Seth, back to the discussion of Paul's struggles, him saying "no longer I that do it", the subsequent discussion of Paul/us being accountable/responsible, etc....I've questioned if since the above is stated by Paul and true, then was the sin even being laid to his account at that point...if it's "no longer I that do it", he'd been reconciled through grace, etc.
Yes, the sin was laid to his account by the law itself, when he was under the law, remembering that slavery to sin is by the law, and deliverance from sin is by the Spirit. So even though his was not the causal responsibility for lust, the law laid it to his charge - so that in his struggle, he would recognize his slavery.
When he was under the law, and in the flesh, he wanted to obey the good commandments, but slavery kept him from doing it and brought him under guilt. By being delivered from the law and the body of sin, the Holy Spirit STANDS between the body of sin, and our minds. That is how the flesh is crucified before it is physically dead. The Holy Spirit is the barrier between us and the body of sin, which is why Romans 8 declares that when we have the Spirit we are no longer in the flesh.
HOWEVER, we are still GROWING in the Spirit, while Christ was the visible image of the invisible God having the full measure of the Spirit, the weight of Glory that we hope for. Christ was perfectly mature because he was the visible image of perfect maturity (God). That is why, though we still have sin, we GROW enough to maturity so that more and more, the lusts of the seed of sin die out and our minds are completely dead to the lusts it produces.
Accountablity is useful to God even when the causal responsibility is not placed on man. It's useful for him to make us accountable so that we will desire deliverance.
I don't know of any off the top of my head...do you know of any scriptures/places where Paul talked about needing to ask God for forgiveness of his sins, or even confess them? I know he said things like "no longer I that do it...God's grace is sufficient...Jesus would deliver him"...
Yes, the reason we ask God for forgiveness is to show our humility. We SHOULD want to be delivered from sin, and God does not resist the humble. So God's grace actually brings us to a place of more humility so that if/when we sin we WANT to be humble enough to ask for forgiveness. God resists the proud, and asking forgiveness simply shows our humility.
