begin again to have a joyful
and confident heart toward God. They thus enter again into their
former relation and into the true paradise of perfect harmony with
God and of justification; they are comforted by his grace.
Accordingly they are disposed to lead a godly life in harmony with
God's commandments and to resist ungodly lusts and ways. These begin
to taste God's goodness and loving kindness, as Paul says, and
realize what they lost in paradise. He, therefore, that would be a
Christian should strive to be found in this new man created after
God; not in blind error and vain conceit, but in the very essence of
righteousness and holiness before God.

TWO CLASSES OF SINS.

"Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his
neighbor: for we are members one of another."

19. Lest there might be one who failed to understand the meaning of
the old and the new man, or of true and false righteousness and
holiness, the apostle now proceeds to give an example or two, making
it easier for us to grasp the idea. All sin comes under one of two
classes: First, that of the devil's own making, such as murder and
deceit; for by lies he establishes all idolatry, error, false faith
and holiness, and among men he creates faithlessness, deceit, malice,
etc. Secondly, those sins which he instigates man to commit against
man; deeds of wrath, hatred, vengeance and murder. Paul combines
these two classes.

20. Now, when a man does not deal fairly with his neighbor, but
practices dishonesty and deceit, be it in matters spiritual or
temporal (and the world is ever deceitful in all transactions), then
certainly the old man holds sway and not righteousness nor holiness,
however much the man may effect a good appearance and evade the
courts. For such conduct does not reflect God's image, but the
devil's. For the heart does not rely on God and his truth, otherwise
it would war with fraud and deception; but its object is to clothe
itself with a misleading garb, even assuming the name of God, and
thus to deceive, belie, betray and forsake its neighbor at the
bidding of every fiendish whim, and all for the satisfaction of its
avarice, selfishness and pride.

21. In contrast thereto you can recognize the new man. He speaks the
truth and hates lies, not only those momentous lies against the first
table of the Ten Commandments, but also those against the second
table; for he deals faithfully and in a brotherly way with others,