ADDRESSES ON ROMANS
tent which comes from studying the first five chapters of Romans. Then he told me that the same sins which had once bound him still held him captive. His cry was. "What is the way out for me?" That young man's trouble may not be yours. You may . have an uncontrolled temper. Perhaps following an outburst of rage. you are ashamed, and resolve never to give vent to your feelings again; after confessing your sin, however, you go on your way, only to find that the same sin overtakes you. Then it is that you cry. "O wretched man that I am!" Others are bound by the love of money. A man told me not long ago: "My besetting sin is a love of money. to the extent that I am stingy with God. I have tried to break this habit but can not." These people are carnal Christians. They are pictures of Lazarus. You remember that when Lazarus was dead, Christ said to him, "Lazarus, come forth." He came forth, but he was bound with grave clothes. He had life, but he was in bondage. Many people are like Lazarus, bound hand and foot with grave clothes. His hands were tied; he could not work. His feet were tied; he could not walk. His mouth was covered: he could not talk. Many Christians are held in this manner. but they need not be. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Paul shows us in this portion of Romans how God can deliver us from our grave clothes, for we are dead to sin. Not long ago a woman said to a Christian worker: "My life since I have been saved has been a disappointment to me. I thought my troubles would be over when I accepted Christ. I expected to quit doing the things that hinder, but instead I seem worse than I was before. I know very little of victory; I live a life of defeat. I have heard many sermons on victory and sanctification, but I cannot put them to use. Please tell me the avenue to victory." The answer to that question is found in this portion of Romans which we are now to consider. Paul introduces the subject with the questions: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?'' (See Rom. 6:1.) And his answer is: "God forbid. [Page 93
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