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NASB | Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 3:23 since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, |
Subject: Can a toddler go to heaven? |
Bible Note: " Even if Paul was referring to "we" as the apostles and himself, it does not relegate the "saints" to an infrerior group." I would not say they were 'inferior' because they did not hold apostolic or prophetic office. And why couldn't the letter be read alound, and the saints decide if "the shoe fits, wear it." Some of the saints were undoubtedly unspiritual. Chapter five is where Paul rebukes the church for tolerating "the man who had his father's wife." So those people are saints and they are acting in a manner unbecoming of a Christian. You ask, "the Spirit that who is from God"? Of course not!" I would disagree because, while it is true that all saints receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, not all had the supernatural gifts of prophecy, revelation, tongues. etc. It doesn't make them inferior, but less informed until they receive the epistle. About the 'enligtening' from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not 'enligthen' separate and apart from the 'sword of the Spirit', the Word. It behooves every believer to equip himself with the Word of God, or there is no enlightenment. It appears that the 1 Corinthian letter served to enlighten the Corinthians, judging by the tone of the 2 Corinthian letter. You write, "What Paul says about the natural man cannot be said of any person who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit." I have to agree with Tim Moran that Paul does refer to the Corinthians in this manner (1 Cor 3:1). Tim writes the following: Here is where context helps answer the question. The word 'spiritual', or 'pneumatikos', is used 4 times in 1 Cor. 2-3. Twice in 1 Cor. 2:13 - "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." Once in 1 Cor. 2:15 - "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man?s judgment:" And, once in 1 Cor. 3:1 - "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly?mere infants in Christ." 1 Cor. 2:13 and 2:15 bracket the verse you quoted, and form a contrast between 'spiritual' and 'natural'. Yet, in 1 Cor. 3:1, Paul says that he could not address them as 'spiritual'. We are agreed that Paul was writing to Christians. So, why couldn't he address them as 'spiritual'? Because, they were acting 'worldly', and not 'spiritual'." This last statement of yours indicates the weakness in your argument: "While it is true that we all too often act and think as if we were natural men, nevertheless, we retain the ability to understand spiritual things for we are never devoid of the influence and power of the in dwelling Spirit of God." Exactly right! The Corinthians, NEW CREATURES that they were, were acting unspiritual. They needed to repent and begin discerning the matters of life with spiritual emphasis. I'm glad to have your response. Have a good day. Disciplerami |