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OR sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:14-23)
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of Life as well as of the world. If we own Him as Sovereign of our hearts, how would it be possible to hide in darkness in those hearts – the whole heart will be lit by His effulgent beams. The heart that is filled with the Light of Christ is the only heart that is free from the smothering darkness that enshrouds the world. When Christ rules in the heart, it is His will by which we are guided just as a great ship to the Harbor Lighthouse. We no longer rely on the false light of the ‘will-o-the-wisp’ generated by the swamp gasses of the world and of sin. Those swamp lights are not lights at all, but specters of an ill wind generated by self -ill and sinful inclinations.
A man who lives by the labor of his hands expects to be paid in wages. Wages are profits earned through work; however, the economy of Heaven does not operate on the wage-board system. Those who enter beyond those Gates of Splendor do so as invited citizens of a Heavenly Kingdom – and without price or cost. We can in no wise earn our entrance to Heaven – it must be a gift both offered, and received. A gift offered is not a gift until it is consummated by its reception. God reserves the privilege of issuing the invitation, and we the honored acceptance.
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HEREFORE, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:12-19)
We do nothing to earn a free gift, and neither can we force its offer – that is the prerogative of our Father in Heaven under the terms of the redemption made available through His only Begotten Son, Jesus. All of our works are null and void when viewed from the vantage of our Father in Heaven. Sin has declared none righteous – no, not one! Even the ploughing of the wicked is sin! But we can claim that very righteousness of Christ by our insuring calling and election in Him. How do we recognize that calling? By a burning desire to know Him more through diligent study and righteous living. But what of good works – should we disregard our obedience to the law of love and righteousness before God? Not at all! We are saved by grace, not of works – 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (Romans 11:5-6)
But let us not neglect the good works after salvation that are testimonies of our favor with God. We are saved by grace, not by works, but UNTO good works. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:17) (see also Article 17 of the Thirty-Nine Articles[1])
[1] XVII. Of Predestination and Election
Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God’s purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God’s mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.
As the godly consideration of Predestination, and our Election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God’s Predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.
Furthermore, we must receive God’s promises in such wise, as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of God.
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