Chapter 7: Law, having died [153] to it.

Law, having died [153] to it.

The Law which once "held" him now had nothing to do with him, for he had been put out of the Law's domain, out of the place of business in which the Law operated, that is, on natural children of Adam, on men in the flesh. What a glorious deliverance!

Now let us who are Gentile believers most carefully note two things: (1) that the Jewish believer, who was put publicly, and under sanctions of death, under the Law, by God at Sinai, has been declared by that same God to have died to that wherein he was held, so that the Law has no more business with him. (2) That therefore, however deeply taught by tradition that we Gentile believers are under law, we must throw that tradition all away. For if the Jew, who was Divinely placed under the Law, has been made dead to it and discharged therefrom, put out of the sphere and domain of the Law, then what presumption for a Gentile to claim that he is under that Law before God!

So that we serve!--Wonderful paradoxes of the gospel! In verse 4, having died, they bear fruit; and here, having been discharged, they serve. What an unspeakable satisfaction filled the apostle's heart, at finding himself serving God, in all the capacities of his love-filled being, the more he felt his complete freedom from that Law that once "held" him. In the old days, it was, "I verily thought I ought to do"; now it is, "I delight to do." As we say elsewhere, the instructed believer finds himself doing the will of God as it is in heaven, that is, in the very spirit of service, and not by forms, or ordinances--which are earthly "rudiments." Oldness of letter it once was--minute particulars of legal observances according to the tradition of the fathers; newness of spirit it had become when the apostle learned that he had died out to the whole legal sphere, to the Adam-position--man in the flesh, [154] unto whom the Law had been given at Sinai.

Truly Paul could say to his Jewish fellow-believers, God has here, concerning the Law, conferred on us a heavenly degree of D.D.: "Dead, Discharged." (Beware that you do not turn into an LL.D. and go about "desiring to be teachers of the Law, understanding neither what you say, nor whereof you confidently affirm!" (I Tim. 1:7)

Now unto us Gentile believers, what a breeze from the delectable mountains this passage is! For our poor consciences are always--sad to say--ready to hear of some new "duty" or "path of surrender," or "dying out" to this or that: not satisfied with God's plain announcement that we died to sin, are not under law: that even those whom He placed under The Law had died to it, and been discharged therefrom! And that we are to present ourselves to Him as "alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness unto God--whose service is perfect freedom.' " [155]

Paul's Law-struggle--before he knew the Gospel-revelation, that he had died to the Law

7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Banish the thought! On the contrary, I had not become conscious of sin, except through law: for I had not perceived evil-desire, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not have evil-desire. 8 But sin, seizing occasion through the Commandment, wrought out in me all manner of evil-desire. For apart from law sin is dead.

9 And I was alive apart from law once. But upon the coming of the Commandment [to my conscience] sin sprang into life, and I died. 10 And the Commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death: 11 for sin, seizing occasion, through the Commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.

12 So that the Law indeed is holy, and the Commandment holy, and righteous, and good.

13 Did then that which is good become death unto me? Banish the thought! But sin, that it might appear as sin, by working out death to me through that which is good;--that through the Commandment sin might become exceeding sinful!

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I am working out, I do not own: for not what I am wishing this am I doing: but what I am hating--this I am practicing. 16 But if what I am not wishing, I am practicing, I am consenting unto the Law that it is right.

17 So, therefore, no longer is it I that am working it out, but sin which is dwelling in me. 18 For I know that there does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, a good thing: for the wishing is present with me, but the working out that which is right, is not. 19 For not what I am wishing am I practicing--that is, the good; but on the contrary, what I am not wishing--that is, the evil, this I am doing! 20 But if what I am not wishing, this I am practicing, no longer is it I that am working it out, but on the contrary, sin which dwelleth in me.

21 I find then the law, that to me, desiring to be practicing the right, the evil is present. 22 For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man: 23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.

24 Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?

25 I thank God, [for deliverance] through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So then, I myself with the mind, indeed, serve God's Law; but with the flesh sin's law.

Before beginning the study of this great struggle of Paul's, let us get it settled firmly in our minds that Paul is here exercised not at all about pardon, but about deliverance: "Who shall deliver me from this body of death?" The whole question is concerning indwelling sin, as a power; and not committed sins, as a danger.

