ROMS 7:1- 25 VITAL SIGNS IN CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
PAUL HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO POINT OUT THAT A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEBODY WHO IS DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE IN CHRIST. A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN SET FREE FROM THE SLAVERY OF SIN TO BECOME A SLAVE TO GOD. SUMMING UP CHAPTER SIX PAUL HAS STATED THAT A CHRISTIAN HAS RECEIVED A NEW LIFE 6:2,3,4,6 A NEW NATURE 6:5,11 AND A NEW FREEDOM 6:12,13,14,16. ALL THIS OF COURSE RAISED SERIOUS QUESTIONS FOR HIS FELLOW JEWS.. LET’S RECAP THE DILEMMA FOR PAULS HEARERS......
1ST QUESTION 6:1 “IF WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE SHALL WE GO ON SINNING?” A LICENCE TO SIN BECAUSE GRACE WILL INCREASE “BY NO MEANS” PAUL REFUTES THAT CHARGE WITH NO GRACE IS NOT A LICENCE TO SIN BUT GRACE ACTUALLY LEADS TO INCREASING HOLINESS.
2ND QUESTION 6:15 OKAY SHALL WE CONTINUE TO SIN BECAUSE WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE? “(ANTINOMIANISM) AGAINST THE LAW. CERTAINLY NOT “HE EXPLAINS WE HAVE A NEW MASTER UNDER GRACE AND WE OFFER OURSELVES TO HIM IN OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS US TO UPHOLD GODS WORD RATHER THAN NULLIFY IT. ROM 3:31. DO WE NULLIFY THE LAW BY FAITH NOT AT ALL WE UPHOLD IT.
PAUL HAS MADE THE CHRISTIANS POSITION QUITE CLEAR IN REGARD TO THE LAW .HE IS FREE FROM THE LAW AND DOES NOT NEED TO KEEP IT TO BE SAVED, YET HE IS NOT FREE FROM THE LAW, FOR HE NEEDS TO KEEP IT TO PROVE THAT HE IS SAVED. THIS WASN’T EASY FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND SO IN THE OPENING VERSES PAUL EXPLAINS HIMSELF A LITTLE MORE....
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION FROM MARRIAGE
1. A CHRISTIAN IS RELEASED FROM THE LAW - “HOW WE COME UNDER GRACE.” V1-6 .
V1 PAUL IS SAYING HERE IS THE LEGAL PRINCIPLE: ANY LAW CAN ONLY MAKE A CLAIM ON A PERSON WHEN THEY ARE ALIVE WHEN WE DIE OUR DEBTS DIE YOU CANNOT SEND THE BAILIFFS ROUND TO THE MORTUARY OR CEMETERY AND START KNOCKING ON THE COFFIN, ITS NONSENSE THEIR DEAD! LAW IS FOR LIFE BUT DEATH ANNULS IT.
MARRIAGE ILLUSTRATION: V1 – 3. LOOK AT A MARRIED COUPLE THEIR BOUND TO EACH OTHER AS LONG AS THEY LIVE UNDER LAW THEY ARE HUSBAND AND WIFE - IF ONE HAS AN AFFAIR WHILST THE OTHER IS ALIVE THEY COMMIT ADULTERY BECAUSE THEY ARE BOUND TO EACH OTHER. YET IF THE OTHER HAS DIED IT FREES THE OTHER TO RE–MARRY THEY ARE NO LONGER BOUND BY THAT PREVIOUS MARRIAGE.
V4 - 6 THE POINT PAUL IS CONVEYING TO US IS THAT GODS LAW ALSO CLAIMS LORDSHIP OVER US, WHILE WE LIVE , ALL OF US ARE UNDER GODS LAW EVERYBODY WITHOUT EXCEPTION. AND SO WHEN WE BREAK THAT LAW, WE SIN AND WE COME UNDER ITS CONDEMNATION BECAUSE WE ARE BOUND TO IT.
