, chapter 8 explains his true self in Christ overcomes his body of death.
In great attempt to secure the understanding, I will now repeat these Scriptures from ch 7 adding terms in brackets to clarify what Paul is saying. Please stay with me – it’s worth it! 😊
18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. [Note he is saying it still exists and is an issue, even though in 6:6 he explained our old self has been crucified.] For I [his true self united with God in Christ] have the desire to do what is good, but I [his old self that lives by the law] cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do [old self that does not rely on the Holy Spirit, but on himself] is not the good I [true self] want to do; no, the evil I [true self] do not want to do – this I [old self that lives by the law] keep on doing. 20 Now if I [old self] do what I [true self] do not want to do, it is no longer I [true self] who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”
Hope this helps to clarify that the NT does indeed show our sanctification is the progressive overcoming of our old sinful nature by our new true self by the power of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is our coming into progressive alignment with and expression of God’s truth – becoming fully of Christ.
LikeLike
I will reply your comment but let me just point out what you said about sinful nature. I don’t know which version of the Bible you are using but the word flesh used in Romans 7 does not refer to ‘nature’. It’s not there at all. It’s from the Greek σάρξ (sarx); meaning body or flesh. The word ‘nature’ is not there.
Secondly, Paul, though said I, my…does not necessarily talking about himself. The book of Romans was primarily written to the Jews at Rome who still thought they should obey the law (Read Rom. 10:1-5 for example)
When Paul said I or my…he refers to what he said in 1Cor. 9:20-23,
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
So he addressed them as though he was one of them though he disagreed with their theology. Hence the use of “I” and “my”…
You will understand the whole picture of where Paul is going if you keep on reading ch. 8, 9 and finally into 10 where he started to give HIS OWN understanding of the matter.
Believe me, Rom. 7 is the most difficult part of the Bible to be understood unless you go back and read it from chapter 1 to all the way to ch. 10 where Paul started to explain to them that they were wrong in believing what they believed.
Give me a bit of time and I will reply your full comment. Thank you.
LikeLike
Here is my full reply to your comment
Let me re-quote what Paul said again in 1Cor. 9:20-23,
And UNTO THE JEWS I BECAME A JEW, that I MIGHT GAIN THE JEWS; to THEM THAT ARE UNDER THE LAW, AS UNDER THE LAW, that I MIGHT GAIN THEM THAT UNDER THE LAW; 21 To THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT THE LAW, as WITHOUT THE LAW, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I MIGHT GAIN THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT THE LAW. 22 TO THE WEAK BECAME I AS WEAK, that I MIGHT GAIN THE WEAK: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
This simply means, Paul didn’t want to force the Gospel to those who didn’t understand it well. So his strategy was to use those people’s belief to show them HOW WRONG they are. This is the reason it’s as though he is talking about himself when he said, “I”…”MY”…(sometimes). It might be also that Paul was telling them his PAST EXPERIENCE when he was under the law (which is a stronger case in Rom. 7 since he dealt about the Law)
This doesn’t mean he agrees with them. It’s just to make sure that he understands their position well before inserting the Gospel.
As I said before, the Book of Romans were written to Jews at Rome who believed that they still have to obey the law (Again read from ch. 2 to understand more). Hence the entire book is about the Law. So Paul was telling them about what they believed AS THOUGH HE BELIEVED IT. But certainly, the later chapter of the book of Romans shows that Paul actually DID NOT BELIEVE WHAT THEY BELIEVED, though PREVIOUSLY (when he wasn’t yet born again), he believed them (You can start reading from ch. 8 til the end to see if Paul agreed with them or not)
Here is just an excerpt of my point from Rom. 10:1-4,
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but NOT ACCORDING TO THE KNOWLEDGE. 3 For THEY BEING IGNORANT of God’s righteousness, and GOING ABOUT TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, HAVE NOT SUBMITTED themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.
This definitely shows how Paul disagreed with them.
You said,
18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. [Note he is saying it still exists and is an issue, even though in 6:6 he explained our old self has been crucified.]
— No, thousand times no 🙂 You are mistaken! As I already said before; this is Paul quoting the Jewish belief (which he too believed BEFORE HE WAS BORN AGAIN). He was telling them HIS PAST EXPERIENCE. Yes, he might have used present tenses, but that’s how he dealt with them; as though he is one of them!
