SIN AND GRACE

"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."—Rom. 6:23.

This subject may be divided into and treated under two main headings, as follows:

(1) What is sin, and in what manner does it create for itself slaves that become doomed for the remainder of their lives; and (2) What is grace, and in what manner does it produce everlasting life? In order that a correct conception may be gained concerning these two so widely separated and misunder­stood realities, we must seek the answers to these questions where these words are found—that is, in the Word of God.

1. What is sin? The traditions of the world give no specific answer to this question. The clergy often say, "We can only sin. We sin continually, with our thoughts, our words, our desires, and our deeds." In contrast to this, however, all the servants of the Word of God give the unanimous and final answer, that "sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3 :4.) Paul says, `By the law is the knowledge of sin." He explains the meaning still further by saying, "For I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."—Rom. 3:20; 7:7

To what law does the apostle refer? To Rome's imperial, or civil, law? Of course not, for how can offenses against God be determined by human laws, of which Christ said, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men"? (Mat. 15:9.) How can the civil laws of the world determine the judgment of God? God has given his own governmental law, and all the apostles testify of this "law of the Spirit," since it is our "schoolmaster" until Christ has taken form in us. Christ said concerning this same law, the ten commandments, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."—Mat. 5 :17, 18.

This is the only law in the whole universe which applies the axe to the root of evil and forbids carnal desires to bring fruit. Is desire sin? Not if it is subdued and conquered. James says, "When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:15.) John says, "He that committeth sin [that is, continues to satisfy his lusts] is of the devil." (1 John 3 :8.) The Son of God was manifested in order that "he might destroy the works of the devil." The children of God and the children of the devil differ in that the Word utters itself through the children of God in righteous deeds, while in the latter the desires of the flesh rush forth unrestrained in evil words and works.

The children of God "doeth righteousness" because "the Word of God remaineth in them," while the children of the devil sin continually because their carnal desires force them to do so. Are not the ten commandments a part of the Word of God? Surely! And Christ said concerning them, "I know that his command­ment is life everlasting."

a. In what manner are we made slaves to sin, and in what manner as a consequence of this are we sentenced to death by the law of God? The destruction of the human family has been brought about by lust—by carnal desires, influenced by surround­ing objects, and satisfied without restraint. The Word loses its power and force more and more, but the power of lust impels sin in all its dreadful fullness. Satisfy your carnal desires and the world will recognize you as its possession; but kill the demands of your flesh by means of faith, that is, by the manifestation of the Word of God in and through your flesh, and you will be re­nounced by both pastor and king and by all the citizens connected with their governmental power—for they love "the world." What then is included by the word "world"? John answers, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life [of a sumptuous life], is not of the Father, but is of the world."-1 John 2:15, 16.

Let us now consider how sin is bred and kept alive. God has given man natural qualities by means of which life is brought forth, nourished, and regenerated. We can enjoy eating, but if it is enjoyment alone that makes a person eat, the person thus driven becomes "a glutton." This is the name given to that par­ticular sin. The body also needs fluids to strengthen its vitality, and when thirst is quenched by water, which adds strength to the body, the undefiled person is satisfied. But a carnal appetite forces the individual who is separated from the Word of God to drink what the body does not need. Often the stomach unloads with violence its injurious contents, but still the appetite craves more. When this is continued the stomach finally becomes unable to protect the life which these fleshly appetites endeavor to de­stroy, and the overloaded man or woman becomes fettered by drunkenness, a sin claiming a premature death. It is through lust that the world of man has come into being, and it is a dead creation within God's creation.

Sins such as these can be pointed out quite easily, and they are to some extent acknowledged; but let us scrutinize other sins less known. For example, we'll say that a book agent claiming to have "good and useful books" enters my home. He claims that he strictly observes the commandments of God, that he is a child of God, and a great many other things. I feel that I need no more books because my house is already full of all kinds of works. How­ever, he insists on displaying his beautiful book, wonderful for the eye to behold, and says, "It contains so many illustrations, pictures of Jesus, pictures of the disciples, and of the Holy Land, that the pictures alone are worth the price of the book." I look—I admire —I become bewitched like Eve by the serpent, and I purchase the book, driven to do this by the enchanter's words and by the desire of the eye for the "elegant" article—not because the words in the book contain anything good for my spiritual or natural welfare, but bec.iuse the eye desires it, and I satisfy that desire.

