QUESTION 1:
In Romans 7:23 it says: “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
What is the law in Pauls’ members that is warring against the law of his mind? It cannot be mortality that Paul wrestles within his mind; that does not make sense. Not only was Paul not frightened of death, but he also welcomed it (Philippians 1:23-24).
ANSWER:
First of all Paul would have been afraid of death had it not been for salvation “through Jesus Christ our Lord”, why else would he cry out: “who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Rom. 7:24-25).
With regard to the question“What is the law in Pauls’ members that is warring against the law of his mind?” Our answer is identical with that of Dr. Thomas in Elpis Isreal Chapter 4 section “The Constitution of Sin”
“sin, in the sacred style, came to stand for the substance called man. In human flesh “‘dwells no good thing’”; and all the evil a man does is the result of this principle dwelling in him. Operating upon the brain, it excites the “‘propensities’”, and these set the “‘intellect’”, and “‘sentiments’” to work…”
So “the substance called man” is physical, and it is cursed with mortality (dying thou shalt die), so that human nature is no longer “very good” (Gen.1:31) it is now rendered defective, and Dr.T says further on: “A defective piece of mechanism cannot do good work.” So that when “the flesh thinks”(Dr.T Elpis Israel) it thinks according to “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (1 John 2:6) which is what Christ resisted, Paul warred against and so do we- it is the thinking of “the FLESH” in its mortal state under the “law of sin” (Ro. 7:23) and more fully expressed: “the law of sin and death” (Ro. 8:2)
Please note in the section referred to from Elpis he also says:
“The word sin is used in two principal acceptations in the scripture. It signifies in the first place, “‘the transgression of the law’”; and in the next, it represents that physical principle of the animal nature, which is the cause of all its diseases, death, and resolution into dust . It is that in the flesh “‘which has the power of death;” [i.e. THE DEVIL – LF]
“The word sin” Brother Thomas applies to the things of mortality “death”; but also to: Its “operating upon the brain” because the one and only curse of mortality “thou shalt surely die” affects us physically and (because “the flesh thinks”) mentally, and is Called by Paul “Sin” “the law of sin” “the law of sin and death” “sin in the flesh” “mortality” “the devil”.
So the answer to the above question “What is the law in Pauls’ members that is warring against the law of his mind?” (Romans 7:23) Is:-
“the law of sin” which operates upon the brain because the one and only curse of mortality “thou shalt surely die” affects us physically and (because “the flesh thinks”) also mentally, and is Called by Paul “Sin”. So Paul was tempted by “the law of sin” (v23) or more fully “the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2) also styled by Paul “sin in the flesh” (8:3) “mortality” “the devil”.
QUESTION 2:
Do you believe clause 8 which states that Jesus “…though wearing their condemned nature, was to obtain a title to resurrection by perfect obedience and by dying abrogate the law of condemnation for himself and all who should believe and obey him.”
Was not Christ’s victory won by a lifetime of obedience and then submission to the cross as commanded? This gave the “title”, and victory to Christ that he may receive the gift (reward) of resurrection (change of nature) later.
ANSWER:
Yes we believe this clause in the BASF. But it does not support the comments which you add, that “Christ’s victory was won by a lifetime of obedience” It was indeed essential that Jesus should lead a sinless life of faith and obedience, without which his sacrificial “dying” would have failed to “abrogate the law of condemnation”. The efficacy of his sacrifice was that, in it God could acceptably condemn “sin in the flesh”- thereby declaring His righteous judgment on the fallen state of the race of Adam, for all who would be saved to acknowledge. Christ acknowledged this in his own person on the cross, we must acknowledged this by being in Christ. Therefore for this perfect work, the Lamb of God had to be free of all sin except the racial Sin, that it is our misfortune to inherit. Remember what is actually said in Rom. 8:3;
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”
Notice it is saying “God…condemned sin in the flesh” (not Jesus).
This is speaking of the crucifixion for which purpose God begat and sent “His own son”.
Clause 8 says that “by dying abrogate the law of condemnation”: but when could it be said that the sacrifice had abrogated “the law of condemnation for himself”? Surely when Christ was granted the “victory” over death (1 Corinthians 15:55)
A dictionary definition of the word “abrogate” is “to repeal or do away with a law”. The “law” referred to in Clause 8 is the “the law of condemnation”, that law remained in force until: “..Christ being raised from the dead….death hath no more dominion over him.” (Rom. 6:9) This victory is the point at which the law of condemnation was abrogated – and not before. As Robert Roberts says
“The resurrection is everything, without which the condemnation of sin in the flesh would have been nothing. The apostacy destroys this by making the condemnation everything and the resurrection of Christ a thing of which no reasonable account can be given so far as effecting our salvation is concerned.”
Robert Roberts, The Christadelphian 1873 pg. 412.
“Understanding by the devil, the hereditary death-power that has reigned among men by Adam through sin, we may understand how Christ, who took part in the death – inheriting nature, destroyed the power of death by dying and rising.”
Robert Roberts “Law of Moses”—Consecration of Aaron and his sons”
QUESTION 3:
Do you believe clause 12 which states Christ was put to death (offered himself) for “…the condemnation of sin in the flesh…as the basis for the remission of sins.” We see clause 12 describes the mission of Christ which we know from the scriptures (and summarized here) was to overcome his sinful nature. Christ was not put to death for the condemnation of his mortality.
ANSWER:
We believe all the clauses of the BASF including Clause 12, but your summary is adding things which the clause does not support. Your position runs the danger of separating sin from mortal flesh-, which would render mortal flesh clean of sin. Lets look again at the significance of mortality in the scheme of things:
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:7).
“thou shalt surely die.”[full stop] (Gen 2:7).
No one can deny that this speaks of mortality – as the punishment for Adam for disobedience. God did not need to add ‘and additionally you will be cursed with sin in the flesh’, because that is just another definition of the same curse of mortality. Sin in the flesh is personified by the term “the devil” who has “the power of death”- mortality (Heb.2:14).
Additional features of the curse were explained in Genesis 3, such as verse 19: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”- Mortality. But still no mention of sin in the flesh because its ultimate operation has just been described.
The operation of Mortality and its ills such as illnesses, death, are of the devil, hence we read:
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38)
So all the healing Christ did, mental, physical ailments and raising the dead were showing that he had power to “bind the strong man” (the devil) “and….spoil his house” (mortality – the power of death.) Mat.12:29
Raising the dead was to show his purpose: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).
Indeed, “The Resurrection is everything” (Bro. Roberts) but we must understand how it was attained.
Les Fern
