Establishing the Law (Rom. 3)

[chad]

And in Hebrews 8:10 (KJV) ...

¹⁰ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

I'll add my 'amen', too!

W

[episkopos]

In many the focus seems to be on what Jesus did in the past....and not what He is doing. The church for many is based on the work of the cross but not on the resurrection. We take what we want and can assimilate into a belief system that which makes sense to us as we already are. But miss the plan of God in this way. The resurrection is dealt with as a future event for believers so they can " go to heaven". So this world sees nothing new. It is all put into the future. Nothing changes but the beliefs. Faith is seen as something long range and unattainable by men today rather than something we are to walk in rather than walk by sight. We LIKE walking by sight!

But this is not faith at all.

Hope is long range faith. Hope awaits the future as a person patiently waits for a bus. But faith apprehends the power of the resurrection TODAY. Faith makes us DO the commandments not just hear them. Faith overcomes sin.

This is the reason that Jesus casts doubt on whether there would be any faith at all when He returned. There seems to be a lot of hope...much of it false. How can we inherit something long range that we are not walking in daily? If we reap what we sow then our hope is misplaced unless we actively walk by faith today.

The Lord is risen indeed. He is risen so that He can impart His life in us while we are yet in this flesh.

2Co_4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

God wants to show forth His power in His people. The gospel is according to His purpose...not ours. We seem to want to take for ourselves what God is freely offering us...but we want it on OUR terms. We want what God has for us...but not now!!! Now we wish to live for ourselves in our own strength....we ARE adults after all. It is scandalous for men to think that God wants us to surrender all to Him. Most will never do this...and I am talking of believers who wish to enjoy the future benefits of a salvation in Christ. So we ignore the commands of God and then turn away from a faith that would have us change the whole course of our lives in order to be indwelt by One who is greater than we are. WE want to stay in control!! We want to be left alone to seek our own pleasure and have God as a backup when we fail in this effort. We want to live our own lives. But this desire causes us to remain as we are...in the futility of our own minds and in the power of the flesh. We can ill afford to do this. The warnings are clear for those who are ready for faith in the living God.

Faith overcomes sin. Faith accomplishes the law. Faith grabs hold of the provision of grace that first changes the person and then the world. Faith is God's portal that brings heaven to earth. But most would rather see faith as something that secures a personal interest of ours...namely to be saved ourselves. We proclaim this selfish belief to others thinking that we are just doing our job...In so doing we are abdicating the selfless love that would see us become like Jesus...and not just be enterprising to take those benefits for ourselves. God is not mocked. No one who does not carry his own cross will receive anything from Christ. He will simply reject us the way we have rejected the way of ...first death... and then a new life that personifies the faith of Jesus Christ. What do we have in common with the martyrs? Are we truly a living sacrifice to God? Do we think we have an immunity from judgment because we hope to be forgiven for what we are continuously doing?

[BroRog]

In many the focus seems to be on what Jesus did in the past....and not what He is doing. The church for many is based on the work of the cross but not on the resurrection. We take what we want and can assimilate into a belief system that which makes sense to us as we already are. But miss the plan of God in this way. The resurrection is dealt with as a future event for believers so they can " go to heaven". So this world sees nothing new. It is all put into the future. Nothing changes but the beliefs. Faith is seen as something long range and unattainable by men today rather than something we are to walk in rather than walk by sight. We LIKE walking by sight!

But this is not faith at all.

Hope is long range faith. Hope awaits the future as a person patiently waits for a bus. But faith apprehends the power of the resurrection TODAY. Faith makes us DO the commandments not just hear them. Faith overcomes sin.

This is the reason that Jesus casts doubt on whether there would be any faith at all when He returned. There seems to be a lot of hope...much of it false. How can we inherit something long range that we are not walking in daily? If we reap what we sow then our hope is misplaced unless we actively walk by faith today.

The Lord is risen indeed. He is risen so that He can impart His life in us while we are yet in this flesh.

2Co_4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

God wants to show forth His power in His people. The gospel is according to His purpose...not ours. We seem to want to take for ourselves what God is freely offering us...but we want it on OUR terms. We want what God has for us...but not now!!! Now we wish to live for ourselves in our own strength....we ARE adults after all. It is scandalous for men to think that God wants us to surrender all to Him. Most will never do this...and I am talking of believers who wish to enjoy the future benefits of a salvation in Christ. So we ignore the commands of God and then turn away from a faith that would have us change the whole course of our lives in order to be indwelt by One who is greater than we are. WE want to stay in control!! We want to be left alone to seek our own pleasure and have God as a backup when we fail in this effort. We want to live our own lives. But this desire causes us to remain as we are...in the futility of our own minds and in the power of the flesh. We can ill afford to do this. The warnings are clear for those who are ready for faith in the living God.

Faith overcomes sin. Faith accomplishes the law. Faith grabs hold of the provision of grace that first changes the person and then the world. Faith is God's portal that brings heaven to earth. But most would rather see faith as something that secures a personal interest of ours...namely to be saved ourselves. We proclaim this selfish belief to others thinking that we are just doing our job...In so doing we are abdicating the selfless love that would see us become like Jesus...and not just be enterprising to take those benefits for ourselves. God is not mocked. No one who does not carry his own cross will receive anything from Christ. He will simply reject us the way we have rejected the way of ...first death... and then a new life that personifies the faith of Jesus Christ. What do we have in common with the martyrs? Are we truly a living sacrifice to God? Do we think we have an immunity from judgment because we hope to be forgiven for what we are continuously doing?

I just don't see your teaching in the scriptures.

[episkopos]

I just don't see your teaching in the scriptures.

It is from the scriptures. They say nothing but this.


For example...

1Co_7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Now people read this backwards... like this.

Circumcision and uncircumcision is very important, but the keeping of the law is nothing.

This is literally what is being preached and practiced today...the exact opposite of the gospel...

I'm trying to bring back the untwisted version of the word...together with the knowledge of the new testament power it requires to fulfill it.

Another example (among hundreds) is

Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.


This is ignored and replaced with... That the righteousness of God was fulfilled in Jesus and not in us at all, who have trusted Jesus for their own salvation in their flesh.

[episkopos]

What about the cross?

"If I see aright, the cross of popular evangelicalism is not the cross of the New Testament. It is, rather, a new bright ornament upon the bosom of a self-assured and carnal Christianity. The old cross slew men, the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it."
A.W. Tozer

[BroRog]

It is from the scriptures. They say nothing but this.

I know. Once you get something into your head, you see it taught everywhere in the scriptures. Given this natural tendency, it is ever more important that we approach the scriptures with discipline and let the apostles and prophets speak to us and make the points they want to make rather than hearing what we want to hear them say.

For example...

1Co_7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Now people read this backwards... like this.

Circumcision and uncircumcision is very important, but the keeping of the law is nothing.

This is literally what is being preached and practiced today...the exact opposite of the gospel...

Okay, if you say so. I have never heard anyone, other than you, suggest this interpretation.

But I wonder why you don't seem to see the inherent contradiction in that verse. Can you not see it? On the one hand Paul says that Circumcision is nothing. On the other hand Paul says that keeping the commandments of God is something. But this is a contradiction since a father can NOT claim to obey the commandments of God if he doesn't circumcise his son as the Law demands. So how can Paul say that circumcision is nothing?

This is what YOU don't seem to get. Sorry to be blunt. But I am dealing with a pet peeve of mine. Taking this verse out of context renders it a contradiction, which Paul never intended. In order to see that Paul has not actually contradicted himself, we need to understand his statement as he intended it, which must be understood from within the entire discourse.

I'm trying to bring back the untwisted version of the word...together with the knowledge of the new testament power it requires to fulfill it.

And what I challenge is your view that such a New Testament power exists.

Another example (among hundreds) is

Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.


This is ignored and replaced with... That the righteousness of God was fulfilled in Jesus and not in us at all, who have trusted Jesus for their own salvation in their flesh.

Again, we can't help the way other people misinterpret the scriptures. But we can endeavor to understand them ourselves. But I would say that you also, have put your own spin on this verse. If I understand your POV, you are hearing Paul say,

"That we finally have the power to fulfill the righteousness found in the law because we used to rely on our own natural-born abilities, but now we rely on the Spirit to help us."

But this is also NOT what Paul is saying either.

[episkopos]

"That we finally have the power to fulfill the righteousness found in the law because we used to rely on our own natural-born abilities, but now we rely on the Spirit to help us."

But this is also NOT what Paul is saying either.

You do understand the position...but as yet disagree! Very well...I give you this...that you are looking at the real argument!

What we are looking for in the scriptures is a way of seeing things that is simple and constant. As it is written...

2Co_11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

So we must agree that the truth is simple enough. Jesus describes this simplicity...

Mar_10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

We also see that the adult portion of the population will find the truth to be foolishness...

1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

And finally God resists those who through a human intellect attempt to grasp what God has done.

Mat_11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.


So we are left with few options really. On the one hand we have a simple message that says God excuses sin or on the other He provides us with the means (grace) to obey. Now just how many verses state that we are to be obedient versus how many say that we need no longer concern ourselves with obedience?...and we have found the answer as farfetched as it may seem.

[Noeb]

"If I see aright, the cross of popular evangelicalism is not the cross of the New Testament. It is, rather, a new bright ornament upon the bosom of a self-assured and carnal Christianity. The old cross slew men, the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it."
A.W. Tozer

Ah good stuff! "The Old cross and the New" by A.W. Tozer
"The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-by to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more."

[BroRog]

You do understand the position...but as yet disagree! Very well...I give you this...that you are looking at the real argument!
So we are left with few options really. On the one hand we have a simple message that says God excuses sin or on the other He provides us with the means (grace) to obey.

These aren't the only two options. God obviously doesn't excuse sin, but he does pass over it in order to forgive and grant mercy. And he promises both redemption and restoration.

But it's not as if we didn't always have the power to obey God. Your view is that without the help of the Holy Spirit we can't obey God, which isn't true. Our problem before our conversion wasn't that it was impossible for us to obey God's commands; the problem was the fact that without faith it was impossible to please him and by the way we just didn't want to obey him. Obedience isn't as hard as you make it out to be. It isn't so hard that we need supernatural help. Anyone, believer or unbeliever, can decide one day to obey the commandments of God. It simply takes a small effort and plenty of practice. Anyone who wants to live by God's commandments can live by them and even without the Spirit of God to help them. Millions of Jews and Christians do it all the time, every day and without supernatural help.

We don't need the Holy Spirit to obey God's commands. Rather, we need the Holy Spirit to help us want to obey his commands. Once we want to obey --- once we get over ourselves and begin to love God, then we will naturally (not supernaturally) obey his commands. A man might pray to God, "Lord please help me obey you." He is going to say, "figure out what you really want. And if you figure it out, then we'll talk." Obedience has always been in our power. We simply didn't want to obey. We had stronger desires that went in the opposite direction. The solution to our problem is repentance and admitting the truth; not a supernatural infusion of will power. Either your spirit is willing to say, "not my will but your will be done" or it isn't willing to say that. The apostles didn't teach us the technique by which we influence our behavior through a mysterious and supernatural force. The Bible teaches us to repent, change our mind, want what God wants, approve the will of God, acknowledge the truth about ourselves, mourn over our sin, seek first the kingdom and its righteousness, don't think like the world thinks but have the same mind as Christ who gave himself up on a cross for us.

Now just how many verses state that we are to be obedient versus how many say that we need no longer concern ourselves with obedience?...and we have found the answer as farfetched as it may seem.

The issue here is not obedience; of course, we are to be obedient. The issue concerns whether or not the Bible promises the faithful a technique by which a person might overcome sin by means of a mysterious supernatural force, which mature Christians employ in the practice of holiness and achieve success as a guarantee of faith. It is my contention that a person must superimpose Eastern Philosophy onto the text in order see that doctrine in the Bible.

[episkopos]

These aren't the only two options. God obviously doesn't excuse sin, but he does pass over it in order to forgive and grant mercy. And he promises both redemption and restoration.

But it's not as if we didn't always have the power to obey God. Your view is that without the help of the Holy Spirit we can't obey God, which isn't true. Our problem before our conversion wasn't that it was impossible for us to obey God's commands; the problem was the fact that without faith it was impossible to please him and by the way we just didn't want to obey him. Obedience isn't as hard as you make it out to be. It isn't so hard that we need supernatural help. Anyone, believer or unbeliever, can decide one day to obey the commandments of God. It simply takes a small effort and plenty of practice. Anyone who wants to live by God's commandments can live by them and even without the Spirit of God to help them. Millions of Jews and Christians do it all the time, every day and without supernatural help.

