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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 the
judgment of the others upon such an one with respect to "eating" and "observing days,"
&100:, and all other impositions of men.
"Judging this, that if one on behalf of all died also."
"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" (II Cor. 5: 14-17).
"For I through 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).
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.
Rom. 6: 1 commences with the awful question of one who imagines that "free grace"
means license. 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, means bondage, and seeking to be made perfect according to the flesh (Gal.
3: 2, 3; 4: 3-5, 9; 5: 1-3). Under grace means liberty and perfection 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," and then adds:--
"Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"
(Gal. 5: 13, 14).
We have already seen that resurrection life is the answer to the question, How may I
find power to live unto God? We see here that in this same blessed sphere we are at
liberty to fulfil our duties one to another. We will conclude by a reference to Eph. 2: