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There is a form of doctrine which frees us from sin. There is a form of doctrine which leaves us enslaved to our flesh. Know the difference. __________________________________________
Romans 6:17, 18 But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered (given over to) you. Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.
How does one obey a form of doctrine? I thought content was more important than form! For example:
II Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.
Here is where knowing a little bit of Greek comes in handy. Or at least knowing how to use some of the research books for the Bible that deal with Greek. In the above 2 Scripture sections, there are two different Greek words used for the words “form.”
In II Timothy 3, the word used is morphe, meaning “form, or shape, regardless of content”
In Romans 6, the word used is tupos, meaning “the mark or impression produced by a blow; hence, model, pattern, exemplar.” By its very nature, the blow or impression points to the action of the thing which produced the mark. For example, a bullet hole would be a tupos of the act of a gun firing.
So II Timothy 3 speaks of a form or shape of godliness. And what is that shape of godliness, which denies (refuses, declines) the power, or content, of godliness? How about that shape which promotes self? It is condescending, full of self, and wise in its own foolish vanity. It is more concerned with how it looks than whether it is useful or helpful or fruitful.
On the other hand, back in Romans 6, the model or pattern of doctrine (teaching, the thing taught) which we obey from the heart is that which was produced by the activity of the holy spirit of God, making its impression on our heart.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.
Obeying from the heart this pattern of what is taught by God’s holy spirit makes us free from sin and servants of righteousness.
Therefore, the doctrine we teach cannot be the law! For:
Romans 7:8-10 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, worked in me all manner of lustful yearning. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
Obeying the law never freed us from sin….could never free us from sin. Therefore, the pattern of our doctrine today cannot be the law. What, then, is it?
I Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the holy spirit, and in much assurance; as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
I Corinthians 2:4,5 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration (a pointing out, displaying) of the spirit and of power; That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
This speaks of the thing which produced the imprint, or pattern, in our hearts. The power of the spirit of Christ. It also speaks of the pattern produced…….the spirit of Christ! Christ, via the holy spirit of God, comes and produces a pattern, an imprint, in our hearts……and that imprint itself is saturated with the thing which produced the imprint….Christ!
II Corinthians 3:3 You are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
How do you know that it’s the right spirit which is working in your heart? That’s a very good question, for there are many false spirits in the world. The answer is simple and powerful. The true holy spirit always always makes known the glorified Christ.
John 16:13 Howbeit, when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear (from me), that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
The preaching and teaching of law does not have the power to free us from sin. Rather, it is the preaching and teaching of the grace of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord which frees us from sin and provides us the form and content to be servants of God’s righteousness.
I Corinthians 2:12, 13 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the holy spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Here is the form of doctrine which frees us from sin. The teaching of the holy spirit of God, which always always always makes known the risen and glorified Christ! Never accept the teaching of the law, or of behavior modification, to take the place of the true Christ-centered form of doctrinal teaching, for it does not hold the power to free us from sin.
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Other teachings that relate to this study:
How Christ is Building His Church
The Glorified Christ
Freedom in Christ
Freedom from Sin’s Domination
How God Deals with our Sin
Also, regarding false spirits:
What or Who is antichrist?
Discerning Devil Spirits
Watch Out!
Watch Out, Concluded.
