Steve Lortz Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 (edited) Maybe this will stir things up a bit... Romans 7:10-13 "10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." The other day, in Advanced Greek, we were translating documents, not from the Bible itself, but from other Hellenistic documents, specifically a section from the Didache, and a couple of spells that have been found, one for catching a thief, and the other for finding a good looking woman. The prof was teaching us about Hellenistic religion, and how they conceived of their lives being controlled by powers, dominions, etc., which were instruments of Fate. The most powerful aspect of Fate was death. In order to defeat the powers and dominions, and ultimately death, a person needed to be subject to a "Lord" such as Issus, who was more powerful than anything else. That's what "kurios" (Lord) meant in Hellenistic religion. The prof demonstrated to us how Paul was using the concepts of Hellenistic religion in Romans 6&7. Paul was speaking of "sin" as though it were one of the Hellenistic powers or dominions. The prof showed us how "sin" takes something holy, like the law, and turns it into mega-sin. As soon as we know a law, if we then begin to use that law to judge, even ourselves, then our use of that law is usurping the function of Jesus Christ as Lord. The prof defined "sin" in Romans 7 as "bondage to the delusion that we know as much as God does." It was what Adam and Eve wanted, the knowledge of good and evil so that THEY could judge, like God! It is the desperate wickedness of the heart in Jeremiah 17:9. If anybody thinks that they are qualified to say who is and who is not a Christian, if anybody thinks that they are qualified to say who is and who is not "going to hell", then that person is in bondage to the delusion that he or she knows as much as God does. That's why I Corinthians 8:2 says that if any man thinks that he knows something (absolutely, without a doubt), he doesn't know anything yet as he ought to know it (taking into account that he could very well be mistaken). But I could be wrong! Love, Steve Edited February 16, 2013 by Steve Lortz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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