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Part
2
What
DoYou
Mean .. .
ION?
Do you realize not one in a hundred knows what it is-how to get it-
when you receive it? Don't be too sure you do! Here, once and foral/, is the truth made so plain
you will real/y understand it1
1
n the April issue, we learned that
salvation is deliverance from the
spiritual consequences of sin–
eterna1 death (Rom. 6:23). And
we read
in
1
John
3:4
that sin is the
transgression of God's law. So since
all human beings have sinned
(Rom. 3:23), there is a need for jus–
tification before God.
But exactly how is one justified?
Through keeping God's law per–
fectly? Through grace alone? Or is
there another answer?
Actually, as we shall see in a mo–
ment, you can't keep a spiritual law
with a carnal mind and carnal love.
But, even if you cou ld, your obedi–
ence is only what is required of you
now! I t does not make up for past
law breaking. A man convicted of
committing murder last month does
not erase his sentence by being law–
abiding this month.
That is what your Bible teaches!
Get that straight! All the good
works in the world- alJ the law
keeping-cannot justify you of your
past guilt.
Now where do you find yourself?
2
by
Herbert W. Armstrong
You are now submissive- obedient
to God's law. At least you try to be.
Is this necessary? Most assuredly it
is! For if you disobey- break the
law-you commit more sin. Christ
does not save us
in
our sins. but
from
our sins. Does obedience jus–
tify you? A thousand times no!
Where are you now? You still
have no access whatever to God.
You are pretty helpless, aren't
you?
How You Galn Contact
And now, if you have made this
right start- you have repented –
there is a way you may gain contact
with God who has eterna! life to
impart. God so loved this world of
sinners, cut off from Him, that He
gave His only begotten Son! Re–
member, God gives eterna! life
through Ch rist!
Notice Romans 5:6: "For when
we were yet without s trength , in due
time Christ died for the ungodly."
Jesus Christ never transgressed
God's law. He said. " 1 have kept my
Father's commandments" (John
15: 10). He also said He set us an
example that we should do as He
did. He never incurred the death
penalty. He never cut Himself off
from God. When He voluntarily
paid the death penalty, He did not
pay it for any sins of His own- for
there were none. He gave His life in
the stead of you rs ! He paid your
penalty for you!
The life He gave was that of the
Maker of us all! God created all
things by Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:9).
All things- including all humans–
were made by Him (John 1: 1-3).
Therefore the life He gave on the
cross was greater than the sum total
of all other human lives! That is the
life that died for you- that paid
your penalty for you!
Now, continue in Romans 5:8-9:
" But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. Much
more then, being now justified by
his blood...."
Notice! "Being
now
justified."
How? By the blood of Christ! Jf you
have repented, and accepted Jesus
The
PLAIN TRUTH June/ July 1978