Thread: "For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:22�24).
"For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:22�24).
Posted : 7 Dec, 2011 01:53 AM
The new birth does not transform flesh into spirit. It does not eradicate and expel the deep-seated root of our degenerate nature. Rather, it imparts another and a superadded nature. It implants a new and an antagonistic principle. This new nature is divine. This new principle is holy. And thus the believer becomes the subject of two natures. His soul becomes a battle-field upon which a perpetual conflict is going on, often resulting in his temporary captivity to the law of sin which is in his members.
Thus every spiritual mind is painfully conscious of the earthly tendency of his evil nature. Every spiritual mind is aware that he can derive no sympathy or help from the flesh, but instead he finds there everything that discourages, encumbers, and retards his spirit in its breathings and strugglings after holiness.
A mournful sense of the seductive power of earthly things enters deeply into this state of mind. As we bear about with us, in every step, an earthly nature, it is not surprising that its affinities and sympathies should be earthly; that earthly objects should possess a magnetic influence, perpetually attracting to themselves whatever is congenial with their own nature in the soul of the renewed man.
Our homeward path lies through a world that is captivating and ensnaring. The world, chameleon-like, can assume any color suitable to its purpose; it can take any shape answerable to its end. There is not a mind, a conscience, or a taste, to which it cannot accommodate itself. For the gross, it has sensual pleasures. For the refined, it has polished enjoyments. For the thoughtful, it has intellectual delights. For the enterprising, it has bold, magnificent schemes.
The child of God feels this engrossing power. He is conscious of this seductive influence. Worldly applause�who is entirely proof against its power? Human adulation�who can resist its incense? Creature power�who is free from its captivation? Love of worldly ease and respectability, influence, and position; a liking to glide smoothly along the sunny tide of the world's good opinion�who is clad in a coat of mail so impervious as to resist these attacks? Have not the mightiest fallen before them? Such are only some of the many ensnaring influences which weave themselves around the path of the celestial traveler, often extorting from him the humiliating acknowledgment�"My soul clings to the dust" (Ps. 119:25).
In this category, we may also include things which, though they are lawful in themselves, are yet of an earthly tendency that deteriorates the life of God in the soul. What heavenly mind is not sadly aware of this? Our ever-foremost, sleepless, subtle foe stands by and says, "This is lawful, and you may freely and unrestrictedly indulge in it." But another and a solemn voice is heard issuing from the sacred oracle of truth� " 'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful" (1 Cor. 6:12). And yet how often are we forced to learn the lesson, that lawful things may, in their wrong indulgence and influence, become unlawful through the spiritual leanness which they engender in the soul!
Oh, it is a narrow path which conducts us back to Paradise. But our Lord and Master made it so; he himself has trodden it, "leaving us an example that we should follow his steps"; and he, too, is sufficient for its narrowness. Yes; such is the gravitating tendency to earth of the carnal nature within us, we are ever prone and ever ready, at each bland smile of the world, and at each verdant, sunny spot of the wilderness, to retire into the circle of self-complaisance and self-indulgence, and take up our rest where, from the polluted and unsatisfying nature of all earthly things, real rest can never be found. Thus may even lawful affections and lawful enjoyments, lawful pursuits and pleasures, wring the confession from the lips of a heavenly-minded man�"My soul clings to the dust" (Ps. 119:25).
by Octavius Winslow, 1856 (edited for
today's reader by Larry E. Wilson, 2010)
Rise, my soul, to watch and pray,
from thy sleep awaken;
be not by the evil day
unawares o'ertaken.
for the foe,
well we know,
oft his harvest reapeth
while the Christian sleepeth.
Watch against the devil's snares
lest asleep he find thee;
for indeed no pains he spares
to deceive and blind thee.
Satan's prey
oft are they
who secure are sleeping
and no watch are keeping.
Watch! Let not the wicked world
with its pow'r defeat thee.
Watch lest with her pomp unfurled
she betray and cheat thee.
Watch and see
lest there be
faithless friends to charm thee,
who but seek to harm thee.
Watch against thyself, my soul,
lest with grace thou trifle;
let not self thy thoughts control
nor God's mercy stifle.
Pride and sin
lurk within
all thy hopes to scatter;
heed not when they flatter.
But while watching, also pray
to the Lord unceasing.
He will free thee, be thy stay,
strength and faith increasing.
O Lord, bless
in distress
and let nothing swerve me
from the will to serve thee.
Therefore let us watch and pray,
knowing he will hear us
as we see from day to day
dangers ever near us,
and the end
doth impend�
our redemption neareth
when our Lord appeareth.
(Johann B. Freystein, 1697; tr. By Catherine Winkworth, 1863; alt.)
"For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:22�24).
