Sunday Column.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 May 1913, Page 4

Sunday Column.

A Meditation on Rom. 7. Ohap.- . By JS\ Hyde. "Bo then with the mind: I mywoli &»rve'the law of God, tiut.iwith; th< flesh the law of, sin."— Horn. 7-25 It ie admitted that tie; 1 .under review ie a somewhat difficul one, but this is only another rea son why Christiana pastors ebou.l< make the effort to break the brew of life to thoir people, fronrportioni of Seripture, whose meaning iloe not Appear on the surface to casus observer. It iB aluo reali&ed tha differences of opinion occur in ,buol portions as Rom. 7, bnt the presen talk on the chapter most be rea< in the light of only one roan' opinion Relying on the Holy Spirit, how ev«r, we believe, He will lead h into all truth. The outetandini feature of the •hepter is a oonflic between mind and body. flomi aro of the opinion that this a eon fliofc of converted man, end mny be and often ie the experience of pres out day Christians. But to me,!' appears that Paul is writing rr i Christian, but describing the con flict that took place in his lifeiwhih he was yet nnder the law. In th< first verse he makes it clear • thai it is a Jew speaking to Jeaus wh< knew the law. In chapter six lu had told them they were no longei under the law but under grace. Thit was a difficulty to tho Jew, but at the same time waa no difficulty tc the Gontiles, who never were under the law. Then Paul tries to show them that lie, as a Jow, found 't impossible to keep tho law, for tc will was present with him, but bow to perform it he knew not. He was a typical Jew and cradled in the law and cited his own exponents as an example. But now tho Jew could not keep tho law, not beonnso til© low was sin, but because of the weakness of the flesh. God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh condemned sin in the flesh, and like as Christ was raised By the glory of the Father; so we also should walk in the newness of life, «nd that wo should serve in nowneas of spirit, and not in the oldnesß of the letter. In ehapter six the point was dying to Bin, being crucified with Christ, so that Being dead to sin, he might livo again or be re-born of the Spirit. To show now the Jew was to die to the law and be born again that he might be married to the Spirit, Paul used the marriage relation as aft illustration of his point. Before proceeding to this, we will Bvst notice the distinction between mind and fleeh. Thfc mind is the seat of understanding, conviction arid resolve. The flesh is the human nature common to All. But this flesh was corrupted at its wuroo. Adam's offenee opened the door by which lin entered, and tho seed ot tho race being in Adam, ein passed upon all. j Tho mind is go separate from tho flesh tha mon do . often find themso ves - passing. sentence upon their own , actions. Or, with the mind confessing unto the law of God that it ie good, but in the-flesh obeying the. Taw of sfn. Thus we find Paul describing the position of tho Jew, in his mind. He had been taught tho law and consented that it was good, yet bocauso of the weakness of the flesh viii.-3, he found himself unable to keep it. This servitude of the mind to the flesh is tho outcome of Adam's transgression. Sin having become lodged in the flesh cannot be removed till oracified. This servitude of tho mind to the flesh i is an important point and is brought ! out by Paul by reference to the mar.' j riagc relation. Tho husband typi--1 fied tho flesh and the wifo the mind. She oould only bo freed from tha husband on the occasion of hie death. Thus the cruciflction of *the flesh, or dying with Christ is necessary before she, tho wife, who., reperesents the mind, can be , married to another. This will be. olear if we turn Beck tlie pages to first i married pair. You-will notioe;that it was tho disobedienoo of SCAN, by which sin entered. As tho, eeod of the raoe was in him, of necessity all his posterity inherited, ein. In I. Tim ii. 14 we are told Adam was; NOT deceivod. Consequently % lighter sentence was pawed on the woman. She was to be in subjection to her husband and he ; shall reign over theo. Here ooming back to Rom. 7, it will at oneo be, apparent the wife, or mind, wa« to be ruled over by the husband or .flesh. In Gen v. 2, we see God called thoir name Adam, but after the transgression Adam named, his. wifo Eve, ; or living; hence as i'n Adam all die,so in Christ wo shall be made alive, for it was promised to 3Jve that her rood should bruise the serpent's head. Thus it becomes • olear why; Christ was born of a woman, but not of the seed of a woman. Now tho woman, or the iuind, is told that should the husband dio' she may be married to another. . Hiad Adam died without issue, and another sinless man been there she eould have married him. This ie now what just takes plaoe, the •'■flesh ©r husband is erucified with Christ, buried with Him, and the mind, or woman, is free to bo married t<xanother. Christ Jesus. This is the repiody, to pass onfc of the line of the old Adam to the new. and this ran only be done by dying to one and being born to another. "Ht thkf hoaretfi my word and helieveth ifl Him that sent lie both ev»rlast-

e ing" life aad shall not come to judgi- mcnt bnt fc passer out of death ini, to life."—John v. 24. i- In tlio. space at my disposal let t tne emphasis© one point. The fact a that in the unconverted person the - flcali is master. It follows that D they that , are in the flesh cannot* 0 please God—lmpossible that a man t ruled by the spirit of Adam could 0 plfsase Him who desires us to bo of 9 the Spirit of His dear Bon. The r c&roal mind is emnity against God, s for it is not subject to the law of k God wittier indeed can be. For the j preaoher and Christian to grip tins ■ truth that the f!«h must be orucir\ fied and that wo must first die hok fore we can be re-born, is most imj portant, for as long as the husband - liveth she Is bound to the law of * her husband, TJut if the husband bo 1 dead she Is free from the law and may bo married to another. To srip this truth is to at onco Rive, np the Idea of growing unTo the Ifinkdom, or getting into in any way than birth. Verily, T say unto yon ye must bo born again. 1 commend the tibovo thoughts to the consideration of God's people, and * prayerful study of His word. rpnnoMKsr