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NASB | Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. |
Bible Question:
Question (full): Please stop arguing with Ken and answer my questions. Is the sin nature a substance or a mindset? Has the sin nature been eradicated and replaced by the new nature? Or does the sin nature remain in the believer and battle against the new nature? Is the sin nature the same thing as the flesh? What is the new nature? Is it God in me or is it a part of me that is a new creation? Is the new nature a substance or a mind set? Blessings, Pam |
Bible Answer: Greetings Pam! May I take a stab at your questions? Paul deals with the issue of the 'flesh' or 'sarx' quite a bit. Rom. 8:5 tells us that those who are 'in the flesh' do the things of the flesh. Rom. 8:6 tells us that to be 'fleshly minded' is death. Rom. 8:7 tells us that the 'fleshy' mind is at enmity against God. So, I think it is clear that the 'flesh' Paul is talking about is a carnal disposition, which (according to Rom. 7:25) may want to serve God, but cannot. However, Paul also makes it clear that Christians no longer are controlled by the flesh. Rom. 7:5 - "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." The phrase, 'when we were' would indicate that one is no longer. Rom. 8:9 - "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." This verse plainly says that one who has the Spirit of God is no longer 'in the flesh'. However, Paul also makes it clear that a Christian can still 'obey' the flesh if he or she chooses to do so. Rom. 13:14 - "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. " Rom. 6 makes the same point. So, a Christian is no longer a slave to the carnal nature, but rather has a new nature. However, a Christian can choose to go back and serve the 'flesh' again - which Paul commands us not to do in Rom. 6:12: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." One old sermon I heard summed it up this way: Christ frees us from the power, the presence, and the penalty of sin. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |