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September 6, 2020 Rick Bright - preacher churchofchristmo.blogspot.com [email protected] Cell: 417-468-8194 Cathy’s Cell: 599-8980 Office: 468-4161 Sunday Worship: 9:00 am Worship: 11:00 am (online) Wednesday Assembly: 7:00 PM Thursday 9:30 AM Ladies Bible Class Sunday Morning Radio & TV KOOL 104.7 FM Answers 9:00 AM Hardy, Arkansas Live stream www.myhometownradiostations.com Channel 10 Search 7:00 AM Living Word, 7:30 AM Channel 33 Know Your Bible, 10:30 AM Marshfield church of Christ 610 S. Marshall P.O. Box 458 Marshfield, MO 65706 (417) 468-4161 churchofchristmarshfield.org www.facebook.com/ marshfieldchurchofchrist What The Law Could Not Do Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh. Isn’t it amazing that when you are cruising down the highway, driving the lawful speed limit, there is always somebody that wants to help you drive faster? They get so close to your back bumper that you can count the splaered bugs on their windshield. And then while trying to determine what kind of bugs hit their windshield, here comes a line of traffic passing by at what seems like 90 miles an hour. And like we all know, having laws against speeding doesn’t stop people from speeding! As drivers connuously whiz by, it seems few care about geng stopped and cketed. The poor buerflies don’t stand a chance! As chrisans, we know we are bound by what Paul wrote to the Romans, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authories” (Romans 13:1). Further, Paul writes, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil” (Romans 13:3). Then Paul enjoins the chrisans, “Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake (Romans 13:5). Chrisans are guided by the law of Christ that is wrien on the hearts and in the minds (Hebrews 8:10). When we disobey, we feel it emoonally because of a conscience that is guided by the word of God. And this should produce the godly sorrow that brings about repentance. As Paul declared, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvaon, not to be regreed” (II Cor. 7:10). And with repentance, the New Testament chrisan has the assurance by the wonderful grace of God that there is forgiveness. John gives us this promise: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Imagine living under the Old Testament law of Moses! This was a law that could not free one from the law of sin and death! There was not the means to have a clear conscience that Christ provided under the new covenant. As Paul writes specifically, “it was weak through the flesh.” Paul explains this problem in Romans 7 when he states, “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.” Paul then goes on and talks about the struggle that went on in both mind and body. “For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into capvity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:22-23). Despite the multude of animal blood sacrifices under that old law, the law could not remove the consciousness of sins. As the inspired Hebrew writer explains, “For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:2- 4). Some versions translate Romans 8:2 with these words, “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin.” The law of Moses was powerless to purify the conscious mind because sins could never be forgoen and a freedom from sin enjoyed. A few years ago, I had the opportunity of talking with a middle aged member of the Lord’s church who as a teen driver broke the law and, as a result of running a stop light, was responsible for killing a motorcyclist. Despite the years that had passed, the connued nightmares of the event brought significant emoonal distress. However, this chrisan explained that great comfort was found in the knowledge that what the law could not do, Christ did do! “There is therefore now no condemnaon to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). Do you live in good conscience according to the law of liberty? Do you know the comfort of walking in the light? Do you enjoy the freedom from sin that the law of sin and death could not provide? Rick Bright Connued from Page 1 Connued on p. 4 www.churchofchristmarshfield.org Marshfield Church of Christ It’s God’s Plan for Man Believe: Hebrews 11:6, Mark 16:16, Acts 8:36-37, Acts 16:31 Repent: Mahew 4:17, Acts 2:38, Acts 17:30 Confess: Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:37 Be Bapzed: Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21, Galaans 3:26-29, Acts 8:36-38, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3-4 Live Faithfully: Romans 6:4, Mahew 7:21, Mahew 28:20, Revelaon 2:10 A FREE SEMINAR FEATURING GUEST SPEAKER DR. BRAD HARRUB Dr. Harrub currently serves as the Execuve Director of Focus Press. In addion, he is the coeditor of Think magazine and co-host of the television show “Think About it.” He earned a doctorate in Anatomy and Neurobiology from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Harrub is the author of Convicted: A Scienst Examines the Evidence for Chrisanity, Heart of the Maer, and Dissecng the Truth. He has also coauthored The Truth About Human Origins and Maers of Life and Death. He was an invited speaker to the Internaonal Con- ference on Creaonism and has appeared on the television show “Origins.” Come join us for this free seminar and see how atheism is affecng American families! In this powerful seminar, Dr. Brad Harrub will peel back the curtain of pseudo-science and challenge your worldview. Mountain Grove church of Christ 411 W. First Street Mountain Grove, MO More Info: 417-926-4982 Friday—7:00 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday—1:00 to 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. • Did humans really walk with the dinosaurs? • Did man evolve from some ape-like creature? • Do we see design in the universe?