Here is what he said BEFORE v18:
Romans 7:4-6
Wherefore, MY BRETHREN (THE JEWS), ye also are BECOME DEAD TO THE LAW by the body of Christ; that ye should be MARRIED TO ANOTHER, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For WHEN we WERE in the flesh, the motions of sins, which WERE BY THE LAW, did work in OUR MEMBERS (BODY) to bring forth fruit unto DEATH. 6 But NOW WE ARE DELIEVERED from the law, that being dead wherein WE WERE held; that we should SERVE IN NEWNESS of spirit, and NOT in the oldness of the letter.
This is where you missed it. Then Paul went on TO REMIND THEM HOW IT WAS/IS TO LIVE UNDER THE LAW [i.e. telling them his PAST experience]. Hence the verses you quote. Not that he is saying he still has the ‘sinful nature’ (as you like to put it); which is by the way nowhere mentioned. (Just because people sinned in their body doesn’t necessarily mean they have sinful nature.)
Paul is simply telling them his experience WHEN HE WAS UNDER THE LAW, but HE ISN’T ANYMORE. So Rom. 7:18-19 you quoted is Paul’s PAST EXPERIENCE (when he wasn’t yet born again). This is why in ch. 8, he started telling them HIS NEW KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE in Christ.
I hope you catch the point because if we ought to follow your reasoning, then Paul’s message is contradictory because here is what Paul said in ch. 8:10-11 and 28-30 which also debunk your point on ‘…Sanctification is our coming into progressive alignment with and expression of God’s truth’,
Romans 8:10-11, 28-30
Vs 10 – And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Let’s just assume the body here refers to ‘sinful nature’. This would be read as follow,
And if Christ be in you, the body [THE SINFUL NATURE] IS DEAD because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Not that I believe he’s talking about sinful nature here.
V. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall ALSO QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES by his Spirit that dwelleth in you…And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Ask yourself this:
if we still have sinful nature, how can a holy God dwell in us? You mean He can dwell side by side with sin? I don’t believe that (Read Habakkuk 1:13)
Listen to what He said,
2Cor. 6:14-16 – Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: FOR WHAT FELLOWSHIP HATH righteousness with unrighteousness? And WHAT COMMUNION HATH LIGHT WITH DARKNESS? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And WHAT AGREEMENT HATH THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH IDOLS? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM, and WALK IN THEM; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Sanctification IS NOT PROGRESSIVE as you said. It’s a done deal. You are not going to be sanctified because of what you do. But WHAT JESUS HAS DONE. That’s what grace all about.
Let me leave you with these verses:
John 17:19 – And FOR THEIR SAKES I sanctify myself, that THEY ALSO MIGHT BE SANCTIFIED through the truth.
1 Cor. 6:11 – And such (sinners) were some of you: but ye are washed, but YE ARE SANCTIFIED, but YE ARE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME of the Lord Jesus, AND BY the Spirit of our God.
Acts 26:17 – Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH that is in me.
1 Cor. 1:2 – Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours
Hebrews 10:10 – By the which will, WE ARE SANCTIFIED through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all
Jude 1:1 – Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, TO THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called
Nowhere does sanctification have anything to do with what we do to progress to it. We are sanctified by faith in God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
LikeLike
Brother, I love your zeal, and I thank you for this gift of love. It is the end of a long day for me; I will press into the Lord regarding the Romans 7 issue – requires much meditation. For the moment, I will address the last point of sanctification. Yes, it is a “done deal” just as our crucifixion and our glorification are (Ro. 8:20). Yet is is progressive, as, for example, in Phil. 2:12 we are told to work out our salvation – that’s a process in that Scripture, no? (and of course it’s grace, not works). One other question: how do you explain 2 Cor. 4:7-12? Sorry I am too tired to continue tonight. (Tomorrow’s the big volleyball tournament for the state championship!) Thank you so much, again. To be continued…
LikeLiked by 1 person
First, I’d like to point out the mistake I made concerning Romans 7:18-20. Yes, you were right in saying that Paul was talking about his sinful nature but as I said in my previous comments; he was telling them his past experience when he was under the law, not that he is experiencing the same as a new creation in Christ.
Phil. 2:12. Working out our salvation means to put to work our faith. In other words, to live according to what God’s Word says about us irrespective of what we go through in life. It’s different from sanctification.
Sanctification, in other hand, is not something we are to work out because part of the gift of God.
Sanctification is the Greek word, ἁγιάζω (hagiazō); which means make holy. It derives from ἅγιος (hagios); which means holy and sometimes translated as ‘saint’. So, we are already holy (saint), so we don’t become to be saint or holy anymore. We are holy, not because of what we do but because of God’s presence in us. Like the holy mountains for example, the mountains are called ‘holy’, not because of what they did but because God stepped on them.
