Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Hebrews 10:14 For by the one offering He has perfected forever and completely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity]. |
Subject: Do you accept defeat too? |
Bible Note: Greetings Makarios! Thanks for the response my friend! I pray that everyone reading will follow your model of 'debate'! A polite discussion leads to both us examing our positions more closely, and whether or not we totally agree, coming away with a better understanding of Scripture. As far as I can tell, we fully agree on the following. 1) We are new creations. 2) We can still sin. 3) But, it is also possible to not sin. 4) The struggle we face is to daily make sure that we are walking in the Spirit, not in the flesh. Where we differ, I believe, is that I don't see as strong a connection between the 'sinful nature' and the 'physical body'. For instance, I don't see the reference in Rom. 6:6 to the 'body of sin' as referring to the human body. Rather, I see Paul using several terms in a synonymous sense - 'flesh', 'body of sin', and 'old man'. So, I would say that 'sin nature' is dead now for believers, but as you pointed out, a believer can still yield to it. According to Rom. 6, if a believer does this, he makes himself a slave again to it. So, I would see the 'sinful nature' as less a physical reality and more of a way of life. So, I see the sins of the flesh as springing from this 'mindset', not from something physical within us. Concerning this 'sinful nature, I see several statements made about it in Scripture. 1) First of all, we were all slaves to the 'sinful nature' before Christ. Rom. 7:5, and Eph. 2:3 makes this fairly clear. 2) But, for those in Christ, there is no longer any place for the 'sinful nature'. Rom. 8:8-9, 8:13, Gal. 5:24, Col. 2:11, and 2:13. But, as I mentioned earlier, we agree on the final result. Believers can still obey this 'sinful nature' if they choose to and begin to live in opposition to God - producing, not the fruits of the Spirit, but of the flesh. When I preached on Eph. 2:17-24, it really seemed that Paul was 'upset' that the Ephesians, who were new creations and had put on the 'new man', were still giving in to and living in accordance to the 'old man'. Well, I have things to do today! I pray that you had a great day at work my friend! p.s. - This is a fun study, and a very practical one as well. :-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |