Purpose of God's Law!

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04000640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" ><B>Church of God, In Truth</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>   |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church of God, In Truth"><B>home</B></A><B> | </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Edification Articles"><B>Up Level</B></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="faith_and_patience.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Faith and Patience">Faith and Patience</A>   |   <A HREF="the_gifts_of_the_maji_and_ou.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Gifts of the Maji and our Destiny">The Gifts of the Maji and our Destiny</A>   |   <A HREF="solomons_wisdom.htm" TARGET="_top" 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Wife An Example for the Chu">Proverbs 31 Wife - An Example for the Church of God!</A>   |   <A HREF="cremation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cremation">Cremation</A>   |   <A HREF="change.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Change">Change</A>   |   <A HREF="only_one_mark_of_the_beast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Only One, Mark of the Beast?">Only One, Mark of the Beast?</A>   |   <A HREF="how_should_pentecost_be_coun.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How should Pentecost be counted?">How should Pentecost be counted?</A>   |   <A HREF="gods_planned_parameters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Planned Parameters">God's Planned Parameters</A>   |   <A HREF="human_nature.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Human Nature">Human Nature</A>   |   <A HREF="id434.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christian Burnout">Christian Burnout</A>   |   <A HREF="id433.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What I am living for">What I am living for</A>   |   <A HREF="id432.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ The Passover The Wavesheaf">Jesus Christ; The 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for the return of Christ?Called to be a Kingdom of PriestsReaders Corner - September 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="the_ultimate_plan.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Ultimate Plan">The Ultimate Plan</A>   |   <A HREF="readers_corner_july_20008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Readers Corner July 20008">Readers Corner July 20008</A>   |   <A HREF="knowing_god.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Knowing God">Knowing God</A>   |   <A HREF="living_without_gods_word.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living without Gods Word">Living without God's Word</A>   |   <A HREF="trauma_in_america.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trauma in America">Trauma in America</A>   |   <A HREF="proverbs_31_wife___an_exampl.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Proverbs 31 Wife An Example for the Chu">Proverbs 31 Wife - An Example for the Church of God!</A>   |   <A HREF="cremation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cremation">Cremation</A>   |   <A HREF="change.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Change">Change</A>   |   <A HREF="only_one_mark_of_the_beast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Only One, Mark of the Beast?">Only One, Mark of the Beast?</A>   |   <A HREF="how_should_pentecost_be_coun.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How should Pentecost be counted?">How should Pentecost be counted?</A>   |   <A HREF="gods_planned_parameters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Planned Parameters">God's Planned Parameters</A>   |   <A HREF="human_nature.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Human Nature">Human Nature</A>   |   <A HREF="id434.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christian Burnout">Christian Burnout</A>   |   <A HREF="id433.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What I am living for">What I am living for</A>   |   <A HREF="id432.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ The Passover The Wavesheaf">Jesus Christ; The Passover -- The Wavesheaf -- The Firstfruit!!</A>   |   <A HREF="id431.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Beyond the veil">Beyond the veil</A>   |   <A HREF="id429.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All Because of Us">All Because of Us</A>   |   <A HREF="id428.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="As Little Children">As 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On</A>   |   <A HREF="id364.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Come out of Babylon and be not partakers">Come out of Babylon and be not partakers of her sin</A>   |   <A HREF="id363.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All other ground is sinking sand">All other ground is sinking sand</A>   |   <A HREF="id362.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Riddle of Leviathan?">Riddle of Leviathan?</A>   |   <A HREF="id360.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christs Message In The Parable Of Lazaru">Christ's Message In The Parable Of Lazarus And The Rich Man</A>   |   <A HREF="id359.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Keep Gods Sabbath Holy">Keep God's Sabbath Holy</A>   |   <A HREF="id358.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ, The PassoverThe WavesheafT">Jesus Christ, The Passover---The Wavesheaf--The Firstfruit</A>   |   <A HREF="id357.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wave sheaf">Wave sheaf</A>   |   <A HREF="id356.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Let no man take your crown">Let no man take your crown</A>   |   <A HREF="id355.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods 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Transcript 1979</A>   |   <A HREF="id333.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Is God speaking to us?">Is God speaking to us?</A>   |   <A HREF="id334.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Do you believe God?">Do you believe God?</A>   |   <A HREF="id335.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Warnings and Exhortation">Warnings and Exhortation</A>   |   <A HREF="id336.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Righteous Judgment">Righteous Judgment</A>   |   <A HREF="id337.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The physical and spiritual blessings of ">The physical and spiritual blessings of submission</A></div> <div> <A HREF="called_to_be_a_kingdom_of_pr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Called to be a Kingdom of Priests">Called to be a Kingdom of Priests</A>   |   <A HREF="readers_corner_july_20008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Readers Corner July 20008">Readers Corner July 20008</A>   |   <A HREF="knowing_god.