Mark also that while (as we shall show) the indwelling Holy Spirit is the Christian's sole power against the flesh, He is not known in this struggle; but it is Paul himself against the flesh--with the Law prescribing a holy walk, but furnishing no power whatever for it.

Even the fact of deliverance through Christ from the Law (described in the fourth and sixth verses), is most evidently not known during this conflict with the flesh, (This fact itself marks the conflict as one that preceded the revelation to the apostle of his being dead to the Law, not under law: for such knowledge would have made the struggle impossible.)

Therefore this conflict of Paul's, instead of being an example to you, is a warning to you to keep out of it by means of God's plain words that you are not under law but under grace.

But now you will adopt one of two courses: either you will read of and avoid the great struggle Paul had, under law, to make the flesh obedient by law,--with its consequent discovery of no good in him, and no strength; with his despairing cry, "Who shall deliver me?" and the blessed discovery of deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ and by the indwelling Spirit: and this is, of course, the true way,--for you are not under law. It is the God-honoring path, for it is the way of faith. It is the wisest, because in it you profit by the struggle and testimony of another, written out for your benefit.

The second course, (and alas, the one followed by most in their distress and longing after a holy life), is to go through practically the same struggle as Paul had,--until you discover for yourself experimentally what he found. In this latter course you will be like Bunyan's pilgrim who fell into the Slough of Despond. You will enjoy reading the quotations below from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. We suppose you have this priceless book: but quote, to save the trouble of reference.

If we (as Gentiles who were not put under the Law by God), were able to believe, simply to believe, I say, that we died federally with Christ, we should enter into the blessed state of deliverance belonging to a risen one, who knows both that he died and that he is in Christ--not under law: and the "struggle" would be avoided. Rather, there would be a walk of faith, both in Christ's work, and the Holy Spirit's indwelling power. [156]

And, if we can learn from Paul's struggle in this Seventh Chapter, the lessons Paul seeks to teach us--of the fact that we cannot be what we would, because of the inveterate, incurable evil of our flesh--of "the sin that dwelleth in us," and that deliverance is "through Christ Jesus our Lord,"--through faith in Him, as having become identified with us as we were, and having thus effected our death, with Him, to sin, and all the "I must" claims of our old standing: so that we count ourselves dead to sin, and alive unto God in Christ Jesus,--it will be well! We shall be blessed!

But if we refuse to learn the lessons Paul would teach us here--of the great facts of our deliverance in Christ from "the power of sin which is the Law" (I Cor. 15:56), we shall not only fail of personal deliverance from sin's power, but we shall soon be traducing all the glorious doctrines of Paul, and be sinking to the doctrine that we must expect to go on sinning and getting forgiveness "till we die,"--which is, of course, putting our own death in the place of Christ's death: for God says we died with Him, and are now free in Him Risen!

Verse 7: What shall we say, then? Is the Law sin?--Paul has been telling us in Chapter Six of having died to sin, and now, in the first section of Chapter Seven, he tells us of having been made dead to the Law and discharged therefrom. His enemies (and he must always keep them in mind--the enemies of grace)--would immediately accuse him thus: "You say we died to the Law; therefore you class the Law with sin." Banish the thought! is Paul's answer--his usual holy, horrified rejection of what is false. On the contrary, I had not become conscious of sin except through law: That is, forbidding a thing to one who cannot abstain from that thing, is the way to make him know his bondage--his own helplessness. "By the Law is the knowledge of sin."

For I had not perceived evil-desire, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not have evil desire--Here Paul begins to show the spiritual character and reach of the Law. He will proceed through the rest of the

The direct reference in this word "desire" is to Deuteronomy 5:21, where the correct translation is, "Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor's." Now, Saul of Tarsus had been occupied with the outward things, positive and negative) of the Law. But when God quickened to his heart the real meaning of the word covet, or desire--showing him that "desire not" forbade the reaching out of the heart after anything other than loving God with all the heart, soul, and mind, and his neighbor as himself; he discerned for the first time that such desire is sin. For desire, in a creature, for aught else but God's glory, is sin. Imagine Gabriel in God's presence entertaining desire for something for himself [157] : It would be the beginning of another Lucifer!