We don't need the Holy Spirit to obey God's commands. Rather, we need the Holy Spirit to help us want to obey his commands. Once we want to obey --- once we get over ourselves and begin to love God, then we will naturally (not supernaturally) obey his commands. A man might pray to God, "Lord please help me obey you." He is going to say, "figure out what you really want. And if you figure it out, then we'll talk." Obedience has always been in our power. We simply didn't want to obey. We had stronger desires that went in the opposite direction. The solution to our problem is repentance and admitting the truth; not a supernatural infusion of will power. Either your spirit is willing to say, "not my will but your will be done" or it isn't willing to say that. The apostles didn't teach us the technique by which we influence our behavior through a mysterious and supernatural force. The Bible teaches us to repent, change our mind, want what God wants, approve the will of God, acknowledge the truth about ourselves, mourn over our sin, seek first the kingdom and its righteousness, don't think like the world thinks but have the same mind as Christ who gave himself up on a cross for us.

The issue here is not obedience; of course, we are to be obedient. The issue concerns whether or not the Bible promises the faithful a technique by which a person might overcome sin by means of a mysterious supernatural force, which mature Christians employ in the practice of holiness and achieve success as a guarantee of faith. It is my contention that a person must superimpose Eastern Philosophy onto the text in order see that doctrine in the Bible.

I agree that we can be obedient (to a point) through our wills to do so. But we can't know what we don't see and we can't do everything in our own strength.

The issue of righteousness is on 2 different levels. There is the OT standard of circumcising our own hearts to obey the Lord....and then there is the supernatural intervening act of God doing the circumcising. The NT is based on the latter one.

One cannot help but see God intervening in history (supernaturally) throughout the bible. It takes a certain amount of faith to not explain away these interventions as mere metaphors.

The kingdom of God does not come through men being as obedient as they can. The kingdom of God is on the same plane of perfection as the Lord Himself. So we must be made conformable to His kingdom through both a death of our old ways and a birth from heaven...and this supernaturally. So we must be born both of the natural and the supernatural to be citizens of the kingdom. The whole NT is based on the supernatural. The seemingly random miracles should be ample testimony of a deeper power at work in men. Even though you may not receive the testimony then at least believe the signs that point to an intimate walk with God Himself.

[awestruckchild]

These aren't the only two options. God obviously doesn't excuse sin, but he does pass over it in order to forgive and grant mercy. And he promises both redemption and restoration.

But it's not as if we didn't always have the power to obey God. Your view is that without the help of the Holy Spirit we can't obey God, which isn't true. Our problem before our conversion wasn't that it was impossible for us to obey God's commands; the problem was the fact that without faith it was impossible to please him and by the way we just didn't want to obey him. Obedience isn't as hard as you make it out to be. It isn't so hard that we need supernatural help. Anyone, believer or unbeliever, can decide one day to obey the commandments of God. It simply takes a small effort and plenty of practice. Anyone who wants to live by God's commandments can live by them and even without the Spirit of God to help them. Millions of Jews and Christians do it all the time, every day and without supernatural help.

We don't need the Holy Spirit to obey God's commands. Rather, we need the Holy Spirit to help us want to obey his commands. Once we want to obey --- once we get over ourselves and begin to love God, then we will naturally (not supernaturally) obey his commands. A man might pray to God, "Lord please help me obey you." He is going to say, "figure out what you really want. And if you figure it out, then we'll talk." Obedience has always been in our power. We simply didn't want to obey. We had stronger desires that went in the opposite direction. The solution to our problem is repentance and admitting the truth; not a supernatural infusion of will power. Either your spirit is willing to say, "not my will but your will be done" or it isn't willing to say that. The apostles didn't teach us the technique by which we influence our behavior through a mysterious and supernatural force. The Bible teaches us to repent, change our mind, want what God wants, approve the will of God, acknowledge the truth about ourselves, mourn over our sin, seek first the kingdom and its righteousness, don't think like the world thinks but have the same mind as Christ who gave himself up on a cross for us.

The issue here is not obedience; of course, we are to be obedient. The issue concerns whether or not the Bible promises the faithful a technique by which a person might overcome sin by means of a mysterious supernatural force, which mature Christians employ in the practice of holiness and achieve success as a guarantee of faith. It is my contention that a person must superimpose Eastern Philosophy onto the text in order see that doctrine in the Bible.

You say that obedience isn't all that hard. You are speaking humanly.
It is one matter to see that you do not murder someone.
It is another matter to see that no anger even enters your heart.

