DM#9: O wretched man that I am!

Doctrine of the Mysteries #9

Time for a quick synopsis

Paul’s mystery doctrine is a spiritual message. It cannot be received or understood by the carnal mind. The Corinthians were informed about this in the very beginning of their epistle,

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Likewise, Paul starts the foundational epistle of Romans with the statement,

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 

Paul was stating that to continue in his writings, one had to first be saved. In the context of this post, salvation is the condition for enrolment into the curriculum. This is confirmed in the fact that the next few chapters of Romans are a presentation of the gospel, informing us that all men are lost, and need to believe in Jesus Christ to receive the free gift of justification, a quickened spirit, and atonement by the grace of God, Rom 3:23-26.

So, if you are reading this, and you are not saved, or you doubt your salvation, it is recommended that you first get to hearing and understanding the gospel message. (See DM#4: The grace gospel, to all nations in this series). It is only after you sincerely believe in Jesus, and what He has done for you, that your spirit is made alive (aka: the inner man), and the mind of the spirit (the mind of the inner man) can start to understand the spiritual message and instruction of God through Paul’s letters.

This far, the mystery doctrine curriculum of Paul has informed us of the following things,

• The gospel message which is the power to the salvation of all who believe in it.
• At salvation, we are transferred from Adam’s administration into Christ’s administration.
• In Christ’s administration, we are set free from the power of sin and the law.

Contrasting administrations

The two administrations are vastly different. In the one, sin, condemnation, and death reigns. In the other, justification, grace, and life reigns. When we are transferred into Christ’s administration, our spiritual position with God is utterly changed. We might still be in the flesh, but our spiritual standing with God is one of grace, peace, and atonement, because of Christ’s cross work, and His righteousness imputed to us.

This new standing with God is grounded upon our spiritual identity in Christ and is not dependent on our current state in the flesh. Consequently, even though we still live in the flesh, it explains why Paul can confidently write that we are declared to be dead to sin, meaning that the effects and penalty of sin, is not sentenced to us. In addition, Paul can declare that we are dead to the law because of the death of Christ, allowing us to be joined to a new ‘contract’ of justification, grace, and life, Rom 7:4-6.

This is the proof, and direct benefit of the administration of the resurrected Christ. God deals with us under a brand-new set of principles. (Read Romans chapter 5 for the confirmation of this contract).

Now, all this is spiritual. Nothing of this ‘contract’ touches our current state in the flesh. God has done a spiritual work in us. It was always His intent to save our spirit, since the flesh is so far gone that it is essentially unsalvageable. This is why we will soon receive a new ‘glorified’ body at the rapture/resurrection. But, until then, the carnal life that we have here on earth needs to be controlled, 1Co 9:25-27.

O wretched man that I am!

The last part of Romans 7 is a familiar battle we all face daily. Sin is in the flesh. The law places a spotlight on our sin, so that sin, by the law, becomes amplified.

Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. … 18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 

Rom 7:22-24  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:  (23)  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  (24)  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

The body might be unsalvageable, but it is the mind that can be renewed and filled with the knowledge of God. It is to this end that Paul encourages us to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God and be transformed by the renewing of our mind. It is the mind that can be brought under obedience and influence of the written Word that lives in us. The body is subject to the mind and can be influenced by that which fills it. This is how we walk in the Spirit and live by faith, Gal 5:16. This is what we will be judged by at the Bema Seat of Christ, 1Co 3:12-15. This is the will of God for us in this time while we wait for that glorious hope of Christ’s return, 1Ti 2:4; Tit 2:13. 

Paul’s curriculum is all about growing and increasing in the knowledge of God, understanding God’s will and desires, and giving ourselves over daily to the obedience of faith. This is the very essence of a believer’s life today. It’s the formation of Christ within us, by the assimilation of the written Word into our minds, and the application of it while in this corrupt body of flesh. This is our duty as a grace believer. Nothing more, nothing less.