What Shall I Render

Under the law of sin and death, we find death and condemnation, but under that law of the Spirit of Life, we find freedom from condemnation, the Spirit, life and peace (Rom 8:1-8).

When (baptism) we died to sin, we died to law as that which would condemn us and empower sin over us. We were also at that time (baptism) united to another, Christ Jesus, in order that we might be free indeed! (Jn 8:24, 31-32, 36; Rom 6:1-7, 14; 7:4)

If giving an account of myself to God means God will weigh my good deeds against my bad deeds, how would that be good news?

God did, in His Son, what man in the flesh cannot do. He created a place of freedom from condemnation.

The gospel calls us to more than an awareness of the Kingdom of His Son; it calls us to seek Christ's reign and rule in our hearts and lives.

Under the Law of Christ, we find the justification God grants us by faith in Christ and a new life to live.

Law, as a legal/moral system/principle, has no power to justify the law-breaker/sinner. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the revelation of God's work in the cross which has the functional power to offer justification to those who believe it. In memory of a mentor, Edward C. Wharton, some of this class is recited from his book "Freed for Freedom" (p. 14)

When we fail, we must remind our souls of the nature of our promise keeping God! (Psa 103)

We cannot make up for our sin. What we can do is trust God, Who has offered us His Son. (Jer 10:23; 17:5-10)

No matter how much you can reduce sin, you cannot remove it, yourself!