FLIRTING WITH “THE LINE”

•    setting limits less important than making Jesus the centre
•    selfish tendency to push the limits

IS PAUL TALKING ABOUT CHRISTIANS?

•    “sold as a slave” / “nothing good” vs. present tense, humility, context
•    even mature Christians fall short of God’s righteous standard

NOT THE COMMANDMENT’S FAULT

•    commandment good, holy, righteous: helps identify danger
•    Only Jesus kept law perfectly; others - sin finds opportunity
•    no one justified by observing the law

WRETCHED WAFFLING: SABOTAGED BY SIN’S SNEAKINESS

•    good intentions not matched by deeds
•    sin living in me: evil “right there” with me
•    inner war: flesh serves as base camp from which sin operates

REDEEMED, RESCUED, RELEASED

•    Jesus paid price to redeem us / buy us back: belong to Him
•    released from law, now under new authority

RIPENING: SPIRIT-FED HEDONISM

•    new ownership, purpose: bear fruit for God, in Spirit’s newness
•    die to old passions, delight in God’s goals instead

CANADA’S FIRST SCHOOL MISTRESS: GIVEN TO GOD, DESIRING ARDENTLY

•    experience of grace affected one born to bourgeois lifestyle
•    Marguerite Bourgeoys opened Montreal’s first school in 1658
•    desired most deeply / most ardently wish: hearts love God and neighbour