____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ March 28, 1999 ____________________________________________________ "Not Under Law, But Under Grace" Romans 6:14 (Part Two) by Bill Cavender II. ``For you are not under law'' is an ellipsis (``Gram. Omission of one or more words, obviously understood, but necessary to make the expression grammatically complete,'' Webster. ..."For you are not under law only, but also under grace''). We are ``under law.'' There could be no such thing as ``sin'' if there was no law. ``Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin'' (1 John 3:4-5, ASV). ``Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin'' (1 John 3:4-5, KJV). ``For the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression''...''for until the law (the law of Moses, bc) sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed (``reckoned, counted'') when there is no law'' (Romans 4:15; 5:13). Adam and Eve were the first lawbreakers--sinners. She was beguiled by Satan but Adam was not beguiled (1 Timothy 2:13-14; Genesis 3:1-13). He entered into sin ``with his eyes wide open,'' knowing he was disobeying God when he did it. Jehovah had commanded Adam, saying, ``Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die'' (literally, ``dying thou shalt die,'' i.e., dying every way a man can die) (Genesis 2:16-17). Adam died spiritually at the time he ate of the forbidden fruit; the sentence of spiritual death, separation from God, came upon him immediately (Isaiah 59:1-2; Ezekiel 18:20). The sentence of physical death, separation of spirit and body, came upon him [after having lived, tte] 930 years. By the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul said, ``Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all have sinned: for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come'' (Romans 5:12-14, ASV). Adam was the first sinner. He was the first to experience the consequence and penalty of sin -- spiritual death -- separation from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). He was under the law of God and he disobeyed. He walked by sight, not by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Sin the master, spiritual death the result, entered into the world of men and women through him. Sin and death passed upon all of Adam's descendants for they have all done what Adam did -- they have sinned! They did not commit the same sin -- eating the forbidden fruit -- that Adam did. They committed all manner of sin(s) and all came under the same sentence -- death -- first imposed upon Adam. The consequence and penalty for violation(s) of God's laws have always been the same. The same penalty and curse of the law comes upon each one when we sin. It has been so since Adam! [All mankind dies physically because of Adam's sin; a person, however, dies spiritually--or becomes a sinner--because of his own sin. tte.] Men from Adam to Moses, about twenty-five hundred years or so, sinned and were guilty, under sentence of death (Romans 5:14). They violated God's laws. Abel recognized his guilt and offered the sin offering (Genesis 4:4; Hebrews 11:4). Faithful men in the lineage of Seth ``began to call upon the name of Jehovah,'' preaching righteousness and condemning sins of the people (Genesis 4:26). Enoch, the seventh from Adam through Seth, condemned the ungodliness of ungodly people (Genesis 5:24; Jude 14-15). Noah was a preacher of righteousness, upholding God's laws and condemning transgressors (Genesis 6:1-13, 22; 7:1; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20-21; 2 Peter 2:5). Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and other great men and ``patriarchs'' of faith lived during this period from Adam to Moses (Romans 5:12-14). They were sinners for they disobeyed God. One disobeys God by violating His will. But they knew God's will and obeyed, though imperfectly, and offered the sacrifices in admission and remembrance of sin(s). The entire fourth chapter of Romans deals with Abraham who was a sinner, but who was saved by God's grace through his (Abraham's) faith. There has never been a human being [accountable, tte] who has not been subject to God's will and commandments. In Moses' eighty-first year, the law from Jehovah God which bears Moses' name (``the law of Moses''), was given to the Hebrew people at Sinai. Moses was the mediator of this law and covenant (Galatians 3:17-29). This law was ``added because of transgressions, till the seed (Jesus Christ, the promised seed of Abraham, bc) should come to whom the promise was made'' (vs. 19); the law of Moses could not give life (vs. 21); they who ``are under the works of law are under the curse,'' i.e., the curse and condemnation which the law pronounces upon those who disobey it (vs.10); ``no man is justified by the law in the sight of God'' (vs. 11), for if a man could be justified by the law, he would have to live perfectly, never sinning (vs. 12-13; Romans 10:5). Law condemns the sinner; Jehovah God, in His grace, mercy, love and kindness through Jesus Christ forgives the sinner (Titus 3:3-7). ``Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound: But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord'' (Romans 5:20-21). The law of Moses entered and the offence abounded because: (1) it revealed and defined the offence. The light shined in the darkness and sin was manifested and discerned (Romans 7:1-25). What man thought little about and dismissed as trivial now becomes matters of magnitude and gravity; (2) the sinner could see himself without excuse (Romans 2:2). Sin is exceedingly sinful when committed against light and