Posted : 7 Dec, 2011 05:09 AM
What Paul is talking about here, is the inward grace and knowledge that all which is relative to life, was decreed and is Sovereignly maintained; but the war which is introduced all around us, and actually imputed into our flesh, is not something easy to handle and deal with.
Notice how Paul contrasts, "I delight in the law [knowledge of His wisdom] in my inner being," which has to be disciplined and constrained by the Holy Spirit, with the war of the flesh: "But I see in my members another law [man's wisdom] which seeks to control and dominate the spiritually-freed mind.
This is why we see the scripture: Let this mind 'the mind of True Wisdom which is in Christ ALONE be in you also".
True wisdom is decreed to come to the chosen: "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them [the reprobate / the damned / "the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction / the wolf in sheep's clothing / the hypocrite (actor) / the tare"] it is not given".
We which are of the elect, are sometimes - depending on the Father's purpose - enabled to see the kingdom of God in this world.
"For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:22�24).
Posted : 7 Dec, 2011 06:56 AM
This article is as always Donna is written as an individual not born again.
Paul is referring to how it was before he was born again, he is not referring to himsel as in christ.
"For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:22�24).
Posted : 7 Dec, 2011 08:55 AM
PJ writes:
"This article is as always Donna is written as an individual not born again.
Paul is referring to how it was before he was born again, he is not referring to himsel as in christ."
PJ, I have never seen, on any site I have been on, or anywhere in the world, one so intellectually deficient.
The text in this scripture is very clear. Paul is speaking in the present tense, not past tense. Words such as "FOR I DELIGHT" are words that are present tense. In order for you to be right, it would have to state - which it doesn't - FOR I DID DELIGHT" or "I ONCE DELIGHTED".
Also, is the incredible passage of, "WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM". Paul did not state, "WRETCHED MAN THAT I WAS".
The terms:
"FOR I DELIGHT"
BUT I SEE IN MY MEMBERS"
"MAKING ME CAPTIVE"
"TO THE SIN THAT DWELLS IN MY MEMBERS"
And finally,
"WHO WILL DELIVER ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH."
Paul, was extremely well educated, even if it was in Caesar's Babylonian school system, and he knew the difference between "THIS BODY OF DEATH", and "THAT BODY OF DEATH".
"For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:22�24).
Posted : 7 Dec, 2011 11:49 AM
PJ writes:
"This article is as always Donna is written as an individual not born again.
Paul is referring to how it was before he was born again, he is not referring to himsel as in christ."
PJ, I have never seen, on any site I have been on, or anywhere in the world, one so intellectually deficient.
The text in this scripture is very clear. Paul is speaking in the present tense, not past tense. Words such as "FOR I DELIGHT" are words that are present tense. In order for you to be right, it would have to state - which it doesn't - FOR I DID DELIGHT" or "I ONCE DELIGHTED".
Also, is the incredible passage of, "WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM". Paul did not state, "WRETCHED MAN THAT I WAS".
The terms:
"FOR I DELIGHT"
BUT I SEE IN MY MEMBERS"
"MAKING ME CAPTIVE"
"TO THE SIN THAT DWELLS IN MY MEMBERS"
And finally,
"WHO WILL DELIVER ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH."
Paul, was extremely well educated, even if it was in Caesar's Babylonian school system, and he knew the difference between "THIS BODY OF DEATH", and "THAT BODY OF DEATH".
awm
First thing first speaking to the wisdom of this world:
I never said I was right, I just believe what the word of God declares.
This is a letter written to man, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. to all that be in Rome, called to be saint's
A man that is in Christ is dead TO SIN
The I in that context and the body of death are one of a man under the law as it is mentioned all thru the seventh chapter, following the sixth ch. that is very clear how we are no longer under sin, and the dominion of Sin
The law is under the old covenant as we know and also as befre Christ one is under the law of Sin and death.
The wretched man in verse 24 is the man under sin as the context tells the hearer of the word, who shall deliver me from this body of death, then he goes into explaining that in christ we are no longer in the flesh.
Verse Ten gives man the father's perspective on the body of death
So as I orginally stated the post is written of a man under sin, under the law not in Christ.
So will you be carnally minded which is death,
Or will you chose life and be spiritually minded.
It was Paul that taught us to be intellectual is to be at enmity with God, no man can commune or know God with his mind, the mind does not comprehend spiritual matters.
"For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:22�24).
Posted : 7 Dec, 2011 12:11 PM
Exactly AWM. Sanctification the christian life one of denying self, and clinging to Christ and his righteousness every moment we draw breath.
pj i am still not interested in your delusions of you finney bible.
"For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:22�24).
Posted : 7 Dec, 2011 12:23 PM
Thank you Donna for that Honor, if you choose to deny Jesus that is your choice.
Every time you reject the word of God you reject Jesus, there is no division between him and his word, actually it would include all of the Godhead
No donna you tell me should I serve your doctrin'w or the lord Jesus Christ and his teachings.