Had the Word of God checked this desire, I would have said to the seducer, "Leave my presence, tempter, for it is written, `Thou shalt nat make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."' T)et us suppose the book in ( question is a Bible, bound in gilded r üers and having many en­gravings; it costs ten or fifteen times , much as a Bible lacking all these ornaments. Is it sin to buy such a book? For what do I pay? Do I pay for the Word of God or for the fruits of carnal desires opposing the Word of God? The most ungodly person in the world may enjoy seeing an "artistic" and "beautiful" Bible on the table, but not for a moment would he tolerate having the Stranger from Nazareth step in read [CHECK] from it the injunctions against the fruits of unlawful c gyres which decorate walls and furniture. He would immediately say, "Get out of here, you fool. Would you deprive me of the enjoyment these sacred pictures pro­vide a Christian ?" He would defend his idols, even if the Stranger's blood would have to be spilled in order to retain them.

b. The slaves of lust. We enter a home where they claim to believe and obey all the commandments. Images and likenesses decorate every room. The mother speaks of the loving Jesus, at the same time beholding with much satisfaction her own dress, which only half covers her body. The father, a pastor, expresses his satisfaction concerning the new church just consecrated to the honor of the trinity. The daughters work incessantly on embroideries which are to decorate some table or chair. All are "chil­dren of God."

"Why don't you serve the Lord ?" I ask. They stare at me in bewilderment and say, "Serve the Lord! We always serve the Lord! Father preaches, mother plays the organ, and we daughters sing in the choir and have each a class in Sunday school; in addi­tion to this we all donate works of art, beautiful and wonderful to behold, to the bazaars of the sewing circle, which in turn bring in large sums of money to the church !"

This, however, when regarded from the viewpoint of the truth, is sin, pure and simple, since such things are not only detrimental to our welfare, but they give strength to carnal desires, irritating to a point of transgression all who have anything to do with it. This work does not clothe, feed, or give lodging to people in distress. These embroideries serve only as images, beautiful gods, as it were, that have to be taken care of well in order to be preserved from wrinkles and stains. The pastor is so taken up with a special dinner that he has no regard for the poor, homeless, suffering being outside. On the floor are costly rugs—he must not walk there with his dirty shoes. This lamenting creature is not allowed to sit on the lounge because an embroidered god has his throne there. The lady of the house is so beautiful and delicate that she cannot go near him, fearing that his bleeding sores might soil her clothes. In the church everything is so elegant that he dare not go there. Despairingly, the "vagrant,'.' or the widow, as is the case many times, falls to the floor of some shack or woodshed and dies of misery.

Who are to blame for the death of these miserable beings ? The idolators who worship their own lusts! The pastor preaches for money, the wife plays for honor, the daughters make gods for praise, and all love the world. Fire is to put an end to all this on the day of the Lord. It is fruit of the tree of knowledge that thus satisfies the desires of the eye in opposition to the Word of God.

If we consider the life of the so-called religious, or Christian, people as a whole, we shall find the fruit of carnal-mindedness revealing itself to as great an extent in their food, in their clothes, in their homes, and in special religious titles and ranks of distinc­tion, as in the doings of the open and avowed friends of the saloon. When they eat at their feasts, it is not to nourish the natural life, but to intensify their fleshly desires. The appearance of tables decorated with fancy pastry bewitches the eye, and the flesh gets enjoyment, despite the fact that the stomach may only reluctantly accept food which is not only unfit for eating but injurious to the health. All of these slaves labor, though perhaps unknowingly so, to rob themselves of their life, both their natural and their spiritual life.

We are responsible to our Creator as to how we treat our bodies. Neglecting one's own body, or being the cause of neglect in other persons, is transgression; and all transgression is sin, which brings upon the wrongdoer the death sentence of the law. We must eat, drink, clothe ourselves, and practice temperance in ac­cordance with the necessities of the natural life—not in accordance with the dictates of the eye or the flesh. If we look upon ourselves in this light, we shall have a double need of grace.

Grace

2. What is included by the word grace?

Paul divides and explains this collective word in the following manner: "But after that the kindness and love of our Savior toward man appeared." For what purpose and in what manner did this revelation come?

a. The kindness of God and his love for humanity was revealed through Christ. Not because we had already done so much good did God love us so much as to send his only Son as a means of atonement for our sins, but because he, in accordance with his plan and unchangeable kindness, desired to have his Son show us the paternal feelings of the Invisible, and the way to life. How is this fatherly love manifested? Paul answers and says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin [that is, let him suffer as though he really were a criminal] ; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."-2 Cor. 5:21.