knowledge; (3) sin abounded by causing the sinner to see himself in presumptuous rebellion against God, as his spirit rises up in opposition to God and to His good and pure law. God commands and man refuses. God forbids and man desires. In the hearts of sinful men the law provokes to rebellion. The vicious self-will of wicked, disobedient people is at enmity against God. Trespassers try to show the Almighty that He cannot rule over them; (4) God's law compels us to look in the mirror, the perfect law of liberty (James 1:22-25), and see that sin is a powerful master and tyrant over us, that sin dwelleth in us through our unbelief and disobedience to our Lord's will. III. ``But Under Grace.'' ``But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast'' (Ephesians 2:3-9). No one will seek for mercy and forgiveness until and unless one pleads guilty to the indictment of God's law which pronounces us as sinners, violators of His law. The condemnation of the law should prepare us with heartfelt desire for the cleansing of the blood of Jesus and the forgiveness and pardon which our Heavenly Father offers us in the good news, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (Isaiah 55:6-7; Romans 1:16-17; 3:19-28; 4:20-25; 5:9-10). Grace abounds by forgiving us of all sins -- all as to kind(s) and all as to number(s). There is no sin too great to be forgiven where there is true assurance of faith in Jesus and His shed blood, where there is penitence, sorrow, and regret for our sins, and where there is obedience from the heart to the gospel of our Lord in baptism for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:37-41; 8:26-39). ``And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned'' (Mark 16:15-16). Through grace, God our Father has made us partakers of His divine grace, children of God through faith (2 Peter 1:3-4; Gal. 3:26-29). Through God's grace we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus (Galatians 3:28-29; 4:1-7; Romans 8:16-17). Through grace we who are sinners are born again, of water and the Spirit, in obeying the truth, and granted citizenship in His heavenly kingdom, to live forever with him, and with our Saviour who died for us, and with the elect angels, and with the redeemed of all the ages (John 3:3-5; 1 Peter 1:22-25; Philippians 3:20-21; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28-30). Through God's grace the Lord of glory was crucified for our sins and He willingly gave His life as a ransom for as many who would believe on Him and obey Him (John 1:11-12; 1 Corinthians 2:8; Matthew 26:20, 28; Hebrews 5:8-9). Grace, mercy and peace abides with God's redeemed children now through our lives here and into eternity. ``Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt; Yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured, There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt...Dark is the stain that we cannot hide, What can avail to wash it away? Look! there is flowing a crimson tide; Whiter than snow you may be today...Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe; You that are longing to see His face, Will you obey and His grace receive?...Grace, Grace, Infinite Grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Marvelous Grace, Infinite Grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin'' (D. B. Towner; Julia H. Johnston). ``Amazing grace, how sweet the sound; That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now I'm found, Was blind, but now I see...'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears allayed; How precious did that grace appear, When I His word obeyed...Thru many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; `Twas grace that bro't me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home...The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures...When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun; We've no less days to sing God's praise, Then when we first begun'' (John Newton; William Walker). -- Via Watchman, March `99 (slightly modified for our bulletin) ___________________________________________ SECURITY THROUGH CHRIST by Tom Sutherland We live in a day when men tend to base their security (both personal and national) on military might and treaties. When we study the Old Testament, we find that God's people tried to find security by that same means. God kept telling His people to repent, reform, and let God save them in His own way. Today, this principle is unchanged -- so is human nature. Remember these two principles: first, righteousness exalts a nation while sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34) and, secondly, God still rules in the kingdoms of men (Daniel 2:21 & 4:17, and Revelation 1:5). In spite of the clear warnings of nature, history, and revelation, man generally refuses to confess God's sovereignty or admit His ruling dominion. Jesus Christ is God's answer for security today. He has promised that the person in any nation who believes in Him and obeys His will shall be saved (Mark 16:16; Hebrews 5:9). To accept Christ does not guarantee freedom from war, or even freedom from conquest, but it does guarantee the ``peace that passes understanding.'' Philippians 4:6-7 says, ``Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.'' You can depend on Christ, and that is precisely what one can never say for armed might, treaties, the Untied Nations or any man. Romans 5:2, referring to Christ, says, ``By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.'' What's the basis of your security? I pray that it is the Lord, Jesus Christ. ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________