South Atlanta Vernacular

For your enjoyment (HA!) I traveled back in time to some of my earlier work at LRU and decided to put it up here!

Question- is Romans 7:15-25 talking about someone who is saved.

Answer- (partial, my answer was pretty lengthy) The question is evident. Its not, if I sin, will God kill me? Will the sky collapse? Will I lose my salvation?
The question is WHEN I sin, what is my response to that sin. Because I WILL sin.

The new creations we are in Christ Jesus, and the atoning work He did for us, was incredible and unthinkable. I relate to Paul when he said, "What kind of love is this?" It should always make us run back to the Cross because of our weaknesses. Even more incredible, was that he LIVED perfect and sinless aswell. The righteousness of Christ is credited to me. I am not righteous, but because of the work of Christ on the Cross, with His perfect life. I am seen as spotless before the Father. I am adopted in, reconciled to God through Christ, and its all a gift of God. That is a glorious Gospel. This Text describes a saved person. Point me to the man who has kept the Law, I would expect to see Jesus. If its any other than Him, 1st John 1:10 makes it abundantly clear that His word is not in you. Again, thank God for imputed righteousness.

Question- something about Romans 12:1, I don't have the original Q. It is a Q about Dwight D. Pentecosts book on Spiritual Formation, I do know that much.

Answer- Everett Harrison (from The Expositor's Bible Commentary) asserts that "Therefore" establishes a connection with the entirety of Paul’s presentation, rather than just chapters 9-10. I only put that here to say that Paul is writing here in 12:1 in light of Gods case against humanity and His plan of redemption, 1-11 is the total picture. He goes on to speak of the mercy of God in 12:1 and says "... the heathen are prone to sacrifice in order to obtain mercy; biblical faith teaches that the divine mercy provides the basis for sacrifice as the fitting response." The response to God's mercy is a once and for all surrender, out of gratitude. Matthew Dietl pointed out a John Macarthur quote that got my attention. “A transformed mind produces a transformed will, by which we become eager and able, with the Spirit’s help, to lay aside our own plans and to trustingly accept God’s". I strongly believe that regeneration naturally produces self-denial. Dr. Macarthur rightly uses words like "eager" and "able". Pentecost also affirmed all of this, but I do believe that the importance of self-denial was not stressed enough. Although, throughout the book so far, he has made it plain, and being about spiritual disciplines, it’s not lacking in its presentation of self denial.

So let me begin to finally establish my thoughts. I totally agree with Pentecost's affirmation of these things. His "continual" reaffirmation of the one time action is where he is unclear. And again, I find myself agreeing with him, I just wish he were more specific. Is the continual reaffirmation the mortifying of sin, making your body your slave and carrying your cross daily? I wouldn't go so far as to say, Pentecost is suggesting sinless perfectionism. In his section about the new heart, he stressed the constant "warfare every moment of every day." (p.67) I do, however, hate the idea that within the once and for all sacrifice, was the death of my sin as well. In the total context, you could safely agree with Pentecost. Taking page 129-130 alone though could be a dangerous or, in the least, an unclear thing without the rest of what Pentecost has said thus far. Luke 9:23 is clear; we have to deny ourselves and live out this beautiful daily funeral.

Question - Carnal Christianity- True or false?

Answer - ( Part of a lengthy one yet again, this is the meat of my at times, sarcastic argument.)
Is the carnal Christian a real Christian? Can we be saved and be worldly minded? This idea of carnal Christianity raises many questions for me. Are there three groups of people? Apparently so. There is the spiritual Christian, the carnal Christian, and the man who is completely lost. Where is this distinction in the scriptures? No where. Sorry but Gal 5:24 (And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.) makes it plain. It raises this as well, are there 2 experiences in salvation? Where we initially "get saved" and then when we become a "spiritual Christian"? What if someone becomes a "super Spiritual Christian" or even more than that "an incredibly Spiritual Christian". I mean the spiritual Christian is no longer carnal is he? Evidently, unless a spiritual Christian can fall back into being a carnal Christian? Can he? If so, why make the distinction. Regardless of that, I suppose we should add all of these categories to the salvation experience. The Problem is, we don’t find this in the Scriptures anywhere. Actually the opposite, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 'Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new'. Do we see a 2nd experience there? No

Rom 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
Rom 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Is the distinction between the various states of the "spirituality" of the Christian? No. It is between the Christian and the non-Christian. There aren't any other categories. Why? because there aren’t any other categories that exist. Aside from all of this, where is repentance in the picture? Repentance and Faith? Where is this belief in historic Christianity? Nowhere. The "carnal Christian" doctrine is the effect of a low view of God, Salvation, Sin, the work of Christ, and a man centered view of evangelism.

The END! until Next time!