Let us now consider how Christ was made; a sin for us. When he spoke the righteous Word of life, he was treated as though he were a liar. When he fed thousands through the miraculous blessings of the invisible God in the form of natural bread, egotism followed him with an insistent demand for more, more, more! Gave he health to the hopelessly sick, the mighty in the land threatened him because of his trespassing their fixed rules—the members of the medical profession felt insulted. Were the dead raised, unbelief sought to kill both him and the resurrected, who testified of the kindness of God. Why? Because he disturbed the status quo with these powers.

The rushing stream of sin then overflowed its banks. And after they for many years had gradually increased their efforts to hinder God from revealing his attributes and his name to a backslidden people, they sought to murder him by executing his Son. But see, "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound," and the Son, filled with the all-defying power of love, demon­strated the object of the God-given Word. Fully at one with his Father. Jesus gave his body and soul, the sacrifice which he as the High Priest of the new covenant brought forth and offered according to the law. Since the law had no claim on him, he did not suffer for his own guilt, but for the guilt of the transgressors. According to the law, these transgressors were sentenced to forfeit their lives, for which reason the Son offered his soul as a ransom for such prisoners of death. The Father of the Word accepted this ransom, inasmuch as the offering sacrificed by the Son was greater than that required by the law. The struggle he endured in order to bring about this means of atonement is described as follows:

"Who in the days of his flesh, when he [Christ] had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though lie were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all the- that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek."—Heb. 5:7-10.

According to the regulations of the law, the high priest of the old temple service was compelled to o fer a sacrifice for his own sins before he was allowed to enter the sanctuary to lay before the Lawgiver the offerings and prayers of the people. But inasmuch as Jesus had no sin, the law could not lay claim to his life as a sacrifice in his own behalf ; nevertheless it was given in our behalf because of God's kindness—his grace.

b. For what purpose was grace given? It was given in order that we, made righteous through his grace, that is, softened by his benevolence, should be made heirs to everlasting life according to the hope—be given another trial.

We may compare grace with medicine which a wise and affectionate doctor offers a sick person. Not all who are sick -eel the need of or accept medicine. But the kindness of God awakens us to consciousness respecting the value of life—the power of sin and death having first terrified us. When this kindness has con­vinced us of danger, and his love has melted the wall of ice we have erected around us, we desire grace, forgiveness of sins, and everlasting life. Truth, the Word made flesh, steps forth; the name of the being is Jesus Christ. Crushed by his love so pure, softened by his tolerance so great, and overpowered by our own uselessness, we melt in humility b' re this fathomless depth of kindness. He does not reproach us, but says kindly, "Thy sins are forgiven."

If in ignorance and at the inspiration of a false religious zeal we have even persecuted him in his members, his grace is deep enough to cover these sins. From his, own experience Paul therefore says, "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." If sin has ruled over us up to the, time that we have petitioned for and received good for evil, mercy instead of punish­ment, and forgiveness instead of condemnation, grace from that time on has every right to our service. "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid." (Rom. 6:1, 2.) When we accepted the grace offered in Christ, we renounced sin. From that time on we are in the school of grace that we may learn to serve the God of love and righteousness.

The first thing grace calls upon us to learn is to deny "ungod­liness and worldly lusts," and to "live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world." (Tit. 2:12.) We are called upon to manifest our love by the same acts of love in, word and deed that we have been subject to by the Master. How does this love ex­press itself ? He loved us even unto death—the most ignominious death of the cross. "Come, take up the cross, and follow me," says Truth and Righteousness.

Is it not possible for us to be the recipients of grace and of the favor of God without being ridiculed and contradicted the way Christ was? When we invite him to come to us in order to direct our limbs in his service, he is met by unbelief in our flesh just as before. The good deeds that we now perform under the motive power of grace bring us suffering in our flesh, but comfort in our spirit. What the law could not get us to do, grace has forced to the front. What did the, law require? It required that we should love God more than ourselves, and our fellow men as God loved us when he sealed this love in the death of his Son. The law could only keep us from committing violence against God, against ourselves, and against our neighbors, but Christ teaches his disciples to perform good deeds.

c. The servants of grace. Christ released us from the judg­ment of the law in order to make of us, through the power of grace, instruments willing to proclaim "his virtue," to be "zealous of good works," to "adorn the doctrine of God," to feed distress with charity, righteousness, and truth. The law demanded of us an irreproachable conduct before men; grace demands unlimited self-sacrifice before, and to the honor of, God. `Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Every­one drinking of the healing balm of grace, and having the hope of life within him, is told, "Every man… purifieth himself, even as he [God] is pure."

