The Key To Peace | Page 5

without first coming to a knowledge of sin, they are
saved through Jesus' blood. There comes a time in a child's life when he
knows he has sinned. He understands it and then he is responsible. The
Apostle Paul says, "sin is not imputed [or charged or ascribed] when
there is no law [or understanding]." Romans 5:13.
Now you have come to the time in life when you are responsible. You
know what sin is. I remember when I realized that I had sinned. I had a
big imagination but the time came when I knew the difference between
imagining things and telling lies. The Bible says that "all liars shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." Rev.
21:8. So telling lies is wrong and is a sin, as well as many other things
that we will mention later.
Jesus Destroys the Works of the Devil
When we realize that we have sinned and know that sin will keep us
away from living in eternity in the presence of God, we are filled with
sorrow. First, we do not want to be cast into the "lake of fire," nor be
with the devil and his angels as Jesus has warned. He spoke of those
being "cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where

their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:44.
The next thing we think of is how Jesus loved us so much, He came
willingly to take the punishment for our sins. Sin had to be punished.
Man could not redeem us from our sins as all men had sinned. Jesus
was innocent and without sin. He was with God from the beginning but
He was born of woman, and took upon Himself flesh and blood. He
lived here in this world, was mistreated and finally put on the cross to
die a horrible death, although He was innocent. Why? Because He
loved you and me. "God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that
we might live through him." I John 4:9. "He that committeth sin is of
the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the
Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Whosoever is born of God doth not committ sin, because he is born of
God." I John 3:8,9. Through Jesus' death on the cross, sin can be
forgiven and we can come into the presence of God.
When we realize that we have sinned and are sorry for that sin, we
come to Jesus, and with "godly sorrow" ask Him to forgive us. Jesus
hears our prayer and forgives us of our sins. By believing that He took
our punishment for our sins, in dying on the cross, we are forgiven by
God, and all is clear between us and God. Our sins are under the blood
of Jesus. In olden times, in the Old Testament, they offered a lamb, but
after Jesus came He was the Lamb who was sacrificed on the cross
once and forever for sins. John the Baptist said, when he saw Jesus,
"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
John 1:29. He will take away our sins, when we confess them to Him,
and in prayer, believe that He takes them away. I surely can't forget
when the Lord did just that for me. It was wonderful to know that all
was clear between God and me. I could sleep better and it was
wonderful to know that if death overtook me I would be ready to go.
When I realized that I needed to be sanctified, or the sin principle
needed to be cleansed out of my heart, I sought the Lord to give me the
Holy Spirit. You can't ask forgiveness for the sin that passed down
upon all men from the fall, or the sin of Adam and Eve. It has to be
cleansed out of your heart by the purging of the Holy Spirit. There are
two works in the heart. First we are saved from our volitional sins and
then we are sanctified or cleansed of that sin principle or carnal nature.
Peter speaks of some receiving the Holy Spirit and said, "purifying

their hearts by faith." God had given "them the Holy Ghost." Acts
15:8,9. Then we can have power over all the power of the devil. The
works of the devil are destroyed out of our hearts. Praise God forever!
It is a wonderful experience.
Oh, how we love our Lord and Saviour for all that He has done for us!
How sad we would be if He had not come to this world to take our
punishment. How thankful we