V5 THE OLD WAY: THE LAW BY ITS COMMANDMENTS AROUSED OUR SINFUL PASSIONS TO SIN. HOWEVER HARD YOU TRIED TO BE UPRIGHT; WE ALL HAVE BROKEN THE COMMANDMENTS AND AS A RESULT WILL FACE CONDEMNATION.
SO WHERE ARE WE NOW IN REGARD TO THE LAW? AFTER ALL WERE DEAD. DOES THAT LEAVE US IN A STATE OF LIMBO? FREE TO DO AS WE PLEASE? NO A CHRISTIAN HAS BEEN RE-MARRIED TO CHRIST, V4B WHO WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD. HE IS THE VERY ONE WHO GAVE AND FULFILLED THE LAWS DEMANDS .... WE ARE CALLED NOW TO BEAR FRUIT FOR GOD ... WHAT IS THIS FRUIT?
V6 THE NEW WAY: THE FRUIT IS TO LIVE BY THE SPIRIT AND IS SEEN IN OUR OBEDIENCE AND LOVE TO GOD. AS JESUS SAID IF YOU LOVE ME YOU SHALL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS JHN 14:15, 15:10. THE FRUIT THAT GOD REQUIRES IS HOLY LIVING CHARACTERISED BY OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW. YET THIS IS NO LEGALISTIC CONSTRAINT WE DON’T ATTAIN IT IN OUR OWN STRENGTH BUT IN A NEW WAY BY THE SPIRIT AND NOT BY THE OLD WITTEN CODE.
ITS PLAIN A CHRISTIAN IS NOT ANTINOMIAN (AGAINST THE LAW) – NOT EVEN A COLD LEGALIST - BUT A PERSON WHO IS UNDER GRACE, RELEASED FROM LAW , WHO LIVES BY THE SPIRIT, WHO DELIGHTS IN OBEYING GODS LAW OUT OF LOVE.
LET ME ILLUSTRATE....A HUSBAND AND WIFE DIDN’T REALLY LOVE EACH OTHER. THE MAN WAS VERY DEMANDING, SO MUCH SO THAT HE PREPARED A LIST OF RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR HIS WIFE TO FOLLOW. HE INSISTED THAT SHE READ THEM OVER EVERY DAY AND OBEY THEM TO THE LETTER. AMONG OTHER THINGS, HIS “DO’S AND DON’TS” INDICATED SUCH DETAILS AS WHAT TIME SHE HAD TO GET UP IN THE MORNING, WHEN HIS BREAKFAST SHOULD BE SERVED, AND HOW THE HOUSEWORK SHOULD BE DONE. SHE OFTEN FAILED AND COME UNDER CONSTANT CRITICISM.
AFTER SEVERAL LONG YEARS, THE HUSBAND DIED. AS TIME PASSED, THE WOMAN FELL IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER MAN, ONE WHO DEARLY LOVED HER. SOON THEY WERE MARRIED. THIS HUSBAND DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO MAKE HIS NEW WIFE HAPPY, CONTINUALLY SHOWERING HER WITH TOKENS OF HIS APPRECIATION. ONE DAY AS SHE WAS CLEANING HOUSE, SHE FOUND TUCKED AWAY IN A DRAWER THE LIST OF COMMANDS HER FIRST HUSBAND HAD DRAWN UP FOR HER. AS SHE LOOKED IT OVER, IT DAWNED ON HER THAT EVEN THOUGH HER PRESENT HUSBAND HADN’T GIVEN HER ANY KIND OF LIST, SHE WAS DOING EVERYTHING HER FIRST HUSBAND’S LIST REQUIRED ANYWAY. SHE REALIZED SHE WAS SO DEVOTED TO THIS MAN THAT HER DEEPEST DESIRE WAS TO PLEASE HIM OUT OF LOVE, NOT OBLIGATION. THAT IS A PICTURE OF A CHRISTIAN RELEASED FROM LAW LIVING UNDER GRACE.
2. THE MINISTRY OF THE LAW “ OUR PRE CONVERSION EXPERIENCE” 7- 14
AT THIS PONT PAUL COULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT TO CHAPTER 8: 1-2 AND TALK ABOUT LIFE IN THE SPIRIT, ITS VICTORY STUFF! BUT HE NEEDS TO UNPACK MORE INFO ON THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW. PAULS WORDS WERE PROVOCATIVE TO HIS JEWISH HEARERS, PAUL WAS GETTING BAD PRESS, THEY THOUGHT THAT PAUL HAD A REAL LOW OPINION WHEN IT CAME TO THE LAW.
AFTER ALL HE WAS SAYING : THAT THE LAW V5 AROUSES SIN - 3:20A IS INCAPABLE OF JUSTIFYING, 3:20B THE LAW MAKES SIN KNOWN, 4:15 BRINGS WRATH , 5:20 STIMULATES SIN AND THAT IN CHRIST JEW AND GENTILE WERE RELEASED FROM THE LAW V6.
HIS JEWISH BROTHERS COULD BE MISTAKEN IN THINKING THAT PAUL VIEWS THE LAW AS EVIL. PAUL ANTICIPATES THEIR OBJECTION..... V7 WHAT SHALL WE SAY, THEN? IS THE LAW SIN? CERTAINLY NOT! INDEED I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN WHAT SIN WAS EXCEPT THROUGH THE LAW. V7- 14 HERE PAUL UNPACKS THE LAW LOOKING BACK TO HIS PRE –CONVERSION DAYS.
A) V:7. THE LAW EXPOSES (CONVICTS) OF SIN
PAUL IS SAYING HERE THAT HE DID’NT KNOW WHAT SIN WAS EXCEPT THROUGH THE LAW HE DIDN’T KNOW COVETING WAS WRONG V7 UNTIL THE LAW EXPOSED IT TO HIM V7 - AS A RESULT HE BECAME GUILTY AND IT SHOWED HIM HE WAS A SINNER.
PURPOSE OF THE LAW: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAT IN THE DENTISTS CHAIR? THE LAW IS LIKE A DENTIST’S LITTLE MIRROR, WHICH HE STICKS INTO THE PATIENT’S MOUTH. WITH THE MIRROR HE CAN DETECT ANY CAVITIES. BUT HE DOESN’T DRILL WITH IT OR USE IT TO PULL TEETH. IT CAN SHOW HIM THE DECAYED AREA OR OTHER ABNORMALITY, BUT IT CAN’T PROVIDE THE SOLUTION. SO THE LAW REVEALS TO US THE PROBLEM OF SIN, BUT IT DOESN’T GIVE THE SOLUTION.
THE WORK OF CONVICTION: V7B I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN WHAT COVETING REALLY WAS IF THE LAW HAD SAID DO NOT COVET. THE LAW HAD NOT ONLY EXPOSED HIS SIN, BUT HE HAD ACTUALLY BECOME CONVICTED OF HIS SIN . PAUL WAS AWARE HE HAD BROKEN GODS 10TH COMMANDMENT, HE HAD BEEN BROUGHT UNDER CONVICTION OF SIN. ROM 3:20 THROUGH THE LAW WE BECOME CONSCIOUS OF SIN. HERE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALSO AT WORK, BECAUSE JESUS SAID JHN 16:8 WHEN HE COMES HE WILL CONVICT THE WORLD CONCERNING SIN.
CONSIDER PAUL’S PRE-CONVERSION DAYS HE CONSIDERED HIMSELF FAULTLESS PHIL 3:6 IN REGARD TO LEGALISTIC RIGHTEOUSNESS , BUT THIS WAS ALL EXTERNAL, YET INTERNALLY THE LAW AT SOME PONT WAS AT WORK BECAUSE IT REVEALED HIS OWN INTERNAL COVETOUSNESS V8.
