Demons BELIEVE and tremble – faith without deeds is dead

Faith alone is not enough for salvation

When Paul told the Philippian jailor in Acts. 16 that he must BELIEVE to be saved, he didn’t have an empty faith in mind but a faith that is the same as ”loving God with all your heart and all your soul”. If we truly believe in Jesus and love him with all of our heart, then we would like to obey him and this is what saving faith means. We can read that Paul and Silas afterwards spoke with this jailor and those with him in his house, and at that point they likely explained the meaning of a prosperous life together with our savior Jesus Christ – who is son of God and God in flesh.

Acts. 16:²⁷ And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.—²⁹ Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,³⁰ And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?³¹ And they said, BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.³² And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.³³ And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.-–21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

What demons (devils/evil spirits) believe

James makes it clear that also demons (devils/evil spirits) believe (see verse further down below) so a faith without deeds is dead, which means that we can’t be saved without works. It’s true that angels and demons can’t be saved in the same way as human beings because they are messengers of God, but once upon a time Satan and 1/3 of his angels were expelled from heaven due to their behavior – and not due to lack of faith in the only true God. The point James is making is that demons don’t have good fruit to go with their faith, and he also gives examples of various DEEDS one is expected to do as a truly saved person. James is not impressed with a person who says he believes in God, unless the same person shows good fruit to go with his faith.

If you think you’re saved if you only

• believe in Jesus Christ
• believe he is the son of God
• believe he is the Holy One of God
• believe he is the Messiah (the Christ)
• believe he is from Nazareth
• believe he has power over heaven and earth, and tremble by this awareness
• believe he is able to punish you for your actions
• believe there is ONE God only
• believe the first christians (like Paul, Silas, Luke, etc) were true servants of God and individuals who showed mankind the way of salvation (which they constantly claimed to be through Jesus Christ only)
• fall down before Jesus
• confess out loud that Jesus is the son of God and the promised Messiah
• have good Bible knowledge

then you must keep in mind that also demons/devils also accomplish all those things on that list, as the below verses will show:

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Mat. 8:²⁸ And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.²⁹ And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

Mark 1:²³ And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,²⁴ Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Yeshua of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

Mark 3:¹¹ And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 

Mark 5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Yeshua, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.⁸ For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

Luke 4:³³ And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,³⁴ Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.³⁵ And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

Luke 4:⁴¹ And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Messiah the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. 

Luke 8:²⁷ And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.²⁹ (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)³⁰ And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

Acts. 16:¹⁶ And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:¹⁷ The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.¹⁸ And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

Matt. 4:⁶ And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Read more about James 2, and faith/works, in this blog article

Calvinism is man-centered, and elect individuals have reasons to be proud

Due to my concern for christians trapped in Calvinism (and others who are at risk), I include the below text parts from Jesse Morell. I believe that the doctrines within Calvinism unfortunately and inevitably encourage christians to remain in their sins, but that doesn’t mean that I believe that all who call themselves calvinists must be major sinners. Still, the doctrines are dangerous (which all gnostic teachings are) and must be exposed in order to save souls. If we love each other, we would like to help each other on the right track. 

Calvinism is totally man centered. ”I am saved by nothing I do,” ”I cannot be lost by anything I do,” etc. It is all centered on man being saved no matter what. It gives religious sinners eternal security. It itches their ears. There is no choice of total repentance from all sin required, just believing. There is no necessity to labor and run and persevere unto the end. There is no threat of going to hell through sinning. It itches the ears of those who want this man-centered gospel. You don’t have to love God supremely. You don’t have to totally commit yourself to God. You can live in compromise and sin every day in word, thought, and deed, and still be saved. Calvinism doesn’t glorify God, it comforts religious sinners and in doing so it dishonors God. 

Which system really glorifies God? The one which says God is the ultimate cause of sin and that men do not need to stop all their sinning, or the one that says each individual is the cause of their own sin and we must all repent of our sins and live holy lives glorifiying to God? Which doctrine of grace really glorifies God? The one that says grace means being saved while we continue to sin, or grace is the means of being saved from our sin? One of these systems glorifies God while the other system greatly dishonors Him. What of the Westminster Catechism that says no man is able, either of his own power or by any grace received in this life, to perfectly keep the commandments, but does daily break them in word, thought, and deed…? Well, that covers all the bases. I mean, the devil couldn’t do any worse than that. That excuses all sin, of any kind. Calvinism certainly does make ”a broad stroke that intentionally misunderstands and maligns Christ.” How man-centered is this theology! Now, the power of man’s sin is even greater than the power of God’s grace! God’s grace cannot overcome man’s sin! Wow, talk about a man-centered sin-excusing theology.

Glorification is the perfection of the body. Sanctification is the perfection of the heart. We are not commanded to be glorified in this life. This is not an obligation. We are not sinful for failing to have glorified bodies. Even Jesus did not have a glorified body until after the resurrection. But we can sanctify ourselves to God. We can set ourselves apart from the service of sin to the service of God.

We are not born with a sinful nature

We are born into a sinful world, but sin itself is a choice of our own will. You are not born a homosexual, drunkard, etc. That is choice. Paul said sinners will be ”without excuse” on Judgment Day. They cannot say, like Lady GaGa, ”I was born this way.” God forms our nature in the womb and He does not form us as little sinners. We become sinners at the age of accountability, by our own free will. As the Bible says men are sinners ”from their youth” which means ”juvenile” not infant.

