The Mechanic's Gift - It is Finished

By John Saurino

The story continues as John and his crew work toward getting his brother, Jim, to the National Championship race. But the racing holds a backseat to the biblical lessons that become a more significant element in this adventure. Joshua discusses topics including, What is sin? What will it be like in Heaven? Who was Melchizedek and why is he so important? The shared delight of this learning experience is dampened when unexpected tragedy casts a shadow on their path. Fortunately, the stark realities of life create an even tighter bond between John and his mentor as they explore the true meaning of maturity in Christ and the joy this level of faith possesses. Get ready to advance in your Christian walk and all things that pertain to life and godliness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Yorkshire Publishing
• Release date: Jan 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781954095229

John Saurino

The author is living in Tulsa with his wife and four children. It is his hope that you enjoyed his first book and are ready to move forward in your faith. He believes the spiritual challenges he presents, and the rewards they possess, are the greatest gifts he can provide. But most of all he would like you to have fun as God reveals his love-filled message.

Book preview

Preface

Melchizedek? Really, God? Melchizedek? You had to bring him up, didn’t you?

Well John, as you know, he is an important element to advancing in your faith.

Of course, he is, but now you are getting into the hard stuff; the stuff I have trouble believing.

It’s only hard if you make it hard. I simply provide the information. You must decide if you are willing to believe what I have said is the truth.

I sat quietly in thought as I surveyed the year-long memories scattered across my desk. Red ink, black ink and pencil markings all found on the same torn out page from the spiral notebook that started it all. Multiple papers taped to the cabinets holding the reminders of God’s message. A timeline list and diagonal crossing lines attempting to connect the single ideas that represent the stories they possess. The special pen my children gave me to complete the task that God began and the encouraging smiles portrayed in their photos lining the far edge of my work station.

I toyed with the idea of doing what he asked once again.

All right, I’m in!

A loving challenge accompanied his words.

Marvelous! Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to:

Mary Lynn—Well Baby Doll, you did it again! Thank you for your loving support through every step of this wonderful adventure. With God leading us, and you at my side, it seems anything is possible. As the song states, You are the wind beneath my wings. I love you!

Nigel—Your goal-oriented work ethic and passion for learning is unmatched. Make sure you don’t let the business of life draw you away from the reasons for living.

Hans—The joy you gain from life’s everyday occurrences is your greatest blessing.

Joshua—I think you are the best! Continue to grow, continue to learn, and continue to regain that child hiding inside. He has always been the coolest kid ever!

Senna—Wow! Look what God did! He gave you a heart that is in constant search for his kingdom. There is simply no better gift for a father to enjoy.

Jim—I will be forever thankful for the blessing of a great older brother.

Bruce—You viewed the world in a different way. Thank you for opening my eyes to those marvelous possibilities.

Richard Stephens—Your servant’s heart and love for others are dearly missed.

And…to all of those people who are seeking to mature in Christ.

CHAPTER 1

At Bat

It came out of left field. The ball crossed the sky on its trajectory toward Nigel at second base. He was standing in position with his left arm extended for the oncoming possible third out to complete the inning.

Lord, please let him catch it. I thought to myself.

All of the hockey games were over, and the Boys of Spring arrived with the new baseball season. Nigel wanted to play this year with his best friend, Eric, who was almost a year older and played on a more competitive team. Even though Nigel was eight years old now, a one-year difference in eye-hand coordination is huge at this age. But my son was a very goal-oriented kid, and he had set his sights on experiencing life in sports with Eric.

As the ball approached, I could see Nigel narrowing his focus. There was a slight foot adjustment. His second hand moved to back up the one in the glove. He raised his arm to the appropriate height followed by the sound of success. Pop! The ball hit its mark. The crowd cheered, and I came to my feet when he touched the base to complete the play.

Nigel removed the ball from his glove, rolled it to the pitcher’s mound, and the team trotted to the fenced-in dugout. Eric was the first to congratulate him on the play with a pat on his head. Then he pulled Nigel’s hat forward over his face while both boys laughed. A few of the other teammates also expressed encouraging words at his good defensive play. Now, it was our turn to hit.

