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Sin is primarily religious and secondarily ethical. Man is God's
creature and his primary responsibility is towards God. The root
of sin is found in his refusal to acknowledge in grateful
dependence the gifts and goodness of God, which are now imparted
in Christ. Darkness is the assertion of independence rather than
God-dependence. [31]
God has permitted us to attain something of the knowledge of
divine truth here and now; yet at best, it is partial and
incomplete. Nevertheless, it is real. Although imperfect, it is
the greatest and most wonderful reality in life, because the
truth of God brings men into fellowship with God. [73]
The righteousness which the Kingdom of God demands is not
concerned alone with outward acts of sin. It goes behind the
act, behind the deed, to the heart, and deals with what a man is
in himself before God. Kingdom righteousness says, "What you are
is more important than what you do." [83]
Do not play with sin, do not toy with temptation, or it will
destroy you. [85]
Death is the mighty conqueror before whom we are all helpless.
We can only beat our fists in utter futility against the
unyielding and unresponding tomb. But the Good News is this:
death has been defeated; our conqueror has been conquered. In
the face of the power of the Kingdom of God in Christ, death was
helpless. It could not hold Him, death has been defeated; life
and immorality have been brought to light. An empty tomb in
Jerusalem is proof of it. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom.
[128]
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