A good friend and brother shared this recent paper he wrote on The Power of Sin in the linked pdf. He welcomes your thoughtful feedback and discussion regarding this important spiritual matter. You are welcome to post any constructive feedback thoughts and comments right here on this thread.
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Wisdom in the WORD 
In creating, God created all things, none of which are Himself who alone is holy.
There is none holy but Him.
So the propensity to sin it seems exists in the nature of being anything other than God, this including all created things with a will of their own which can decide to remain with God and His Way or not.
Choosing to remain with God in His Way will ultimately culminate in that ultimate gathering together (E1:10)
Choosing not to remain with God and His Way will lead to annihilation
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Though there are clearly endless implications to this topic. One thing which still seems to be significant and central… recalled from a small book…a rare theology read.
Chosen By God
(R. C. Sproul)
His passing question piques the intrigue, and he said no more but it seems as clear then as now
His self admitted unanswered question was to the effect of
Yes, but where did the actual impetus for man’s sin originate from? (Paraphrased from recollection)
Clearly, Sproul’s frame of mind and thinking from within a mindset focused on essences and theological constructs (perhaps akin to Augustine and his Greek mind of ethereal substances) was for some definite substance of origin. For his question clearly asked, how could sin arise where there was no sin.
Then as now, the clear answer is that
Sin is no more a substance in its own than rust is a substance in its own
(Parenthetical aside: borrowing an idea from the rightly esteemed Winkie Pratney.)
Sin is not a substance that arises from a starter batch of yeast–though it behaves like yeast
Yeast itself is a fungus
The fungus amongus
Rust is a form of decomposition
Dark is the absence of light
God is light
Cold is the absence of heat
Our God is a consuming fire
Sin is the absence of holiness
Our God is HOLY HOLY HOLY
Adam sinned because of 2 agents reacting by means of a catalyst
disobedience
True choice + free will –> SIN
The truth and YHVH and the command were all there yet they were greater than the agents acting in that first human sin at least as reduced in that theological equation…
Just a thought…
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Regarding new covenant:
There is nonetheless a real and living freedom wrought by Christ which goes beyond the descriptive ability of moral law.
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There is within this a freedom and a divine power and authority for even greater things which have to do with salvation and breaking bondages, setting captives free, bringing deliverance, mending broken hearts, strengthening weak knees, lifting up feeble hands, opening blind eyes, leaping like a deer.
These are the ways in which the law never describes victorious righteousness peace and joy. The law never proscribes leaping like a deer.
The accuser comes but he finds nothing in those consumed by this life of faith in Christ
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Let us not forget to emphasize this simple yet powerful and important point:
There is sin
There is law
Rather than aim to isolate one as the culprit over against the other. It seems clear that there are other things which relate to bondage as well. None of these in themselves are the ultimate culprit. There is the flesh. There is the carnal mind. There is also of course the enemy of our souls.
The common issue is
Bondage… that is to say
Slavery
That is the ultimate issue
People must be set free
And we all know and whole heartedly concur and declare that
ONLY CHRIST SETS CAPTIVES FREE
from death, self, law, carnal heart, mind, desires, will, thinking etc
Whoever sins is a slave to sin
Everything is permissible but I will not be mastered by anything
Our common message is clear and must clearly declare the message of the Power of Righteousness which is only in Christ
CHRIST JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE WHO BRINGS ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE WHICH GOD REQUIRES
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Psalm 19 though!
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.
The law of Yahweh is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of Yahweh are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of Yahweh are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of Yahweh are firm, and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Yahweh, my Rock and my Redeemer.
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STIMULI OF SIN
So sin can be dormant but then spring to life by various causes, at least 2…not only the command but also by desire.
Is this correct?
STIMULATED BY COMMAND
Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
Romans 7:9, 12
STIMULATED BY DESIRE
“Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:14-15
Are there other stimuli for sin to guard against?
