The Christian Gospel has become one of forgiveness alone. The Lamb of God no longer takes away the sin of the world (it is maintained), He merely forgives it. The Son of God no longer destroys the works of the devil, He forgives them. Instead of release from sin we are forgiven our sins so that when we die we can go to a better land where it is not possible to sin. Even in this we have been mistaken. The truth is, it always is possible to sin in Paradise. Sin began around the Throne of God in Heaven.

The Gospel has been grievously corrupted in our day. The believers continue in slavery to sin. Imputed (ascribed) righteousness has been emphasized to the virtual exclusion of created righteousness. The Lord no longer is our righteousness by impartation and union, only by imputation and identification.

False teaching has destroyed the Kingdom of God. The blind are leading the blind and many are in the ditch as far as an understanding of the new covenant is concerned.

Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants [slaves] of righteousness. (Romans 6:18)

The current teaching is that we are free from the Law of Moses to do as we please and Christ will keep on forgiving us. It is an eternal amnesty that cannot be abrogated whether or not we serve the Lord. Grace has become a sovereign viewpoint of God that operates independently of our life on the earth. The current teaching is a snare to our feet and a delusion to our mind.

The truth is, we must pass from one slavery to another—not just out of slavery but from one slavery to another, from one master to another. We were the slave of sin. Now we are no longer the slave of sin but the slave of righteousness.

We were divorced from Moses that we may be married to Christ, not that we might kick up our heels as an unattached entity.

Righteousness is our master. Whatever we think, say, or do is to be governed by righteousness. The law of righteousness is fulfilled when we love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. Love does not harm his neighbor. Righteousness commands that we act justly, that we love mercy, and that we walk humbly with God.

We are not free to do as we please. We no longer are in slavery to the lusts of the body but we are in slavery to the power of righteousness that proceeds from the Throne of God in Heaven.

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. (Romans 6:19)

Our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak. Paul uses the practice of slavery to make clear to our weak flesh that we are required to cease offering our body as a slave to moral filthiness and ever-increasing evil. We are required, under grace, to offer the members of our body as slaves to righteousness.

To be continued.