Paul in Romans 7 struggled with his old man. I wonder what Mr. McArthur had that Paul did not?
Romans 7 is the old man before Christ and His Spirit, but look at the conclusion of that passage in context, Romans 8:2. Who got free from the old man of sin and death? Do you see that it was Paul?
Rule: Context of a verse should always be found by reading the preceding 20 verses before the verse, and 20 verses after the verse. If that had been done, most would not have overlooked Romans 8:2-9 when trying to apply Romans 7:14-23 to themselves.
What Paul was teaching is the difference between those keeping the Ten Commandments before Christ's Spirit, and by their old flesh, and those after Christ who have the laws of God written on their heart. Old Covenant vs. New Covenant. Law vs. Spirit. Before Christ vs. After Christ. Get it?
What do you think about Romans 6:6 below? I'm not mocking you; I'm wondering too why Paul sometimes says to take off the old man. So let's study this together. I want to look at those other verses, at the bottom, and see if Paul is talking about those pseudo Christians in the Church that have never been born again, like depicted in 1 Corinthians, who were finally
saved in 2 Corinthians 7. For me I wasn't for the first 30 years, so I doubt I'm the only one who went to church
unsaved! At the time, I was so entrenched in sin that I'm sure Matthew 7:21-23 would have been said to me. I'm so glad I didn't die early!
Romans 6:6
knowing this, that our
old man was crucified with
Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
2 Corinthians 7:8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance
leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you,
what clearing
of yourselves, what indignation,
what fear,
what vehement desire,
what zeal,
what vindication! In all
things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
That brings me to another doctrinal problem. Why were the Corinthians called carnal when they "fell short in no gift of the Holy Spirit"? Of course, Romans 11 says that the gifts of God are irrevocable, so can the old nature be resurrected, as Matthew 7:21-23 seems to say? To me, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit causes us to be born again. See my dilemma? I do believe that we are put on the path of
being saved, and that we can fall off that path unless we endure to the end. I, at least, don't believe that our salvation is secure from the beginning. So, no, I don't believe OSAS is possible from the beginning, or that you can fall off and remain "saved." My "assurance" is more in line with 1 John 3:21-24.
And 2 Peter 1:
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more
diligent to make your call and election sure,
for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It appears there in 10-11 that those who continue to sin are those who stumble, and their entrance to heaven is NOT sure.
Other verses:
Ephesians 4:22
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the
old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the
old man with his deeds,
