Legalism empowers DEMONS in your life!

[Mitspa]

I'm sorry for using the "spirit of the Law" when you were referring to the "law of the Spirit." The "spirit of the Law" is not my own term. If you Google search, you'll find 80 million + websites that contain it. The Wikipedia page on "Letter and spirit of the law" should provide you a launching pad to further look into the term. It is an idiomatic antithesis meant to demonstrate the difference between obeying the literal interpretation of the words ("the letter") of the law, and the intent of those who wrote it ("the spirit"). It is often employed by people who are trying to make an argument against legalism. For example, someone might say that keeping the seventh day of the week holy by resting from work is keeping the "letter of the law" and may charge that person as a legalist, while on the other hand claiming the Messiah as the fulfillment of the Sabbath and the present need to enter His rest and not keep the seventh day Sabbath, citing Heb. 4 (though I would disagree with this interpretation, but that's for another discussion). The two terms may not exactly coincide but there is certainly at least some overlap, as I imagine you would argue the "law of the Spirit" says the same in contradistinction to the letter, or legal code as you called it. But I'm going to move on because I don't want to get hung up on this since it's not the focus of this discussion.

I appreciate the Scripture you bring from Paul but I believe that he and I are talking about different things. Paul is referring to his task to preach God's revealed will and purpose concerning man's salvation. Yes, this is intimately connected to the good news of the Messiah and the word of grace, but I was talking about that to which a person should look for guidance in their lives, as provided by God: the Scriptures (OT and NT), the example of the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit. The New Testament very clearly demonstrates that Paul and the disciples used all three of these in their teaching. And this method should be of great service to a believer in thoroughly equipping them for every good work, for the three should be in harmony. For example, God states through his Torah-Law not to murder, the Messiah did not murder, and the Holy Spirit is in agreement. The Messiah expounds upon this issue and says to not even hate a neighbor in one's heart. By living this out, the believer demonstrates love for his or her neighbor.



There are many lofty theological statements being made in this thread. I appreciate that is your style, but not so many practical statements are being made. I have simple questions for you that need simple answers. I'll take the blame for not being clear in my earlier questioning, which has made it difficult for you to answer. My practical concern is: How should a believer live their life? What should they do and what should they not do? These are the basic questions a new believer will ask, and we should be prepared to answer these types of questions and also direct them to the proper resources to further discern matters. I have already stated that I believe the Scriptures (OT and NT), the example of the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit are these resources. Here are my simple questions for your simple answer:

1. When you are investigating a practical matter of faith concerning how to live your life, which resources do you personally consult? And does this include the OT Scriptures? Do the commands that God spoke through the Torah-Law have any part in your investigation? What I'm really getting at is this: How do you test what the Holy Spirit places on your heart?

2. I'm still fuzzy on your definition of legalism. Can you please define it more clearly, specifically, what does it mean to obey God by the "letter" as opposed to the "spirit"? Can you give a practical example of each of these? Does consulting the commands that God spoke through the Torah-Law as part of one's investigation make them a legalist? For example, when I think the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart that killing a person is not fulfilling the summary command to love one's neighbor as yourself, and I want to investigate and test this, does it make me a legalist to reference the command found in the Torah-Law (specifically found in the ten commandments) as evidence of this truth? (Additionally, I would reference the example of the Messiah).

I have many more questions about your views of legalism, but I'll stop here for now. I also suspect that you and I interpret Paul quite differently but I'll leave that for another post.

Well at no time have I suggested the Old Testament does not point to the godliness we have in a life lived in the Spirit, for example we would not see the true condition of the flesh without the witness of the law, we would not see the need and truth of the Cross if we did not see that the law condemns us to death and in the truth of the gospel we have been crucified with the Lord. Many types and shadows of Christ can be seen in the law, and especially the prophets. We see Christ in every article of the temple, we see Christ as the bronze serpent, we see Christ as the Promised land of Israel...we see Him as the Manna and as the rock that poured forth water...etc... I could go on and on.

And on the issue of the "letter" that is best described as the legal dogma that was written that demands obedience of the flesh, for instance the legal dogma of circumcision demands a physical act of the flesh, in the "spirit" it is a cutting away by the Holy Spirit of the flesh upon the heart.

The Sabbath is a temporal day that must be observed according to the flesh, the true rest of God is to cease from ones own works and enter into a eternal righteousness and rest in Christ.