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Knowing God">Knowing God</A>   |   <A HREF="living_without_gods_word.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living without Gods Word">Living without God's Word</A>   |   <A HREF="trauma_in_america.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trauma in America">Trauma in America</A>   |   <A HREF="proverbs_31_wife___an_exampl.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Proverbs 31 Wife An Example for the Chu">Proverbs 31 Wife - An Example for the Church of God!</A>   |   <A HREF="cremation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cremation">Cremation</A>   |   <A HREF="change.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Change">Change</A>   |   <A HREF="only_one_mark_of_the_beast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Only One, Mark of the Beast?">Only One, Mark of the Beast?</A>   |   <A HREF="how_should_pentecost_be_coun.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How should Pentecost be counted?">How should Pentecost be counted?</A>   |   <A HREF="gods_planned_parameters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Planned Parameters">God's Planned Parameters</A>   |   <A HREF="human_nature.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Human Nature">Human Nature</A>   |   <A HREF="id434.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christian Burnout">Christian Burnout</A>   |   <A HREF="id433.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What I am living for">What I am living for</A>   |   <A HREF="id432.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ The Passover The Wavesheaf">Jesus Christ; The Passover -- The Wavesheaf -- The Firstfruit!!</A>   |   <A HREF="id431.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Beyond the veil">Beyond the veil</A>   |   <A HREF="id429.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All Because of Us">All Because of Us</A>   |   <A HREF="id428.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="As Little Children">As Little Children</A>   |   <A HREF="id427.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Something to think about">Something to think about</A>   |   <A HREF="id423.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="OBSERVE GODS FEAST FOREVER">OBSERVE GOD'S FEAST FOREVER</A>   |   <A HREF="id420.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Human nature">Human nature</A>   |   <A HREF="id419.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thanksgiving, blessings of gratitude">Thanksgiving, blessings of gratitude</A>   |   <A HREF="id418.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Who has the authority?">Who has the authority?</A>   |   <A HREF="id415.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods will">God's will</A>   |   <A HREF="id414.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Really good news!">Really good news!</A>   |   <A HREF="id413.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="It wont be long now!">It won't be long now!</A>   |   <A HREF="id412.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jerusalem Our City of the Future">Jerusalem - Our City of the Future</A>   |   <A HREF="id411.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Listen to God">Listen to God</A>   |   <A HREF="id407.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Identifying the Holy Spirit">Identifying the Holy Spirit</A>   |   <A HREF="id406.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The book that hold the desteny of men!">The book that hold the desteny of men!</A>   |   <A HREF="id405.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From Which Will You Be Chosen?">From Which Will You Be Chosen?</A>   |   <A HREF="id403.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Always be Ready!">Always be Ready!</A>   |   <A HREF="id401.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Without vision">Without vision</A>   |   <A HREF="id400.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Yielding fruit after its kind!">Yielding fruit after its kind!</A>   |   <A HREF="id397.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Two groups of Jews">Two groups of Jews</A>   |   <A HREF="id396.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Almost Forgotten Day ">God's Almost Forgotten Day </A>   |   <A HREF="id395.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The New Moon, The Passover and Our Calli">The New Moon, The Passover and Our Calling</A>   |   <A HREF="id394.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Keep the Right Day for Passover">Keep the Right Day for Passover</A>   |   <A HREF="id393.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Pain of Change">The Pain of Change</A>   |   <A HREF="id392.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Man Who crucified Christ!">The Man Who crucified Christ!</A>   |   <A HREF="id390.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Two Churches of Revelation 12">Two Churches of Revelation 12</A>   |   <A HREF="id389.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Heart Knower">The Heart - Knower</A>   |   <A HREF="id388.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All things work together for good!">All things work together for good!</A>   |   <A HREF="id387.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Understand Gods Healing Plan">Understand God's Healing Plan</A>   |   <A HREF="id386.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feed Gods Household">Feed God's Household</A>   |   <A HREF="id382.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Religion could not save us">Religion could not save us</A>   |   <A HREF="id381.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Know Thyself">Know Thyself</A>   |   <A HREF="id380.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fear Factor">Fear Factor</A>   |   <A HREF="id378.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Accountability">Accountability</A>   |   <A HREF="id374.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why they will fight Christ at his coming">Why they will fight Christ at his coming</A>   |   <A HREF="id373.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Most High rules in the Kingdom of Ma">The Most High rules in the Kingdom of Man</A>   |   <A HREF="id372.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sharing Gods Word">Sharing God's Word</A>   |   <A HREF="id371.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="More reasons to rejoice at the Feast!">More reasons to rejoice at the Feast!</A>   |   <A HREF="id370.