Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
If the wretched man passage of Romans 7:7-25 is a description of Paul after his conversion, then he would be attempting to do the very thing he calls foolish in this passage. He would be trying to be perfected by the flesh through obeying the law. But here in Galatians 3:3 he makes it clear that believers begin by the Spirit and are sanctified by the leading of the Spirit. Believers do not begin by the Spirit and run to the law for sanctification. That is why Paul states in 2 Cor. 3:7-8 that the ministry of death carved on stone has been replaced by the ministry of the Spirit.
Focus on Christ #87
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6 comments:
Walking in the Spirit is walking in a life-style of a contrite heart and trembling at God's Word. See Isaiah 66:2b, and Jeremiah 32:38-40.
Brother,
If you haven't read T.J. Dediun's "New Covenant Morality in Paul" then please give it serious consideration. This book is worth its weight in gold. http://books.google.com/books?id=WJrzHrKelggC
Another good work to consider is by Dr. Gys Loubser. Here are the links to his book. You'll find it here in several sections.
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05152006-100351/unrestricted/00front.pdf
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05152006-100351/unrestricted/01part1.pdf
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05152006-100351/unrestricted/02partII.pdf
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05152006-100351/unrestricted/03partIII.pdf
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05152006-100351/unrestricted/04back.pdf
I hope the work of both authors will serve you well in your understanding of law/grace and letter/Spirit.
Moe Bergeron
Moe,
Thank you for those resources. I will check them out. Am I to understand that you affirm a NCT view?
Yes Sir I do. I'm a friend of Zaspel, Wells, Reisinger and a number of other well known advocates of NCT. Visit my pages at ChristMyCovenant.com and see for yourself.
Moe,
Thanks. Although I go to a reformed and covenant theology church [PCA], Scripture has led me to a NCT view. I could never reconcile covenant theology with Scripture and dispensationalism was even worse. I have read three of Reisinger's books and they were very helpful in reconciling what Scripture was teaching.
I will check out your site.
Well Brother the road I traveled was from Dispensationalism to Reformed Baptist to New Covenant Theology so I sort of understand. A right understanding of the true Seed of Abraham and the Letter/Spirit contrast in 2Cor 3 has helped me overcome a good deal of the false theological constructs imposed by well intentioned systems. In the end things are not as complicated as I once assumed. Blessings!
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