Thou shalt not covet...The flesh will always lust, but in the Spirit the love of God rules the heart and we no longer look to what others have but what we have in Christ...we don't look to take but to give...

Does this help you see the difference?

 

[Mitspa]

Read slowly what you posted, the law was not the stumble block but the fact that they seek their salvation through the law (by keeping the law). David loved the law and he proclaim it in so many places but the law was never his "tool" to salvation but his relationship with the almighty God.

Well of course they seek salvation ..righteousness by the law....they stumbled because they sought it not by faith.

That was the point, that you didn't think God would confuse the issue...clearly He did!

10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

2Co 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

 

[Mitspa]

That is an interesting thought, how often do you meditate on how to better obey the Ten Commandments? Daily? Hourly? or perhaps not at all?

Not under the law of moses...I meditate on the law of faith and love everyday, basically all day

Do you keep the law you teach to others? I do

 

[VCO]

So you believe you can sin and still be saved? Is that it?

James is not talking about providing for your basic needs versus giving to others. He is talking about favoritism of others. For he that does not provide for his own family is worse than an infidel. Scripture says give according to what God has purposed in your heart. For God loves a cheerful giver. It's only if you are rich and or hoarding onto a bunch of money that the Lord desires you to be willing to distribute.

Believers could actually still own their own their own houses. Servant masters could still keep their servants. Paul actually worked as a tentmaker. He did this so as not to charge for the gospel.

But if you think God does not require us to live godly, you are dead wrong, my friend. Paul himself essentially said if any man teaches contrary to the words of Jesus and the doctrine of godliness is proud and knows nothing (1 Timothy 6:3-4). Do you believe Paul?

I believe there are two kinds of liars:

Those who say they have never sinned.

AND

Those who think the quit and now have no sin in them.


BOTH of those groups, NEED TO DO A WHOLE LOT MORE STUDYING ON WHAT ALL GOD CONSIDERS SIN!


The TRUTH is like Dr. John MacArthur put it:

"There is no such thing as a Christian who does not sin, HOWEVER, as they mature spiritually they will sin less, and less, and less."

Romans 14:22-23 (YLT)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] Thou hast faith! to thyself have it before God; happy is he who is not judging himself in what he doth approve,
[SUP]23 [/SUP] and he who is making a difference, if he may eat, hath been condemned, because it is not of faith; and all that is not of faith is sin.

James 2:10 (NIV)
[SUP]10 [/SUP] For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Colossians 3:5 (YLT)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] Put to death, then, your members that are upon the earth--whoredom, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and the covetousness, which is idolatry--

 

[VCO]

Romans 7:14-24 (NASB)
[SUP]14 [/SUP] For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
[SUP]15 [/SUP] For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
[SUP]16 [/SUP] But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
[SUP]17 [/SUP] So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
[SUP]18 [/SUP] For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
[SUP]19 [/SUP] For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
[SUP]20 [/SUP] But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
[SUP]21 [/SUP] I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
[SUP]22 [/SUP] For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,
[SUP]23 [/SUP] but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
[SUP]24 [/SUP] Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

 

[JaumeJ]

It seems to ame, anyone who meditates so much on the law of faith would also know that if eating a certain food would cause your brother to fal, you would not eat that food in his presense. The same holds true if a brother observes certain do's and dn't's because he is content doing so or not doing so in the sight of God, a true brother in Christ would know to leave that person to God's perfecting him, and not demand he do as you do. Talk is free of charge, but actioon is the most communicative manner in which to convey your sincerity.

Not under the law of moses...I meditate on the law of faith and love everyday, basically all day

Do you keep the law you teach to others? I do

 

[VCO]

What do you think the Royal law is ? The law of love...this proves that obedience is in love and not legalism...so whats your point?

You are still a sinner saved by GRACE, you still have a sin Nature, even though you are seen through the blood of Christ as sinless, while in the here and now you still are a sinner, as Paul taught. You might want to get down off that high horse and face the reality that you have lots of spots that still need cleaning up. YES you were SAVED by GRACE, but the Sanctification process is an ongoing lifestyle of getting the leaven OUT. See my above post.

Let me show you what it takes to live up to the ROYAL LAW:



Matthew 22:37-40 (ASV)
37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets.

