(See letter of 1909/04/15)

Romans 7 and Romans 8

Br. Knut Nottossen from Vegaardsheien states in Missionæren, issue 23: “Reading Rom. 7 leads me to the clear conclusion that Paul is referring to those who are under the law and not under grace.”

In other words, Br. Nottossen is of the opinion that Rom. 7 applies to those who are under the law.

The aforementioned brother goes on to say: “But we should be aware that after living for a time, a death comes for us. Praise God for that, and this death, which is so glorious for me today. It is this death that Paul refers to in Rom. 7:4. Paul says: ‘Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another,’ etc.”

First, Br. Nottossen says that in Rom. 7, Paul is speaking to those who are under the law, but then he completely changes his mind and praises God for the day that this death to the law, which Paul refers to in Rom. 7:4, became a reality for him.

It puzzles me how in Rom. 7 Br. Nottossen can be a slave to the law and at the same time be free from the law.

Further on, Nottossen says: “Imagine the vast difference compared to being under the law with the law as a taskmaster—this hard strict man whom our heavenly Father deposed over 1900 years ago.”

After first having told us that Paul is speaking to those under the law in Rom. 7, now Br. Nottossen is of the opinion that the law is a strict man who was deposed over 1900 hundred years ago, long before the letter to the Romans came into being.

To conclude, Br. Nottossen says: “If anyone is reading these lines and is placing their trust in Rom. 7:15 and the following verses, then I would ask you in Jesus’ name to be careful that you do not end up in the place where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.”

Neither am I able to fathom how Br. Nottossen came up with such thoughts: that someone, by placing their trust in Paul’s words, could end up where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.

I personally believe that next time Br. Nottossen would do a better job of promoting this “doctrine” of being liberated from Rom. 7 and skipping over to Rom. 8 by making a clearer point than he made in Missionæren, issue 23.

Horten, June 17, 1909