DB5

DB5

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DB5

In choosing my thesis, I was more focused on the difficulties that Christians face in their walk of faith. They have a desire to follow God’s principles and live according to His word. They try to do what is right in the sight of God. However, their carnal desires often act in opposition of what they would wish and they end up sinning. The law and sin are such complex elements in the life of a Christian although they may not seem to be so. Christians struggle to eliminate sin and follow the law. Despite the complexities of the law, it remains one of the most fundamental elements in a person’s life because it makes him aware of his shortcomings. People cannot be aware of sin if they did not have the law. Hence, even though people end up committing sin when they break the law, they cannot live without the law because it acts as a guideline in terms of controlling people’s desire for sin.

I begin by introducing the passage based on both the primary biblical text and on the secondary information that I have gathered. This allows me to have a clear direction concerning the rest of the paper. The introduction enables me to limit my focus on a particular issue contained in the passage. The use of secondary sources in this section is important in enhancing the understanding of the biblical text. Getting the viewpoints of others enables me to proceed since I am sure that I am proceeding in the right direction. I follow this up by looking at the passage more deeply. This requires more insight from other scholars. For instance, I am able to note that the passage has two sections of divergence. The first section observes the heavy burden that Christians have to bear while the second section dwells on a person’s effort to do good and live right.

In the process of analysis, I discover that it is important to consider some words carefully so that I can understand the message fully. For instance, I discovered that in this text, Paul has chosen to include himself in the discussion. He is not just telling the readers to follow the advice that he gives them. Instead, he includes himself in the discussion by writing in first person. I follow this by including more information concerning the law and sin as it pertains to Christian life. I then give an example independent of the biblical passage and the secondary sources consulted, which aims to show my understanding of the text

I consulted numerous publications when writing the information. Reading the passage using different interpretations enabled me to have a clearer and deeper understanding of the text. I reflected on what the text meant before deciding to consult other sources. By doing this, I made sure that I was able to form my own opinion first before researching the text through other sources. The decision to use the scholarly sources was based on the need of ensuring that the information I gathered was reliable and credible. I consulted numerous materials for this task.

I consulted sources that included views from both the old and the New Testament. This is because the law is originally contained in the Old Testament. The sources consulted include different interpretations of the biblical passage. However, they do not differ in meaning. I source for information from other sources including Novum Testamentum, Grace Theological Report, Tyndale Bulletin, and Bibliotheca Sacra.

Bibliography

Barnett, Paul. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Pub, 1997.

Chang, H. K. The Christian Life in a Dialectical Tension? Romans 7:7-25 Reconsidered. Novan Testamentum. 49. 2007. 257-280.

Dockery, D. S. Romans 7: 14-25: Pauline Tension in the Christian Life. Grace Theological Report. 2.2. 1981. 239-257.

Hart, J. F. Paul as Weak in Faith in Romans 7:7-25. Bibliotheca Sacra. 170. 2013. 315-343.

Kuula, Kari. The Law, the Covenant, and God’s Plan Volume 2. Volume 2. [Helsinki]: Finnish Exegetical Society, 2003.

Porter, E. S. The Pauline Concept of Original Sin in the Light of Rabbinic Background. Tyndale Bulletin. 41. 1. 2004. 3-30.

Starling, David Ian. Not My People Gentiles as Exiles in Pauline Hermeneutics. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2011.