Day 18--Sin comes from within ourselves

40.Q. Why did Christ have to go all the way to death?
     A. Because God's justice and thru demand it: only the death of God's Son could pay for our sin.

41.Q. Why was He "buried"?
     A. His burial testifies that He really died.

42.Q. Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die?
     A.  Our death does not pay the debt for our sins. Rather, it puts an end to our sinning and is our entrance into eternal life.

43.Q. What further advantage do we receive from Christ's sacrifice and death on the cross?
     A. Through Christ's death our old selves are crucified, put to death, and buried with Him, so that the evil desires of the flesh may no longer rule us, but that instead, we may dedicate ourselves as an offering of gratitude to Him.

44.Q. Why does the creed add, "He descended to hell"?
     A. To assure me in times of personal crisis and temptation that Christ my Lord, by suffering unspeakable anguish, pain and terror of the soul, especially on the cross but also earlie, has delivered me from the anguish and torment of hell.


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Mark 7:20-23

And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, adulterise, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, and evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man.

Mark 8:34-

"Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will love it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses is own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in glory of His Father with the holy angels."
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Every sin is so voluntary, that if it is not voluntary, it is not sin.

The principle of grace within a Christian inclines him toward good. Grace rules, not sin, in the believer. Thoug his will may consent to sin, it only does so partially, never absolutely.

John Owen, Sin and Temptation
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Pray for the workers' family members, as they often face long periods of separation