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why do We attend the Feast of Tabernacle">Why do We attend the Feast of Tabernacles</A>   |   <A HREF="id366.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living in a world without the Bible ">Living in a world without the Bible </A>   |   <A HREF="id365.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="When all else failsPress On">When all else fails-Press On</A>   |   <A HREF="id364.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Come out of Babylon and be not partakers">Come out of Babylon and be not partakers of her sin</A>   |   <A HREF="id363.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All other ground is sinking sand">All other ground is sinking sand</A>   |   <A HREF="id362.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Riddle of Leviathan?">Riddle of Leviathan?</A>   |   <A HREF="id360.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christs Message In The Parable Of Lazaru">Christ's Message In The Parable Of Lazarus And The Rich Man</A>   |   <A HREF="id359.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Keep Gods Sabbath Holy">Keep God's Sabbath Holy</A>   |   <A HREF="id358.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ, The PassoverThe WavesheafT">Jesus Christ, The Passover---The Wavesheaf--The Firstfruit</A>   |   <A HREF="id357.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wave sheaf">Wave sheaf</A>   |   <A HREF="id356.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Let no man take your crown">Let no man take your crown</A>   |   <A HREF="id355.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods three appointed harvests">God's three appointed harvests</A>   |   <A HREF="id343.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Modern day Israel">Modern day Israel</A>   |   <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Planting of America">The Planting of America</A>   |   <A HREF="id342.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Where is God?">Where is God?</A>   |   <A HREF="id344.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The power of words">The power of words</A>   |   <A HREF="id340.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Promises of the fifth commandment">Promises of the fifth commandment</A>   |   <A HREF="id341.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Out of Egypt I called my son">Out of Egypt I called my son</A>   |   <A HREF="id345.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=". . . and my People love to have it so!">. . . and my People love to have it so!</A>   |   <A HREF="id347.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Betrayal of Christ">The Betrayal of Christ</A>   |   Purpose of God's Law!   |   <A HREF="id349.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The evils of sin">The evils of sin</A>   |   <A HREF="id350.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="He who overcomes">He who overcomes</A>   |   <A HREF="id351.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sharing Gods word">Sharing God's word</A>   |   <A HREF="id352.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Out of Egypt I called my son">Out of Egypt I called my son</A>   |   <A HREF="id318.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GODS HOLY DAY OFFERINGS">GOD'S HOLY DAY OFFERINGS</A>   |   <A HREF="id320.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Time to count">Time to count</A>   |   <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trumpet of God">Trumpet of God</A>   |   <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="To forgive is divine">To forgive is divine</A>   |   <A HREF="id325.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Overcoming bad habits">Overcoming bad habits</A>   |   <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Little Fock">Little Fock</A>   |   <A HREF="id329.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Government in Gods Church">Government in God's Church</A>   |   <A HREF="id330.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HWA Radio Transcript 1979">HWA Radio Transcript 1979</A>   |   <A HREF="id333.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Is God speaking to us?">Is God speaking to us?</A>   |   <A HREF="id334.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Do you believe God?">Do you believe God?</A>   |   <A HREF="id335.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Warnings and Exhortation">Warnings and Exhortation</A>   |   <A HREF="id336.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Righteous Judgment">Righteous Judgment</A>   |   <A HREF="id337.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The physical and spiritual blessings of ">The physical and spiritual blessings of submission</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Church of God, In Truth</B></div> <div> <A HREF="faith_and_patience.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Faith and Patience">Faith and Patience</A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_gifts_of_the_maji_and_ou.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Gifts of the Maji and our Destiny">The Gifts of the Maji and our Destiny</A></div> <div> <A HREF="solomons_wisdom.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Balanced Outlook on Live!">A Balanced Outlook on Live!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="what_is_truth.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What is Truth?">What is Truth?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="satans_snare.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Satans Snares">Satan's Snares</A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="are_you_ready_for_the_return.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Are you ready for the return of Christ?">Are you ready for the return of Christ?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="readers_corner___september_2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Readers Corner September 2008">Readers Corner - September 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_ultimate_plan.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Ultimate Plan">The Ultimate Plan</A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="called_to_be_a_kingdom_of_pr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Called to be a Kingdom of Priests">Called to be a Kingdom of Priests</A></div> <div> <A HREF="readers_corner_july_20008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Readers Corner July 20008">Readers Corner July 20008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="knowing_god.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Knowing God">Knowing God</A></div> <div> <A HREF="living_without_gods_word.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living without Gods Word">Living without God's Word</A></div> <div> <A HREF="trauma_in_america.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trauma in America">Trauma in America</A></div> <div> <A HREF="proverbs_31_wife___an_exampl.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Proverbs 31 Wife An Example for the Chu">Proverbs 31 Wife - An Example for the Church of God!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="cremation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cremation">Cremation</A></div> <div> <A HREF="change.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Change">Change</A></div> <div> <A HREF="only_one_mark_of_the_beast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Only One, Mark of the Beast?">Only One, Mark of the Beast?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="how_should_pentecost_be_coun.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How should Pentecost be counted?">How should Pentecost be counted?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="gods_planned_parameters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Planned Parameters">God's Planned Parameters</A></div> <div> <A HREF="human_nature.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Human Nature">Human Nature</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id434.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christian Burnout">Christian Burnout</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id433.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What I am living for">What I am living for</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id432.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ The Passover The Wavesheaf">Jesus Christ; The Passover -- The Wavesheaf -- The Firstfruit!!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id431.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Beyond the veil">Beyond the veil</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id429.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All Because of Us">All Because of Us</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id428.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="As Little Children">As Little Children</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id427.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Something to think about">Something to think about</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id423.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="OBSERVE GODS FEAST FOREVER">OBSERVE GOD'S FEAST FOREVER</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id420.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Human nature">Human nature</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id419.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thanksgiving, blessings of gratitude">Thanksgiving, blessings of gratitude</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id418.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Who has the authority?">Who has the authority?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id415.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods will">God's will</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id414.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Really good news!">Really good news!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id413.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="It wont be long now!">It won't be long now!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id412.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jerusalem Our City of the Future">Jerusalem - Our City of the Future</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id411.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Listen to God">Listen to God</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id407.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Identifying the Holy Spirit">Identifying the Holy Spirit</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id406.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The book that hold the desteny of men!">The book that hold the desteny of men!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id405.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From Which Will You Be Chosen?">From Which Will You Be Chosen?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id403.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Always be Ready!">Always be Ready!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id401.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Without vision">Without vision</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id400.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Yielding fruit after its kind!">Yielding fruit after its kind!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id397.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Two groups of Jews">Two groups of Jews</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id396.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Almost Forgotten Day ">God's Almost Forgotten Day </A></div> <div> <A HREF="id395.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The New Moon, The Passover and Our Calli">The New Moon, The Passover and Our Calling</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id394.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Keep the Right Day for Passover">Keep the Right Day for Passover</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id393.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Pain of Change">The Pain of Change</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id392.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Man Who crucified Christ!">The Man Who crucified Christ!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id390.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Two Churches of Revelation 12">Two Churches of Revelation 12</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id389.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Heart Knower">The Heart - Knower</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id388.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All things work together for good!">All things work together for good!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id387.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Understand Gods Healing Plan">Understand God's Healing Plan</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id386.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feed Gods Household">Feed God's Household</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id382.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Religion could not save us">Religion could not save us</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id381.