That was told to the Pharisees and Sadducees, to PROVE to them that they were still falling WAY SHORT of the mark that GOD says it takes to be righteous in HIS EYES. And like the Pharisees you seem to want to drag the requirement down to something you can keep, and then holler look at me, I am fulfilling the ROYAL LAW.

If EVERY OUNCE OF YOUR BEING, EVERY SECOND OF EVERY SINGLE DAY is NOT ALWAYS LOVING GOD to the absolute FULLEST POTENTIAL, then you are SINNING.

If YOU are NOT LOVING YOUR NEIGHBORS as YOURSELF, and you meet ALL of your NEEDS, then I SERIOUSLY DOUBT if you come even REMOTELY CLOSE to meeting ALL of your NEIGHBORS NEEDS (FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER, TRANSPORTATION, ETC.); then you are again SINNING.

James 2:8-10 (NIV)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
[SUP]9 [/SUP] But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
[SUP]10 [/SUP] For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.


THE PURPOSE of the ROYAL LAW and the Old Testament LAW is to drive people to their knees CRYING OUT for HIS FORGIVENESS, for failing to live up to HIS STANDARDS.

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

It seems to ame, anyone who meditates so much on the law of faith would also know that if eating a certain food would cause your brother to fal, you would not eat that food in his presense. The same holds true if a brother observes certain do's and dn't's because he is content doing so or not doing so in the sight of God, a true brother in Christ would know to leave that person to God's perfecting him, and not demand he do as you do. Talk is free of charge, but actioon is the most communicative manner in which to convey your sincerity.

What I picked up from this thread is that people think to be obedient to God's word makes you legalistic.

 

[JaumeJ]

The royal law? To love one's neighbor as oneself. You say royal law as thoug that ends things. Is there not th eone royal la first,? That is to love our Father, God, with all our min, hart soul and understanding?

Did not our Master, Jesus Christ, teach us that ALL OF TH ELW hangs on the laws of love? If this is so, an dit is, the law is there with love.

I have seen how when it suits you, the meanins of certain teachings change, usually preceeded by, "What's your point."

Now, perhaps you refuse to learn from other people, but please, do not deny the truth from the Holy Spirit; it is vexation

Jas 2:8

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Jas 2:9
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Funny how God said He took them out of bondage and gave them the 10 commandments. Today the church is telling us that we are in bondage from trying to be obedient to God’s word.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

What do we do if we love God? We keep commandments 1-4. What do we do when we love our neighbour? We keep commandments 5-10.

 

[michael56]

Funny how God said He took them out of bondage and gave them the 10 commandments. Today the church is telling us that we are in bondage from trying to be obedient to God’s word.

QUOTE]


Just a sincere question. In your view, if a person loves God and their neighbour, do they then need to concentrate on the literal words of commandments to obey them and show that love, or by simply loving God and others will they obey God's commands without having to refer to them?

 

[JaumeJ]

This is tantamout to asking if we should or should not lissten to God's Word and follow His instructions for the best manner to live well in this age. We are free of the curse of the law, but never the responsibility(ies) that come with love. This thought is for the warm and fuzzy believer who is saved and then ungrateful, thinking there is no need to work out his salvation with fear and trembling. It is a haughty outlook at best.

Funny how God said He took them out of bondage and gave them the 10 commandments. Today the church is telling us that we are in bondage from trying to be obedient to God’s word.

QUOTE]


Just a sincere question. In your view, if a person loves God and their neighbour, do they then need to concentrate on the literal words of commandments to obey them and show that love, or by simply loving God and others will they obey God's commands without having to refer to them?

 

[michael56]

This is tantamout to asking if we should or should not lissten to God's Word and follow His instructions for the best manner to live well in this age. We are free of the curse of the law, but never the responsibility(ies) that come with love. This thought is for the warm and fuzzy believer who is saved and then ungrateful, thinking there is no need to work out his salvation with fear and trembling. It is a haughty outlook at best.

I don't agree at all, it is a sincere question. Rather than attack me personally, if you wish to respond to the question, please give your opinion of what was asked.

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

Just a sincere question. In your view, if a person loves God and their neighbour, do they then need to concentrate on the literal words of commandments to obey them and show that love, or by simply loving God and others will they obey God's commands without having to refer to them?

Michael, the world today teaches us about love in the Greek mind set. I can love my wife but I also love peanut butter. Is it the same kind of love? Or I can hate pumpkin but I really hate that guy that drove into me. The same hate isn’t it?