Eric led off with an excellent double to right field. Our other hitters had similar success, eventually bringing him around to start our run statistics for the season. It was Nigel’s first game with the team, and his initial chance at bat was quickly approaching. Getting a hit this year would be much more challenging since he would be facing a live pitcher. Up to this point, he had been batting against a machine-pitching system.

In this city league, a mechanical pitching machine was placed on the mound and used through age eight. When the players turned nine, they switched to kid-pitch. There was a major difference in accuracy and consistency of the pitches thrown by a nine-year-old versus a professional pitching machine. The smooth constant thirty-five mile per hour strikes in the middle of the zone found with last year’s machine were replaced by a splattering of balls passing through the space in front of each batter. The umpires did their best at creating a very loose strike zone, but could not keep the routine wild pitch from hitting a player about every third inning.

As my son walked toward the plate, I wished he had another year facing that three-legged machine, but he had made Eric’s team and was not going to let anything stop him from attaining his objective. Unfortunately, sometimes Satan throws a wrench into the best of plans.

Nigel was swinging his bat in anticipation of the first pitch. He pulled his cap down tightly on his head and stepped into the batter’s box. Once again, a prayer came to mind asking for God’s help with my oldest son’s new baseball experience. The pitcher reared back and let it fly. Nigel made a great cut at the very first pitch and the pinging sound from the aluminum bat indicated contact. The high fly ball looked like a good hit to far left field. It went beyond the outfielder until it eventually drifted into foul ball territory. I shook my head slightly and snapped my fingers in regret of what had just happened.

My experience in sports made me aware of how the slightest difference in one play can change the course of an athlete’s career. There are times when only a few feet, or even inches, create the difference between success and failure. Then, in many situations, the outcome can cause the player to spiral upward in triumph, or downward in defeat. Initial success will lead to more confidence in young players propelling them to further achievements, and unfortunately, lack of success at the start often creates a more-timid approach. This is why coaches have such an incredible responsibility to guide, support, and encourage these young athletic hearts.

For Nigel, the four-foot difference between a fair ball and the foul he hit was the beginning of a huge life lesson we faced together. As he trotted back to take his second swing, I could see him rubbing his hands in pain. The grimace on his face confirmed my suspicions. He picked up the bat and stared at the pitcher while working the handle with his bare hands. Nigel’s downward spin began with the next ball.

The pitcher took his stance, nodded to the catcher, and threw a hard fastball. It got away from him and hit Nigel squarely in the shoulder as he tried to lean back to avoid it. The umpire stopped the game for a moment to make sure my son was not hurt. Nigel waved his coach off and began a slow run to first base, rubbing his shoulder the whole time. His foot speed got him over to third base, but the inning ended before he could score. Once again, he was just sixty feet from some form of success.

His next time at bat brought a totally different kid to the plate. He stood at the back of the batter’s box in an almost upright stance. His aggressive attitude was gone, and, although he was going to try to make contact, his body language expressed equal concern for being hit by the ball. He did take one swing during the three strikes that went by, and with it I noticed something strange.

Did he actually drop the bat below the ball to avoid the hit?

I would watch more closely the next time he was up.

His final batting chance came in the last inning. It was a tough situation. We were down by one run with two outs and a man on second base. A good hit might advance the runner and tie the game; but a strikeout would create a loss. When Nigel approached the plate, time slowed down while I watched the son I love, enter the lion’s den. Suddenly, he appeared very young compared to the surrounding athletes.

Had I made a big mistake? Maybe I should have said, No, to his request of playing with an older team. As parents, even though we try to make the best decisions concerning our children, we sometimes strike out. I felt that this was one of those occasions.

Nigel stared at the first strike as it came by, but he was ready for the second one. When he swung at the next pitch, something extraordinary occurred. From my angle, I could actually see the bat in line with the ball, then at the last moment, he dropped his hands to avoid the hit!

Strike two! the umpire yelled.

The third pitch was a ball, but the final pitch of the game was an exact replica of the second strike. Nigel’s swinging bat, initially aimed at a base hit, was purposely lowered to avoid contact. The other team cheered with success, and their fans clapped in support of the win.