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Know Thyself">Know Thyself</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id380.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fear Factor">Fear Factor</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id378.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Accountability">Accountability</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id374.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why they will fight Christ at his coming">Why they will fight Christ at his coming</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id373.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Most High rules in the Kingdom of Ma">The Most High rules in the Kingdom of Man</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id372.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sharing Gods Word">Sharing God's Word</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id371.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="More reasons to rejoice at the Feast!">More reasons to rejoice at the Feast!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id370.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why do We attend the Feast of Tabernacle">Why do We attend the Feast of Tabernacles</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id366.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living in a world without the Bible ">Living in a world without the Bible </A></div> <div> <A HREF="id365.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="When all else failsPress On">When all else fails-Press On</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id364.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Come out of Babylon and be not partakers">Come out of Babylon and be not partakers of her sin</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id363.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All other ground is sinking sand">All other ground is sinking sand</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id362.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Riddle of Leviathan?">Riddle of Leviathan?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id360.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christs Message In The Parable Of Lazaru">Christ's Message In The Parable Of Lazarus And The Rich Man</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id359.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Keep Gods Sabbath Holy">Keep God's Sabbath Holy</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id358.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jesus Christ, The PassoverThe WavesheafT">Jesus Christ, The Passover---The Wavesheaf--The Firstfruit</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id357.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wave sheaf">Wave sheaf</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id356.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Let no man take your crown">Let no man take your crown</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id355.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods three appointed harvests">God's three appointed harvests</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id343.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Modern day Israel">Modern day Israel</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Planting of America">The Planting of America</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id342.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Where is God?">Where is God?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id344.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The power of words">The power of words</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id340.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Promises of the fifth commandment">Promises of the fifth commandment</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id341.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Out of Egypt I called my son">Out of Egypt I called my son</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id345.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=". . . and my People love to have it so!">. . . and my People love to have it so!</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id347.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Betrayal of Christ">The Betrayal of Christ</A></div> <div> <B>Purpose of God's Law!</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id349.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The evils of sin">The evils of sin</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id350.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="He who overcomes">He who overcomes</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id351.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sharing Gods word">Sharing God's word</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id352.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Out of Egypt I called my son">Out of Egypt I called my son</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id318.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GODS HOLY DAY OFFERINGS">GOD'S HOLY DAY OFFERINGS</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id320.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Time to count">Time to count</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trumpet of God">Trumpet of God</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="To forgive is divine">To forgive is divine</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id325.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Overcoming bad habits">Overcoming bad habits</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Little Fock">Little Fock</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id329.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Government in Gods Church">Government in God's Church</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id330.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HWA Radio Transcript 1979">HWA Radio Transcript 1979</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id333.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Is God speaking to us?">Is God speaking to us?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id334.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Do you believe God?">Do you believe God?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id335.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Warnings and Exhortation">Warnings and Exhortation</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id336.