"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord," ROM 6:22-23.

 The word "wages" in our text is taken from the Greek word which means, "food--the rations for a soldier, i.e., wages." If you serve sin, you will feed on the things of "death" as your pay. Spiritual death separates from God. Physical death separates body and soul and eternal death is eternal separation from God and all good. God treats "sin" as a master. Jesus said, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin," JOH 8:34, "...our old man is crucified...that henceforth we should not serve sin," ROM 6:6.

Sin is any violation of God's revealed will. The first and great commandment is to, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind...And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets," MAT 22:37.

In that first great commandment of love is contained the first four commandments, and in the second is contained the other six.

We read in ROM 1:18, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." This "ungodliness" is any violation against that first and great commandment of love; it is when our heart, soul and mind is set on something besides God.

"Unrighteousness of men," is any violation against that second command of love; it is any thought or act against our neighbor. As the result of our fall in Adam, all men are by nature, servants of sin, EPH 2:2-3.

As sin's grasp increases, separation from God increases in proportion. You may have had a very godly upbringing, but as you serve sin, little by little, the separation from the good and the pure will widen. The Bible will be put farther and farther aside. That gulf of unrepented sin spoken of in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus will become wider and wider, and as iniquity abounds, your love for God "shall wax cold," MAT 24:12.

Our text says, "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness." Oh, beloved, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2CO 5:20-21.

We are sent to, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in," LUK 14:23. We therefore beseech, invite, exhort, warn, persuade, and command, with all tenderness under the authority of Christ.

Oh, beloved, we cannot take a denial, your souls are at stake! And that for ETERNITY! "As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" EZE 33:11.

Our lovely Saviour wept over the pride and rebellion of Jerusalem saying, "...how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" MAT 23:37.

Oh, beloved, do not be offended or disgusted with my importunity; do not "pray [me] to have you excused." My love for your immortal souls, my longing after your everlasting happiness constrains me to persist. Amen.