Hi Mike,
I want to explain to you how I was taught to interpret Rom 7. It is a classic example of how one foundational false doctrine becomes the foundation for not rightly dividing the word which leads to more false doctrines as well ‘solidifying’ our continuing to build our spiritual house on sand rather than the rock.
Human nature (i. e. how we are built by God first) demonstrates to us that once we form a major or ‘global’ belief we rarely every go back and examine that belief, so it becomes the prism/ paradigm on how we ‘see’ and believe everything. If someone says something that does not line up with these beliefs, we reject it typically. These major/ global beliefs tend to be large, definitive is/ are statements such as…”People are…, Government is…, northerners are…. medicine is…. The Bible is…”(and we fill in the blank based on our viewpoint, belief and even prejudice). If these global beliefs were a tabletop that would be supported with legs usually based on our experience, upbringing, research, etc…). Once they are formed we build upon them and never really go back to ‘see if these things be so’. Almost 4 years ago, I believe I was lead by the Spirit of God to embark on re- studying ALL my doctrinal beliefs. So I began with the doctrine that most bothered me… eternal torment. Naturally, I never thought I would discover how many idols and wrong beliefs/ wrong global Biblical beliefs would begin to come down and continue to this day.
Back to Rom 7.
This is the global belief I was taught about the tri- une nature of man and God. Like all false doctrines, they are built on some facts and some spiritual truths mixed with lies, presumptions and carnal conclusions and carnal reasonings. At the time, it really makes sense to us so we believe it and adopt it. Like many I was taught man is (global belief): “A spirit that lives in a temporary body and has a soul. That soul consists of a mind, will (free) & emotions. But the REAL you is your spirit man (that has been regenerated if you have ‘accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior).” As I used to teach the kids in children’s church I would say “picture an astronaut” is the space suit the real astronaut or is the guy/ gal inside the spacesuit the real astronaut? Usually, the kids understood the metaphor of the astronaut and could now follow the teaching. So, with that belief firmly established here is how we interpreted all scripture, including Rom 7, when we see the pronoun “I”. I was taught and subsequently taught “We are to ask ourselves which ‘I’ is the Scriptures referencing?”: The Regenerated Spirit man (the real you) ‘I’, the carnal flesh of man (body/’earthsuit’) ‘I’ or the soul man (will, mind & emotions) “I”.
For example, I’ve added the word spirit &soul in bold italics in parenthesis next to each ‘I”‘ in Rom 7. It’s a little tough to follow on paper only.Rom 7:13 Has then what is good become (spiritual) death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I (soul) am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For what I (soul) am doing, I (soul) do not understand. For what I (spirit) will to do, that I (soul) do not practice; but what I (spirit) hate, that I (soul) do.
Rom 7:16 If, then, I (spirit) do what I (spirit) will not to do, I (spirit & soul)) agree with the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 But now, it is no longer I (spirit) who do it, but sin that dwells in me (soul).
Rom 7:18 For I (spirit) know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me (spirit), but how to perform what is good I (soul) do not find.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I (spirit) will to do, I (soul) do not do; but the evil I (spirit) will not to do, that I (soul) practice.
Rom 7:20 Now if I (soul) do what I (spirit) will not to do, it is no longer I (spirit) who do it, but sin that dwells in me.Since the Scriptures can’t contradict, this teaching attempted to explain the apparant contradiction of Paul’s teaching in this chapter. The basic teaching was to explain how we (Regenerated, born again Christians) can still struggle with sin, still act in carnal ways. It was designed to point out that we need to ‘feed our spirit man’ more than we allow our ‘soulish man’ to be fed by what we see in the circumstances, led by our feelings and mind. If we do that, we (the real you – the spirit man) will dominate our ‘soulish man’ and eventually our actions and thoughts will reflect the REAL you, the regenerated spirit man (‘which is already saved’). In other words, Rom 7 is about training your spirit man to dominate your soulish nature which has NOT yet been regenerated.
So, this teaching caused me to study the Word more with the hopes of building (feeding) my spirit man with His Word so my spirit man would lead my life, not my soulish man. This way, “I would do what I (the real me – spirit man) what the spirit man wanted me to do, rather than the soul man. While this teaching resulted in many positive aspects in my Christian walk and personal development, it also solidified all the false doctrines this belief is based on (triune nature of man, triune nature of God, immortality of spirit, free will, fullness now (since we are already saved), it kept me from entering His Rest, it kept me from entering the Kingdom of God, etc… Had not God intervened by ‘prompting’ me to re- study my Global Christian Beliefs (i. e. what does The Word REALLY teach) today I would be teaching in Babylon full time and thereby keeping others from knowing The True God and The True Jesus Christ whom He sent… while thinking I was teaching them to know the True God and the True Jesus Christ whom He sent….
I do ‘see’ the wisdom of God in first learning and teaching a false Gospel (mixed with all the wonderful truths we do learn) in the ‘Babylonian Church System’ before being shown the Truths of His Word. It not only gives us the trials we need, it not only humbles us in a unique way, it also positions us to know where someone ‘is at’ when we are extending mercy to them by sharing His Truths, at the appointed time of the Father, with a truly meek and quiet spirit.
I hope this has been edifying.Be Blessed,
M____
Hi Mike,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts here with me. It all sounds so very familiar. Here is the way Ezekiel puts this part of our lives. I used to believe this was talking about those poor deceived souls in Babylon until I was finally granted the ability to see that this speaks of and to me whenever I am believing the lies of Babylon.
Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
What sounds so dreadful in that verse is the part that is really our salvation. It is the destruction of the false prophet within us that brings us to our spiritual senses, and brings us to see all the lies we have believed. It is the destruction of him from the midst of ‘my people Israel’, that qualifies our New Man to be “the Israel of God” (Gal 5:15-16). And Rom 7 demonstrates that even our sins and our “wicked man” are so made “for the day of evil” in every man who has ever lived.
Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
That verse of scripture, along with twice stating that our sins are not ours, is simply given to very few to accept.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [ how] to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
The sins we commit, we commit because of an inexorable law “within our members, and that law, as all laws, is the law of sin and death in our member, and it is given and sustained by the only lawgiver that exists. It is that one lawgiver who decides who He will save and who He will, in this age destroy.
Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Thanks for rehearsing Babylon’s perspective with me, Michael. It is God’s way to “call light out of darkness” and to contrast the light of the Truth of His Word, against all the lies and falsehoods of Babylon.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike