| “But now”! Now that Christ has died and has risen from the dead, now that the gospel of a finished redemption is proclaimed, now that God’s righteousness has been upheld and maintained, “now in Christ Jesus ye … are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” “In time past … ye were without Christ … having no hope, and without God in the world.” “But now,” how different it is. “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested … even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept,” and we have “the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest,” and this “according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began; but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ.” “Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” |