The Bible teaches us to love in a Hebrew mind set. Hebrew mind set is not an emotional feeling but an action to show your love:

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, (how much did God love the world?) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (action)


The word for faith in Hebrew is emunah and the word means a strong action towards the will of God. The world today teaches us that faith is to leap of a building and to believe God will save you (Greek mind set) but the Hebrew teaches us that faith is this change in your life towards the will of God. What is God’s will? The will of God is in His word.

We are taught in a Greek mind set not a Hebrew one my friend and that is why we have these arguments.

 

[JaumeJ]

Please re-examin my response. The response is to your post, not an attack on anyone. No one has considered your posts as attacks; why should you. This is discussion, howeveyou believe the truth shared by you is from you and not of the Holy Spirit, then perhaps the truth is attacking you.

If you stick around this forum, and you tell the truth as you believe you have learned of the Holy Spirit, I can guarantee you, you will be attacked, and tha most likely will be personally, but not byi any brother or sister in Jesus Chrsit.

This is tantamout to asking if we should or should not lissten to God's Word and follow His instructions for the best manner to live well in this age. We are free of the curse of the law, but never the responsibility(ies) that come with love. This thought is for the warm and fuzzy believer who is saved and then ungrateful, thinking there is no need to work out his salvation with fear and trembling. It is a haughty outlook at best.

I don't agree at all, it is a sincere question. Rather than attack me personally, if you wish to respond to the question, please give your opinion of what was asked.

 

[michael56]

Michael, the world today teaches us about love in the Greek mind set. I can love my wife but I also love peanut butter. Is it the same kind of love? Or I can hate pumpkin but I really hate that guy that drove into me. The same hate isn’t it?

The Bible teaches us to love in a Hebrew mind set. Hebrew mind set is not an emotional feeling but an action to show your love:

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, (how much did God love the world?) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (action)


The word for faith in Hebrew is emunah and the word means a strong action towards the will of God. The world today teaches us that faith is to leap of a building and to believe God will save you (Greek mind set) but the Hebrew teaches us that faith is this change in your life towards the will of God. What is God’s will? The will of God is in His word.

We are taught in a Greek mind set not a Hebrew one my friend and that is why we have these arguments.

The reason I asked the question is this

My mother, who I loved dearly was diagnosed as terminally ill with cancer. My wife and I went to look after her in her own home for three months of her illness. During this time I lived closer to the biblical ideal than I had ever previously lived. I put aside my own wants and desires for my mother. I did not covet what was hers, I honoured her, I did not steal from her, want to murder her, bear false witness against her, etc. Did I have to think of any of the Ten Commandments to act that way towards her? No! I never once gave them a thought, it was because I loved my mother greatly.

So in that instance, the law if you like God wanted me to follow where my mother was concerned was simply kept because I loved her, I never had to think of the literal letter at all

 

[Mitspa]

You are still a sinner saved by GRACE, you still have a sin Nature, even though you are seen through the blood of Christ as sinless, while in the here and now you still are a sinner, as Paul taught. You might want to get down off that high horse and face the reality that you have lots of spots that still need cleaning up. YES you were SAVED by GRACE, but the Sanctification process is an ongoing lifestyle of getting the leaven OUT. See my above post.

Let me show you what it takes to live up to the ROYAL LAW:



Matthew 22:37-40 (ASV)
37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets.

That was told to the Pharisees and Sadducees, to PROVE to them that they were still falling WAY SHORT of the mark that GOD says it takes to be righteous in HIS EYES. And like the Pharisees you seem to want to drag the requirement down to something you can keep, and then holler look at me, I am fulfilling the ROYAL LAW.

If EVERY OUNCE OF YOUR BEING, EVERY SECOND OF EVERY SINGLE DAY is NOT ALWAYS LOVING GOD to the absolute FULLEST POTENTIAL, then you are SINNING.

If YOU are NOT LOVING YOUR NEIGHBORS as YOURSELF, and you meet ALL of your NEEDS, then I SERIOUSLY DOUBT if you come even REMOTELY CLOSE to meeting ALL of your NEIGHBORS NEEDS (FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER, TRANSPORTATION, ETC.); then you are again SINNING.

James 2:8-10 (NIV)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
[SUP]9 [/SUP] But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
[SUP]10 [/SUP] For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.


