Obedience to the Law of God
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high plane of action. The animal passions bear sway, and the moral
and intellectual are overborne, and made servants to the animal. Those
who do not control their passions cannot appreciate the atonement, or
place a right value upon the worth of the soul. Salvation to them is not
experienced nor understood. The gratification of their animal passions
is to them the highest ambition of their lives. But nothing but purity
and holiness will God accept. One spot, one wrinkle, one defect in
the character, will debar them from Heaven, with all its glories and
treasures, forever.
Ample provisions have been made for all who sincerely, earnestly,
and thoughtfully, set about the work of perfecting holiness in the fear
of God. Power and strength, grace and glory, have been provided
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through Christ, to be brought by ministering angels to the heirs of
salvation. None are so low, and corrupt, and vile, but that they can find
in Jesus, who died for them, strength, purity, and righteousness, if they
will put away their sins, stop their course of iniquity, and turn with full
purpose of heart to the living God. He is waiting to strip them of their
garments, stained and polluted by sin, and to put upon them the pure
robes of righteousness, and bid them live and not die. In him they may
flourish. Their branches will not wither nor be fruitless. If they abide
in him, they can draw sap and nourishment from him, be imbued with
his Spirit, walk even as he walked, overcome as he overcame, and be
exalted to his own right hand.
“Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that ye should
obey it, in the lust thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instru-
ments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God as
those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments
of righteousness unto God.”
Romans 6:12, 13
. Professed Christians,
if there is no further light given you than that contained in this text,
you will be without excuse if you suffer yourselves to be controlled
by base passions. The word of God is sufficient to enlighten the most
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beclouded mind. And it can be understood by those who have any
wish to understand it. But notwithstanding all this, some of those
who profess to make the word of God their study, are found living
in direct opposition to its plainest teachings. But in order to leave
men and women without excuse, God has given plain and pointed
testimonies, bringing them to the word they have neglected to follow.
Yet all the light is turned from by those who serve their own lusts, and