It will be well, by the way, for all legalists--for those who seek either righteousness or holiness through the Law, to HEAR the Law: "Thou shalt not have evil desire"!

Verse 8: But sin, seizing occasion through the Commandment, wrought out in me all manner of evil-desire. For apart from law sin is dead.

That indwelling sin which was in Paul's members,--left there by God, had no means of making itself known to Paul, except by a quickened Law that became direct Divine Commandment to his very self. Then, indeed, when God revealed to Paul, (already renewed but not knowing the incurable evil of the flesh) the spiritual nature and character of His holy Law, together with the demand on his conscience to fulfil it,--then came Sin's chance! Paul had no strength,--only the renewed will: Let Paul undertake--as he will--to fulfil what was commanded! Then it will be seen that "the strength of sin is the Law": that sin will prove itself stronger than Paul, through the Commandment!

Wrought out in me all manner of evil-desire. This discovery that desire is sin would not be confined to the letter of the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not desire, or covet": but would in Paul's inner consciousness extend itself through the whole Decalogue: For the Law is one!

To illustrate the words apart from Law, sin is dead: Suppose a man determined to drive his automobile to the very limit of its speed. If (as is not quite yet done!) signs along the road would say, No Speed Limit, the man's only thought would be to press his machine forward. But now suddenly he encounters a road with frequent signs limiting speed to thirty miles an hour. The man's will rebels, and his rebellion is aroused still further by threats: Speed Limit Strictly Enforced. Now the man drives on fiercely, conscious both of his desire to "speed," and his rebellion against restraint. The speed limit signs did not create the wild desire to rush forward: that was there before. But the notices brought the man into conscious conflict with authority.

For apart from Law, sin is dead--Sin, like a coiled serpent, is in the old nature, but cannot get at the conscience to condemn it: for indwelling sin has no means of "springing into life," as sin, apart from law: it is quiescent, dormant, "dead."

Every impulse of the flesh, the old natural life, is sin. Take desire, or coveting: who is to know that this inward, universal, natural desire is sin, till the Law says to the conscience, "Thou shalt not covet"? This command not to covet does not remove the covetousness, but rather calls attention to it. And in forbidding it, immediately puts into conflict the renewed human will with the power of indwelling sin,--in this case with covetousness.

Now, however quickened or renewed the human will may be, strength, power against sin, does not reside in the human will. Furthermore, human strength is not God's way to overcome indwelling sin. That power resides always and only in the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Verses 9, 10: And I was alive apart from law once: but when the Commandment came, sin revived, and I died; and the Commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death:

The words alive apart from law once--to what stage of his life does this refer? We have noted that the Law had not come as a spiritual thing, as commandment, to him in his unregenerate state. Now let us mark that it was not "the Commandment" that came to save him: it was Jesus of Nazareth, in absolute grace, who appeared to him on the Damascus road. Surely if absolute grace ever met a man, it met Saul of Tarsus that day! And the questions that came out of his mouth, "Who art thou, Lord?" "What shall I do, Lord?" have nothing whatever to do with law. He has met a Person, not a code! And when Ananias comes to Saul as he prays, in Judas' house in Straight Street, he speaks nothing to Saul of law: but, "The Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou earnest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Then Saul immediately begins his joyful, triumphant testimony in the synagogues in Damascus that "Jesus is the Son of God." That was no time for the Commandment to come. God is not speaking to him yet of indwelling sin, but of full and free pardon and justification, through the shed blood of a Redeemer. This fills his soul during the first stage of his Christian life.

Then he goes away into Arabia, and God begins to exercise him, evidently--as we have shown--no longer concerning sins, for they are pardoned; but concerning indwelling sin.

It is to that happy, first stage of his Christian life, we believe, that Paul refers when he says, "I was alive apart from law once." He says, "I was alive." Paul would not affirm that a man dead in trespasses and sins was "alive"!

But let us go over the ground very carefully.

Apart from law--these words "apart from law" (Greek, choris nomou) are exactly the same as in Chapter 3:21 concerning justification! They indicate therefore, a state of no connection with law. Justification was on grounds where law did not come; and Paul's first condition after salvation was also thus, as we shall see.