Our boys began to clear the dugout, and Nigel walked back to the bench while never looking up. Eric was the first to greet him with a pat on the back and words of encouragement

You’ll get it next time, Nigel. Don’t worry about it.

There was a reason these boys were best friends.

The ride home was quiet. Nigel and I didn’t talk about the game until we were parked in the driveway. After he gathered his gear from the back of the truck, I picked him up to sit on the tailgate so we could be at the same level. His eyes expressed the pain he harbored in his soul.

Listen to me, Buddy. Your dad thinks you are the greatest kid in the world, and I love you more than you can imagine. This is just a game. Winning is fun but there is a lot more to sports than the final score. I know you are discouraged, and we have a bit of homework to do in order to beat this, but together we can accomplish anything! You just have to believe me.

Somehow those words sounded very familiar.

His beautiful brown eyes stared into mine with hope and trust that what his father was saying could be true.

Okay, Dad, he replied with the faith of a child.

Great! We will start tomorrow.

He reached out to give me a big hug. We held each other long enough for much of the hurt to vanish into overshadowing love.

Now…let’s go have some ice cream!

I picked him up by his legs, flipped him over and carried him into the house hanging upside down while he laughed the whole time. When we got into the kitchen, Hans burst into the room.

Nigel, come see what I built! He expressed excitement at the fact that his brother was home. Did you win your game?

I interrupted, Not this time, Hansy boy, but it’s a long season, and Nigel made a great play at second base.

Nigel looked at me, then to his mother, as he mentally returned to his failure at bat. He picked up his gear bag and began the slow walk toward his bedroom. I gently rubbed his back trying to soften the pain from the emotional burden he carried.

Hey man, let’s go see what your brother made.

Stepping though the door, we were greeted with a room overrun by the Lego adventure Hans had created. It occupied the entire area between their beds. Although these small plastic pieces were the dominant features, many toy figures and heroes had been recruited to fill the scene. Nigel threw his bag to the side and they both stretched themselves out on their beds overlooking the battlefield. Hans explained the ensuing galactic struggle spread out before us. Eventually, baseball was forgotten, replaced by Wookies, Storm Troopers and Jedi Knights.

After a hot-dog lunch, the boys went to take their afternoon nap. I joined Mary Lynn with kitchen clean-up.

How was the birthday party? I asked as I placed a pot in the dishwasher.

Hans had fun. We went to that trampoline place and all the kids bounced around having a wonderful time, Mary Lynn explained and handed me more silverware to put in the machine’s plastic bin. I was so sorry I could not be there for Nigel’s first game this year. How did it go?

I stopped working for a moment to recall the events.

Nigel made a great play at second base to end the first inning, but he struggled with batting, I replied with a mildly serious tone.

She looked at me and said, I thought he hit well in practice with the team last week?

He did, but some of these boys are almost two years older than Nigel; and remember, this year it’s kid-pitch not machine-pitch.

Mary Lynn nodded in acknowledgment.

Did he get a hit? Her eyes were hoping for the right answer.

He made great contact on the very first pitch, but it ended up in foul territory. It was pretty much downhill from there. Unfortunately, he made the last out of the game when we had a chance to tie.

I could see the painful expression of compassion on my wife’s face as she considered Nigel’s failure.

I may have made a mistake by letting him play at this level, Babe.

Mary Lynn gently patted me on the shoulder, gave me a kiss, and quietly reminded me, You never know what blessings God has in store, Daddy.

She was right, and I did have a few ideas on how Nigel and I could attack this new problem. I glanced at my watch as we finished the dishes. It was almost one o’clock and perfect timing for an afternoon with my engine builder. Together, we should be able to get a lot of work done on the second motor. When I pulled into Joshua’s driveway, his uncanny appearance at the side garage door and ensuing wave for me to come join him, had almost become routine. I gathered my things and headed down the path to his shop. The majestic trees lining the walkway provided shade to his front yard and memories of my mother’s love for their splendor. With each unconscious step, I wondered what spiritual lesson he had in store for me today. I could never have imagined the challenge he was about to unfold.