It is one matter to not physically commit adultery.
It is another matter to never have a thought.

Man cannot control the inner without the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes he can keep the outside of his cup clean, but that isn't what concerns God because that is just putting a bandaid on a mortal wound.

The outside of the cup is literal, human, what others see.
The inside of the cup is what the Holy Spirit involves Himself with and there is no way for US to clean, or even SEE the inside of our cup without His help.

So when you say we don't need the Holy Spirit to obey God's commands, you will need to explain the technique by which you manage to never have anger in your heart or have an unclean thought. If you have found the way to obey His commands and you do not sin in the inward parts, you have to share this so we won't sin either. You have to tell us the technique by which you find obedience easy without the Holy Spirit.

[episkopos]

You say that obedience isn't all that hard. You are speaking humanly.
It is one matter to see that you do not murder someone.
It is another matter to see that no anger even enters your heart.

It is one matter to not physically commit adultery.
It is another matter to never have a thought.

Man cannot control the inner without the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes he can keep the outside of his cup clean, but that isn't what concerns God because that is just putting a bandaid on a mortal wound.

The outside of the cup is literal, human, what others see.
The inside of the cup is what the Holy Spirit involves Himself with and there is no way for US to clean, or even SEE the inside of our cup without His help.

So when you say we don't need the Holy Spirit to obey God's commands, you will need to explain the technique by which you manage to never have anger in your heart or have an unclean thought. If you have found the way to obey His commands and you do not sin in the inward parts, you have to share this so we won't sin either. You have to tell us the technique by which you find obedience easy without the Holy Spirit.

Amen! And by looking at the law as a moral compass rather than a spiritual gauge...we then fall into the condemnation of they who are seeking to be justified by an external obedience to the law. Grace is not the excuse to not obey the law deeply....but rather the means of doing so!!

[BroRog]

You say that obedience isn't all that hard. You are speaking humanly.
It is one matter to see that you do not murder someone.
It is another matter to see that no anger even enters your heart.

It is one matter to not physically commit adultery.
It is another matter to never have a thought.

Man cannot control the inner without the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes he can keep the outside of his cup clean, but that isn't what concerns God because that is just putting a bandaid on a mortal wound.

The outside of the cup is literal, human, what others see.
The inside of the cup is what the Holy Spirit involves Himself with and there is no way for US to clean, or even SEE the inside of our cup without His help.

Well, you see. That's what obedience is. Obedience is all about what we do; it's all about our behavior. Let's not confuse obedience with morality and/or spirituality. The first may arise from the second, but not necessarily. A man might obey out of love, fear, respect or a sense of duty. The motivation may change but obedience is still the same question. Did you do what is required or not? Did you avoid what is prohibited or not? Obedience is a measure of our behavior.

And besides, where did you get the idea that the Holy Spirit controls our inner man? The Bible does not teach this doctrine. In fact, the Bible teaches us that becoming aware of our inner frailties and failures is an indication of spirituality. The job of the Holy Spirit is NOT to CONTROL our inner man, but to inform it, to educate it, to mentor us toward an understanding of ourselves as we truly are.

So when you say we don't need the Holy Spirit to obey God's commands, you will need to explain the technique by which you manage to never have anger in your heart or have an unclean thought. If you have found the way to obey His commands and you do not sin in the inward parts, you have to share this so we won't sin either. You have to tell us the technique by which you find obedience easy without the Holy Spirit.

I didn't say it was easy to avoid sin. I said it was easy to obey God's commandments. Again, let's not confuse morality with obedience. And I'm not saying anything the Apostles wouldn't say. Even John says that obedience isn't hard. 1John 5:3.

If you want to define obedience in terms of the inner life, then okay. Obedience by this definition is not only hard, it's impossible. But even so, the Bible does NOT teach us that the Holy Spirit makes it possible or likely that we will avoid feelings of hate, resentment, anger, adulterous lust, disappointment, despair, or cowardice. The Holy Spirit doesn't take these away; rather, the Holy Spirit helps us come to the truth about them, and WE decide what to do about them. Jesus teaches us that the truth will set us free, and the role of the Holy Spirit is to bring us the truth we need to hear when we need to hear it. And much of the time he is telling us a truth we already know but are refusing to acknowledge.

