10/28/77
A. The Restraints Under the First Marriage to the Old Sin Nature.
1. There are direct restraints from God such as the Mosaic Law, the function of the laws of divine establishment, and the judicial punishment from the law.
2. Social disapproval is a restraint. This is the establishment influence of society, but it only functions when a society is establishment oriented. For example, homosexuals are no issue in society until they make an issue of themselves, and then society must squash them. But if a Christian goes on a crusade against homosexuality, it is no good, because that is an attempt to improve Satan’s world. Change must occur by the establishment function of the law based on the function of a large pivot of mature believers.
3. There is restraint because of inability. People are restrained simply because they aren’t capable, have no capacity, or have no opportunity to follow their lust pattern.
B. The Restraints on the Believer.
1. The Holy Spirit restrains the believer, Gal 5:16. When filled with the Holy Spirit, you have the divinely-enabled power to resist temptation.
2. Maximum Bible doctrine in the soul can even anticipate temptation and resist it, Ps 119:11.
3. Fear or respect for divine authority and the justice of God often restrains the believer.
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© 1989, by R. B. Thieme,
Jr. All rights reserved.
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