In 2 Cor. 4:7-12, Paul is talking about the persecution he suffered in the body. It has nothing to do with the nature of the body.
Verse 7 – But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be OF GOD, and NOT OF US.
—This proves my point exactly. If the power is of God, then where is the sinful nature?
Verse 8-12 – We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are PERPLEXED, but not in despair; 9 PERSECUTED, but not forsaken; CAST DOWN, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway DELIVERED UNTO DEATH for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then DEATH WORKETH IN US (Paul and his disciples who are persecuted), but life in you (Corinthian Christians who he wrote this letter).
—As you can see, he’s talking about the suffering of his body because of persecution, not sin.
LikeLike
Remember what Peter said,
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION that is in the world through lust (sinful nature).” (2Peter 1:4)
So we have escaped the sinful nature already and now have become partakers of God’s divine nature.
Galatians 5:24 says, “And THEY that are Christ’s (Christians) HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH with the affections and lusts (sinful nature).”
As you can see, sinful nature has been crucified, put out, decimated…
There’s no where in the NT, a single verse to suggest that we have two natures. If you find one then just read the context.
Paul also said in Romans 8:1-4,
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus HATH MADE ME FREE from THE LAW OF SIN and death (sinful nature). For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, CONDEMNING SIN IN THE FLESH: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Sinful nature has already been defeated. We a free from it by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Praise God all these are truth! We are in agreement on these key glorious points. It is so important that we apprehend God’s truths herein.
LikeLiked by 1 person
1Cor. 6:19-20,
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN? *For ye are bought with a price*: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, WHICH ARE GOD’S.
Praise God. Even our body doesn’t belong to us anymore. It belongs to the Holy God.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen and praise God!
LikeLiked by 1 person
If we are not our own, then how come ‘sinful nature’ still exist in us? Is sinful nature God’s too?
LikeLike
Seeing this older comment of yours, I can answer it now that we’ve addressed the others. Again, I am so grateful we are having this exchange – for those who love the truth, we know it is of vital importance that we spur each other on to understand Christ more fully, amen?
The Spirit of God lives in the hearts of those who are one with Him (Gal. 4:6, 1 Cor. 6:17) – this is our inner man that is in conflict with our outer old man, our sinful nature. God has crucified the sinful nature (that which produces sin), yet we must progressively align ourselves with His word by the power of His Spirit indwelling our hearts. This is sanctification – Christ within us must increase (in quantity); our old crucified self must decrease SUBJECTIVELY, IN OUR EXPERIENCE
Galatians 5:16-17 also describes the warfare: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” Note that our “sinful nature” that is in conflict with our true self in Christ still exists, and that this is exactly the process I’ve been writing of in these comments that Paul describes in Romans 7:7-25. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate to do… I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” (vv. 15,18).
To answer this brief question of yours directly now, it is our new true self united with God in Spirit which is one with God. Of course “sinful nature” is not God’s too – that is our outer self which is being hard pressed on every side, perplexed, and struck down, outwardly wasting away, “being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.” (2 Cor. 4:7-18). Praise God, our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory (Christ within!) that far outweighs them all!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ok, I understand your point but it’s the word ‘sinful nature’ that I had problem with because I don’t believe that a Christian has two natures. It’s just that some of us are still growing (your point, if I understand you well).
According to the Bible, we were born holy (the same Greek word used for sanctification). This is why God said, be ye holy for I am holy. It’s impossible for him to tell us to be something we are not. It’s just his way of saying grow up and be the person I made you to be.
It’s like a new born baby, that baby is 100% human though he/she still have to grow to maturity; but he/she already has 100% human nature; he/she doesn’t grow to be more human though. That’s my point!
A Christian is born holy (Sanctified); but he/she still need to grow to perfect that sanctification. But just because he/she still do something wrong [i.e. sin], doesn’t mean he or she is a sinner; because to be a sinner is a nature that has been supplanted but the nature of righteousness. He or she is just a holy child of God who sinned. Hence the forgiveness.
Sinners NEVER ask God for forgiveness because that’s their nature. They don’t see anything wrong with it. What they need it repentance [i.e. accepting the Lordship of Jesus first]
LikeLiked by 1 person
We are in essential agreement my dear brother! The word is so glorious, we both want all to know and apprehend it’s riches!
