What's new
By:
Filters
Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Bible Study Something Old, Something New! –NC

netchaplain

netchaplain

Member
Our emotions are what we feel but our nature is what causes the type of reactions to the emotions, what we do concerning them. The nature of individuals is the predominant attribute which determines their essence and quality. This is why the addition of the new nature, because the old one doesn't change in that "it is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be" (Rom 8:7).

The "new man" (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) is not an entity or person, but a nature, and this is what makes us different from what we where, because it now makes us "partakers of the divine nature" (1 Pet 1:4). The new man, or nature, is what I believe the Spirit uses in our life to be "transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor 3:18). The image God is transforming us into is Christ's image (Rom 8:29). The Spirit's continual application of Christ's crucifixion power to our old nature frees us live more by the new nature than by the old. We still serve sin (Rom 7:25) but not like before, as a slave under a ruler (Rom 6:12, 14).

I believe scripture teaches us that human nature is sinful. I believe since Christ's incarnation was by the Spirit, He could not inherit man's nature, as we do--from Adam. He didn't come to use what He finds but what He brings. The new nature is a creation from God (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) and I believe that it is through this the Spirit "makes us partakers of the divine nature".
 
netchaplain said:
Our emotions are what we feel but our nature is what causes the type of reactions to the emotions, what we do concerning them. The nature of individuals is the predominant attribute which determines their essence and quality. This is why the addition of the new nature, because the old one doesn't change in that "it is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be" (Rom 8:7).

The "new man" (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) is not an entity or person, but a nature, and this is what makes us different from what we where, because it now makes us "partakers of the divine nature" (1 Pet 1:4). The new man, or nature, is what I believe the Spirit uses in our life to be "transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor 3:18). The image God is transforming us into is Christ's image (Rom 8:29). The Spirit's continual application of Christ's crucifixion power to our old nature frees us live more by the new nature than by the old. We still serve sin (Rom 7:25) but not like before, as a slave under a ruler (Rom 6:12, 14).

I believe scripture teaches us that human nature is sinful. I believe since Christ's incarnation was by the Spirit, He could not inherit man's nature, as we do--from Adam. He didn't come to use what He finds but what He brings. The new nature is a creation from God (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) and I believe that it is through this the Spirit "makes us partakers of the divine nature".
Click to expand...

I'm not 100% convinced by what you say here. What Paul said in Eph 4:22-24, is; You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
This is talking about an act of our freewill in choosing what to listen to, our carnal nature or our new spiritual nature. It's now a matter for believers, after salvation, to learn a new way to respond, or to feed, a new nature. Not necessarily another nature.
 
Hi Stan and God's blessings to you!

The "new nature" the believer has is not part of the old nature, which is still present and was not added to the believer's life until rebirth.

I see it as not feeding the natures but feeding of of them. As you mentioned, "an act of our freewill in choosing what to listen to, our carnal nature or our new spiritual nature."

I believe the natures do not vary in quantity. They will always be what they are, as the old nature has never been, not will ever be subject to God (Rom 8:7). There cannot be more or less of them, but we can be more or less active with them. Being more active with the new nature is being less active with the old, because of the law of displacement. The two can never be in unison.

The old nature has always been as corrupt as it will be, that's why I prefer the rendering "which is corrupt" instead of "which is being corrupted." I believe God intended to use our original nature only for teaching us His ways--by contrast,

The more He reveals to us the depths of corruption of our old nature, the more He will teach us the depths of His holiness.
 
netchaplain said:
Hi Stan and God's blessings to you!

The old nature has always been as corrupt as it will be, that's why I prefer the rendering "which is corrupt" instead of "which is being corrupted." I believe God intended to use our original nature only for teaching us His ways--by contrast,
Click to expand...

Blessings to you as well.

The Greek word use here is phtheiro, which connotes"to destroy by means of corrupting," and so "bringing into a worse state;" according to Vine's.

As we submit and grow in Christ, I think we become less corruptible. Ultimately I look forward to what God has instore as Paul shows in 1 Cor 15:51-53;
We will not all fall asleep,
but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the blink of an eye,
at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we will be changed.
53 For this corruptible must be clothed
with incorruptibility,
and this mortal must be clothed
with immortality.

​
 
Hi brother Stan. This might just be splitting hairs but I prefer to use Strong's rendering for the word "corrupt" because it designs an unchangeable status and is void of degrees of decadence. "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt (Mat 12:33).
1) to corrupt, to destroy
a) in the opinion of the Jews, the temple was corrupted or "destroyed" when anyone defiled or in the slightest degree damaged anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties.

In this sense, we donnot become "less corruptible" but are incorrigibly corruptible in our old nature, while presently we are incorruptible in our new nature. This is how Christ can present us "to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that we should be holy and without blemish" (Eph 5:27).

I think Vine's rendering is ok but it does lend to the concept of varying amounts due to the root word for "phtheirō", which is "phthio": to pine or waste; which can design degrees of change.

I shared this as a matter of interest and not contention.

Loving You in Christ <><
 
netchaplain said:
Hi brother Stan. This might just be splitting hairs but I prefer to use Strong's rendering for the word "corrupt" because it designs an unchangeable status and is void of degrees of decadence. "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt (Mat 12:33).
1) to corrupt, to destroy
a) in the opinion of the Jews, the temple was corrupted or "destroyed" when anyone defiled or in the slightest degree damaged anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties.

In this sense, we donnot become "less corruptible" but are incorrigibly corruptible in our old nature, while presently we are incorruptible in our new nature. This is how Christ can present us "to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that we should be holy and without blemish" (Eph 5:27).

I think Vine's rendering is ok but it does lend to the concept of varying amounts due to the root word for "phtheirō", which is "phthio": to pine or waste; which can design degrees of change.

I shared this as a matter of interest and not contention.

Loving You in Christ <><
Click to expand...

Well I don't believe the corruptible will EVER become incorruptible on it's own, so I guess we're on the same track pretty much. I'm just a little sensitive to the "Total Depravity" doctrine I guess.

:thumbsup
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top