So far, other than the Bible, there are four books which have impact on my life and way of thinking:
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The Apostle Paul spent three chapters in his letter to the Romans identifying the source of their pain.
Something was lodged in their bodies that was, actually, the real cause of their problems.
“I know that good doesn’t live in me–that is, in my body..if I do the very things that I don’t want to do, then I’m not the one doing it anymore. Instead it is sin that lives in me that is doing it. – Romans 7:18-20 CEB
We are not “miserable sinners saved by grace”, we are saints redeemed by the blood of Christ. Though renewed, forgiven, justified, and changed on the inside, there is something on the outside, in our bodies, still causing a problem. Sin (not “sins”) is lodged there, like a thorn in the flesh, dragging us down.
The real us, has been cleaned, and choosing to believe our bodies are crucified with Christ, we stand before God renewed. As we live with God’s power to say, “No!” to our bodies when they pull us the wrong way, we act more and more like Jesus. When we lay down our bodies to be with Jesus all the struggle is over. When he returns and changes our bodies to be like his there will be no problems at all.
This is not a “devil makes me do it” mentality, quite the opposite! If the problem was me, it would be hard to fight against myself, but since the problem is something outside of me, I can defeat it! God and I can defeat anything!
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The apostle Paul had a analogy in Romans 4 perplexing me until just recently.
Abraham and Sarah were just too old to have children but God had promised. Instead of focusing on the contradiction he saw in his body, Abraham believed what God had said and held fast.
God took Abraham’s faith in the Promise and considered him righteous, right then and there, in spite of the fact he was not all that holy before or after.
How could Abraham’s faith for a son be compared to my faith in Jesus? It’s found in the way we, both, view(ed) the contradictions in our “flesh”.
Abraham was promised a son, but his flesh told him otherwise – he believed the promise.
We are told we have been (past tense) crucified with Christ, raised to new life in/with Christ, Holy and seated with him in heavenly places, but our flesh tells us otherwise – we believe the promise.
If God calls me righteous right here and now, that’s good enough for me.
“Abraham didn’t focus on his own impotence and say, ‘It’s hopeless…’ That’s why it is said, ‘Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right. But it’s not just Abraham; it’s also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe” – Romans 4:19-25 Message
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Patrikin - Kinship through The Father 