Verse of the Day 8/5

Through the Bible - Psalms 77-79, Romans 8   Good morning, Ok, how many of you were confused by the Martyn-Lloyd Jones quote yesterday morning?  A friend pointed out the mistake.  It wasn't Lloyd-Jones who was confused, it was me making a 6:30 am typo.  It should have read: "God looks at men and women in their sins, and, applying to them the righteousness of Christ, declares them to be just.  That is imputed righteousness.  But in sanctification. we are discussing imparted righteousness.  Not the righteousness that is put to my account, but the righteousness that is created within me and produced within me."   Up to this point in Romans Paul has been building his case about our rebellion, our going our own way, our sin and it's consequences.  He has been doing this to show us that only through Christ can we be in "right standing" before God; as described above.  We can't achieve it, can't "earn it" on our own.   A few days ago we read in Romans 3 that we all have sinned; fallen short, and "missed the mark.  Without Christ we were slaves to sin.  For today's verse we'll move on to Romans chapter 6 where we read that in Christ, we can be freed from the slavery.  Rom 6:22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. NLT Verse 22 starts off with two small words that make a world of difference, "but now".  Things have changed.  If we are "in Christ" we are in a different position, we have a new perspective, we have a new power this gift of God of eternal life which is available through faith in Him.   Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes: "Man's very nature is fallen.  Man is wrong at the center of his being, and therefore everything is wrong.  He cannot be improved, for, finally, nothing will suffice but a radical change, a new nature.  Man loves the darkness and hates the light.  What can be done for him?  Can he renew his nature?  Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?  Can man change the whole bias of his life?  Give him new clothing, provide him with a new house in new surroundings, entertain hiim with all that is best and most elevatiing, educate him and train his mind, enrich his soul with frequent doses of the finest culture ever known, do all and more, but still he will remain the same essential man, and his desires and innermost life will be unchanged."   What man needs is not a change of environment, he needs a change of position before God, he needs a change of heart as mentioned the other day in Psalm 51:10, "create in me a clean heart".  This is only available in and through Christ.   "For Christ imparts to human hearts, the blessings of His heaven" - from "O Little Town of Bethlehem".    We'll see and read of more of this "radical change" in the next few days.  Read through these chapters of Romans.  What will be revealed to you?   In Christ, Mike Rom 6:15-7:1 From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.   NKJV