The apostle Paul has a unique identity among Bible writers, as he is the only such writer about whom a specific warning is issued by another Bible writer, in this case his fellow apostle Peter:
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction (II Peter 3:15-16).
The centuries of the Christian era have proved Peter’s warning all too needful. It isn’t an exaggeration to say the apostle Paul has too often been the heretic’s favorite Bible writer. Apologists for slavery, defenders of such teachings as original sin, double predestination, and natural immortality, together with those believing in Calvary’s alleged abolition of the Ten Commandments in general and the Sabbath in particular—all have found the writings of Paul the easiest to pervert. While Peter also observes in the above passage that those wresting Paul’s writings also do this to “the other scriptures,” Paul remains the only Bible author to be singled out in this fashion.
But despite the best efforts of evangelicals—whether inside or outside Adventism—to construct from Paul’s epistles their “gospel” of salvation by justification alone and the imperfectability of Christian character, the article to follow will demonstrate that the writings of the apostle Paul adhere as decidedly as the “other scriptures” to the Biblical affirmation of sinless obedience attainable through heaven’s power by the Christian believer here on earth.
Paul and Perfection
In the Epistle to the Romans, viewed by many as Paul’s signature treatise on the gospel, the apostle establishes from the beginning that all humanity—Jews and Gentiles alike—stand in need of a Savior. Thus he writes in chapter 3, quoting from the Old Testament: “There is none righteous; no, not one” (Rom. 3:10), and goes on to say in the same context, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (verse 23).
Contrary to what some believe, the apostle is not describing in these verses the limitations allegedly imposed on the sanctified Christian by fallen human nature, but rather, the universal pre-conversion plight of the human family on account of everyone’s choice to sin. The attainments possible for the sanctified believer, by contrast, are described in such verses as Romans 6:2, where Paul assures the converted Christian that “how shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” and goes on to declare of those thus connected to Christ that “sin shall not have dominion over you” (verse 14).
Far from teaching the impossibility of perfect obedience to God’s law on the part of earthly believers, the apostle writes as follows in Romans chapter 8:
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Rom. 8:3-4).
Other passages, scattered throughout the Pauline writings, likewise affirm this Biblical promise:
Awake to righteousness, and sin not (I Cor. 15:34).
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (II Cor. 7:1).
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (II Cor. 10:4-5).
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it. That He might sanctify and cleanse it through the washing of water by the Word. That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:25-27).
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Thess. 5:23).
But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession:
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Tim. 6:11-14).
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity (II Tim. 2:19).
The Man of Romans 7
But some will ask, What about the man described in Romans 7:14-25? Isn’t this Paul’s self-portrait of a genuine Christian desiring to do God’s will, yet held captive to the overwhelming and persistent urges of an inborn fallen nature?
Let’s review the passage in question:
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law, that it is good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Rom. 7:14-8:1).
Quite obviously, the man described in Romans 7 is in complete spiritual captivity, while the first verse of chapter 8 describes a complete change in this condition.
There is no victory in Romans 7, no advancement whatsoever. If these verses described someone experiencing a general upward trend of spiritual growth, a trend nevertheless marred by occasional defeats and backsliding, it could be argued that this was a converted Christian. But Romans 7:14-25 contains nothing but defeat, nothing but bondage. This is not the life of a genuine Christian.
Some will point to the verses where Paul admits the law is spiritual (verse 14), concedes its goodness (verse 16), and delights in it (verse 22). Many insist that only a converted Christian could say these things [1]. But Saul of Tarsus, as a Pharisee, certainly believed the law was holy, just, and good. Devout Jews and Muslims today would say the same thing. Millions more in today’s world know God’s law is good and that they should keep it, but because they don’t have Jesus, they lack the power to do so. How many smokers know they shouldn’t smoke, how many with alcohol, drug, sexual, or other addictions know they should quit, but lack the strength to do so since they don’t know Jesus and His power to save from sin (Matt. 1:21)?
We need to remember the kind of person the apostle Paul was before his conversion. While according to pharisaical righteousness he considered himself blameless (Phil. 3:4-6), his conscience told him otherwise. This is why Jesus, on the Damascus road, declared to him, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5).
We need to speak carefully when we say the man of Romans 7 is unconverted. He is not an unconverted person who loves sin and feels no need. Rather, he is an unconverted person under conviction of his need, which is exactly what Paul, or Saul, was before he met Jesus on the Damascus Road.
We can praise God that, as noted above, Paul doesn’t stop at the end of Romans 7. He moves on to chapter 8, and in so doing makes clear that his erstwhile slavery has been replaced by freedom and victory:
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. . . .
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death: but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. . . .
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live (Rom. 8:1-2,5-9,13).
Notice that the flesh and the carnal mind, which we find in control in Romans 7, are under the control of the Holy Spirit in Romans 8. In chapter 7 Paul describes himself as “carnal, sold under sin” (verse 14). In chapter 8 he maintains that the carnal mind cannot be subject to the law of God (verse 7), while at the same time making it clear that for those who walk after the Spirit rather than the flesh, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled (verse 4). Since the law is clearly being obeyed in chapter 8, the carnality of chapter 7 has obviously been replaced by the spirituality of chapter 8. In Romans 7 Paul is carnal, unable to keep the law he loves. In Romans 8, by contrast, he has become spiritual, and is thus able by God’s grace to fulfill the law’s righteousness (verse 4).
Paul is captive to the law of sin and death in Romans 7 (verses 23-24). In Romans 8, by contrast, he is “free from the law of sin and death” (verse 2). In Romans 7 he is clearly in subjection to the fleshly nature (verses 17-18,20,23). In Romans 8, by contrast, he declares that “ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you” (verse 9). While in Romans 7 he cries out for deliverance from “the body of this death” (verse 24), in another epistle he writes that now, as a Christian, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection” (I Cor. 9:27). In contrast with Romans 7, where Paul speaks of the fleshly nature “bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (verse 23), he writes elsewhere of the necessity of “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Cor. 10:5).
These two sets of verses cannot apply to the same spiritual condition, for Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24). Either we will be captive to the flesh, or captive to Christ.
When we compare Romans 7 and 8 with Galatians 5, we see this point demonstrated again. Paul declares in Galatians, in language similar to what we find in Romans 7:
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would (Gal. 5:17; see Rom. 7:15,19).
But just prior to this verse he writes: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). Then, after describing the fruits of the flesh as well as the Spirit (verses 19-23), he declares:
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (verse 24).
Once again Paul is clear that captivity to the flesh—not being able to do the things that we would—is broken by belonging to Christ and partaking of the Spirit’s power.
Conclusion
The apostle Paul’s theology offers no variance from the rest of Scripture, in either the Old or the New Testament. Whether the issue is sin, salvation, the perpetuity of the Ten Commandments, the state of the dead, the promise of Jesus’ personal return, or any other doctrinal or moral question, Paul’s teachings stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Biblical consensus. On the possibility of attainable sinless obedience this side of heaven for the consecrated, striving believer, the story is the same. What we find in Paul’s writings on this subject is a picture of total harmony with the numerous other Bible verses which assure the Christian of God’s power to extinguish evil in the hearts and lives of those who desire and seek such victory (e.g. Psalm 4:4; 119:1-3,11; Zeph. 3:13; I Peter 2:21-22; 4:1; II Peter 3:10-14; I John 3:2-3,7; Jude 24; Rev. 3:21; 14:5).
REFERENCES
1. See Gillian Ford, The Human Nature of Christ in Salvation (Angwin, CA: Pacific Union College Religion Dept.), p. 55; Marvin Moore, Conquering the Dragon Within: God’s Provision for Assurance and Victory in the End Time (Boise, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Assn, 1995), pp. 54-55.
Pastor Kevin Paulson holds a Bachelor’s degree in theology from Pacific Union College, a Master of Arts in systematic theology from Loma Linda University, and a Master of Divinity from the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He served the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for ten years as a Bible instructor, evangelist, and local pastor. He writes regularly for Liberty magazine and does script writing for various evangelistic ministries within the denomination. He continues to hold evangelistic and revival meetings throughout the North American Division and beyond, and is a sought-after seminar speaker relative to current issues in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He presently resides in Berrien Springs, Michigan