Romans 8 ~ Misunderstanding Romans 8:5 …we’ve had lots of help
My old man was dead, but he had left behind this body of flesh that still had to be dealt with. Romans 8:4 had shown there was still a part for me to play in walking according to the spirit and not according to the flesh. It wasn’t enough to receive my new identity while retaining my old actions.Continue reading
Romans 8 ~ Wrestling With That Pesky Clause in verses 1 and 4
Although in Romans 8 Paul seemed to have found his answer, it still wasn’t making any practical sense to me. Nevertheless, armed with new revelation, I began to read the chapter yet again…continuing to search for the secret to victory over the ‘body’ that Paul had proclaimed at the end of Romans 7. Continue reading
Romans 8 ~ Are You In the Flesh or In the Spirit? Take the test to find out.
I’d established that although the old man with its sin nature has died, he nevertheless left behind a body. Paul identified this unredeemed flesh as the source of his sin and inability to live righteously. Having located the source of the problem still didn’t supply the answer. Was this to be my sad state until the trumpet sounded and I got rid of this body of flesh?Continue reading
Romans 7 ~ Two Words That Narrow Down the Sin Problem
Having said that once born again we are made righteous and no longer have a sin nature, one could raise the question, “Then why do we still sin?” Continue reading
II Corinthians 5 ~ What “old things” have passed away?
After discovering so much, one would think my struggle to walk in holiness and bear good fruit would be over. I had seen I was righteous, but I had to admit that sin was still showing its ugly head in my life. Was this just ‘positional’ righteousness I’d received? Practically speaking, was I still the same? From all indications, it appeared so. Did I, in fact, still have a sin nature?
II Corinthians 5 ~ Trying To Become What We Already Are
Just as surely as the disobedience of Adam made us sinners, the obedience of Jesus made us righteous. We need to be as familiar with the scripture in Romans 5:19 as we are with John 3:16.
Many of us don’t fully realize what took place when we were born again. Continue reading
Romans 5 ~ The Curse Reversed
The hopeless plight of fallen man, born with an unchangeable sin nature appeared to leave all of us in a perpetual state of doing our best and getting forgiveness for the rest. The endless failure, frustration, and guilt of this condition was what I had lived with and I’d heard echoed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 7.Continue reading
Genesis 1, 2, 5 ~ Man’s Nature Before & After the Fall ….continued from Monday
I hesitate to move too quickly past the truth we’ve discovered in realizing man’s design. It is essential that we know this, for it is more than relevant to the subject under consideration. It is vital. Let’s also not forget what that subject is lest we lose sight of the goal…to fulfill those first words spoken by God to his man. They are the words He is still speaking to us today. Be fruitful.Continue reading
Genesis 2, 5 ~ The Day Adam Died
Unwilling to make a false argument which would release me from accountability, and knowing I surely was misunderstanding something about Paul’s statements in Romans, I headed back to Genesis only to find more light that would take me another step closer to the freedom I longed for. Again, I began reading the story of Adam and Eve…Continue reading
Romans 7 ~ Was Paul ‘Copping Out’ ?
The things I had discovered in Genesis were indeed helping me to some degree. I was thankful for what I’d been made aware of thus far, but was still puzzled as to how to bear the good fruit God expected of me. I had learned what didn’t work but was still clueless as to what did.Continue reading