Guard against rebellion
Guard against carnal desire
Guard the gates
RJ has frequently highlighted another principle which seems relevant here:
Guard against self guidance
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This may be a bridge too far but it seems like the brother of the One who spoke of new birth entry into God’s family wrote to the 12 tribes regarding sin being birthed
And
The one who took to the non Jews the message of being adopted into God’s family speaks to us of how sin kidnaps those who were already alive into the family of death.
Always sin leads to death
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The truth is not complicated.
Obedience is not instant perfection. Perfection is the result of perfect obedience. JESUS accomplished that. Adam failed. Cain already had sarkos so he didn’t have the same opportunity Adam did. Adam had NO NAVEL. JESUS on the other hand…
“Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 5:8-10
What’s it there for?
Begin to see how vast this mystery of godliness really is:
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Acts 2:36
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In Romans 7:23 the contrast between “another law at work in me” v “the law of my mind” is
The law of sin v the law of spirit
The law of sin works in the flesh against the law of the mind
The law of righteousness works in the spirit to renew the law of the mind
The 1 righteous and eternal law of God impacts our spirit, soul and body in different ways.
God’s Law is Eternal
“All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.” Psalms 119:160
If we feed the flesh we empower the law of sin against the law of our mind
When we feed our spirit we allow the law of righteousness to transform us by the renewal of our mind
So verse 25 speaks to that question many have about whether followers of JESUS are forgiven sinners or justified saints.
Well, we are saints by grace through faith as we are justified. However, as much as we are being sanctified we do have flesh, which, if its actions are not mortified, is a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, we must murder the actions of our fleshly nature lest we be enslaved by them. So forgiven sinner or justified saint, we must needs do this.
“Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” Romans 7:25
It seems to me by this that Paul is declaring clearly the persistent righteousness of God’s eternal Law (not of works but for instruction to righteousness) for our spirit man in order to transform us by the renewal of our minds. Without the renewal afforded by surrender to God’s righteous decrees (in the new covenant rebirth) we remain slaves to the law of sin.
So here is the picture of Romans 7
In our earthly being, our earthly state, namely spirit, soul and body, our person exists in 2 realms: the realm of the flesh and the realm of the spirit. So these 2 laws are at work and we must continually feed the spirit and quench the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit which results then is not of works at all but the fruit of the spirit which comes from God which sets us free from the fruits of the flesh which deeds are put to death by God’s power at work in us.
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“For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” Romans 7:5, 21-25
So
The Eternal Law
Belongs to God
It declares God’s unchanging righteousness
We have access to that law but that old access brings death so we do not desire that
We have been given this new access to God’s righteousness which is by grace through faith through this new way under
The Eternal Covenant in His Blood
The power of sin is the law
And this is always present among the sons of men who dwell in the realm of the sarx.
However, in the realm of the Spirit, opened through the new covenant in His blood, there is no more law because He has set us free from the obligations of the law and has granted us free access into his righteousness for victorious holy and righteous living here, while among the dead, to live as his holy ones, to shine like stars in the universe holding out the WORD of life!
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Deep thoughts…
The question arose if self forgiveness is right
This hearkened back to maternal advice not to expect more of yourself than God does
This leads to…
Can one expect more of oneself than God expects?
Reflecting on this, I believe it is more precisely…
Do not expect something else from yourself than God does.
And some other terms are required also.
God is holy
He has given man free will
His holiness requires holiness for relationship, oneness, unity, harmony
His (I’m searching for the characteristic which requires allowing others freedom…self-rule, auto-nomos) His autonomy requires allowing man free will
He knows all so he does not truly expect anything holy of fallen man.
This concept of self forgiveness involves incompleteness
Completeness requires release
So does holiness
Forgiveness is release
Release and you will be released
All who sin are slaves to sin
He has bound every man…
Man thinks he is free but he is not
He is a man bound by His creator punching at the air kicking and screaming hurting himself and others
His creator simply says release others and you will be released but he is shackled and those shackles are only released by surrendering to God for His atonement.
Sadhus attempt perfect release
If that were possible they would be released
However, even the eastern meditating heart is deceitful and desperately wicked because it is bound in sin and disobedience.
The command is repent.
Believe.
Receive.
Love.
Release.
Repeat.
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