WHAT ABOUT YOU THIS MORNING YOU MIGHT APPEAR ON THE OUTSIDE RELIGIOUS OR EVEN BORN AGAIN TO OTHERS – YET ON THE INSIDE HAS GODS LAW ACTUALLY EVER EXPOSED AND CONVICTED YOU OF SIN INTERNALLY. DO OUR HEARTS TELL A DIFFERENT STORY TO YOUR OUTWARD APPEARANCE, THIS MORNING?
B) V: 8 - 9 THE LAW AROUSES SIN 5:20 7:5
PAUL GOES ON TO TELL US THAT WHEN HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE RULES, HE THOUGHT HE WAS LIVING IN GODS SIGHT TO THE REQUIRED STANDARDS, BUT WHEN HE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE RULES IT ALL CHANGED V9 SIN SPRANG TO LIFE, THE COMMANDMENT WHICH HE PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT WOULD BRING HIM LIFE ACTUALLY BROUGHT DEATH V10 BECAUSE SIN WITHIN HIM SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECEIVE HIM . SO SIN THROUGH THE COMMANDMENT PUT HIM TO DEATH BECAUSE IT CAUSED HIM TO DISOBEY.
SIN EXPLOITS THE LAW: HUMANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ENTICED TO BREAK THE LAW - THEY HAVE ALWAYS WANTED THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT EVER SINCE ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN...
• TELL A CHILD TO STAY OUT OF THE COOKIE JAR, YET THEY DIVE IN AS AN ADULT HAVE’NT YOU EVER DONE 80MPH IN A 70 MPH ZONE OR GOT TO THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS THEY JUST SWITCHED TO RED , WHAT THE HECK AND YOU GO THROUGH. THE TECHNICAL TERM: CONTRA- SUGGESTIBILITY RESPONDING OR TENDING TO RESPOND TO A SUGGESTION BY DOING OR BELIEVING THE OPPOSITE.
THERE’S A TRUE STORY TO HIGHLIGHT THIS POINT: THERE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL GUY WHO WANTED TO GO SWIMMING WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND AT MIDNIGHT. THE NEIGHBORS DOWN THE BLOCK HAD A POOL, AND HE KNEW IT. SO THEY RAN DOWN THERE AND SCALED THE FENCE EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO TRESPASSING AND DO NOT ENTER SIGNS. THE GIRL HAD DOUBTS BUT THE YOUNG LAD SAID COME ON LETS DO IT! SO THEY DID, JUST AS HE HIT THE DIVING BOARD, THE GIRL YELLED, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THERE WAS ONLY A FOOT OF WATER IN THE POOL. THE GUY BROKE HIS NECK, AND HE’S PARALYZED TO THIS DAY. HE DIDN’T REALIZE THAT THE FENCE – THE SIGN - THE PRECEPTS - WERE THERE FOR HIS GOOD — THEY WOULD HAVE PROTECTED HIM – IF OBEYED. BUT HIS SINFUL NATURE ABUSED THE COMMANDMENT. V11 FOR SIN SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY AFFORDED BY THE COMMANDMENT, DECEIVED ME, AND THROUGH THE COMMANDMENT PUT ME TO DEATH.
OSWALD CHAMBERS SAID THAT THE ROOT OF ALL SIN IS THE SUSPICION THAT GOD IS NOT GOOD. ISN’T IT TRUE THAT SOMEHOW WE’VE GOT A GENERATION OF KIDS—AND PERHAPS THEIR PARENTS AS WELL—WHO THINK THAT GOD IS NOT GOOD, THAT SIN IS ATTRACTIVE, AND THAT GOD IS A TYPE OF KILLJOY’
SO WHO IS TO BLAME? THE LAW? NO THE LAW IS GOOD, HOLY, REVEALING GOD’S WILL , IT IS THERE FOR OUR GOOD V12 THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN V13 IT IS SIN WHICH TWISTS THE LAW TO ENCOURAGE US TO EXPLOIT THE LAW.
C) THE LAW CONDEMNS SIN. IT BRINGS DEATH V9, 10, 11. READ
SO AS A RESULT OF SINS AROUSAL IN US TO THE LAW, IT CAUSES US TO SIN AND BREAK THE LAW. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE DEATH ROM 6:23 THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH
SO THE MINISTRY OF THE LAW IN OUR PRE-CONVERSION EXPERIENCE IS 1. THE LAW CONVICTS OF SIN, 2.THE LAW AROUSES SIN AND SO SIN EXPLOITS THE LAW
3. THE LAW BRINGS CONDEMNATION.
PAUL HAS SHOWN THE MINISTRY OF THE LAW. THE LAW IS GOOD AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SIN AND DEATH. BUT SIN IS RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE ITS A DECEIVER WHICH TWISTS THE LAW.
3. 14—25 THE CHRISTIANS VITAL SIGNS - OUR PRESENT EXPERIENCE
I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION , WHAT IS YOUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE LIKE ? “DOES GOD JUST KEEP ON BLESSING YOU” – “HAVE AMAZING GIFTS” – – “ARE YOU ALWAYS HAPPY” - “ DO YOU MOVE FROM VICTORY TO VICTORY” – “I ARE YOU HEALTHY WEALTHY AND WISE. DO YOU HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH INDWELLING SIN? WELL MODERN CHRISTIAN CULTURE WOULD WANT YOU TO BELIEVE ALL THE ABOVE IS AVAILABLE FOR THE CHRISTIAN , YOU JUST HAVE TO CLAIM IT, BUT THE REALITY OF OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE IS FAR REMOVED FROM THAT GLOSSY CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE COVER OR THAT CHARLATAN OF A PREACHER ON THE TV.
PAUL IS NOW GOING TO UNPACK FOR US THE EXPERIENCE OF A MATURE CHRISTIAN. AS HE TALKS ABOUT HIMSELF. HE SAYS THE WORD ‘I’ 30 TIMES IN THIS CHAPTER - WE COULD SUPPLEMENT THE ‘I’ WITH A ‘WE’ BECAUSE HIS EXPERIENCE IS THE EXPERIENCE OF EVERY GENUINE CHRISTIAN.
• SO LETS LOOK AT THE VITAL SIGNS OF A CHRISTIAN
A. HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE LAW V12 V14, 16
A VITAL SIGN WILL BE SEEN IN YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS GODS LAW DO YOU SEE IT AS V12 HOLY RIGHTEOUS AND GOOD V16 I AGREE THAT THE LAW IS GOOD - HAVE YOU DISCOVERED THAT IT IS V14 SPIRITUAL AND NOT CARNAL? DO YOU DELIGHT IN DOING WHAT IT SAYS? V22 HE DELIGHTS IN GODS LAW PAUL DID AND THIS IS A VITAL SIGN THAT YOUR HEART IS BEATING AS A CHRISTIAN.
A NON CHRISTIAN WILL NOT CARE ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW ONE JOT THY LIVE AS THEY PLEASE ROM 8:7. THE SINFUL MIND IS HOSTILE TO GOD . IT DOES NOT SUBMIT TO GODS LAW NOR CAN IT DO SO.
B. HIS SELF AWARENESS HAS CHANGED V18
THE YOUNG PHARISEE SAUL WAS A MAN WHO WAS VERY SELF RIGHTOUS, HE CONSIDERED FAULTLESS WHEN IT CAME TO THE LAW HE WAS ‘HOLY THAN THOU.’ IN HIS VIEW HE EXTERNALLY FULFILLED THE LAW. HE WASN’T ON HIS OWN IN THINKING LIKE THIS HIS FELLOW JEWS NEVER CONSIDERED THEMSELVES AS SINNERS – THEY ALWAYS LOOKED DOWN UPON OTHERS AS SINNERS - THEY WERE PIOUS AND RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD. TIME AND TIME AGAIN THEY WOULD REPLY TO JESUS DISCIPLES “WHAT IS YOUR TEACHER SITTING WITH SINNERS FOR”...MATT 9:10 -11 INFERS THEY ARE NOT!
AN UNBELIEVER WILL SEE NO FAULTS IN THEMSELVES BUT IN OTHERS ALL THE TIME THEY WILL BE SELF RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD. THAT WAS PAUL’S PAST EXPERIENCE UNTIL HIS CONVERSION BUT ITS NO LONGER HIS EXPERIENCE.
C. PAUL IS HUMBLED....
HE SEES THAT THE LAW IS SPIRITUAL AND THAT HE IS UNSPIRITUAL (CARNAL IN THE FLESH) V14 . HE KNOWS THAT IN HIS SINFUL NATURE THERE IS NOTHING GOOD V18. WHEREAS THE UNCONVERTED PAUL WAS SELF RIGHTEOUS THE MATURE CONVERTED PAUL IS HUMBLE AND FULLY AWARE OF HIS HELPLESS CONDITION IN THE FLESH. WE SEE THIS HUMBLE MAN SCRIPTURES: 1COR 15:9-10 - EPH 3:8
D. PAULS NEW NATURE IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE OLD .
HE OPENLY CONFESSES HIS INNER CONFLICT TAKING PLACE IN HIS LIFE V15 - 23 HIS EXPERIENCE CAUSES HIM TO CRY OUT V24 OWN WRETCHEDNESS , BECAUSE THE THINGS HE SHOULD DO, HE DOESN’T DO AND THE THINGS HE SHOULDN’T DO HE DOES.
ISN’T THAT A PICTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN STRIVING FOR HOLINESS - YET CONTINUALLY SEEING HIS OWN SIN - IF YOU HAVE NO WORRIES ABOUT IN DWELLING SIN - THEN YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT A CHRISTIAN AT ALL - BUT IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE CONFLICT WITH IT THEN THIS IS A VITAL SIGN THAT YOU HAVE A CHRISTIAN HEART BEAT. PAUL INFORMS US IN GAL 5:17 PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT – SINFUL NATURE ARE IN CONFLICT.
• THE WAR HAS BEEN WON - YET THEIR IS STILL POCKETS OF RESISTANCE.
IN HIS BOOK THE GOSPEL AS IT REALLY IS STUART OLYOTT GIVES THE ILLUSTRATION OF A MAN WALKING DOWN A LANE BY NIGHT WHO FALLS INTO A PUDDLE OF MUD . HE DIDN’T REALISE HOW DIRTY HE WAS UNTIL HE BEGAN TO REACH THE STREET LIGHT . THE NEARER HE CAME TO THE LIGHT THE MORE HE BECAME AWARE OF HIS FILTH HE BECAME AND THE HARDER HE TRIED TO GET IT OFF.AS A CHRISTIAN GETS NEARER TO GOD , HE BECOMES INCREASINGLY AWARE OF HOW SINFUL AND POLLUTED HE IS. HE ALSO BECOMES MORE CONCERNED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AS SIN IS AN OFFENCE TO HIM, AND HE LONGS AGONIZINGLY FOR PURITY
AND SO THE CRY OF O WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM, BECOMES HIS CONSTANT CRY OF THE CHRISTIAN MAKING PROGRESS IN HOLINESS. AS AN UN HOLY MAN IS AT PEACE WITH SIN ITS NOT A PROBLEM TO HIM. THE GOSPEL AS IT REALLY IS BY STUART OLYOTT P96
HE KNOWS ULTIMATE DELIVERANCE IS GUARANTEED V24 - 25 .THE GLORIOUS SHOUT OF PRAISE! THANKS BE TO GOD - THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!
WHEN WE ARE EXPERIENCING THE INWARD CONFLICT WITH SIN WE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES NOT TO FIGHT IN OUR OWN STRENGTH BUT LET THE SPIRIT OF GOD ENABLE YOU TO DO BATTLE WITH SIN IN THIS LIFE AND ULTIMATELY BE PRESENTED TO HIM PERFECTED IN CHRIST. AND THE VESTIGES OF SIN IN OUR LIVES WILL BE NO MORE! AMEN
