7:8 "But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead."
RSV Romans 7:8 "But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, wrought in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead".
*Sin (transgression of the law), now that the law is known, revealed all manner of evil in me. Before I knew the law, I did not know sin.
Joan's comment :
It is still not certain to me if sin is an entity apart from human existance or a word personifying the condition of human mind's corrupt passions, or inclinations, against the law of God. I figure that the soul under legal restraints of being constantly convicted by the purity of the Laws demands, gets to building up steam over the course of time. It might burst out in real-time rebellion in a furious way by doing really bad actions and using the tongue really wrongly. There are lots of legally raised SDA's around showing rebellion, resistance and downright ornery obstinancy.
Joan's Questions :
-Could it be true that lust in me or you is not any type of independent physical subsistence ?
-Could it be that if I am being 'burnt' up with raging ambition that the corrupt ambition is not a separate entity to me as my ego but that my mind is the source of ambition, or envy or dirty lust ?
-Could it be that the demons don't put 'sin' in me but that they play with my propensities and I decide to 'sin' according to the mindset I have ?
-Could it be that 'sin' is just the 'fruit' or result of acting out my wrong mindset? Or heart condition?
-Could it be that the 'temptation' (in itself not a sin of itself), is just the catalysis to excite the- dormant-lying-potential to bring forth sin which harbors in the heart and mind of me ?
-Could it be the best in teaching is to tell others to avoid 'temptation'?
-Could it be that the law of God is there for us as an restraint in a positive way to avoid temptation?
-Now, is the Law a 'detector' that reveals the condition of my innermost being or a restraint-help that cautions me not to indulge in a certain behavor ?
~~~
Joan
~~~
[This message has been edited by Richard Myers (edited 02-19-2001).]