Nothing is more maligned today than the meaning of these few words!  All manner of confusion, deception, error and even heresy have been born from wrongly dividing these words of truth….The idea that salvation is a wonderful gift and yet cost us everything that we are remains a paradox but like God and country are not mutually exclusive concepts.

The law of faith is that divine constitution which makes faith, not works, the condition of acceptance.  John Wesley

Must guilty man remain under wrath?  Is the wound for ever incurable?  Matthew Henry

"And are justified — Pardoned and accepted.  Freely — Without any merit of their own.  By his grace — Not their own righteousness or works.  Through the redemption — The price Christ has paid.  Freely by his grace — One of these expressions might have served to convey the apostle's meaning; but he doubles his assertion, in order to give us the fullest conviction of the truth, and to impress us with a sense of its peculiar importance.  It is not possible to find words that should more absolutely exclude all consideration of our own works and obedience, or more emphatically ascribe the whole of our justification to free, unmerited goodness."  John Wesley

"It is not possible to find words that should more absolutely exclude all consideration of our own works and obedience, or more emphatically ascribe the whole of our justification to free, unmerited goodness." (John Wesley)

"Vice and Virtue to the modern ear convey meanings twisted by our own culture and behavior. The word vice sounds benign, describing fundamentally harmless habits and attitudes, the kinds of things normal people do and feel."  C. S. Lewis, Virtue and Vice

"For all have sinned: - And consequently are equally helpless and guilty; and, as God is no respecter of persons, all human creatures being equally his offspring, and there being no reason why one should be preferred before another, therefore his endless mercy has embraced All."  (Dr. Adam Clarke)

Even the righteousness of God - That method of saving sinners which is not of works, but by faith in Christ Jesus; and it is not restrained to any particular people, as the law and its privileges were, but is unto all mankind in its intention and offer, and becomes effectual to them that believe; for God hath now made no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles. (Dr. Adam Clarke)

Νυνὶ δέ (Nuni de, "But now") could be understood as either (1) logical or (2) temporal in force, but most recent interpreters take it as temporal, referring to a new phase in salvation history. (NET Bible Notes)

"It is in vain to seek for justification by the works of the law. All must plead guilty. Guilty before God, is a dreadful word; but no man can be justified by a law which condemns him for breaking it. The corruption in our nature, will for ever stop any justification by our own works." Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

THE SINNER IS UNQUESTIONABLY GUILTY. It is not merely that he has infirmities or that he is not as good as he ought to be: he has set at nought God’s authority, violated His commandments, trodden His Laws under foot.  And this is true not only of a certain class of offenders, but “all the world” is “guilty before God” Arthur W. Pink, Doctrine of Justification

"There is no fear of God before their eyes - This completes their bad character; they are downright atheists, at least practically such. They fear not God’s judgments, although his eye is upon them in their evil ways." Dr Adam Clarke

And the way of peace have they not known - They neither have peace in themselves, nor do they suffer others to live in quiet: they are brooders and fomenters of discord.  Dr. Adam Clarke

Destruction and misery are in their ways - destruction is their work, and Misery to themselves and to the objects of their malice is the consequence of their impious and murderous conduct. (Dr. Adam Clarke)

"Their feet are swift to shed blood - They make use of every means in their power to destroy the reputation and lives of the innocent." (Dr. Adam Clarke)

“To love sin is far worse than to commit it, for a man may be suddenly tripped up or commit it through frailty.” Arthur W. Pink, A Fourfold Salvation

Cursing - Against God. Bitterness - Against their neighbour. Psaalm 10:7. (John Wesley)

"Their throat - Is noisome and dangerous as an open sepulchre.  Observe the progress of evil discourse, proceeding out of the heart, through the throat, tongue, lips, till the whole mouth is filled therewith.  The poison of asps - Infectious, deadly backbiting, tale - bearing, evil - speaking, is under (for honey is on) their lips. An asp is a venomous kind of serpent." John Wesley

They have all turned aside - From the good way.  They are become unprofitable - Helpless impotent, unable to profit either themselves or others. (John Wesley)

This becomes the logical result of having a reprobate mind. We cannot know or understand the depth of our own depravity. We cannot seek after God because we are still His enemy. Every fiber of our being is diametrically opposed to the Will of God.

All the BRASSO in the world won't make this one shine!

The dominion of sin consists in being willingly slaves thereto, not in being harassed by it as a hated power, struggling for victory.

"In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you, they would have not been at all." St. Augustine

Brevity: Shortness; conciseness; contraction into few words; applied to discourses or writings.

"I like the word protest; it is the good old root from which came our good old title of Protestant. But our forefathers protested against error and darkness ; your protest bears against truth and light." Earnest Christianity Illustrated, the Rev. James Caughey

Krino - To judge, to form and express a judgment or opinion as to any person or thing, more commonly unfavorable.

The object of Salvation rails against the benafactor!

God's truth is a place of rest for those who belong to Jesus Christ. It is a place of judgement for those who reject His Gospel.

Is unbelief a nullification of the faithfulness of God?

Does the Bible teach that we are to forgive under all circumstances?  I answer categorically, vigorously, ardently, insistently that it DOES NOT!

The Bible remains the best seller and least read! Blessed insurance, State Farm is mine, oh what a joy from actuarial divine. Heir of deductible, all is at rest, I keep my adjuster's name in my vest.

What value is there in the Excellency of the Christian faith? There must be value since Noah Webster wrote a book entitled, "Value of the Bible and Excellence of the Christian Religion."

"We need to sort out our hurts and learn the difference between those that call for the miracle of forgiveness and those that can be borne with a sense of humor.  If we lump all our hurts together and prescribe forgiveness for all of them, we turn the art of forgiving into something cheap and commonplace.  Like a good wine, forgiving must be preserved for the right occasion."  Lewis B. Smedes, Forgive and Forget.

"How strikingly this also brings out what so breaks everywhere through the doctrine of this epistle that everything is according to its reality before God, God being revealed through Christ and the cross.  All must take its true character and result according to what He was. Note moreover that the terms suppose gospel knowledge — 'seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility.' These are known by Christianity."  Dr. John Darby

"This he knows is the way to bring all religion to a mere lifeless formality, and effectually shut out the power of godliness, and every thing which is spiritual, and to have all true Christianity turned out of doors" Dr. Jonathan Edwards

"If the Gentile be found to act according to the spirit and design of the law, his acting thus uprightly, according to the light which God has afforded him, will be reckoned to him as if he were circumcised and walked agreeably to the law." Dr. Adam Clarke

The rite of circumcision was the emblem by which the Jews relationship with Abrahamic covenant was recognized. However, to wear the emblem does not necessarily make you an heir to the promise!

 The soul must solemnly remind itself of Who it is that is to be approached, even the Most High, before whom the very seraphim veil their faces (Isaiah 6:2).  Though Divine grace has made the Christian a son, nevertheles

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I would suggest that the same is true with regard to much of what is called modern Christianity.

Or are we clinging to the notion that we have some kind of claim to prerogatives and perquisites?

If we look toward history we will find that Adultery was a most common crime in Israel.

How often do we tell others how to live their lives while standing in the same ditch?

By profession I am a soldier and take pride in that fact, but I am prouder to be a father.  General Douglas MacArthur

Our hope is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that sets us free lest we too become the hypocrites of the faith putting the Bible under our arm to use as a seven-day deodorant pad.

Like the Jew, we too let our opinion of ourselves wax great!