failed?  If one may speak for many, we know what a miserable failure it has

always been.  Let us, therefore, see whether Scripture does not give some

surer way of living unto God than we have hitherto discovered.

Of Christ it is written, 'For in that He died, He died unto sin once;

but in that He liveth (i.e. in resurrection), He liveth unto God' (Rom.

6:10).  Of the believer, it continues, 'Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to

be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord'

(Rom. 6:11).  The power, then, to live unto God comes through believing

implicitly the wonderful fulness of the redemptive Work of Christ.  It is not

trying, but reckoning as God has reckoned, and acting accordingly.

'Whether we live, we live unto the Lord' (Rom. 14:8).

This is connected with Christ's resurrection in verse 9, and with the

futility of others' judgment upon such an one with respect to 'eating' and

'observing days' etc., and all the other impositions of men.

'Judging this, that if One on behalf of all died, then all these died

'He died on behalf of all, with the object that those who live (i.e. in

resurrection life) should henceforth not live unto themselves,

but unto Him who died for them, and rose again.  Wherefore henceforth

know we no man according to the flesh ... If any man be in Christ there

is a new creation; old things did pass away; behold, there have come

into being new things' (2 Cor. 5:14-17 author's translation).

'For I through the law, to law died, with the object that I might live

unto God; with Christ I have been crucified, but I live; yet not I, but

there liveth in me Christ' (Gal. 2:19,20 author's translation).

These passages of the Word speak more plainly than any comment we can

give; life unto God (consecration, sanctification), is found in the sphere of

resurrection with Christ.  Romans 6:1 commences with the awful question of

one who imagines that free grace means licence.  We do not doubt that some

who read these pages will likewise question our doctrine and say it is

'dangerous'.  What answer does the apostle make to the libertine?  Does he

water down his strong statements?  No, he applies them with full force.  'How

shall we that died to sin live any longer therein?'  It is a matter nothing

short of life and death.  The question goes deeper, however, in verse 15.

'Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace?'  The answer is

summarized in verse 22, 'But now being made free from sin, and become

servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting

life' (see Col. 3:3,4).  With this compare verse 13, 'Yield yourselves unto

God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments

of righteousness unto God'.

The Epistle to the Galatians deals with the same subject.  Under law

and in the sphere of the flesh, seeking to be made perfect according to the

flesh means bondage (Gal. 3:2,3; 4:3-5,9; 5:1-3).  Being under grace means

liberty and perfection is in Christ alone.  Again the apostle has to meet

those who abuse this liberty.  He says, 'Stand fast in the liberty wherewith

Christ hath made us free'.  'For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty'

(Gal. 5:1,13), and then adds,