i have been going through mark section by section, but the other day i just felt really dead in my sins, so i took a trip over to romans looking for the "no condemnation" verse. i felt so awful because i continue to desire to get better, but my flesh never changes. i wanted to be able to remember who i am in Christ.
romans 1-8 is basically a long continuous argument that paul is having with himself, making a statement and then making another defending against the first counter-argument he can think of. so it just kind of flows and rambles. it's toward the end of this where he asks, "did that which is good (the law) then bring death to me?" [romans 7:13] and begins to talk about always doing the opposite of what he wants to do. he says if he does what he does not want then it is no longer him who is actually doing it, but the sin that dwells in him [v. 20]. that he delights in the law in his inner being, but sees his flesh following another law which is waging war with the law in his mind; making him a captive to the law of sin that dwells in his body [v. 22-23]. but then says that because of all of this there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus [8:1]. and goes on talking about how if you set you mind on flesh you will recieve death but if you set your mind on the Spirit you will receive life and peace [v.6] and discusses being "in the flesh" and "in the Spirit". and i wonder how with all this war within us and our bodies still being a captive to the law of sin we can have absolutely no condemnation come upon us. and it seems that the key is in the mind. as stated earlier he says the law of his mind and the law of his flesh are at war [7:23] and that those that set their minds on the Spirit will receive life and peace [8:6] and later in romans he tells us that we should no longer be conformed to the patterns of this world but rather, through the renewing of our minds, we should be transformed into the Will of God [12:2]. somehow these two kingdoms, one of a decaying flesh and the other of a refreshing God, live side-by-side with eachother in our earthly bodies, constantly at war with one another. it seems the only release from this tension is death. and though we are constantly in this struggle, our fleshes forever belonging to the world, our minds and spirits have been renewed and replaced by the Holy Spirit, giving us evidence of our salvationin the we can not stand our own actions.
this is why when we realize this dichotomy within ourselves, we groan for completion with the rest of creation [8:22-23]. enduring the pain of not being able to control our own selves and eagerly awaiting the day when this war within us will end. but we are not without help; these first fruits [8:23] include patience to endure and self-control [galatians 5:22-23].
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romans 1-8 is basically a long continuous argument that paul is having with himself, making a statement and then making another defending against the first counter-argument he can think of. so it just kind of flows and rambles. it's toward the end of this where he asks, "did that which is good (the law) then bring death to me?" [romans 7:13] and begins to talk about always doing the opposite of what he wants to do. he says if he does what he does not want then it is no longer him who is actually doing it, but the sin that dwells in him [v. 20]. that he delights in the law in his inner being, but sees his flesh following another law which is waging war with the law in his mind; making him a captive to the law of sin that dwells in his body [v. 22-23]. but then says that because of all of this there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus [8:1]. and goes on talking about how if you set you mind on flesh you will recieve death but if you set your mind on the Spirit you will receive life and peace [v.6] and discusses being "in the flesh" and "in the Spirit". and i wonder how with all this war within us and our bodies still being a captive to the law of sin we can have absolutely no condemnation come upon us. and it seems that the key is in the mind. as stated earlier he says the law of his mind and the law of his flesh are at war [7:23] and that those that set their minds on the Spirit will receive life and peace [8:6] and later in romans he tells us that we should no longer be conformed to the patterns of this world but rather, through the renewing of our minds, we should be transformed into the Will of God [12:2]. somehow these two kingdoms, one of a decaying flesh and the other of a refreshing God, live side-by-side with eachother in our earthly bodies, constantly at war with one another. it seems the only release from this tension is death. and though we are constantly in this struggle, our fleshes forever belonging to the world, our minds and spirits have been renewed and replaced by the Holy Spirit, giving us evidence of our salvationin the we can not stand our own actions.
this is why when we realize this dichotomy within ourselves, we groan for completion with the rest of creation [8:22-23]. enduring the pain of not being able to control our own selves and eagerly awaiting the day when this war within us will end. but we are not without help; these first fruits [8:23] include patience to endure and self-control [galatians 5:22-23].
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The opening page does not display someone offering a sincere serious side one might anticipate of a serious student of religion.
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