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Righteous Judgment">Righteous Judgment</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id337.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The physical and spiritual blessings of ">The physical and spiritual blessings of submission</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Purpose of God's Law!</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>PURPOSE OF GOD'S LAW!</B></div> <bR> <div>                                                                                                                                          </div> <div>           <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >What makes our country so great and the envy of other nations today? It is the freedom it provides to all it's people.  Freedom for the converted person means choosing to follow God's law or to follow the way of man.</FONT></div> <div>       This leads to the question, “What, then, is the purpose of the Law in a called-out Christian's life?” Is the Law really despicable, worthless and nailed to the cross - should we just  dispense with it? There are many around us who say, “I'm a Christian, saved by grace.” “The Law has no meaning to me at all,” they say. </div> <div>      Paul never speaks this way, and neither does Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus Christ tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that if anyone runs down the Law, changes it, or waters it down in any degree whatsoever, that person is under the curse of God. T<B>he Law abides forever</B>!  Therefore, we must clearly understand what Paul is teaching here is about the <B>function and purpose</B> of the Law. We must know that the Law cannot pay for our sins.  But it can always do one thing well, even with God's called-out ones. <B>It can expose sin in us</B>. That is what the Law is for and that is the message of Romans chapter 7. Chapter 7 falls into two parts: 1). In Verses 7-13, Paul discusses <U>how the Law exposes sin </U>and kills the believer.  2). Then, in Verses 14-25, he takes up exactly the same theme, <U>how the Law exposes sin </U>and kills us, but this time it is not explained, it is experienced. </div> <div>            In the first part Paul tells us how it works; in the second part he tells us how it feels. We are living today in a “feeling” generation, and therefore, these verses ought to strike a very responsive chord in our heart; for Paul describes how it feels to be under the Law as a called-out one. He describes what it does to us and just exactly how it feels. In Verses 7-11, the Apostle begins to describe his own experience in relationship to the Law: “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.  But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.  And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me” (Rom 7:7-11). </div> <div>         This is Paul's experience. It is clear that he is describing something that he himself went through. But, also, Paul employs the past tense throughout this passage, which suggests that he is describing his experience before he was called by God!  Paul is describing something that is a common experience of many today. Paul was raised in a godly home. He was raised a Jew in the city of Tarsus. He was brought up to be a typical Jewish son, and he was taught Jewish Laws from birth. So when he says he lived “apart from the Law,” he doesn't mean that he didn't know what it was. He simply means that there came a time when the Law came home to him. “The commandment came,” he says. </div> <div>         We have all had that experience. We have read Scripture that was just words to us, but we didn't understand them. Then, years after, an experience that we go through makes those words come alive. This is what Paul is talking about. He knew the Law from birth, but he did not know it in the sense of understanding what it was saying until he went through a certain experience. Here he describes that experience, one that he had before he became a part of the called-out ones.  </div> <div>      In the home in which he was raised, Paul, like many of us today, was protected and sheltered and kept from exposure to serious sinful temptations. He was raised in the Jewish culture, where everyone around him was protected. Therefore, Paul grew up relatively undisturbed with the problems of sin. Now, there are many people like that in the Churches of God, today. Some of us, have grown up in homes where we have been protected and sheltered, and we have run with a crowd of friends who, likewise, have been kept from exposure to many BAD or evil things. </div> <div>      Many young people, like Paul of Tarsus, think they can handle any problem. So, what about keeping the Law? <B>It is not hard!</B> Hardly any temptations come under these circumstances. These young people think they have no struggles along this approach. They think they have the world by it's tail: they can handle it!  As Paul describes it, they are alive <B>apart</B> from the Law. But then comes a time when they are exposed. They are thrust out into a different lifestyle, a different crowd of people. They move out on their<B> </B>own, and suddenly they find themselves removed from the sheltered protection, love and cultural defenses that have been theirs from childhood on. Perhaps the new crowd, as a way of life, does things that these protected young people have been taught are wrong. Now, for the first time, they feel the force of the prohibition of the Law. The Law says, “Thou shalt not covet, commit adultery, murder, steal ...,” whatever it may be. And yet the crowd around them says, “Let's do it, its fun!” For the first time, they begin to feel the prohibition of the Law. Then a strange event happens. Something about that situation arouses within them a strong desire to <B>do</B> the things that are prohibited. Maybe they are able to resist them for awhile, but, nevertheless, they find themselves pressured, pushed by something within them that wants very badly to do these things -  knowing they are  sin.</div> <div>      This is what Paul discovered: It was the tenth commandment, “Thou shalt not covet” (Exo. 20:17). He thought he had been keeping all the Law, because he had not done some of the external things prohibited in the other nine commandments. But this one commandment talks about how we feel <B>inside</B>, our desires, our imagination, and our ambitions. It says specifically you shall not covet “any thing that is thy neighbour's” (Exo. 20:17). The apostle Paul found himself awakened to this commandment and discovered that he was coveting, no matter where he turned. When the Law came, he found himself aroused by it, and brought under it's power. It precipitated an urge of desire. Many of us have felt this same way - have we not?