Mark continued in the book of Romans with a study of Romans 7: 14-25: The Struggle is Real Part 1—Debating Romans 7:15
3 Hidden problems or positions of this verse.
1. Assumes Paul is converted.
2. Assumes Christianity and Judaism were separate to Paul.
3. Assumes Paul had a clean break from Judaism.
Paul never converted but learned to recognize the Messiah. Timeline:
Paul is born
Age 34ish when persecuting the church
Age 35ish to Damascus a revelation and a calling
Later Paul’s Christian experiences.
How does verse 15 affect Romans 7 and 8?
The flow of God’s thought.
The Law commands, but we can’t obey without the Holy Spirit.
Homework. Go thru Romans 7 and look at the tenses. Does it make sense if Paul is talking before or after conversion? Or a transition?
So what? Points for home
Legalism kills.
Understand the already/not yet.
Don’t be surprised with the struggle.
Listen to Mark teach Paul’s faith and how he didn’t waver from the Jewish religion. Jesus’s sacrifice was for all time, before, now, and the future. Believing Jews transitioned from Torah-administration to the Spirit-administration.