CHAPTER 2

The Line

It’s good to see you, John, Joshua said as he wiped his hands on a rag before shaking my own.

Nice to be here, Joshua. What do you have planned for today?

He was moving toward the parts sitting on the workbench when he replied, I got the engine block back this week, which will allow us to finish prepping it. Once that is done, we can install the bearings, crankshaft, and pistons.

Sounds great!

The next three hours passed quickly. We worked together with greater familiarity of our assigned jobs. After all, this was the second time around, and I was able to help with many more tasks. Our movements made me recall the surgical nurse/doctor cooperation that is found in every operating room in the country. However, this time I was the nurse, and he was the mechanic surgeon using his skills to create a top-level motor.

When there was a momentary break in our work, he looked at me and said, Did you hear that?

I stood perfectly still but could hear nothing unusual.

Hear what? I asked.

Shhh…there it is again. He placed his index finger to his lips.

I repeated my silent stance, then shook my head and raised both hands in question of any unheard sound.

Listen carefully, he whispered.

I’m trying, I replied just as quietly. We both stood like statues until he broke the silence.

Are you telling me you cannot hear those chocolate chip cookies calling us? He broke out in laughter, knowing he had kidded me once again.

Oh yeah! Now I hear them! I said while laughing in recovery. I slapped my forehead stating, I thought they were coconut macaroons! It must have been the tropical accent that threw me off.

Soon, we were enjoying cookies, lemonade, and the return of spring to his back yard. I recalled the first time we sat here, and how much I had learned over the past six months. There was no doubt that the mechanics of building an engine together had become the platform for a much greater life experience. I was smiling in appreciation when he interrupted my peace-filled thoughts.

John, are you a sinner?

Of course, I’m a sinner, I stated without hesitation.

No doubt, that is the most common answer for many Christians and even some non-Christians, he said. His eyes were gazing at the brick wall bordering the back perimeter of his yard, but his mind penetrated well beyond those physical limits. He paused in thought, rose from his chair, and walked to the very familiar whiteboard. The questioning sentences appeared across the top.

ARE YOU A SINNER? OR WERE YOU A SINNER?

He turned to me asking, "Have you ever seen the movie Bruce Almighty?"

I think so. Isn’t that the one where Jim Carrey gets God’s job for a while, then he quickly makes a mess of things, and finally gives the responsibility back to God. If I remember correctly, he ultimately discovers that it isn’t as easy to run the world as he thought it would be. Especially when he says, ‘Yes.’ to everyone’s requests.

Joshua looked at me and smiled, saying, That’s the one. Let’s pretend for a moment that you, instead of Jim Carrey, have been given the tasks normally assigned to God. We will also imagine you are in charge of writing a book on how people should live their lives.

Tall task, Joshua! I smiled in recognition of the project’s importance.

He nodded and continued, I believe this book would contain three major concepts. First of all, the book should enlighten you to the fact that you are a sinner.

Agreed! I responded in affirmation.

Secondly, the book should explain how you need to believe in Jesus to overcome your sins, and, because of this belief, you are saved from their consequences. Also known as your salvation.

I’m with you.

Finally, the book should teach you how to live AFTER you have been saved and forgiven for your sins. He emphasized the word after to make his point.

Do you agree that your book about how to live your life should contain all three of these stages of faith?

Yes, of course, I answered, It must address every chronological step in our spiritual growth.

He turned to me with a slight grin at my expected reply.

The Bible does these things. It speaks to you at each phase in your life. The Bible teaches you about the problems in your life before you are saved. It guides you while you learn how to become saved from your sins. And finally, the Bible teaches you how you should live and what you should believe after you are saved.

Sounds like my homework has been handed in already! I raised my glass in celebration.

Joshua tapped his glass against mine and began pacing as he spoke.

"So, if the Bible talks to you at each different spiritual phase in your life, it is your job to determine which one is being addressed as you read its text. Guidance from the Holy Spirit will help you with this decision.

