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I wish I had the way with words that you do!
For everyone else, I have seen a verse thrown at Slade
and he responds verbally just as quick and in even more detail! Not that this
needs anything more. Love it. But then thats why I like studying
with you anyway!
Jeff
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2004
21:22
Subject: [TruthTalk] Walking in the
Spirit
This
is Slade's understanding of the following passage. Please understand the
bracketed passages are Slade's interpretation.
Therefore there is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus [Torah] has set you free from the law of sin
and of death [the
prescribed punishment for rebellion]. For what the Law could not do [to give salvation through
works], weak as it was through the flesh, God {did} sending His own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh and {as
an offering} for sin [to give salvation through
faith], He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law
might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but
according to the Spirit [in Torah].
For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the
things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things
of the Spirit [which
is the Torah lifestyle].
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on
the Spirit is life and peace [which is Torah], because the mind set on the
flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the
law [Torah] of God, for it is not even
able to do so, (Romans
8:1-7)
Now,
if you'd be so kind, let me further explain some foundational truths as I
understand them:
"And He,
when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and
judgment..." (John 16:8)
The "He" in this passage is the Spirit of the Holy One
(i.e., the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost, etc.) and the task He performs is the
same task Judy and others have said Torah holds... the schoolmaster that
leads to Messiah. The schoolmaster teaches us our sinful nature and our
need for Messiah. John 16:8 tells us this is a role of the
Spirit.
"A Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those
who turn from transgression in Jacob," declares the LORD "As for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the
LORD: "My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your
mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your
offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says the LORD,
"from now and forever. Arise, shine; for
your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon
you" (Isaiah
59:20-60:1)
This
passage begins with the promise of Messiah for those who turn from
transgression. Once this turning occurs, He bestows the Spirit AND he puts
His words in the mouth.
"Moreover, I
will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove
the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of
flesh. I will put My Spirit within
you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe
My ordinances." (Ezekiel
36:26-27)
This passage must refer to a point after the turning from
transgression because the Spirit is given after "conversion." Therefore,
after conversion, the Spirit allows us to walk in Torah (the
statutes). Therefore, a person with the Spirit will be careful to observe
the commandments of God.
To return to the original passage, I remind you of Romans 8:4
which states, "...so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in
us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
When I take the perspectives from the other verses stated here, I see that
"walking according to the Spirit" is walking in submission to Torah and
obeying the commandments of God.
By the way, Dave. I did not refer to commentaries to construct
this idea.
-- slade
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