I just recently discovered Paul Furlong on Facebook, and thought I’d share this great teaching here too. Paul the apostle actually did work out his own salvation with fear and trembling, and was able to say:

“Herein I also practice ALWAYS having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.” (Acts 24:16)

This is my Facebook page if anyone is interested: facebook.com/onecanhappen

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From: Paul Furlong’s 6/29/15  Facebook post

Another scripture [Romans 7] totally and shamefully misquoted showing the severe ignorance of the knowledge of God and His Word! This scripture is used to say Paul lives a full sinful life and any sin he committed is not really him ???? To make excuses for their own sin….Yet this contradicts all Paul’s previous and following teaching and the whole Bibles teaching !!

Romans 7:18-20 “For I know that in me that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. “

Yet Paul makes it very clear he is referring to those “under the law” and his old life prior to new life in grace !!

Romans 7:1 “Know ye not, brethren, for I speak to them that know the law, how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? “

Paul again referring “when” we were …. PAST not present

Romans 7:5 “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. “

Now paul shows under law we are dead and have no hope but under (Christ) grace we are free.

If we go back to the law we are condemned by sin but if we walk according to the spirit we are empowered unto holiness and the control of sin is destroyed ….

Romans 8:3-5 “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”

Again Paul clarifies the new life in God other than under the law sets us free from sin…

Romans 8:8-9, 12-13 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. ….Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (He does not belong to God) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. “

Then in case we don’t get it Paul really makes it clear … Stop sinning [and] get control of your sinful fleshly behavior or die!!

Romans 8:8-9, 12-13 “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. “

Related:

(video) Leonard Ravenhill: Romans 7 vs 8 — Life before the Son vs Life in the Son — “Romans 7 is a funeral march, Romans 8 is a wedding march … it’s a Spirit dominated life in chapter 8.”

“Who-Goes-To-Heaven Scriptures — Narrow is the Way | Who are the Children of God? — “There is therefore now *no condemnation* to those who are IN CHRIST Jesus, who don’t WALK according to the flesh, but ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT”