Mike, to reason and inquire has nothing to do with doubt. Doubt is what prevented them from reasoning and inquiring whether these things are so.
Reasoning and inquiring is only possible in faith.

I am more inclined to believe deception, not doubt, is what caused Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. She reasoned, based on deception, that eating the fruit would make her more like Jesus.

Let me think about that a bit more John. What are your thoughts Rosangela? While I cogitate, John, one thing I always try to do is test my ideas in real-life situations. You say sin uses the law unlawfully. If we just take an example of a human law, let's say the Canadian Criminal Code's prohibition against 1st degree murder, if I break that law, I'm condemned and punished under that statute. How would it be an unlawful use of the Code for my action to bring that result? The purpose of that law is to address or rather, redress the very action that I've committed isn't it?

Regarding sin using the law and the text you quoted John, Paul is explaining where sin gets its power - from the law. When I say sin doesn't use the law, I mean only sin cannot do anything of itself. It finds expression in FMA's and I know we agree on that.

So your position John is that the law does not condemn, it is sin that condemns? Hmmm..., the Apostle talks of two laws - the law of the Spirit of life and the law of sin and death. Isn't he referring to two purposes of the same law? It is another way of saying the law is a double edged sword - it brings life to the penitent and death to the unrepentant. Its workings were most clearly seen in the character of Christ - it reassured the humble - those who were seeking God in truth, and it condemned the proud - those who refused to follow truth.

So I think this is important - does sin condemn or does the law condemn? You make a good point that Christ puts some distance between himself and the condemnation that comes from sinning. Clearly he came to save, not to condemn. It would be a mistake though to conclude that the condemnation of sin does not relate directly to the character of God. His personality defines good and by default defines evil and thereby condemns it. Whatever is out of harmony with His character is evil. God is out to save, not condemn, but as His character is the standard of good it therefore also defines and condemns evil.

Sorry to not have replied earlier, I was not following this discussion. I find both in the Bible and in the SOP that the law condemns to death because of sin.

Rom 7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

Gal 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law

"Paul waged no war against the commandments of God because of the sharp work they had done in detecting his sin; but, altho he was condemned to death by the sentence of the law, he exclaims, 'The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good'" (ST, April 30, 1896).

"But while Christ saves the sinner, He does not do away with the law which condemns the sinner....The law shows us our sins, as a mirror shows us that our face is not clean. The mirror has no power to cleanse the face; that is not its office. So it is with the law. It points out our defects, and condemns us, but it has no power to save us. We must come to Christ for pardon." (RC 55)

[ February 23, 2005, 11:25 AM: Message edited by: Rosangela ]

It seems, too, since God is able to "wink" at sins of ignorance, that the law and sin and condemnation are subservient to the will of God. In other words, condemnation is not necessarily automatic, but rather dependent upon the will of God. It is God who imputes or doesn't impute sin and guilt and condemnation. And, it is the blood of Jesus that gives Him this privilege and prerogative. Truly, it is God, not the law, who is in control. The law is merely a tool, which God will use to His advantage.

Romans
4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
4:7 [Saying], Blessed [are] they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
4:8 Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

The law is much more than a tool though. In the earthly sanctuary, the law is in the ark which is the foundation covered by the mercy seat upon which God is enthroned. The law is foundational.

True, but it is not so foundational that God was unable to devise a means whereby He could pardon us and save us. The law doesn't save us - Jesus does. The law is a servant, not the master.

Sorry for the absence. My communications hard drive crashed last friday. Just doing data recovery for 2 days.