OUR DAILY BREAD             Wed., April 19, 1995
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READ:  Romans 6:11-23

                  A NEW TRUTH?

        "All have sinned and fall short
              of the glory of God."

                             - Romans 3:23

Every once in a while, some scholar announces what
he claims is an original contribution to human
knowledge.  Congratulations -- if it really is.
But often the new discovery is just an old truth
that the Bible has taught throughout the centuries.

According to sociologist Robert Bellah, "One of
our current psychological gurus says that 98% of
Americans are dysfunctional.  No doubt he is right.
He has just discovered original sin, though he is
mistaken if he thinks 2 percent are without."

This "discovery" that we are, in current jargon,
"dysfunctional" is simply a rediscovery and a
restatement of the apostle Paul's inspired verdict:
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God" (Rom. 3:23).

But what can we do about this universal inability
to function as we ought in our relationship with
God and one another?  Researchers are constantly
proposing new methods of dealing with frustrating
maladjustments.  Yet there is only one guaranteed
cure that deals with the eternal consequences of
sin and opens the way for overcoming sin's pull
right now.  It's the message of God's grace working
in our lives as we put our personal faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ (6:23).

Have you newly discovered this old truth?

                                -- Vernon C. Grounds

        What a wondrous message in God's Word!
           My sins are blotted out, I know!
          If I trust in His redeeming blood,
           My sins are blotted out, I know!

                                -- Dunlop


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             THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
-----------------------------------------
             Until we see our sin,
     we will not see our need for a Savior.
-----------------------------------------
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  1 Chronicles 17-19

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Our Daily Bread, Copyright 1995, used by permission of Radio Bible Class,
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Our Daily Bread, having originated from his distribution to the 
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