The following points have been deduced from Dr. Cyrus I. Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth, pg. 69. 2. (For the full study please visit my wall)
8. Now a summary of the points we have just read can be outlined as follows: a. The regenerate has two natures a good and a bad one. b. The old nature is unchanged in the believer, he merely received a new one at conversion. c. Christ’s new nature subsists together with the old one in the believer. d. Conflict between the two natures causes dismay and discouragement. e. Romans chapter seven is a record of this conflict. f. The old man is dead in a sense, but the gift of the Holy Spirit is to subdue the flesh. The Two Natures Issue: 9.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TWO NATURES PROPERLY.
Christ had two natures just as the converted person. a. The Divine Nature, God, was in the flesh of Jesus Christ. (2 Pet. 4:1; 2 Cor. 5:19).
b. Christ was also human flesh, he had human nature. Jn. 1:14.
c. Christ was a man like all men, thus He had human nature. Phil. 2:7,8.
d. Christ partook of flesh and blood, He took the nature of man, the seed of Abraham. Heb. 2:14,16.
e. God, the Divine Nature, was manifest in the flesh of Christ thus the two natures Christ had, was one Divine and one human. 1 Tim. 3:16.
f. His flesh was “sinful human flesh”, but this is NOT sin, because Christ had no sin. (Rom. 8:3; 1 Pet. 2:21,22; Heb. 4:15).
g. As it was with Christ, so it is with the Christian; Christ is called our brother. Heb. 2:11-13,17.
h. Thus there is no “old sinful nature” in the converted man, only the Divine Nature in his human nature, and the human nature is not sin. 2 Pet. 1:3,4.
i. Thus human nature is not sin, but has been affected by sin; this is infirmities,
which itself is not sin for Christ had infirmities. Matt. 8:17; Rom. 6:19; Heb. 4:15.
j. If human nature is infected by sin it must begin in the heart or mind. (Mk. 7:18 23; Pr. 23:7).
k. When sin infects human nature from the mind, it causes man to be a sinner in the experience and practice of sin. (Rom. 7:8,11,13,14,18; Gen. 6:5).
l. Thus there is no sin nature or sinful human nature (that is, human nature infected by sin) in the converted. The converted man is freed from sin. (Rom. 6:7, Jn. 8:36).
The Change in Something Old:
10. The facts are, that there is change to take place in man, but it is not a problem of “old nature”. However, there is a change in something old. a. The carnal mind is removed to be replaced by the spiritual mind. (Rom. 8:6; Rom. 5:1; Mal. 2:5).
b. The old man is removed and replaced with the new man. (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22 24); Col. 3:9,10.
c. Idols or idol-values is removed and replaced with the Spirit of God. (Eze. 14:4; Eze. 36:25,27; Gal. 4:6).
d. The flesh is removed and replaced with the Spirit. Gal. 5:16,17,24,25.
e. Sin within is removed and replaced with the Righteousness of God. (Rom. 7:16 18; Rom. 3:20,22).
f. Spiritual death is replaced with spiritual life. (Rom. 8:6; Eph. 2:1,5; 2 Cor. 4:10).
Two Natures Subsist Together?
11. Does Christ’s new nature subsist with the old nature in the converted person? We have shown before that there is nothing called old nature in the Bible. a. When Christ is in the person, old things are past away, all things become new. 2 Cor. 5:17.
b. Light and darkness cannot dwell together, so the Nature of God cannot dwell together, so the Nature of God cannot dwell with sin in man. 1 Jn. 1:5-7; 1 Jn. 2:10,11.
c. The Spirit of God cannot dwell together with the flesh. Gal. 5:16,17.
No Inner Conflict:
12. There is no inner conflict between two natures in the converted person. Here are the reasons. a. The wretchedness that destroys peace is due to being brought into sin while wanting to live holy. Rom. 7:22-24.
b. This is all due to the fact that the man, being sold under sin is unconverted. Rom. 7:13-15.
c. God has given great peace to those who are converted. (Rom. 8:6; Rom. 5:1; Ps. 119:165).
d. When the peace of God rules in the heart it is because no sin is within. (Col. 3:15; Rom. 8:6; Rom. 5:1).
e. The righteous do no evil thus there is no moral conflict in him. Ps. 119:1-3.
f. Hiding the word of God in the heart causes no sin in the regenerate, thus there is no inner moral conflict. Ps. 119:11.
g. The regenerate person who is born again does not commit sin and cannot sin, because the seed of the word of God remains in him, thus there is no inner conflict in the regenerate. 1 Jn. 3:9.
h. So long as he remains sinless, he has no inner moral conflict between two natures. To sin the man must make himself a sinner by rebuilding again the things he destroyed that caused him to sin. Gal. 2:17,18.
i. The righteous rejoices in a life of victory over sin from coming within him. Rom. 5:1,2,11; Ps. 51:9,10,12; Rom. 14:17; 1 Pet. 1:7,8; 1 Pet. 4:13,14.
j. However the righteous do have concern not to fall into sin. 1 Cor. 10:12; 1 Jn. 2:1.
k. Thus the righteous is anxious at times to please God in all he does. 1 Thess. 4:1; Col. 1:10; 1 Jn. 3:22.
l. The righteous struggles with his infirmities, thus his struggle is to keep his body in subjection to the Law of God, it is a struggle against infirmities. (1 Cor. 9:25 27; Rom. 8:26; Rom. 15:1).
m. By Struggling with infirmities to keep sin from coming within, so he struggles against sin, not with sin. Rom. 6:17-19; 2 Cor. 10:9,10; Heb. 5:2,3.
n. Thus there is no struggle between two natures in the regenerate, he merely yields his members to obey God that he do not sin. Rom. 6:12,13,17,18.
o. The dismay and discouragement that comes to the person described by the author, is because the person does not know how to obey. Rom. 7:18,284.
p. And the person is therefore falling into sin over and over in a failure to live righteous. Rom. 7:15,19.
q. This is because the person has conviction to be righteous but they do not have deliverance from sin within as yet. Rom. 7:21-24.
r. But true conversion and thus deliverance from sin within removes the dismay and discouragement, and thus leads to inner peace from holiness. Rom. 5:1,2; Rom. 14:17,18; Gal. 5:22
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