Paul connects with this word "once" the Law's becoming quickened to his soul: When the Commandment came. No: this could not have been during the Tarsus, or Gamaliel, or persecuting days: for Paul says of those very days, "I verily thought I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth." There was no hint there, surely, of a conflict with indwelling sin! But only a steady certainty that he was right. Those who would make the struggle of Romans Seven in any sense that of an unregenerate Jew under the Law should remember that for a Jew there was no such struggle! An unregenerate Jew was occupied with outward things, and rested there! If he were ceremonially "clean," and kept the "feasts, new moons, and Sabbath days," there was no "struggle" in his heart. Why should there be? Was he not of the chosen people? and walked he not "according to the ordinances"? Paul was a Pharisee--"a Pharisee of Pharisees"--being "more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of the fathers." Let him alone at that! There was no "struggle." He was satisfied, serene, apart from any spiritual knowledge of the Law! The Law was a terrible thing. It was a "fiery Law." When Israel heard it, at Sinai, they stood afar off, in terror, and said to Moses, "Let not Jehovah speak with us any more, lest we die"!

The Jews, in Paul's day, (as today) held it in the letter. They knew nothing of its holy, "spiritual" character. They were occupied with the length of a "Sabbath day's journey"; or the question of how many nails a man could have in his sandals without "bearing a burden on the Sabbath"; and of "washing their hands to the elbows" before eating (Mark 7:3, marg.). There is not the slightest reason for differing Saul of Tarsus from those other Pharisees who would let the sick, palsied and demon-possessed remain under Satan's bondage-- if only their Sabbath were observed their way! (There is nothing so merciless as self-righteous religion: witness all History!) See Saul holding the clothes of Stephen's murderers! See him "breathing out threatening and slaughter"--mark it--slaughter, wholesale murder, toward "any that were of the Name" of Jesus.

What perfect theological folly to conceive that the struggle of Romans Seven had been all along in Saul's heart! That such a monster of murder was at the same time "delighting in the Law of God after the inward man"! No, no! That was before the holy Law, with its "Commandment" for an inner personal holiness,--free, even, from unlawful desire (epithumia) had been quickened to him! Saul of Tarsus could have headed the Spanish Inquisition, and have had no qualms of conscience! He was on his way to Damascus as a regular, merciless Duke of Alva, to crush Christ's confessors,--with a good conscience: "I verily thought I ought to do."

Paul certainly distinguishes here between his early Christian life of rejoicing in the new-found Redeemer, and that later experience in which God exercises him about indwelling sin and deliverance therefrom.

But upon the coming of the Commandment [to my conscience] sin sprang into life, and I died.

Here is seen that crisis described by so many godly saints. it is what some people call "coming under conviction for holiness." "Ye are yet carnal," Paul wrote to the Corinthians. Here he is discovering that state in himself. To Paul, converted, but still thinking himself under law, God uses "the Commandment." He discovers to Paul the spirituality of the Law and lets it command him to be and do. This Paul undertakes, not knowing of the sin dwelling in his members. So, Sin sprang into life, with the result that,--I died, as the following verses describe: it is the death of all hopes in himself, in his flesh.

And the Commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death--its proper ministry, condemnation and death (II Cor. 3:7, 9)--to all hopes in flesh, even in the flesh of people born again, as Paul was.

Verse 11: For sin, seizing occasion, through the Commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.

Sin is personified all through this passage: Let Paul, says Sin, undertake to fulfil this Commandment! Let him keep on trying it!

How wonderful the consistency of Scripture! Paul was not under Law, being in Christ. God was not "beguiling" Paul in commanding what He knew Paul could not fulfil. But God permitted Sin to "beguile" him, by leading him to rely on his own power to obey, that Paul might find his utter powerlessness, and finally despair of delivering himself.

And through it slew me--That is, killed off all his hopes in himself, his "flesh." We all know how endlessly "resolutions" are formed by earnest Christians--honest resolutions to be "better" Christians, to "quit" this or that sin or bad habit: and what failure and despair is the result of relying on our own wills!

