On Sep 7, 5:45 pm, "gary" <biblic...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> "Ethan Metsger" <m...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message>
> > But don't you see in Romans seven (and a parallel in Galatians 5) that
> > when operating in the flesh we *must* choose against our preferences?
I
> > really don't want to sin, but I do.
>
> Not sure I know your position on Rom. 7. I believe that Paul was
referring
> to himself in his regenerate state. Certainly Paul did not ALWAYS do
that
> which he did not want to do. Every Christian has this experience. We
often
> do that which we know we should not do, but then again, we sometimes do
that
> which we know to be God's will.
>
1 Jn obviously teaches that the regenerated man will continue
his battle out of darkness into light all his earthly life. Thus
confession re-establishes the fellow****p, not the salvation, that
was lost because of sin.
Also in 1 Jn it is noted that there are "children," and "young
men," and "fathers." Sanctification is a journey with valleys
and mountain tops. But for the fathers, those who have come
to maturity in dependence [naturally, as men grow older they
become more independent and leave home. Spiritually, men
become more dependent on the indwelling Light.], those
valley moments become less and less deep and less and
less often.
>
> > This is exactly the point of Romans seven--we are not free to choose
our
> > preference (not to sin), at least not in the flesh.
>
> Is it a sin to lie? Don't a lot of both regenerate and unregenerate
people
> choose to not lie on occasion? So it is not true that even the
unregenerate
> man cannot choose to not sin.
>
> We cannot live as God wants us to live without being lead by the Holy
> Spirit.
>
The "fruit of the Spirit" means exactly that. It is not the fruit of
good men trying to be good. It is a Divine attribute residing within
the regenerate man who transfigures to EXpress the "new and
real life that is within us."
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