The Law of Sin and Death

By Pauline Foreman

Text: John 8:32, 36 - "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh,but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:2-4)

Where did the law of sin and death come from? When Adam and Eve yielded to the voice of the serpent and sinned, that brought death into the world. After their sin, God put them out of the Garden and blocked the way to the tree of life. This was a mercy, for it would have been a dreadful thing for them (and us) to live forever in a sinful state.

We don't think about the law of sin and death. Like gravity - it's a law that's ever with us. Gravity says, what goes up must come down. Gravity rules - it's always in full force. The only way to defeat the law of gravity is to be in a protected zone - a spacecraft, or aircraft. Other laws that rule in our day-to-day lives include thorns and thistles, seasons, sowing and reaping, and the presence of evil urges that affect us all. Our nature is carnal and is sold under sin. What's more,the wages of sin is death. The Spirit of God and the flesh of man war one against the other. Feelings reign in the fleshly nature. When you're under the law of sin and death, you do not operate under the law of the Spirit. The "flesh" owns you.

The will of man cannot conquer the law of sin. Man's will, resolutions, and conscience are powerless. James said we are tempted when we are drawn by our own lusts and enticed. (James 1:14-15) It's a "law" that is at work in us - a cycle of defeat we don't have the power to overcome.

We need the Holy Ghost to overcome sin!

You don't have to be a slave to sin any longer. The Holy Ghost, working in you, gives you the victory - the power to overcome sin and the flesh.

• The voice of the Holy Ghost will alert you, warning you of things that need to be conquered. Listen!
• Be thankful! Your new "Governor," (the New Testament) brings grace to reign in you.
• "Sin shall not have dominion over you." (Romans 8:9)
• In the Holy Ghost you have help - you're dead to sin.
• To defeat the law of sin and death; you must be under His blood, protected in the zone of grace.

Know this! Sin cannot be managed! "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Romans 8:9) Without His Spirit, you are under the law of sin and death (the old law) and subject to its consequences.

How to Obtain Life and Peace

By Pastor Ken Foreman

Text: Romans 8:1-6

In this chapter, Paul references the Holy Spirit nineteen times! This truth is a strong foundation you can build upon. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

• Know the truth - Know what's right
• No condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus
• It's sin that leads to condemnation and death

Condemnation: to declare a person guilty and worthy of punishment.

• Through Jesus you don't have to be condemned

In Luke 18, both the Pharisee and the publican were praying.

• the Pharisee was "I'm all good!" [He despised the publican.]
• the publican was "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner." [went home justified]

In Numbers 12, Miriam and Aaron rebelled.

• Moses' response was, "Heal her now, O Lord, I pray!"
• Walk After the Spirit - Do what's right!
• Make the right decisions and act upon them.
• Keep Your Thoughts in Check - Think what's right! (I Corinthians 10:5)
• The law was a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ, but it was not possible to obey the law in the flesh.
• Jesus died to set us free from the curse of the law (revealed sin).
• Make up your mind - I want more of Jesus!
• Make no provision for the flesh.
• Be Spiritually minded - "the Spirit is life" (verse 10)
• Justification - the accused is acquitted, declared righteous, free from the penalty

The Only Thing Necessary...

By Donna Franklin

"So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word of My mouth, and warn them from Me. When I say to the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shalll die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand." (Ezekiel 33:7-8)

Edmund Burke said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

It never occurred to me to make Edmund Burke's quotation pertinent to soul salvation. Our church was praying at the altar when the Lord put it into my mind and caused me to consider it in this different way,

There have been so many times in the history of nations when evil ruled, and the only way the evil was conquered was when someone righteous took a stand that rallied enough others who were then able to overcome the evil.

The founding fathers of this nation gave their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to bring into being a country that offered freedoms based on rights from and Almighty God. George Washington pronounced the winning of the war of independence as "almost a miracle." The Lord helped the small rag-tag army because these good men were willing to take a stand againt evil.

Are we willing to give our all for what we believe? Do we believe in the Word of God? Does He require of us to go and make disciples all over the world? Do we believe that if we don't tell the Good News to the lost, they will spend eternity in the lake of fire? Do we understand that the Great Commission Command is meant for every individual that has the truth? Everyone is commissioned to preach the Word in some area (Samaria).

Today is the day of salvation. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Today. The only thing necessary for the devil to triumph is for us to do nothing! The Lord is coming back soon! The harvest is ripe now! Let's get into the fields and reap that harvest before it is too late!

Editor's Note: Donna Franklin and her husband attend the Paoli United Pentecostal Church (Pastor Terry Erwin) in Paoli, Oklahoma. Donna is a prolific writer of articles and poetry.  

Tribute to Abe Lincoln

 By Charles R. Grisham

Old Abe Lincoln was an honest man,

He proudly took his freedom stand;
A true American he tried to be,
In keeping our Democracy.

His standards were so very high,

And for the cause he'd gladly die;
The slaves were freed at his command,
That they might join our freedom band.

All for one, and one for all,
For God has answered freedom's call;
With His help he will unite,
Everyone who lives for right.

Now old Abe is dead and gone,

To a peaceful, restful home;
Let us fight to keep our land,
And over there we'll shake his hand.

Being Thankful for Our Freedom

By Pastor Ken Foreman

Text: II Corinthians 3:17 - "Now, the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

The freedoms we enjoy here in the United State are worthy of and reason to be thankful. But as the old saying goes, "You don't miss the water til the well runs dry."

To become an American citizen, a person renounces his or her former citizenship and leaders and takes on new responsibilities and allegiances.

The Old Testament was under the law and commandments...

• The law required things like circumcision.
• The law was strict and unforgiving - a judge.
• The law was a type/shadow of something greater.
• The law was a stern schoolmaster.

The New Testament was full of grace and truth... Peter waffled a bit here, but Paul insisted Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly.

• Jesus said, "He who the Son sets free is free indeed."
• Engraved on the Statue of Liberty are the words of the poet, Emma Lazarus... "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
• The Preamble of the Declaration of Independence speaks of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
• Abraham Lincoln said, "Freedom is not the right to do what we want - but what we ought... Do our duty."
• Martin Luther King, Jr., said, "Freedom is never granted by the oppressor, it is demanded by the oppressed."

We can look into the perfect law of liberty and resist getting entangled in sin again. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)

We should not be controlled by our wants. Emotions and feelings are poor leaders. Rather, we should have godly control over them. Spirit control = "from glory to glory!" Our focus must be clarified and centered on Jesus. He knows best.