.
● Jer 13:23a . . Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?
The answer to both those questions is of course "no" because if an h.sapiens
is born with black skin, it stays black; and if a cat is born with spotted fur,
its stays spotted. In other words: the color of an Ethiopian's skin, and the
spots on a leopard's fur, are indelible; they're permanent.
● Jer 13:23b . . Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
The apostle Paul said something similar in Rom 7:7-24; which is pretty much
summed up in verse 18, which reads thus:
"I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh"
The Greek word for "flesh" is sarx (sarx); which basically indicates the
meaty parts of either man or beast; i.e. the body. The meaty parts of course
consist of not only muscle and fat; but also the organs and the brain and
the nervous system along with the eyes, the ears, and the tongue. Those are
all "meaty" parts.
What Paul is saying in Rom 7:7-24 is that the human body has a will of its
own, and it quite naturally, and quite intrinsically, has a predilection for evil
instead of good. In other words; any man who would be 100% righteous is
in for a fight against nature, i.e. a fight against his own self-- an inner
conflict that (speaking from experience) can lead to a mental disorder or a
nervous breakdown.
Ironically, should someone manage to succeed in a war with themselves, in
the long run it will be for naught because all they will have done is suppress
their body's natural predilection for evil rather than get rid it.
_
● Jer 13:23a . . Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?
The answer to both those questions is of course "no" because if an h.sapiens
is born with black skin, it stays black; and if a cat is born with spotted fur,
its stays spotted. In other words: the color of an Ethiopian's skin, and the
spots on a leopard's fur, are indelible; they're permanent.
● Jer 13:23b . . Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
The apostle Paul said something similar in Rom 7:7-24; which is pretty much
summed up in verse 18, which reads thus:
"I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh"
The Greek word for "flesh" is sarx (sarx); which basically indicates the
meaty parts of either man or beast; i.e. the body. The meaty parts of course
consist of not only muscle and fat; but also the organs and the brain and
the nervous system along with the eyes, the ears, and the tongue. Those are
all "meaty" parts.
What Paul is saying in Rom 7:7-24 is that the human body has a will of its
own, and it quite naturally, and quite intrinsically, has a predilection for evil
instead of good. In other words; any man who would be 100% righteous is
in for a fight against nature, i.e. a fight against his own self-- an inner
conflict that (speaking from experience) can lead to a mental disorder or a
nervous breakdown.
Ironically, should someone manage to succeed in a war with themselves, in
the long run it will be for naught because all they will have done is suppress
their body's natural predilection for evil rather than get rid it.
_