Our default is the spirit (not the flesh)!

[Mr. M]

4 hours ago, Know Jah said:

As sinners our default is fleshly not spiritual. Rom 5:12.

 

 

41 minutes ago, SpiritSong said:

Aren't we supposed to be new creations?

There is no "default". There is no such doctrine. What we are taught is what you focus your mind on and surrender your actions to is what you are enslaved. Romans 6 and 7 do not present a default, but a choice to be made.

Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

If you reject the notion that a believer's will is involved, then could you please explain the number of times Paul uses the word IF in the letter. Or you could consider what Jesus said first before deciding on doctrine.

John 7:16 Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 

[Duck]

19 hours ago, Mr. M said:

 

There is no "default". There is no such doctrine. What we are taught is what you focus your mind on and surrender your actions to is what you are enslaved. Romans 6 and 7 do not present a default, but a choice to be made.

Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

If you reject the notion that a believer's will is involved, then could you please explain the number of times Paul uses the word IF in the letter. Or you could consider what Jesus said first before deciding on doctrine.

John 7:16 Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 

IF is often substituted for when imo.

 

'If anyone wills, If we sin...' etc.

[Big Boy Stan Murf]

31 minutes ago, Duck said:

IF is often substituted for when imo.

 

'If anyone wills, If we sin...' etc.

1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And IF any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

 

 

[Vine Abider]

22 hours ago, Mr. M said:

There is no "default". There is no such doctrine. What we are taught is what you focus your mind on and surrender your actions to is what you are enslaved. Romans 6 and 7 do not present a default, but a choice to be made.

Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

If you reject the notion that a believer's will is involved, then could you please explain the number of times Paul uses the word IF in the letter. Or you could consider what Jesus said first before deciding on doctrine.

John 7:16 Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 

I disagree in this respect.  Our default is in Christ.  Romans 7 says the old man is crucified and we are now married to another - Christ.  That is our position, and "It is of God that you are in Christ Jesus" according to 1st Corinthians 1:30.  Romans chapters 6 and 7 are much about the passing of the old man, who was subject to the law, and that we have now been baptized into Christ - our new identity.

So again, our position in Christ is secure, because this is of God.  And Romans 8:9 goes on to emphasize this more: "You are not in the flesh, but in spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you."

But Romans 8:6 refers to what can happen dispositionally, that is, in our experience.  We can use our will to choose to set our mind on the flesh or the spirit.  God is still saying to the believer what He said in Deuteronomy 30:19,  "I set before you life and death, blessings and cursings - so chose life!"

[Your closest friendnt]

On 9/15/2023 at 11:41 AM, Duck said:

The H.S guided Philip to the eunich, who was on his way home from worshipping God in Jerusalem 

Jesus chose the disciples 'as they were'...(although they were already searching for Him).but they weren't the same around three years later. Jesus' Spirit had transformed them.

Us Christians can't excuse ourselves for being as we were. We need to mature.

Thank you for your post. 

We need to come to a place to want to move forward and leave many of the things we were involved behind. 

We should not drag our old self with us forever, we should begin to cut our bonds with the old self and look forward to the new man. 

We are not alone in our new walk...we seek the Holy Spirit's empowerment and strength. We should be strong in the inner man and the power of his might. 

He is the one who said "I will put a new heart and a new spirit within you...we need to become masters of our own self and quide our ship during the storms...we must have charter our path and follow it. 

We need to persist and keep the hope alive.