</div> <div>      An example of this problem, is when young people, raised in sheltered homes [from sin], move out on their own -- perhaps when they go to college, or get a job, or move to another city -- they find that suddenly all the control they had seemed to be exercising over evil vanishes. They give way and are plunged into evil, in one form or another. That is something like what Paul is describing here. Sin lies silent within us. Sometimes, we do not even know it is there! We think we have got a hold on life in such a way that we can handle SIN without any trouble. We are self-confident, because we have never really been exposed to the situation that puts pressure upon us: we have never had to make a decision against the pressure on the basis of  commandment number 10 of the Law: “Thou shalt not...” (Exo. 20:17).</div> <div>          But when that happens, we suddenly discover all kinds of desires are awakened within us. We find ourselves filled with attitudes that almost shock us: unloving, bitter, resentful thoughts, deadly attitudes . Lustful feelings that we never dreamed were there surface, and we find that we would love to indulge in them, if only we had the opportunity! We find ourselves awakened to these desires. Then the Law comes home to us. We discover something that we never knew was there before. Now, is this the Law's fault? No, Paul says, it is not the Law's fault. He goes on to say, <B>“So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful </B>[exceedingly sinful]<B>”</B> (Rom 7:12-13 NIV). </div> <div>            This is what the Law is for! It is to <U>expose</U> the fact that this evil force is in every one of us, waiting only for the right situation in order to spring into being, overpower our will, and carry us into things we never dreamed we would do. Many of us, have experienced this. According to these verses, we just read, the great power of sin is that it <B>deceives</B> us. We think we have got life under control: and we are fooled.  All sin is waiting for is the right occasion, when like a powerful racing car, the engine roars into life and takes off at the touch of the accelerator and we find ourselves helplessly under its control. </div> <div>         The Law is designed to expose that sin, and to make us feel this way so that we begin to understand what this evil force is that we have inherited by our birth into this weak human race. <U>The Law shows sin to be what it is</U>: something exceedingly powerful and <B>dangerous</B>, and something that has greater strength than our willpower, and causes us to do things that we are determined not to do! In Verses 14-25, the same experience is described again, but this time in terms of how we feel when it happens. There is only one major difference between these verses and the previous ones: In these verses, Paul switches to the present tense. That is significant because it means that he is now describing his own experience at the time he wrote this letter to the Romans. This, then, is a description of the Law as it touches <B>our</B> Christian life. It does exactly the same thing as it did before we became a called-out Christian, only now we have it from the point of view of the Christian faith - the called-out believer who is deceived by the sin that is still resident within. “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual [carnal, fleshly. Paul gives us now an excellent definition of carnality], sold as a slave to sin. I do not know what I am doing. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Rom 7:14-15  NIV).</div> <div>            According to the Apostle Paul, the key to these verses is found in verse 14, “The law is spiritual.” It deals with my spirit. It gets right at the very heart of my being.  Essentially, as we know, human beings have the “spirit” of man,” but since the Law is spiritual,  it touches us in that area. “But I am carnal,” Paul says. “I can't respond to it. I am sold as a slave to sin.” Now, this always raises a problem. Compare this with Romans chapter 6, verse 17, where Paul is speaking of slavery and says, “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you whole-heartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Rom 6:17-18 NIV). If he could write that to the Romans, surely it was true of him as well! And yet, how could a man write that he had become in Christ a slave to righteousness, and just a few paragraphs later write, “I am carnal, sold under sin, a slave to sin?” </div> <div>      Many will say that Paul is all confused here! But, of course, he is not confused at all. He is simply describing what happens when a called-out [baptized] member tries to live under the Law. When a Christian, by his own dedication and willpower and determination, tries to do what is right in order to please God, he is living under the Law. Sin, you see, <B>deceives </B>us. It deceived Paul as an apostle, and yet, he needed this test of the Law. Sin deceives, and we too need the law! </div> <bR> <div>            There are two problems, basically, which Paul gives us in Verse 15: first, “I do not know what I am doing. For what I want to do I do not do...” That is problem Number One: “I want to do right -- there are things I would love to do, but I cannot do them.”  The second problem is: “... but what I hate I do.” In the verses that follows, Paul take the second problem first, and shows us what happens in our own life experiences. “And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me” (Rom 7:16-17 NIV). <B> </B>That is a very important testimony! Paul makes it twice in this paragraph, and it is the explanation of, and the answer to<B> how </B>we can be delivered from this situation.  Paul continues, “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature [or my flesh]. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do -- this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” (Rom 7:18-20 NIV). </div> <div>            Paul is saying, that as a Christian, redeemed by the grace of God, there is now something within him that <B>wants</B> to do good, that agrees with the Law, that says that the Law is right. There is something within that says “what the Law tells me to do is right, and I want to do it.” But also, he says, there is something else in me that rises up and says “No!” Even though I determine not to do what is bad, I suddenly find myself in such circumstances that my determination melts away, my resolve is gone, and I end up doing what I had told myself I would not do. Have you ever felt that way?</div> <div>      What has gone wrong? Paul's explanation is, “It is no longer I who do it; it is sin living in me.” Isn't that strange? There is a division within our human nature indicated here. There is the “I,” that wants to do what God wants, and there is the sin which dwells in “me,” which is different than the “I.” We must understand what this is. Human beings are complicated creatures. We have within us: 1) a spirit - the “spirit in man,” (some may refer to it as a “soul”) and 2) a body.  