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Post by amboyd on May 22, 2014 2:03:13 GMT
Hey guys! So, the last couple of chapters in Romans have been about being dead to sin and living righteously. I felt that this chapter was no different, except that, we see in verses 7-25 that we are not alone when it comes to struggling with sin. Paul discusses how, many times, we do things that we do not necessarily mean or want to do but because we are enslaved in sin we do it anyway. However, we see the light in verses 24 & 25: "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord." No matter how caught up we get in the world we know that we can always go to God for our deliverance. What can wash away our sins? NOTHING BUT the blood of Jesus. This is the reason why we need to constantly seek Him and speak with Him, for we know that in His presence we are covered.
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donp
New Member
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Post by donp on May 22, 2014 3:06:20 GMT
Romans 7 was somewhat difficult to read because of the way it was written, but in short the three points that stood out were, 1.) the law, 2.) sin, and 3.) grace.
The passage opens with the mention of the law and then ties it to our sin(fulness). The law gives us something to be accountable to; it sets the standard. The significance of the law was to show/expose those areas in our lives where we fell/fall short. The law was necessary to the revelation of where we are in comparison to where we should be. In other words, if it were not for the law, we would have trouble even being aware of the areas in which we need to make change. We know that all of us sin and come short of Christ's expectations, but the law helps to point specifically to sin in our lives - and helps us to pinpoint those ares that need the work. Paul warns that even when he gives his best effort to do what's right and avoid sin, he fails. This is much similar to us today. Even on our best days, we are no where near where we could/should be .. (Isaiah 64:6)
Grace and mercy comes on the scene only when we become cognizant of our sin and the fact that our efforts alone will never be good enough. Then can we acknowledge God in His power, strength, and faithfulness to redeem us from something that we couldn't escape if we tried our hardest.
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Post by crystalc on May 22, 2014 3:28:43 GMT
Hello happy people! Hope today was great and tomorrow is even better. For me these scriptures stood out. Message version... Romans 7:13-16 MSG
I can already hear your next question: “Does that mean I can’t even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil?” No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God’s good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own. I can anticipate the response that is coming: “I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.
This passage just amplifies our need for the Holy Spirit. Without it, we fail. We can turn to our own logic but nothing compares to the success rate of the things of God. The devil wants to confuse you so you give in to temptations, thinking its not that bad or at least I'm not doing x, y, & z. The devil tries to lace Gods truth with his influence enticing our fleshly desires. In our own strength, we fall short, we are inadequate. There is no pulling yourself up with your own bootstraps as the saying goes. We NEED God all day, every day. More permanent than just Sunday morning service but abiding, living, residing where He is, in His presence. Like Ash said...
Don't allow your mind to be taken captive because we have all lived in sin's prison. We must commit ourselves, mind, BODY, and soul to God's commands. Because without it even when we want to do right we will still do wrong. I pray that we can recognize our iniquities, confess them to God and He will be faithful and just to forgive us.
Peace & Love
Crys |
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Post by Quia on May 22, 2014 3:51:55 GMT
Hey guys! Man, i remember my first time hearing these verses in this chapter. smh, and of course it was the KJV so i was all the way confused lol. That which I do I do not do and I do that which I want to do but shouldn't do yadda yadda yadda. All I kept thinking at that point was Paul I I DONT CARE WHAT YOU DO JUST MAKE A DECISION AND DO SOMETHING! You're blowing my mind here! Well after reading this I realized I still felt the same way except instead of talking to Paul, I was talking to myself. I can clearly remember times where I knew something was wrong and I wanted to do it anyways. I felt convicted when deciding to do it and guilty after I had done it smh. This is that idea of being rnslaved to our sinful nature that Paul is referring to. After reading it though, I got happy! 7 Now, dear brothers and sisters —you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living?
4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ
6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
So after reading these verses I was simply grateful. The fact is that the laws, those behaviors no longer have power over us bc we are no longer living in the sense of living under the influence of our sinful nature. Is it still a part of us--yes, but it's only a part of us so that God may prove that he has the power. So when we make a choice to live for God we DIE TO OUR SINS! We crucify our flesh. At that point flesh becomes a reminder of our journey and an illustration to those who have yet to make the choice to follow God that flesh, though it is strong CAN be defeated. That's the point Paul is making. The law only stands to correct those who adhere to it. Because we crucified our flesh the Holy Spirit, not the law has authority and therefore covers us with grace in such a way that the law never could. |
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Romans 7
May 22, 2014 11:05:19 GMT
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Post by cspain03 on May 22, 2014 11:05:19 GMT
Please forgive my late reply... Here we go:
I was blessed by reading the responses here to Romans 7, I agree with Don and Kia about how I felt reading this chapter and snaps to Ash and Crystal - especially Crystal's "bootstraps" statement, it's so on point, we need Hod everyday, ALL day!
So this stood out to me:
17 But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me.
18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it.
19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want!
I think this highlights the importance of not letting sin in to beginning with, which is what was mentioned her in this forum. No, we should place all the blame on something or someone else, because we are the ones opening the door to sin. We have to take responsibility and be mindful of what we expose ourselves to. We need to take an inventory of the things and people in our lives and make sure they are manifesting life and not sin - we may lose some "friends", we may need to change the music we listen to or the tv shows we watch, but it's all for the greater could to allow us to minimize the exposure to inviting sin in - its a wolf in sherps clothing!
Being aware of the fact that sin within our flesh will cause us to sin and go against the Will of God is important but we can't be satisfied with just that knowledge - we need to but action behind it. We are going to fall short, but we should walk around setting ourselves up for failure. We've heard "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak". The flesh is weak because of sin! We have to allow ourselves to grow the the place where are flesh doesnt get the best of us, where our douls have the control so we can do what is pleasing in God's sight.
Love y'all !
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