Never said controlled! Never mentioned the devil!bibleman wrote:Well Ed,Justaned wrote:I think Paul was crucifying the flesh daily and expressing the spiritual battle that must be fought to do it.bibleman wrote:So Ed,...Justaned wrote:titus213 wrote:Romans 8 pretty well establishes the fact that Paul was not writing about his experience in Christ Jesus when describing the struggle in Romans 7. Since there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and he clearly did feel condemned by such a struggle, we have the answer to the question.
Titus213
I usually agree with you on most everything you say but I really don't think you are doing justice when you simply say there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
The text says a lot more.
Romans 8:1 (NKJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
This is exactly what Paul was talking about the battle of the flesh and spirit.
Do you think Paul was walking after the flesh or after the Spirit?
If according to you guys Paul was controlled by the devil... and walking after the flesh... then is there any hope for any of us?
I said Paul is writing expressing or detailing or explaining his (and our battle) between flesh and spirit. That is why we must crucify the flesh. Flesh will always have its fleshly desires. We can never be free of the Lust of the eye, Lust of the flesh, Pride of life. They always remain openings that battle our spirit. Our flesh is sin tainted and until we get bodies of perfection we must fight the battle that Paul was detailing.