The Body of Christ and the Law: A Comparative Study of Romans 7:4 and Galatians 2:19

In Romans and Galatians, Paul refers to a spiritual death to sin (Rom 6:2) and to the law (Rom 7:4; Gal 2:19). As the means of the believer\u27s death to the law, Paul mentions the body of Christ in Rom 7:4 and the law in Gal 2:19. These verses seem to suggest some sort of relationship between the body of Christ and the law, as well as between the law and sin. The purpose of this study is to determine the type of relationship between the body of Christ and the law, as well as between law and sin. The study consists of a survey of non-Jewish, Greco-Roman literature, and Jewish literature (Hebrew Bible and Second Temple literature) along with exegetical and theological analyses of relevant Pauline passages. The study argues that the believer\u27s death to sin (Rom 6:2) is spiritual in nature, consisting of a change in rulership. The believer\u27s death to sin terminates the rule of sin but does not do away with sin’s existence in the believer\u27s life. Furthermore, the believer\u27s death to sin has soteriological significance; therefore it cannot be metaphorical. The believer\u27s death to the law (Rom 7:4; Gal 2:19) is also spiritual, consisting of liberation from condemnation to death through the law of sin. The law of sin is the law of God, embodied in sinful human beings, which condemns them to death. The condemnation through the law of sin depends on rulership. The believer\u27s death to the law of sin terminates the believer\u27s condemnation to death, but not the existence of the law of sin in the believer\u27s life. Regarding the means of the believer\u27s death to the law, the body of Christ (Rom 7:4) refers to the crucified and resurrected body of Christ and through the law (Gal 2:19) refers to the law of God embodied in Christ, which enables the believer to live to God. In Rom 7:4, the believer experiences liberation from the law of sin by participation in the crucified and resurrected body of Christ. Similarly, in Gal 2:19, the believer also experiences liberation from the same law of sin by participation in the law of God embodied in Christ. Christ’s fulfillment of the law of God enables the believer\u27s righteous status and liberation from condemnation to death. Both means of redemption—the crucified and resurrected body of Christ (Rom 7:4) and the law of God embodied in Christ (Gal 2:19)—centers in Christ\u27s death on the cross

The Plausibility and Possibility of the Seventh-day Adventist Eschatological Scenario

This paper compares the eschatological scenario regarding the relationship between the ecumenical movement and the Roman-Catholic Church as suggested by popular Seventh-day Adventist evangelists with the eschatological scenario present in the Bible and Ellen G. White’s Great Controversy. Their plausibility and possibility are evaluated by an examination of the constitution and the bylaws of the World Council of Churches

Body and Death in Pauline Theology

This study seeks to examine the relationship between the body and sin and death. Once sin and death entered the world, they enforced a division between humanity and divinity. In addition, they subjected humanity under their universal rule. Paul argues that Christ’s physical death marked the end of their universal rule as well as their dividing activity. He further argues that human beings, when partaking in Christ’s death to sin, are not only freed from sin and death’s rule, but are also able to overcome the division from God. If Paul argues all this it is puzzling that sin and death remain present in the believers’ lives. The study suggests that the non-physicality of the believer’s death to sin is key in the explanation of the ongoing presence of sin and death in the believers’ lives