06/05/26 ROMANS SEVEN HONESTLY
One of the most blatant and ridiculous examples of mishandled Scriptures is the way sinning religion (Reformed Theology and Calvinism) "explains" Romans seven. They misuse Romans seven trying to "prove" that Christians cannot be free from the power, pollution, and presence of sin, or from the "sinful nature," ("the flesh)." Actually, Romans seven, along with Romans six and Romans eight, clearly indicates that God provides deliverance from the sinful nature, which is Biblically referred to as, "The Old Man, The Flesh, The Carnal Mind, The Double Mind, The Law of Sin and Death."
In Romans seven (conjoined with Romans six and Romans eight), God clearly exposes the corruption of the "Old Man" (see Romans six), "The Flesh," and "The Law of Sin and Death (see Romans seven and Romans eight) and "The Carnal Mind," and "In The Flesh" (see Romans eight).
Romans seven cannot be read in isolation from chapter six and chapter eight. There is no context for chapter seven without chapter six and chapter eight. This explanation is vital to a proper understanding and explanation of chapter seven.
Romans seven is connected to and follows Romans six, and it is connected to and is followed by Romans eight. God did not separate Romans seven from Romans eight (chapter and verse numbering is a human device to assist Bible reading and study). It is all one argument, continued from chapter seven to chapter eight.
The argument is that God has provided deliverance, salvation from the inherited corruption handed down from Adam to all of his children. The problem, which was introduced and answered in Romans six, was approached again in Romans seven. In Romans seven the problem is clearly stated, and then at the end of Romans seven, continuing into Romans eight, the answer to the problem is clearly and repeatedly given.
The Bible clearly teaches that Christians are forgiven of all their sins at the time of their justification and regeneration, AND they are enabled to live obediently because they receive the Holy Spirit and His power.
Before conversion the sinner (the person without Christ) has a Human Nature (the nature to be human [body, soul, and spirit], which God gave at creation), and also a Sinful Nature (the nature to sin [also called the Adamic Nature, which originated at the time of Adam's fall], and Biblically is called, "The Old Man, The Flesh, The Carnal Mind, The Double Mind, The Law of Sin and Death."
At the time of conversion, a person is referred to as the "Natural Man" (man without Christ). When he becomes a believer (a Christian, a Saint [holy one]), he is a recipient of the Holy Spirit, and becomes known as a "New Creation" or Creature, and receives a New Nature (Divine nature), which is referred to as "The New Man."
As a Believer, he still has Human Nature (from God, but damaged by Adam's fall), and Sinful Nature (referred to as the Old Man), but he now has a "Spiritual Nature" (referred to as the "New Man").
This is where the internal battle rages. "The Old Man" (sinful propensity) wants to do evil and the "New Man" (godly nature) wants to obey God.
God did not save us and then leave us in constant battle with spiritual upheaval. We will always fight Satan and temptation in our earthly life, but we should be delivered from inner conflict. God wants us to be pure in heart and deed. God will purify the believer from the inward propensity to sin. But this heart purity comes with the death of the Old Man. When the Christian believes that God is willing and able to deliver him from Double Mindedness, the man will crucify the Old Man and make full surrender, then the Carnal Man will become the Spiritual Man. This is clearly taught in Romans 6-8.
The spiritual transition is:
1. Natural Man (unconverted, sinner),
2. Carnal Man (Spirit regenerated Believer),
3. Spiritual Man (Spirit filled Believer).
Read Romans six and Romans eight slowly, carefully, and repeatedly, without adding worldly meaning to the passages.
Full salvation is the cleansing of the hands from sinful actions and the purifying of the heart from inherent sinful inclination.
Christians can be set free from the impure heart.