[episkopos]

Well, you see. That's what obedience is. Obedience is all about what we do; it's all about our behavior. Let's not confuse obedience with morality and/or spirituality. The first may arise from the second, but not necessarily. A man might obey out of love, fear, respect or a sense of duty. The motivation may change but obedience is still the same question. Did you do what is required or not? Did you avoid what is prohibited or not? Obedience is a measure of our behavior.

And besides, where did you get the idea that the Holy Spirit controls our inner man? The Bible does not teach this doctrine. In fact, the Bible teaches us that becoming aware of our inner frailties and failures is an indication of spirituality. The job of the Holy Spirit is NOT to CONTROL our inner man, but to inform it, to educate it, to mentor us toward an understanding of ourselves as we truly are.

I didn't say it was easy to avoid sin. I said it was easy to obey God's commandments. Again, let's not confuse morality with obedience. And I'm not saying anything the Apostles wouldn't say. Even John says that obedience isn't hard. 1John 5:3.

If you want to define obedience in terms of the inner life, then okay. Obedience by this definition is not only hard, it's impossible. But even so, the Bible does NOT teach us that the Holy Spirit makes it possible or likely that we will avoid feelings of hate, resentment, anger, adulterous lust, disappointment, despair, or cowardice. The Holy Spirit doesn't take these away; rather, the Holy Spirit helps us come to the truth about them, and WE decide what to do about them. Jesus teaches us that the truth will set us free, and the role of the Holy Spirit is to bring us the truth we need to hear when we need to hear it. And much of the time he is telling us a truth we already know but are refusing to acknowledge.

Just in case there is confusion on the level of obedience required in Christ...

2Co_10:5 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;

[awestruckchild]

Well, you see. That's what obedience is. Obedience is all about what we do; it's all about our behavior. Let's not confuse obedience with morality and/or spirituality. The first may arise from the second, but not necessarily. A man might obey out of love, fear, respect or a sense of duty. The motivation may change but obedience is still the same question. Did you do what is required or not? Did you avoid what is prohibited or not? Obedience is a measure of our behavior.

And besides, where did you get the idea that the Holy Spirit controls our inner man? The Bible does not teach this doctrine. In fact, the Bible teaches us that becoming aware of our inner frailties and failures is an indication of spirituality. The job of the Holy Spirit is NOT to CONTROL our inner man, but to inform it, to educate it, to mentor us toward an understanding of ourselves as we truly are.

I didn't say it was easy to avoid sin. I said it was easy to obey God's commandments. Again, let's not confuse morality with obedience. And I'm not saying anything the Apostles wouldn't say. Even John says that obedience isn't hard. 1John 5:3.

If you want to define obedience in terms of the inner life, then okay. Obedience by this definition is not only hard, it's impossible. But even so, the Bible does NOT teach us that the Holy Spirit makes it possible or likely that we will avoid feelings of hate, resentment, anger, adulterous lust, disappointment, despair, or cowardice. The Holy Spirit doesn't take these away; rather, the Holy Spirit helps us come to the truth about them, and WE decide what to do about them. Jesus teaches us that the truth will set us free, and the role of the Holy Spirit is to bring us the truth we need to hear when we need to hear it. And much of the time he is telling us a truth we already know but are refusing to acknowledge.

If you say it is easy to obey His commandments, it IS saying that it is easy not to sin.
Considering what Jesus said murder IS in God's eyes, then, no, it is NOT easy to obey the commandments...
From human estimation, it is relatively easy to obey the commandment to not murder. Well over 95% of us never WILL physically murder another human in our lifetime.
But from God's estimation, we have ALL murdered.
It is what comes from your heart that defiles you.
As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.

I agree that the Holy Spirit makes us aware of just how awful we are. But once He does, we can't just change it and decide we will fix it. It is inside of us, where we can't perform the operation. We cannot just choose to circumcise our own hearts.
If men think God's commandments are easy to keep, they have not understood that the words are spirit because God is Spirit.

And obedience IS in terms of the inner life. If the inside of your cup is clean, the outside will be as well, but the reverse is not always true. The outside of your cup can look good to everyone but inside, it is full of awful things and dead mens bones.
If it is what comes OUT of a man that defiles him, then yes, obedience is in terms of the inner life. The flesh avails nothing.
You do not work on the outside and then the inside just naturally follows.
But if the inside of the cup is clean, then the outside just will be as well.