But to Paul, failure was terrible: for there was the Law, the Law of Moses, given by God, under which he had been born and brought up, and constantly instructed. The Law was his hope. And now it helps him? Not at all! Indeed it becomes the very means by which Sin attacks him. And Sin slays him--that is, all hopes in himself lie vanquished dead! And that by means of a holy instrument! for, Paul cries:

Verse 12: The Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, and righteous and good--Here Paul positively refutes the charge that he dishonored God's Law. Nay, more, the Commandment (entole), the direct application to him of the Law, with its fatal consequences to himself, to his self-hopes, he defends. This is the mark of a saint: he upholds God, and condemns himself.

Verse 13: But now he answers the further question: Did then that which is good become death unto me? And again his answer is, Banish the thought! But it was indwelling sin that wrought death to me,--using indeed, that which was good. Through the Commandment, thus, Sin was shown to be sin. The more fully and widely the Law resolved itself in new and fresh commands to Paul's soul, the more intense and desperate became indwelling Sin's horrid opposition to it. Thus was Sin's hideous countenance seen in full! It became exceeding sinful!

In general, we may say that in verses 14 to 17, the emphasis is upon the practicing what is hated,--that is, the inability to overcome evil in the flesh; while in verses 18 to 21, the emphasis is upon the failure to do the desired good,--the inability, on account of the flesh, to do right.

Thus the double failure of a quickened man either to overcome evil or to accomplish good--is set forth. There must come in help from outside, beyond himself! This, of course, is the indwelling Spirit, as the eighth chapter so vividly portrays.

In narrating in particular the account of his great struggle in verses 14 to 23, we find the apostle arriving at three definite conclusions.

First, In doing what he is not wishing, but practicing what he is hating, his conclusion is: "If what I am not wishing, that I am doing, I am consenting unto the Law that it is right." Verses 14 to 16.

Second, It is indwelling sin, and not his real self, that is working out this evil: "But if what I am not wishing, this I am practicing, no longer is it I that am working it out, but on the contrary, sin which dwelleth in me." Verses 17 to 20.

Third, There is the terrible revelation of a positive Law (or settled principle) of sin in his members, defeating him despite his inward delight in the Law of God:--"bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members." Verse 23.

For we know that the Law is spiritual: but I [158] am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I am working out, I do not own: for not what I am wishing this am I doing: but what I am hating--this I am practicing.

The Law is spiritual: but I am carnal--"Spiritual" may include:

(1) Addressed to man by God, who is "spirit";

(2) To "the spirit of man that is in him" (I Cor. 2:11);

Therefore:

(3) Consisting of communications adapted to and only understandable by beings of a spiritual realm or sphere.

(4) "Spiritual," also, in the moral sense; holy because communicated by a holy God.

Thus Law is spiritual.

But I am carnal: Paul speaks of himself here as he is by nature. He does not say body-ish (sema, body, as opposed to pneuma, spirit) but "carnal": The word sarkinos, translated "carnal," comes from the root, sarks, "flesh."

1. If Paul had been speaking of himself before being quickened, he would have used the word natural: "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God" (I Cor. 2:14).

2. "Carnal" is not used to describe an unregenerate person, but a Christian not delivered from the power of the flesh: "I, brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ" (I Cor. 3:1).

3. In this connection, note that while Paul's condition at the time of this struggle was that of being carnal, there are those that are spiritual: "He that is spiritual judgeth all things" (I Cor. 2:15). "Ye who are spiritual, restore" (Gal. 6:1).

4. Therefore, by the word "carnal" Paul was describing a state out of which there was deliverance.

We know that carnal, sold under sin--is evidently meant by the apostle in this fourteenth verse to indicate the state of human nature as contrasted with God's holy spiritual Law.

Sold under sin: This is slave-market talk: and it describes all of us by nature. Instead of being spiritual and therefore able to hearken to, delight in and obey God's holy spiritual Law, we are turned back, since Adam sinned, to a fleshly condition, our spirits by nature dead to God, and our soul-faculties under the domination of the still unredeemed body. Now Paul, though his spirit was quickened; and his inward desires, therefore, were toward God's Law; found to his horror his state by nature "carnal," fleshly, "sold under sin." How little humanity realizes this awful, universal fact about man--"sold under sin"!