These are distinct, one from the other. What Paul is signifying here is that the <B>redeemed spirit,</B> never wants to do what God has prohibited. It agrees with the Law that it is good. And yet, there is an strange power, a force that he calls <I><B>sin</B></I> - a great beast that is lying still within us, until touched by the commandments of the Law. Then it springs to life, and we do what we do not want to do! </div> <div>      Notice that Jesus Christ Himself agrees with this statement made by Paul. On one occasion He said, “If your right hand offends you, cut it off” (Matt 5:30). He did not mean that you should actually chop off your right hand, because that would be a violation of other laws that indicate that God made the body and made it right, and it is morally neutral. What Christ means is that we should take drastic action because we are up against a serious problem! He indicates that there is a “me” within us that runs our members that gives orders to our hands and our feet and our eyes and our tongue and our brain and controls them. That “me” is giving an order to do something wrong, but there is another “I” in us who is offended by this. That “I” does not like it, does not want it. And so, Jesus Christ words are, “Cut it off.” That is the way man is made. Our will power is never enough - sin will win, and we will do the evil that we told ourselves not to do! Now, look at the other side of this problem.  “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law [another principle] at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law [or principle]<B> </B>of my mind<B> </B>[my agreement with the law of God]<B> </B>and making me a prisoner of the law [principle] of sin at work within my members” (Rom 7:21-23 NIV). </div> <div>           You <B>want</B> to do right and determine to do right, knowing what it is, and telling yourself to do it, only to find that under certain circumstances all that determination melts away and you do <B>not</B> do what is right. You do exactly what you did not want to do. So you come away angry with yourself. “What's the matter with me? Why can't I do what is right? Why do I give way when I get into this situation? <B>Why am I so weak?</B>” This is what we all struggle with. The cry of the heart at that moment is, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom 7:24 NIV). </div> <div>            What is this? Well, right here we arrive at where Christ began the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). Blessed is the man who comes to the end of himself. Blessed is the man who has arrived at spiritual collapse, because this is the point, <B>the only point,</B> where God's help is given to us. </div> <div>      This is what we all need to learn. If we think that we have got something in ourselves that we can work out our problems with, if we think that our will is strong enough, our desires motivated enough, that we can control <B>evil</B> in our lives by simply determining to do so, then we have <B>not</B> come to the end of ourselves yet<B>, </B>and the Holy Spirit of God simply waits, and lets us go ahead and try it on that basis. The result? We fail, and fail miserably, until, at last, out of our failures, we cry, “O worthless man that I am!” <U>Sin has deceived us, and the Law, as our friend, has come in, and exposed sin for what it is. </U>When we see how miserable it makes us, then, we are ready for the answer, which comes immediately: “Thanks be to God- through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7:25 NIV). <B> </B>Who will deliver me from this body of death? The Lord, Jesus Christ has already done it! We are to respond to the feelings of unhappiness and discouragement and failure, to which the Law has brought us, because of sin in us, by reminding ourselves immediately of the facts that are true of us in Jesus Christ: </div> <div>      We have arrived at a different circumstance; we are to be married to Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead. That means we must no longer think, “I am poor, struggling, confused, and left alone to wrestle against these powerful urges of sin.”  We must, from now on, begin to think: “No, I am a free son of God, living a normal human life. I am dead to sin, and dead to the Law, because I am to be married to Jesus Christ. His power is mine, right at this moment. And though, I may not feel a thing yet, I have the power to say, <B>“No!</B>” and walk away and be free from sin, in Jesus Christ.</div> <div>      There are some, in the churches of God, who teach that these verses in Romans 7, is something a dedicated called-out Christian goes through once, then is free to move into Romans 8 and never has to go back into Romans 7, again, but nothing could be further from the truth! Even as mighty a man as Paul was, he went through it again and again. This is a description of what every called-out believer will go through again, and again in his life experience, because sin has the power to deceive us, and to cause us to trust in ourselves, even when we are not aware we are doing it. The Law is what will <B>expose</B> that evil force, and drive us to this place of suffering, that we might then, in shortage of God's Holy Spirit, cry out to Christ, asking Him to take this problem from us - having the confidence that He will do so.  Credit is given where credit is due: Romans 7 properly ends with the cry, “Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  He is the One, who ultimately delivers us from this “body of death.”    </div> <div>          <B>Yet, we still need the Law!</B> We need it every time sin deceives us. But remember this: the Law will not pay for our sins; the Law will only bring us, again and again, to our mighty deliverer, who is our Lord Jesus Christ!  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP TypographicSymbols" >P</FONT>        </div> <div> <B>TWO TREES </B>are mentioned in Genesis 2:16-17 and Genesis 3:1-6, they are called the “tree of life,” and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen 2:16-17).</div> <div> “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Gen 3:1-6).  They represent two ways of life.  One-the tree of life-is the way of give, the way of co-operation and love, which will lead to eternal life. The other one-the tree of the knowledge of good and evil-is the get way of life, the way of competition and strife, which, if not repented of, will ultimately lead to eternal death, from which there is no resurrection.</div> <bR> <div> Martin Martinez </div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>