In what manner are we cleansed? Jesus answers, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." Are we all clean then, merely because Jesus has spoken? No, no more than a sick person regains health just because medicine is pre­pared for him. If he does not follow the doctor's advice throughout, he will become, in spite of the surest healing methods, a sacrifice to death. So also with grace; if it does not assume form in us so that its constituents, truth and righteousness, kindness and love, work upon our whole being and free the body and soul from the leprosy of sin, we are and will remain unclean.

Were it not for his own fathomless grace, God would destroy every soul, for we are all unworthy of his truth. But he extends to us his Word in love, that our ungodliness may thereby become separated from us. Is everything complete when we are able to regard the will of God prior to our own., will? Oh, no! Then, and only then, is it possible for us to begin to serve the truth.

Testifying of his service, as actuated by grace, Paul says, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." Compared with the knowledge of Christ, the natural and fleshly gains were as "refuse," which he renounced with gladness. What then is included by the word gain? The friendship of the world, a comfortable, luxurious, and sumptuous life, and an appeasement of the carnal desires of the eye and the flesh.

Instead of living as a well-to-do and respected citizen, Paul walked as a witness of truth and righteousness, and in this service became "a spectacle"—considered "as filth of the world," and "a fool for Christ's sake." "Even unto this present hour we both hunger, thirst, are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; and labor, working with our hands." Paul and the other apostles were reviled, defamed, and persecuted, and were "everyone's servants," looked upon as "the offscouring of all things." (1 Cor. 4.) Paul preached the Word for nothing to the people, who were steeped in wickedness. As a father he instructed all who desired to listen; he exhorted and reproved; and through the experience he gained in suffering, he gathered the hidden pearls of truth, giving them to all who petitioned for them.

With intense grief he saw how these pearls were misused, how selfish Antichrists elevated themselves at the expense of truth. They enjoyed, but he suffered; they were happy, but he mourned; still in spite of this he forged his way ahead with great zeal. Where to? To Golgotha. Why Paul? "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death . . . Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect . But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me ... For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ."—Phil. 3 :10-12; 1 Cor. 15 :10; Phil. 3 :18.

There is grace. But how far have we advanced on this road? From Moses to Christ the sacrificial law demanded a tenth—a tithe. This is where a large majority of the so-called Christians stand this very day, adhering to the system of the Old Testament, which was taken away through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They do not understand that the tithe was a state tax, levied in order that the widow, the stranger, the fatherless, and the priest should equally and rightfully derive from it their bounteous sustenance. Now ministers and preachers take tithes, and in addition to this press "freewill offerings" out of the very class that during the old dispensation received, or should have re­ceived according to God's commandments, their livelihood from the tithe. (See Deut. 14 :22-29.) The people of to-day offer money, clothes, pastry, drinks, and luxurious articles of many kinds with the same carnal mind as Israel of old. The whole is for the honor, enjoyment, and benefit of idolatrous ministers and priests, who do all in their power to keep in force this system of offering pre­scribed by law.

But where is the power of grace, which presents the children of faith on the altar as a living testimony of the love of Christ for the truth? If anyone dare go "outside the camp," he will get his full share of the sufferings of Christ, because such an "ac­cursed" one is there bombarded with projectiles of falsehood from all religious sect-fortifications.

Why do we become hated by all "for Christ's sake"? In order that we who love God more than our own lives should have the chance to show it. We are sheep of the slaughter, sacrificed by our own will on the altar of truth in lieu of animals sacrificed in the old temple by the priests of the ceremonial law before Christ came. All wage-taking ministers and priests are sacrificial priests. Driven by the spirit of Antichrist, they prepare for the altar all who present themselves—they scourge the sacrifices. When they need their assistants—sheriffs, police, and soldiers—to stage a. sacrificial act, these always stand ready to perform service. The law compelled the ox to go to the place of sacrifice, but grace beckoned Paul there. For nothing in the world did he desire to escape. Stephen, and all who have accepted the grace of God, went the same way. The sacrificial priests performed the service; but it is not an enviable lot to be a slaughterer of innocency—an executioner of Christ.

Already the sacrificial priests are making ready their instru­ments; but where are the sacrifices? Brothers and sisters, are we ready to drain the bitter cup of suffering without the camp? It means very much more than to overcome sin in our own flesh.. May the grace of God drive us forward as conquerors to meet the Re­surrection and the Life! May his peace and grace increase within us!