Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: October 17th

Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.- Romans 6:14.

Who are under the law? All who think they can fulfil it, seek to be made righteous by it, and expect salvation from it; all such are under the dominion of sin and the curse of the law. Who are under grace? All who fly from the law as a ministration of condemnation, embrace the gospel as a ministration of righteousness, and cleave to Jesus and expect righteousness and salvation in him ONLY. Over such sin has no power to destroy; they are out of its territories, in another kingdom, under another king: Jesus rules in and over them; and he says of every one of them, sin shall not have dominion over you. O, what a heart-reviving promise is this! how delightful to hear our worst foe, our bitterest enemy shall not lord it over us! Art thou, O disciple, ready to cry out, Would to God sin had no being in me, then I should be completely happy! Remember what thy Saviour said to his mother, "Mine hour is not yet come."- John 2:4. It is enough that thou art called to the marriage of the Lamb; the bridegroom keeps the best wine for the last; this is excellent wine on earth, sin shall not have dominion over us; in glory, sin shall have no being in us.

Be assured, O Christian, thine enemies are all conquered, though sense and experience afford thee daily proof they are not all dead. Never think of laying down thine arms, folding thine hands, and setting up thy rest here; thou art still in the camp; the enemy lies in wait to take all advantage; but here is thy victory, though sin is an enemy, whose life is commensurate with the life of thy flesh; though so nearly allied to thee that it is part of thyself; yet, being one with Jesus, thou hast a spiritual and eternal life, and the power of omnipotence is engaged to preserve and keep thee; therefore sin shall not maintain its usurpation, nor hold dominion over thy soul; its empire is dethroned, the kingdom of Jesus is set up in thy heart; Christ dwells there by faith, thy heart is sprinkled from an evil conscience by his blood; he who hath conquered for thee will also conquer in thee.

Take heed of a state of independence on him, and vain confidence in thyself; think not the root and being of sin are destroyed, and thyself in a sinless state; for then thou hast no need of Jesus, faith in him, hope on him, nor prayer to him. O, if Satan thus rocks any poor sinner asleep, it is in the cradle of delusion, while he sings a sweet siren’s song: be ever active and vigilant to oppose and conquer thy inbred foe. Daily attend this wholesome advice, "Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof,"- Romans 6:12.

Stand fast therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1.

Here is somewhat enjoyed, danger of being deprived of it, and the necessity of standing fast in it. Let us consider these three points, looking unto Jesus. (1st.) What is enjoyed? Liberty. One of the most precious blessings in life. But this of all liberties, is the most precious. For, Christ hath made us free in our consciences. (1st.) From the guilt and power of sin. (2d.) From all condemnation of the law. And (3d.) To have access to God as righteous persons. He hath washed away the guilt of our sins by his blood: and subdued the power of them by his Spirit. “He hath delivered us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13.) So that “there is therefore no condemnation to us, being in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 8:1.) He presents us before his Father in his perfect righteousness. We are accepted in the Beloved, by God as perfectly righteous, “to the praise of the glory of his grace,” (Ephesians 1:6.) Thus Christ hath freed us from the law, sin, death, and hell. He has brought us into his blessed liberty by his Spirit. We enjoy this precious freedom in our consciences by faith. O brethren, let us glory in our inestimable privilege. Let us ever rejoice in Christ Jesus, and give him the glory of our hearts, lips, and lives for it. But, (2d.) See your danger of being entangled again with the yoke of bondage. We [who] now enjoy the precious liberty of Christ, were once entangled with the law. A most dreadful yoke it was. We felt wrath working in our consciences, and dread and terror hung over our guilty heads from day to day. O how did we then pine and cry, for Christ to set our souls at liberty. We were tried and bound with the chain of our sins- fettered by the law-shut up in unbelief. My soul deeply felt this distress. O beware of bondage again. There is danger on the right hand and on the left. The pleasure of sin, and the pride of our hearts, seeking either in whole, or in part, justification by the law of works, are both equally contrary to our freedom in Christ. O let us therefore, (3d.) Stand fast in the liberty of Christ, (1st.) Against all temptation to sin. Oppose your happiness in Christ to all the pleasures in the world, which are but for a season. (2d.) Stand fast in your freedom in Christ, against all the corrupt notions of selfrighteous men who are under the law, seeking to be justified in whole, or in part, by their own works. (3d.) Against all the accusations of Satan. We overcome him by the blood of the Lamb. (4th.) Against all the legal workings of our flesh. For we are the Lord’s freemen. We are no more under bondage.

Stand fast, my soul, in Christ thy Lord,

To legal preachers give not way;

Embolden’d by God’s precious word,

Maintain thy freedom ev’ry day.