It is 3:35 PM Sunday afternoon in the flow of existence [Life]. Carol said last night to me I always look Pensive (”engaged in deep thoughtfulness” “suggesting or expressing deep often melancholy thought” “Synonyms: pensive, contemplative, reflective. These describe the quality or nature of being mentally or spiritually preoccupied, usually in a quiet way but one which is or would be apparent to other people”).
Carol went to bed and I have been doing the usual stuff. Right now I am down in the basement writing and drinking a mocha. I have these two books next to me—
“Private Thoughts on Religion” by Rev. Thomas Adams (1701-1784)
“Paul’s Letter to the Romans: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary” by Ben Witherington III
Last night I got out some of my NT commentaries on Romans because of something I read in “Private Thoughts on Religion”-I will quote some of what I read written in the Preface of the book.—”In the first place, however strange to many it may seem, that so confessedly good man should complain so deeply of his sinfulness all his days, it must be insisted on that there is nothing in it unscriptural. The doctrines and views of divine revelation all confirm the propriety of it. From them it is evident, that true holiness, and a true growth in holiness, are ever attended with such a sense of indwelling sin. Let any man carefully attend to St. Paul speaking of himself in Romans 7. That he is not personating a wicked man, is certain from the whole tenor of the description. “What I hate,” says he, “that do I;” and “I delight in the law of God after the inward man.” To hate sin, and to delight in the law of God, belongs only to a person of real piety; nor is there any thing in the whole account, which would lead us to suspect, that he speaks of himself as being only in the first stage and entrance of practical Christianity.” pg. 50
The author of the Preface to this book believes the apostle Paul in Romans 7 is describing his Christian experience and not his pre-Christian experience as a Jew. The writer of the Preface writes later “In an unconverted person, there is but one nature, in a real Christian there are two; the one is called the flesh, the other the spirit. . .” pg. 58 Does a Christian have two natures battling in him-“the old man” and “the new man“? No, a Christian is a new man in Christ and the old man has died. I am alive in Christ and have died to the power of sin. Now that does not mean I do have to resist remaining sin. I am still in the flesh. I must put to death the deeds of the flesh and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. But I am one person not two. I am a new creation in Christ. Now is a Christian his whole life miserable because of indwelling sin? I think a Christian as he grows spiritually is focused on the Lord Jesus and not his sinfulness. A christian knows there is nothing in him that will make him right with God. A Christian looks to the Lord Jesus alone to save him and present him perfect before God on the Last Day. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Romans 8:16,17.
I think a true sign or evidence of spiritual growth is love for the Lord not always moaning how sinful we are. We are to have our eyes focused on Christ and not on our imperfections-lack of conformity to Christ. We will never measure up to God’s perfect character. We all fall short of the glory of God. We must look to the Lord Jesus to save us and perfect that work of salvation begun in us when we were regenerated “born again”.
I think why some Christians have the idea Romans 7 is describing a Christian experience and not a pre-conversion experience or Paul’s experience as a Jew under the Law is their understanding of Covenant Theology. Some Reformed folk in the Christian world are just Old Testament Jews. Years ago when we were members of a small Dutch Independent Reformed church the folks were proud to call themselves Abraham children’s. These Christians saw no difference between the Old Covenant [Mosaic] and the New Covenant. To these Dutch Reformed the NT Church was spiritual Israel. If you baptized your kids when they were babies they were now heirs of the Abrahamic covenant-all the promises of God. In the Old Testament the Jews circumcised their children, but now we baptize our babies with water. One eternal covenant and one eternal rite to become a member of the covenant people of God. The way one proves they are true elect covenant seed is by obeying the Ten Commandments [the Moral Law] out of thankfulness (as did the Old Testament saints like Moses and King David).
The problem I have with all this is that there is no eternal covenant of grace. Also the Law has been fulfilled in Christ. “So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” Romans 7:4-6
“. . . But Paul us also asking: In what sense has the believer died to the Law in the body of Christ? This could mean that through the physical death of Jesus the Law ceased to have sway over those who would come to believe in Jesus. In any case, the death Paul refers to as a past event has released the believer from being under the power, control, or jurisdiction of the Mosaic Law. The believer is like the woman in the analogy, no longer subject to the old authority of the Law and now free to belong to another Law, the Law of Christ, which is this letter he speaks of as the obedience that flows from faith. Here it is enough to establish that Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, just as Paul said of himself in Gal. 2:19.” pg. Ben Witherington III “Romans”
When we were members of a Dutch Reformed Church every Sunday morning during the worship service the Ten Commandments were read-Exodus 20. When we sang the praises of God we sang the OT Psalms. Basically our worship was OT worship and not New Covenant worship. These Dutch Reformed saw no glory in the New Covenant (Testament). That is why I tell folks today in Dutch Reformed churches there is ignorance of the true Gospel (Pauline theology).
It is going on 4:44 PM Sunday afternoon. I am down here talking to myself. I usually write what is on my mind. I am just a normal man seeking to live for the glory of God in a fallen world. I am living in the last hours of the american empire. Soon there will be wide spread panic and we will pray for the end of the world to come soon. Maybe the Lord will have mercy on us? Maybe the Lord has more work for the Church to do before the end arrives?
So what else is on my mind this afternoon? I am not sure if I can take a nap this afternoon? It is raining and snowing outside this evening. It is too ugly outside to take Rudy for a walk. Well I will close to regroup.
music: Royksopp “Junior”
Darkcloud