LikeLike
The struggle we have outwardly is not about ‘sinful nature’, but weaknesses. We are yet to know how to control our body from within (2Cor.4:16-18; Gal. 5:16-17….). Naturally, we are righteous. Our sin-nature has been supplanted by the nature of God (righteousness). If anyone still has sin-nature; he is yet to be saved. It’s either you are righteous or you are a sinner. There’s nothing and no one that has two natures.
Jesus, when walking the face of the earth, though took form of a man, still had God’s nature. He didn’t have two natures. Yes, He could get hungry and tired but never sinned because nature is from inside. This is why He told them He is from above and they are from beneath. So when He came, not only He came to save us from our sins but to completely destroy its nature out of our system and gave us His nature.
This is why 2 Cor. 5:17 says, we have no past. In other words, the sinful nature has been destroyed and verse 18 of the same 2 Cor. 5 says, “And ALL THINGS are of God…”
LikeLike
(Please see my long comment entered at 5:56 above.)
LikeLike
This comment follows Saint of Christ’s comment entered at 5:51 today, Oct. 30: Again, brother, I love this blessed discussion, and so does the Lord (Malachai 3:16)! And so it continues.
Regarding your comment “So, we are already holy (saint), so we don’t become to be saint or holy anymore” I refer you to Heb. 10:10 and 10:14, the former saying “we have been made holy” and the latter saying “he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” – again, God has made us something (in this case it is holy, and in Romans 6-7 it is that He has crucified our old self) and we are going through a process of becoming something (in this case holy, and in Romans 6-7 and in 2 Cor. 4:7-11 it is dying to our old self, that is, “working out our salvation”, dying to what has already been crucified with Christ so that the life of Jesus may live in us). Do you follow me?
See, 2 Cor. 4:7-11 is describing our sanctification process vividly: our outer self, that is, our old self, is hard pressed on every side and perplexed and in despair and struck down, while our new true self in Christ is not crushed, and not in despair, and not abandoned, and not destroyed. “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal body. For we who are alive [our old selves which actually have been crucified with Christ] are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.” And, because Paul and the other apostles are going through this process for the betterment of the Body of Christ, e.g. on behalf of the less mature members, he says “So death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.” That ties in with Col. 1:24 where Paul writes, “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of the Body, which is the church.”
Your interpretation of Romans 7 does not align with all these other Scriptures. You make many rationalizations for this passage in trying to make it fit with your mindset (I.e. Paul says “I” when he means “you” and that the tense is incorrect). Yes, Paul is addressing Jews in Rome, but your interpretation of the glorious chapter 7 does not align with all these other Scriptures. Our false outer man must decrease, in order that our new true self in Christ will quantitatively increase – His life must be revealed incrementally in our mortal bodies.
Again, I ensure you that after this state volleyball tournament is over, I will take much time to re-read and meditate on all that you’ve written in all these comments – the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. I trust that you will also do the same with what I’ve shared in all these writings.
Thank you, dear brother. I love that we grow together in Christ! That nothing matters more than obedience, pressing into His word, being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Praise God we “have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we hold every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10: 4-6)
LikeLike
The volleyball tournament is over – the Annapolis Christian Academy Lady Warriors won the Consolation Prize at the State tournament, competing in a division two levels above theirs, praise God!
I have reviewed Romans Ch 1-8 as promised, and have reviewed your (Saint of Christ’s) comments. What wonderful truths our God has for us in those chapters!
I truly considered and meditated over what you put forth my dear brother who loves the Lord immensely, but what I’ve written is in alignment with these Scriptures. I thank you for realizing the term “sinful nature” is Scriptural; I was reminded that the term also appears in the last verse of Romans 7 as it transitions into the glorious Ch. 8: “So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” Hallelujah!
Please see also my comment to an older question of yours dated Oct. 31, 2:12 pm above. Thank you, dear brother!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on The Lord Is With Us.
LikeLike
Listening to God’s whisper and following His Holy Spirit….often a challenge for me. I write about the times when this happens and how those times always involve “less” of or about me and more about caring for a person in need. On a side note, it is good to read the comments and be part of a community which seeks a closer relationship with God!
LikeLiked by 1 person
As always, thank you for sharing your beautiful giftings here as we fellowship, Rick! Have you read “Be Still and Know that I Am God,” or “On meeting With God,” or the longer piece, “Resting in Christ”? I believe the Lord may bless you therein. I’ll include links below. Have a great weekend!
https://thelordiswithus.com/2015/11/30/on-meeting-with-god-dan-mohler/
https://thelordiswithus.com/2015/08/05/be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god/
https://thelordiswithus.com/resting-in-christ-2/
LikeLike