"David Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Judy wrote: Sanctification is not a thing that happened for us 2,000yrs ago; it is a daily choice on our part to 'work out our own salvation with fear and trembling'.
David: Both are involved in sanctification. The sanctification of the spirit happens immediately, but the sanctification of our soul is progressive. Judy: I know the 'faith teachers' teach this David; however I'm no longer convinced that our spirit is immediately purified and perfect when we receive Christ for several reasons. David: We have to look at sanctification as something that happens immediately, not progressively, or we will go back to the letter of the law. Judy: Not necessarily; it's obvious that we don't have any power in and of ourselves to be any different, a leopard can't change it's spots so it's all grace whether or not it happens immediately. David: Nevertheless, I acknowledge that the soul develops new attitudes and habits over time as we walk in the new man that he gives us instantly by faith. Judy: I would probably say that the soul is renewed and changed as we walk after the spirit daily repenting and turning from our old ways. Judy wrote: I was recently surprised myself to learn that Paul wrote Romans 7 after he himself had been born again for more than 20yrs. David: Surprised? You mean you previously thought that Paul wrote Romans 7 before he was saved? Judy: Not exactly. I thought the man he describes in Romans 7 was himself before Christ .. I had heard faith teachers say that Romans 7 was describing an unregenerate man but Paul wrote elsewhere that he had NOT already attained but that he pressed on. IMO these doctrines deny reality and are dangerous. David: Paul was not living Romans 7 at the time in which he wrote it. Romans 7 describes a defeated man, a man who is a slave to sin and carnal passions, a man under bondage to sin. I could write something like Romans 7 today as a redeemed man, but it would not mean that I am currently living in that defeated state. "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." (Romans 7:5 KJV) Consider this verse carefully before reading the rest of Romans 7. It says, "WHEN WE WERE IN THE FLESH." The whole chapter speaks of living a life of condemnation, one where you want to do what is right, but you can find no power to do it. This is NOT the Christian life. This is life UNDER LAW and a life of defeat because of the power of the flesh. Paul sums up his sentiments in chapter 7 with: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24 KJV). This is the work of being under law. It causes us to look for a Savior. Who will deliver us from the body of this death? The answer? Jesus Christ. That's why Paul immediately says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1 KJV) Judy: What about those who claim to be in Christ Jesus who walk after the flesh? Do you believe there is condemnation for them? David: In Romans 7, Paul describes a life of condemnation. This is life UNDER LAW. Judy: When professing believers miss it and go back to a flesh walk the law still judges them. We are either blessed or cursed according to where we walk. IMO Paul addresses this in Romans 7 and yes there is now no condemnation to those who consistently walk after the Spirit. However, walking after the Spirit is learned behavior and being judged by God's Law is what puts us on our knees and causes us to return to Christ with our whole heart, rather than go on with a heart divided. I am not observing a whole lot of freedom in the body of Christ today. There are just as many curses and just as much sickness hanging on believers as there is out there in the world and this is why I see these 'faith' doctrines as dangerous. They teach a false sense of security. Grace and Peace, Judy ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
