On Romans 7:7 and 2:14-15
01/18/21 03:51 PM Filed in: Christianity
There appears to be a contradiction between what Paul says about how Gentiles know sin and how he knows sin. Concerning Gentiles, in Romans 2:14-15, Paul writes:
That is, Gentiles have an intrinsic, if imperfect, knowledge of what God's law requires. In this verse in the original Greek, notice how Paul switches between "a law" and "the law," i.e. the Mosaic Law.1
But in chapter 7, Paul says that he would not have known what sin was if the Mosaic Law hadn't told him:
That's surprising. Shouldn't Jews have at least the same basic knowledge of right and wrong, just like Gentiles?
I pondered this on and off for months, getting nowhere. During a discussion last week, someone made a statement similar to Paul's: "I wouldn't know adultery was wrong unless the Mosaic Law told me." And the answer fell into place. "Then you don't know what love is," I replied, "because love does no harm to a neighbor, and your spouse is your closest neighbor."
I think the resolution to the dilemma between verses 2:14-15 and 7:7 is that Paul is letting on that he was a hard, loveless man prior to the Damascus Road. And because he had no love, he needed the Law to show him how to live in his society. That makes the love passage in 1 Cor. 13 even more impressive, as it would then have come solely from his Damascus change, where he came under the New Covenant and God replaced his "heart of stone" with a "heart of flesh".
[1] For an example of this, see Another Short Conversation.
When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them...
That is, Gentiles have an intrinsic, if imperfect, knowledge of what God's law requires. In this verse in the original Greek, notice how Paul switches between "a law" and "the law," i.e. the Mosaic Law.1
But in chapter 7, Paul says that he would not have known what sin was if the Mosaic Law hadn't told him:
What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
That's surprising. Shouldn't Jews have at least the same basic knowledge of right and wrong, just like Gentiles?
I pondered this on and off for months, getting nowhere. During a discussion last week, someone made a statement similar to Paul's: "I wouldn't know adultery was wrong unless the Mosaic Law told me." And the answer fell into place. "Then you don't know what love is," I replied, "because love does no harm to a neighbor, and your spouse is your closest neighbor."
I think the resolution to the dilemma between verses 2:14-15 and 7:7 is that Paul is letting on that he was a hard, loveless man prior to the Damascus Road. And because he had no love, he needed the Law to show him how to live in his society. That makes the love passage in 1 Cor. 13 even more impressive, as it would then have come solely from his Damascus change, where he came under the New Covenant and God replaced his "heart of stone" with a "heart of flesh".
[1] For an example of this, see Another Short Conversation.
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2020 Reading List
01/01/21 06:44 AM Filed in: Books
1 The Parables of Grace Robert Farrar Capon 2 The Puppet Masters Robert A. Heinlein 3 Christianity and Liberalism J. Gresham Machen 4 The Witches of Karres James H. Schmitz 5 The Twelfth Victim Linda M. Battisti & John Stevens Berry, Sr. 6 Street Level Romans Michael Baer 7 Creation Myths: Revised Edition Marie-Louise Von Franz 8 Breakfast At Tiffany's Truman Capote 9 The Teaching of Jesus concerning the Kingdom of God and the Church Geerhardus Vos 10 The Dispossessed Ursula K. LeGuin 11 The God Delusion Debate (Transcript) Richard Dawkins & John Lennox 12 The Computer and the Brain John Von Neumann 13 Divine Misfortune A. Lee. Martinez 14 The Unknowable Gregory J. Chaitin 15 Warren-Flew Debate On The Existence of God Thomas B. Warren & Antony G. Flew 16 Agile Conversations Squirrel & Fredrick 17 The Divine Dance Richard Rohr & Mike Morrell 18 The Letter to the Romans William Barclay 19 Natural Theology Jean Rioux 20 Jesus and the Forces of Death Matthew Thiessen 21 Paul: A New Covenant Jew Pitre, Barber, Kincaid 22 The Prodigal God Timothy Keller 23 The Emperor's New Mind Roger Penrose 24 Worlds of Exile and Illusion Ursula K. LeGuin 25 Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood Aimee Byrd 26 The Parasitic Mind Gad Saad 27 Uniform Decisions John Caprarelli 28 But What If We're Wrong Chuck Klosterman 29 The R. A. Lafferty Fantastic MegaPack R. A. Lafferty 30 The Golden Apples Eudora Welty 31 Stardance Spider & Jeanne Robinson
The Parables of Exclusion
11/14/20 11:27 AM Filed in: Christianity
There are a number of stories of exclusion that Jesus told.
The "Wise and Foolish Virgins" (Matthew 25:1-13), "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21-23), "The Rich Man" (Mark 10:17-22).
We normally take these stories to mean that there comes a time when the door will be shut, the party will begin, those who are inside will rejoice. And while that is true, I'm no longer sure that that's what Jesus is really saying.
I don't remember all of the details, but in Men's Bible Study a few weeks ago the question was asked, "what would you do if Jesus said to you, 'I never knew you?'" The first answer was, "Nothing. There's nothing you can do."
I had an epiphany and said, "On the contrary. I would say to Him, 'In November, 1978, at two in the morning, you called me and I have followed ever since. You invited me to this party. Now, it's your party, but if you want me to leave you're going to have to summon your bouncers."
In the same way, the "foolish" virgins should either have followed those who had lamps, or returned to the party once they had gotten more oil and pounded on the door until someone opened, even if it was the next day. It isn't as if that party will end.
I think we need to read these stories in light of the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to heal her daughter (Mt 15:21-28). She didn't give up, she didn't let go.
In the single-minded pursuit of God, you mustn't quit.
The "Wise and Foolish Virgins" (Matthew 25:1-13), "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21-23), "The Rich Man" (Mark 10:17-22).
We normally take these stories to mean that there comes a time when the door will be shut, the party will begin, those who are inside will rejoice. And while that is true, I'm no longer sure that that's what Jesus is really saying.
I don't remember all of the details, but in Men's Bible Study a few weeks ago the question was asked, "what would you do if Jesus said to you, 'I never knew you?'" The first answer was, "Nothing. There's nothing you can do."
I had an epiphany and said, "On the contrary. I would say to Him, 'In November, 1978, at two in the morning, you called me and I have followed ever since. You invited me to this party. Now, it's your party, but if you want me to leave you're going to have to summon your bouncers."
In the same way, the "foolish" virgins should either have followed those who had lamps, or returned to the party once they had gotten more oil and pounded on the door until someone opened, even if it was the next day. It isn't as if that party will end.
I think we need to read these stories in light of the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to heal her daughter (Mt 15:21-28). She didn't give up, she didn't let go.
In the single-minded pursuit of God, you mustn't quit.
Link censored by Twitter
10/14/20 04:13 PM Filed in: Politics
This is the link that Twitter won't let be published:
Smoking-gun email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian businessman to VP dad
Updated 10/13/2020 @ 9:35pm to include this link which claims to show inconsistencies with the story by the NY Post. I present both links without comment.
Smoking-gun email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian businessman to VP dad
Updated 10/13/2020 @ 9:35pm to include this link which claims to show inconsistencies with the story by the NY Post. I present both links without comment.
Electric Mudball
10/07/20 09:17 PM Filed in: Ideas
Google returns no hits for "electric mudball." I hereby designate it as a description of a brain.