Notification of a new post...

Notification of a new post...

I have not added a post to my Q&A blog for a while, so this is just a quick notification that a new blog post is available here:

What is faith in the Grace dispensation?

God bless...

Paul's letter by letter curriculum for maturing in Spirit and having Christ formed within you

Paul's Curriculum for Maturing in Spirit and having Christ formed within you.

• Romans to Galatians is focused predominantly on believer growing up and learning of God while here on earth.
• Ephesians to Thessalonians is focused on sonship and sets sights on life in the heavenly position and for eternity.

 

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 15 - With the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin)

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 15 - With the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin)

Another Law in my Members

Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.  (6)  But now we are delivered 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.

The motions of sin which exist in the flesh, strengthened by the knowledge of the law, work in our fleshly members to bring forth fruit unto death. This is not eternal death, since justification saves us from the wrath of God and hell, but it is a functional death, meaning that we are unprofitable to God, incapable of being used by Him as an instrument of righteousness. 

On the other hand, if the second pillar of sanctification, (deliverance of the law), stands strong and sure in us, then we are married to a different husband, to Christ, and we operate under a different set of principles; not those of law, but those of grace. Actually, Paul says in Rom.7:4 that, “ye should be married to another”. The word ‘should’, is an actionable word, meaning that we could stand idle and remain widowed (unmarried), and exist in that state relying only on our justification, or we could set about to seek another husband and marry him, coming in under a new spiritual set of principles. In this state we can grow and function in the motions of obedience unto righteousness, which exist in the spirit of the mind, Rom.8:5,27, strengthened by the knowledge of the Word of God, producing in us the workings of God, to will and do according to His good pleasure, bringing forth the fruit of righteousness and godliness, even in our flesh, which is being quickened by the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, Rom.8:11.

Time to relax over the holiday season

 

Time to relax over the holiday season

Hello friends,

This is a quick notice to inform that I'll be taking a bit of time off from regular posting over this holiday and new year season. I won't be breaking from the Bible and partaking in it regularly, but I will be more relaxed when it comes to writing articles over the next month. My focus will be on some needed R&R and spending time with family and friends.

In saying this, let me wish all my friends on this site a time of rest and relaxation too. As we end the year and start a new one, let's focus on good will, compassion, peace, and thanksgiving, and let's recharge so that we can resume in the new year with energy and fervour in our faith and in our responsibilities.

If I post anything during this time, it will be a bonus, but my aim it to switch off the writing responsibilities and use the free time to rest and recharge.

May God's blessings and peace be with you all during this season and into the new year.

Grace and peace.

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 14 - Psychology 101)

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 14 - Psychology 101)

THAT YE SHOULD BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER

Rom.7:1  Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?  (2)  For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.  (3)  So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

This passage from Romans 7:1-3 uses an analogy of marriage to illustrate the relationship between the law and believers. The key message is that the law has authority over a person only as long as they are alive. Just as a woman is bound by the law to her husband while he lives, but is free to remarry if he dies, similarly, believers are bound to the law until a death takes place. The important thing to learn from this analogy is who are the role players? 

Though Paul provides context to the marriage analogy from verse 4, and before we look into it, let us consider this analogy and work out for ourselves who the role players are.

The Inner and Outer Man

Paul teaches us in 1Thess.5:23 that every person has a spirit, a soul, and a body. The body is the lifeless outer shell that connects us to the earth and allows us to interact in this realm. The spirit is the breath of God within us that gives life and makes us a living soul, 1Cor.15:45. This means that the soul, according to Gen.2:7 and Mrk.8:36, is truly what you are. The body goes back to the dust, the spirit goes back to God who gave it, and the only part that remains of man is his soul.

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 13 - Shall we sin, because we are not under the law)

Start this lesson series here: 
Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 1)

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 13 - Shall we sin, because we are not under the law)

In Romans 6:1-13, Paul teaches us that in a positional (or heavenly) state, we are dead to sin, having been crucified with Christ, and that we need to accept this by faith so that as Christ was resurrected by the power of God, we too can walk in that newness of the resurrection life of Christ. In additional to coming to this understanding concerning sin, we are also introduced to the truth that we are dead to the law by the body of Christ. See these few verses to highlight the fact,

Rom.3:21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; …  28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. …  

Rom.6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 

Though Paul expounds on this topic in chapter 7, he starts this topic in chapter 6 with another rhetorical question to counteract and neutralise the reasoning mind of believers, saying, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?”