In this passage, the Apostle Paul discusses the war that rages within the human heart against sin. The two primary ways to interpret this section both reflect deep theological truths: (1) If this is Paul before he knew Jesus, when he was known as Saul, it reflects the utter hopelessness of human being to overcome sin by our own power, (2) if it instead is Paul after he was born again by faith in Jesus, it reflects the ongoing fight against our still-present sinful nature to imitate Christ. Because the Law of Love supersedes the Law of Moses by demanding right motivation and attitudes along with right action, even those who are in Christ and have the power of the Holy Spirit to bolster them still will have a fight on their hands to overcome not only temptation, but the thoughts that lead to it.
This blog serves as an outreach for Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church of Franklin, PA. Feel free to ask questions or send me an e-mail at pastorpowell@hotmail.com
Star Wars has NOTHING to do with the bible! Grow up pastor!
ReplyDeleteWell, at least you listened to the sermon to realize I used a Star Wars analogy. Which, by the way, is what it is, an analogy. It could have been to World War 2, my high school cross-country team, the Grand Canyon, or the best pizza place in town. It depends on what connection needs to be drawn, which way of illustrating God's timeless truths in terms my congregation and the people watching online can connect with. It is actually a really important part of any form of communication.
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