in be planted in good soil, cultivation is necessary to a bountiful
harvest. Though we be planted in Christ cultivation is necessary to the
production of rich fruit. "And every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth
it, that it may bring forth more fruit." John 15:2. Sin--all sin must be
purged or cleansed away in order to bear fruits of righteousness.

"A tree is known by its fruits." Should there be a tree bearing
promiscuously throughout apples, pears, peaches, plums, grapes, etc., who
could tell what kind of a tree it was? Should it bear apples alone we at
once know the kind of tree. All sin is therefore purged away from the
heart of a Christian that he may be "filled with the fruits of
righteousness," and be known as a light in the world. Sin and
righteousness do not grow upon the same tree. How clearly and plainly this
is taught in the sixth chapter of Romans. Except they be blinded by
prejudice and false teaching all the world must understand this. Verse
eighteen says, "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness." There are two things plainly taught in this text that we
wish to call your attention to. First, to become a servant of
righteousness necessitates a freedom from sin. "Ye can not serve two
masters." Second, this experience of being made free from sin and becoming
servants of righteousness the Roman brethren had received some time in the
past. "Ye became the servants of righteousness." Ver. 20. "For when some
time in their past life ye were the servants of sin ye were free from
righteousness."

In the face of these two texts how can man be so daring and proud and
self-conceited as to teach the impossibility of Christians living a pure
and sinless life in this world? Surely, there is no fear of God before
their eyes. Verse eighteen declares that to become servants of
righteousness necessitates freedom from sin; and verse twenty declares
that to be a "servant of sin" necessitates freedom from righteousness.
"What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?" Ver.
21. Of the things of sin they once engaged in they are now ashamed. "What
fruit had they then?" Ans.--"No fruit of righteousness." "But now being
made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness." Ver. 22. Praise God! You must be made free from sin to be
capable of bearing fruit unto holiness or righteousness. The fruit of the
righteous is to the praise and glory of God. Th