THE PURPOSE of the ROYAL LAW and the Old Testament LAW is to drive people to their knees CRYING OUT for HIS FORGIVENESS, for failing to live up to HIS STANDARDS.

Not sure of your point? Love is the Commandment of Christ and its His law...because In Him we have Gods love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, love is a fruit of the spirit, not a work of the flesh. And Love in Jesus Christ fulfills every commandment of God.

James is using the law as a witness to love, just as Paul did.

 

[just-me]

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of (legal dogma) that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Our battle against the demonic realm is a spiritual battle, fought with spiritual laws that we have been equipped by the Holy Spirit of God. Legalism is the flesh trying to attain spiritual truths. Legalism only keeps a believer bound and subject to the flesh. Nothing pleases the devil more than legalism! Almost every attack against the spiritual gospel in the New Testament was an attempt by the devil to bring legalism into the church, and by that, giving him power over the spiritual children of God by making them subject to their own flesh, through legalism.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, after He was baptized, was it legalism that compelled Him to quote Deuteronomy 3 times (part of the law) as He fought against the temptations of Satan?

 

[The_highwayman]

Romans 7:14-24 (NASB)
[SUP]14 [/SUP] For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
[SUP]15 [/SUP] For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
[SUP]16 [/SUP] But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
[SUP]17 [/SUP] So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
[SUP]18 [/SUP] For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
[SUP]19 [/SUP] For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
[SUP]20 [/SUP] But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
[SUP]21 [/SUP] I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
[SUP]22 [/SUP] For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,
[SUP]23 [/SUP] but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
[SUP]24 [/SUP] Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

You have to read Romans 7 in comparison to Romans 8....In Romans 7 Paul is showing us that attempting to live for Christ under the LAW is fruitless and SIN, because the Law was designed to bring us to Christ and after Christ we no longer need the Law[See Gal 3.21-26] and the strength of SIN is the Law[see 1 Cor 15.56]

In chapter 8 Paul is showing us how we live for Christ under the Spirit and Grace...which is a direct comparison to Chapter 7...


You cannot read ch 7 and ch 8 statically or as separate chapters with different topics, they are comparisons to each other...

Romans 7.24-25 says
[SUP]24 [/SUP]O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
[SUP]25 [/SUP]I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Paul continues answering the question in posed in 7.24, with 7.25 and then completely answers the question in 7.24 with 8.1-2

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

[SUP]2 [/SUP]For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

 

[The_highwayman]

I believe there are two kinds of liars:

Those who say they have never sinned.

AND

Those who think the quit and now have no sin in them.


BOTH of those groups, NEED TO DO A WHOLE LOT MORE STUDYING ON WHAT ALL GOD CONSIDERS SIN!


The TRUTH is like Dr. John MacArthur put it:

"There is no such thing as a Christian who does not sin, HOWEVER, as they mature spiritually they will sin less, and less, and less."

Romans 14:22-23 (YLT)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] Thou hast faith! to thyself have it before God; happy is he who is not judging himself in what he doth approve,
[SUP]23 [/SUP] and he who is making a difference, if he may eat, hath been condemned, because it is not of faith; and all that is not of faith is sin.

James 2:10 (NIV)
[SUP]10 [/SUP] For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Colossians 3:5 (YLT)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] Put to death, then, your members that are upon the earth--whoredom, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and the covetousness, which is idolatry--

I am not advocating a sinless/perfect life, I am advocating SIN is a CHOICE and you can master and subdue it, just as God told Cain he could do in Genesis 4.6-7

I am advocating what James 1.13-16 & 1 John 2.14-17 tells me is SIN.

I am advocating that even James 4.17 also involves a choice....

Victory over Sin is not perfection it is partaking of the divine nature and subduing SIN in your life..

Jesus told the adulterous woman in John 8 to go and SIN no more....He was not talking about ALL her SIN, he was talking about the SIN that beset her, which was Adultery....Though the Bible does not record it, I bet that woman never comitted Adultery again, because when Jesus stopped down to doodle in the dirt, he met her at her level, and his grace did not condemn her. He simply said, I do not condemn you either, now go and SIN no more...Jesus was telling her she had power over her SIN......

You wont receive this, because you have failed to completely understand God's grace, if you cannot cannot grasp true grace, then you cannot accept faith-righteousness and if you cannot accept faith-righteousness you will never attain to be a partaker of the divine nature...