In other words, does the verse you are reading apply to your life before you have believed in Christ and become saved from your sins? Is it directed at the time you are learning the true meaning of Jesus’s redemptive sacrifice? Or is it addressing how his love will guide your spiritual heart and physical actions after you have received your salvation? As you progress in your faith, the Bible talks to you at your new level of enlightenment. It instructs you on how you should live and what you should believe with each new degree of faith you possess. Simply put, what you believe before you have accepted Jesus into your life will be different from what you believe after you realize what your faith in him has done for you. He turned to look at me. Do you understand?

I nodded in silence.

If so, we can move on. He took a cookie from the plate before he asked the next question.

Do you want to have a close relationship with God?

Yes.

Does sin exist in Heaven?

No.

"Correct. Remember how Satan had to leave Heaven because God does not allow sin to be present in his home. Also, Adam was banished from the Garden of Eden because he broke God’s only law at that time, namely, ‘You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’ Unfortunately, Adam’s disobedience caused sin to enter into the world."

I’m with you, I answered and reached for another cookie.

Remind me, John, how did sin enter into man and the world?

It was an easy reply, Sin entered through his disobedience of God’s law.

Then, God’s law at that time was based on obedience, do you agree?

Seems right so far.

Joshua stopped to take a sip of his drink before asking, And why did Adam have to leave the Garden of Eden?

This was another simple answer. You just told me that God does not allow sin to be present in his home.

So…what caused Adam to be distanced from God?

It was sin. Sin hurt the close relationship Adam shared with God.

Yes! He raised his fist for emphasis. Therefore, being distanced from God is a consequence of sin. This happened to Satan as a permanent spiritual outcome because of the desires of this angel’s heart. This happened to Adam as his disobedience set God’s plan in motion for the redemptive reward of faith in Jesus. And unfortunately, this distancing from God also happens to you. He turned to take a bite of his cookie and changed his voice to a more serious tone.

Again, what is the single, most destructive thing that causes you to be distanced from God?

My reply seemed mildly redundant, Sin creates the greatest division between God and me.

He nodded his head in agreement and revealed his spiritual bomb.

If this is true, how can you have the closest possible relationship with God if you constantly believe you are a sinner? He smiled, casually turned around, and took a few steps to give me time to think.

Wow! That’s a tough one!

I settled back in my chair with moderate confusion. My previous answers seemed obvious, but his current question could not be dismissed with such ease.

Was this really true? Was my continual belief that I was a sinner hindering my relationship with God?

He definitely had my attention and began reading from his Bible before I could answer.

"I John 3:1—How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." He closed the book in his hand.

Are the children of God, sinners? He paused for a moment, then continued, Was Jesus, the Son of God, a child of God? He opened the book to the exact page and read.

I John 3:2-3—Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

Once again, he looked directly at me with his question, Do you have the hope of God in you?

I answered with mild belief, I think so?

He replied with another question, Of what hope is he speaking?

I’m not sure. I was struggling with my thoughts.

Are you as pure as Jesus? The seriousness of his countenance never changed.

That’s a hard one to get a hold of, Joshua! I took a deep breath while I watched inherent love return with his smile.

No doubt, it is very difficult to think of yourself as being pure like Jesus, but I want you to realize that he says you are. He walked to the whiteboard and began speaking from memory, as he wrote.

1 John 3:4-6—Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

We each took another cookie before he returned to his teachings.

"Let’s look at these verses, line by line.

"Verse 4: Sin is breaking the law. Sin is lawlessness.

Agreed?

Agreed! I said and reached for my glass.

"Verse 5: Jesus appeared to take away sin.

Are you with me?

Yep.

"Now, the hard one.

Verse 6: No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.

I replied in contemplation, Really? It says that doesn’t it.

He smiled at my enlightenment, stating, "And finally it ends with the second half of verse six which says that if you continue to sin, you have not seen him or known him.

Remember, as a Christian, you are to believe that Jesus lives in you, and you live in him. If he lives in you, I think that would surely classify as knowing him. But here it tells us that no one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

Questions poured from his thoughts while my mind did its best to keep up.

Do you continue to sin? Yes? Have you never seen him or known him? Maybe? You might even be thinking, ‘Yes, I have known God?’ Tough questions! Are you confused? Are you deceived? He looked directly at me with a smile on his face and grace in his heart as I nodded in silent agreement.