"Sold under sin" is exactly what the new convert does not know! Forgiven, justified, he knows himself to be: and he has the joy of it! But now to find an evil nature, of which he had never become really conscious, and of which he thought himself fully rid, when he first believed, is a "second lesson" which is often more bitter than the first--of guilt!

For that which I am working out, I do not own [as my choice]: for not what I am wishing this am I doing [159] , but what I am hating, this I am practicing.

We must constantly remember throughout this struggle that it is not a description by the apostle Paul of an experience he was having when he wrote this Epistle! but an experience of a regenerate man before he knows either about indwelling sin or that he died to sin and to the Law which gives sin its power; and who also does not know the Holy Spirit, as an indwelling presence and power against sin. God let Paul have this experience. And he now writes about it that we may read and know all the facts of our salvation: not merely of the awful guilt of our sins, and our forgiveness through the blood of Christ; but also of the moral hideousness of our old selves; and our powerlessness, though regenerate, to deliver ourselves, from "the law of sin" in our members.

Therefore Paul said that in that struggle he found himself "working out" a manner of life he refused to "own"--to admit as his real choice. For, he says, Not what I am wishing, that am I practicing. The word "wish" or "desire" is not quite strong enough for the Greek word here, (thelo); but the word will is too strong; for "will" has come in English to have the element of carrying a purpose through; which Paul was unable to do. His holy wish never mounted the throne of I will.

Verse 16: But now he gains a further step: But if what I am not wishing, I am practicing, I am consenting unto the Law that it is right. The wicked man does what he is wishing; and is willing to condemn God's Law if it interferes with him. But Paul cries in this struggle, "I have just discovered that I am not at all in my heart opposing the Law; but am in my heart of hearts consenting that it is right." And that is a very real step. In the matter of forgiveness, the thief on the cross took that step, in saying to his fellow, "We receive the due reward of our deeds." And Paul, forgiven but undelivered, cries, The Law is right! My heart consents to God's Word and God's Way,--however far I am from following it! And now he pursues his advantage:

So therefore, no longer is it I that am working it out, but sin which is dwelling in me.

Verse 17: "No longer I!" That was a wonderful discovery! For a forgiven Saul, who had gone on in joy awhile without inward trouble, it was indeed a terrible awakening to become again convicted--not now of sins, but of indwelling sin, of a hateful power that seemed one's very self--but was really "our old man." [160] But he is making discoveries about himself--amazing things, brought out for the first time in Scripture. He is going much further than "consenting to the Law that it is right" (verse 16); for now, instead of being completely over whelmed by this holy, righteous Law; he arrives at (and writes down for us!) a conclusion that is daring: Since I am doing what I am not wishing, there must be another and evil principle working within me. For it is not my real self that is working out this evil, but sin which dwelleth in me. An unwelcome, hateful presence!

Verse 18: For I know that there does not dwell in me, that is in my flesh, a good thing: for the wishing is present with me, but working out that which is right, is not.

Here is that man who wrote in Philippians Three, "If any man hath whereof to glory in the flesh, I yet more!" And he gave there seven facts he could glory in,--beyond the greatest Greek, or Roman, or English, or any Gentile--"I yet more"! but now saying, "In me dwelleth no good thing." And also: "I can will, but cannot do!" This great double lesson must be learned by all of us! (1) There is no good thing in any of us--in "our flesh"--our old selves. (2) We cannot do the good we wish or will, to do. Most humbling of all confessions. Renewed, desiring to proceed--we cannot! We are dependent on the Holy Spirit as our only spiritual power, just as on Christ as our only righteousness!

Alas, how incompletely are these two facts taught and learned! We have seen hundreds of eager young believers who are being told to "surrender to Christ," that all depended upon their yielding, etc. But these dear children, what did they know of the tremendous truths Paul has taught in the early part of Romans, before asking that believers present themselves to God as alive from the dead? (Rom. 6:13). He has taught the terrible, lost guilty state of all men; their inability to recover righteousness; then Christ set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood as their only hope; then identification, as connected with Adam, with Christ in His death; and the command to reckon themselves dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus; together with, the fact that they are not under law, but under grace.

All this before the real call for surrender for service, in the Twelfth