But now having been
set free from sin,
and having become
slaves of God,
you have your fruit
to holiness,
and the end,
everlasting life.
For the wages of sin
is death,
but the gift of God
is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Romans 6:22–23
You as a child
of God are set from sin and are now slaves, a bondservant of God, and this is
marked out for all to see by your fruit, a fruit that is of holiness. This
means that you have this gift, before time, before the foundation of the world
a gift, and that gift: eternal life. A gift is that which is given to a person,
something that was bestowed or that which you acquired without you even seeking
the gift. A gift is that freely given by the giver and that gift given
voluntarily without payment in return.[1]
Think upon this fact; it is everlasting life, that is what this gift is, the
end of your election, to live eternally and in holiness to God who gave you
this gift freely. Therefore live now in holiness, allow yourself the
sanctification that comes for the glory of God who gave to you this gift of
eternal life freely: so, why then live as this world offers. Why not listen to
the words of Paul, written under inspiration of the Holy Spirit outlining the
many offenses that were presented to you from Paul in this book to the Romans?
Two extremes are listed in those opening verses: 1. Life eternal. 2. Death
eternal. !. live according to holiness and receive the gift as active in your
life. 2. To not live according to God’s commands and have the wages that comes
to a person for not living according to God’s commands; death. Death can mean
either a dying from this life; a state of extinction. Death can mean that you
are dead spiritually. Metaphorically death can mean that you are: “Sick to
death,” of something, or even someone. A person may bring himself to death’s
door by his lifestyle: i.e., have adulterous affairs and even with protection
some diseases penetrate and live in your body contaminating all that you may
have intimacy with, bring death upon that person. Oh! This death may not be
instantaneous dying, or could mean a life of dying, sick, and all for a moment
of some sort of pleasure. The question is: Which gift do you want: Life or
death? Which life will you live: One of holiness, or, one of unrighteousness? Disease
may come to a person even without sinning in such a manner for sin reigns in
this life from the moment Adam sinned. The question: Do you want to have your
sin bring upon you the wages, those wages of death? On the other hand, do you
want to allow that original sin that brought death to all men eliminated from
your life, a life eternal? If so, when you hear the Gospel, will you respond to
the Gospel and live in holiness?
We are all
under law, either law of God, or law of Satan, and both have dominion over
those who are slaves to law: “Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to
those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he
lives” (Romans 7:1)? The Church, those who are called by God out of this
world have so often mitigated the law of God to meet their expectations, and
avoid the hardness of the law by softening, or giving reasons, some form of
rationalization for not following the law. “We are not under law,” goes the cry
of those who wish to avoid the law of God. The Decalogue, that is, the Ten
Commandments are not set aside, made of not import. NO, the Law given to Moses
on the Mount is still in force today and we, no matter how much we give reasons
for not following the commands of God are wrong. We change the meaning of words
to fit whatever we wish and this is anathema for it leads man to do that which
God condemns. I personally wish that I had followed what I am about to write,
for this would not only be honoring to God who gave to me this gift of eternal
life, but it would have avoided the wages of this sin that brought death, or
some sort to others. What is this: VOW! A vow is more than a promise, although
embedded is promise, the definition and pragmatic use of a vow. A vow is a
solemn promise, a pledge, a personal commitment. It is to be resolved solemnly
to do this or that, to be earnest, devoted. This word: VOW, is missing in most
people’s vocabulary. It is seen by the this fact: The divorce rates are nearly identical to around 50% for Christian believers and
non-believers. Oh, you can say well many of those who are divorcing in the
Church, well, they are not of the elect. Wow! I wish I had that ability to read
a person’s mind. Jesus was not shy in His teaching in regards to divorce: "And
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries
another woman commits adultery” (Matthew 19:9).
"And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if she herself divorces her husband
and marries another man, she is committing adultery” (Mark 10:11-12).
One of the signs that a Church is becoming secular, and liberal in their
theology is divorce, to allow divorce and for almost every reason except by
adhering to the words of Jesus. Yes, God forgives, even in the case of this sin
of divorce; but does this mean that we can go and do whatever and then fall on
our knees and repent even though you know the truth? Will not the wages of sin
bring to you, or to someone, a death? Yes! You can repent, but this repentances
shows your sincerity to God, and to your vow to God when you said: “I believe.”
Question: Are you living for self, or for God? Are you living according to the
gift giving to you before the foundation of the world, and that gift is eternal
life, or are you living temporarily? Your answer will tell you whether you have
converted to Jesus Christ.
He said to them, 'Because of your hardness of heart,
Moses permitted you to divorce your
wives;
but from the beginning it has not been this way.'"
Live For God: This Is All Our Work
Richard L. Crumb
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