Okay, then let’s start at the beginning. What is sin?

It seemed like an easy question, but I did not have a precise answer. Fortunately for me, he continued before I could speak. He set his glass down and pointed to the board with explanation.

"1 John 3:4—Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

"Sin, which is breaking the law, is also known as, ‘transgression’ of the law."

The statement, Transgressing the line of the law = Crossing the line of God’s law = Sin, appeared on the whiteboard.

He recited God’s word as his marker worked feverously.

"Ephesians 2:1-2—As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

"Remember, God is not talking to Adam in this verse, he is talking to the people of the disciple John’s time and also to you. God was not speaking about the, ‘You must not eat from the tree,’ law, which he had given to Adam. He was addressing a different law. This other law was the one he gave to Moses as the leader of God’s people in the desert. It was the law under which the Jewish Nation was living at that time. God refers to this law as the Law throughout the Bible."

I interrupted, What is the Law?

Tilting his head slightly, he replied with a smile, You are learning. He began speaking with new found enthusiasm.

"The first law of God, which he gave to Adam, is found in Genesis.

"Genesis 2:16-17— And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.

"Adam transgressed or crossed the line of this law when he disobeyed God and sin entered into the world. Then sin caused Adam and all mankind, including you, to be distanced from God. The sin nature is passed down through men to their children, and it creates a chasm between you and your Lord. But, because of his love for you, God tolerates living with the sin nature which is harbored in your flesh, while his Holy Spirit dwells within you. This does not mean he likes to do this or encourages your sinful actions in any way. God endures your fleshly sinful nature because by doing this, he can teach you about himself in a more effective way. God wants an intimate relationship with you more than anything and the best method he can use to teach you about righteousness is for him to live within you."

He pointed to the board as he completed the sentence he had written.

The law of God given to Adam = Don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

"Your next step toward understanding righteousness is to realize that ‘the Law’ 1 John 3:4 is referring to is not the law God gave to Adam; it is the law he gave to Moses.

The Law of Moses is found collectively in the first five books of the Bible including Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. All five of these books were inspired by God and written by Moses. They collectively are also known as the Pentateuch: Penta meaning, five, and teuch, which means tools or scrolls. God gave him the Law, along with the Mosaic Covenant, on Mount Sinai. Joshua recited the next verse from memory.

"John 1:16-17—From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

He pulled a sheet of paper from between the pages of his Bible and handed it to me.

The word ‘Bible’ comes from the Greek word ‘Biblia,’ meaning books. It is a collection of sixty-six separate books, written by forty authors, over a period of fifteen hundred years. All of these writings are bound together by one cover.

I interrupted, That is pretty amazing when you think about it.

He nodded in agreement.

It has two main sections including the Old Testament, describing the time prior to Christ, and the New Testament, providing history from when Christ walked the earth and after his death. It is also divided further according to content and ascribed authors. This diagram shows how the sixty-six books of the Bible have been grouped. As you can see, the Law is the first series of books in the Bible and contains the law of God given to Moses.

I examined the drawing, which he had removed from his Bible, and recognized his explanation.

I understand what you mean by the Law now, Joshua, but you mentioned a Mosaic Covenant. What is a covenant?

"A covenant in the Bible is an agreement between God and man. God establishes a spiritual contract and in return, man concurs with his stipulations. It is commonly found to be a promise by God, that if you do what he asks and don’t break his covenant, he will do something for you. This gift from God usually expresses how he will bless you, take care of your needs, and protect you.

"We also find that when God gives man his laws, he also creates covenants with him. So… with each law comes a covenant. There were many covenants between God and men. Some examples of these include: God’s law and covenant with Adam, one he made with Abraham, one with Moses, and one with the house of Israel, known as the ‘New Covenant.’

The Law of Moses was also called the law of sin and death. If you broke or transgressed this law, that transgression equaled sin, and the consequence of sin was death. Therefore, we find the law of sin and death appropriately named. He wrote the next line on the board.

The law of God given to Moses = The Law = The law of sin and death

"This law was established on the same premise as the law of Adam. It was based on obedience. If you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you