By law of periodical repetition, everything which has happened once must happen again and again -- and not capriciously, but at regular periods, and each thing in its own period, not another's and each obeying its own law.
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Ephesians 2:3:
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
(NIV)
Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God's] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.
(AMP)
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
(KJV)
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Men are free when they are in a living homeland, not when they are straying and breaking away. Men are free when they are obeying some deep, inward voice of religious belief. Obeying from within. Men are free when they belong to a living, organic, believing community, active in fulfilling some unfulfilled, perhaps unrealized purpose. Not when they are escaping to some wild west. The most unfree souls go west, and shout of freedom. Men are freest when they are most unconscious of freedom. The shout is a rattling of chains, always was.
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Galatians 5:7:
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
(NIV)
You were running the race nobly. Who has interfered in (hindered and stopped you from) your heeding and following the Truth?
(AMP)
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
(KJV)
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The law was made for one thing alone, for the exploitation of those who don't understand it, or are prevented by naked misery from obeying it.
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We cannot command nature except by obeying her.
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Matthew 7:24:
'Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.'
(NIV)
So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock.
(AMP)
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
(KJV)
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1 Peter 1:22:
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
(NIV)
Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy ] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart.
(AMP)
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
(KJV)
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We cannot command Nature except by obeying her.
Nature
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1 Corinthians 2:9:
However, as it is written: 'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived – these things God has prepared for those who love him' –
(NIV)
But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. [Isa. 64:4; 65:17.](AMP)
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
(KJV)
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I know not which lives more unnatural lives, obeying husbands, or commanding wives.
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