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Old 05-16-2005, 07:27 AM   #12
HeavenBesideYou
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“So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.” (Rom 7:4-5)

This passage appears in the context of Romans 6, 7 and 8, in which Paul is presenting a contrast between being controlled by the sinful nature and being led by the Spirit of God...

One produces sin (“fruit for death”), while the other produces righteousness (“fruit to God”). It is not speaking of making good disciples versus making bad disciples.

An analogy can be found in the relationship between a parent and a child. A parent can create the condition that makes disobedience possible yet the parent remains innocent if the child sins. For example, if a parent tells his child to clean up his room and the child does not, he has rebelled. But, the parent is not responsible for the child’s sin, nor did he cause the child to sin.

The child had a choice to obey or not to obey, just as we do...

It's called freewill.

Heaven

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