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Ps. 139:14. We are not guilty of the sin of Adam: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” Eze. 18:20 We are commanded to sanctify ourselves: “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.” Lev. 20:7. This verse is quoted in the New Testament as well. Jesus can forgive us and cleanse us, not from some sin, but from all sin: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I Jn. 1:9. Just read the rest of 1 John. He that sins is of the devil. Whosoever has been born of God does not commit sin. Etc. The Word says that the grace of God that brings salvation teaches us to live free from sin in this life. Our fallen bodies do not make us sin, so we don’t need a new body to be free from sin. Romans 6 says Jesus sets us free from sin in this life. Hebrews says Jesus was made in all things liken unto his brethren.

Jesus did not have a sinful nature, so neither did we. Jesus lived a holy and sinless life and Jesus said come and follow me and He is our example to follow. If we sin after our initial conversion, we must repent or perish as Jesus taught his disciples. We never have to sin, as God never allows us to be tempted above our ability (1 Cor. 10:13). To say that we can never life free from all sin in this life is to make the power of sin greater than the power of the cross and greater than the power of God’s grace. Certainly, we still have a free will after conversion so we are still capable of sinning. But with the help of God’s grace, we can choose to overcome and persevere. Men are sinners by choice, as the Bible says all we like sheep have gone astray and turned to our own way. And therefore, we can cease to be sinners by choice. Hence, God’s command for us to repent and His appeals of grace. We cannot have glorified bodies in this life, and so we have not attained physical perfection. That comes after our race is done. But we can have sanctified bodies in this life, as Paul said we can yield our members as instruments of righteousness, present our bodies a living sacrifice, that God can sanctify us wholly spirit soul and body, etc.

Certainly we are not forgiven before we repent, and if we sin God clearly sees it. But when we think upon what Jesus Christ has done to make forgiveness available for us and for everyone, we should love Him and turn from all our sins as a consequence. Once we do that, God forgives us through Christ. Calvary makes us willing to do what creation made us capable of doing. And what the law could not do, the gospel was able to accomplish. Legal motives of self-interest were insufficient to perfect the heart, but the motives presented to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ can cleanse us from all sin. Every day we make the choice to sin or not, and certainly our salvation depends upon our perseverance in holiness, but when we look upon the cross and see how much God has loved this world, we see how worthy He is of our worship and service and we love Him in return with our obedience.

Romans chapter seven

Rom. 7 gives us a description of what occurs when the mind of an unconverted sinner is convicted by the law. Using a literary technique, Paul uses the present tense to tell the narrative. As many stories begin with “once upon a time,” Paul said, “For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died” (Rom. 7:9). He then proceeded in his narrative to discuss what happens when an unconverted sinner encounters the law of God. Some suppose Romans chapter seven to be a description of the Christian life, as opposed to a description of an unconverted state. But we know Paul is not referring to his own converted state because he already said that Christians have been made “free from sin” (Rom. 6:18, 22). The man in Romans seven was not ”free from sin” and, therefore, he was not a Christian. Paul also said that, “There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). Yet the man in Romans chapter seven was under condemnation and therefore needed to be saved by Jesus (Rom. 7:24-25).

And Paul said that, “to be carnally minded is death” (Rom. 8:6). But the man in Romans chapter seven said, “I am carnal, sold under sin” (Rom. 7:14). Therefore, the man in Romans chapter seven did not have eternal life. And finally, Paul said that as a converted man he lived with a good and pure conscience that was void of offense (Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16; 2 Tim. 1:3). The man described in Romans chapter seven is deeply disturbed by his conscience (Rom. 7:16). Therefore, the description given in Romans chapter seven was not of the converted life of the Apostle Paul. It is a narration describing what happens when an unconverted sinner’s mind encounters the law of God and is convicted by it.

So it is a sin to inherit a weakness to commit sin? How is that a sin? 

• Jesus died for everyone, but only those who repent and believe are forgiven through it. So if a believer sins, they must repent and ask God for forgiveness.
•  Forgiveness of future sins is nothing more than a license to sin. God only forgives us of our sins after we have repented of them. And since we are not yet guilty of future sins, we have nothing to be forgiven us. Not only would forgiveness of future sins be unwise, it is also impossible. Sins must be dealt with as they occur. Hence what we read in 1 John 1:8-9. If a believer sins, we must repent or perish.

1. How can David say he was wonderfully made and God’s works are marvelous if God formed him in the womb with a sinful nature?

2. How can it be said that Jesus was made ”in all things liken unto his brethren” if we are born with a sinful nature and he wasn’t?

3. How come our sanctification is spoken of in the same tense as our justification?

4. How can inheriting a weakeness to commit sin be a sin itself?

5. If we are forgiven of all future sins at conversion, have you ever asked God to forgive you since your conversion? If you were already forgiven, why do you insult his grace by asking for forgiveness?

6. What would a license to sin consist of, if not forgiveness of unrepented future sins? What is a license but permission to do an action without fear of legal prosecution?

7. If Romans 7 was Paul’s Christian life, how can he say that he lived with a conscience void of offense?

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We were not capable of sinning before the age of accountability, as Jesus said if you were blind you would have no sin. Infants are not under the wrath of God, as the wrath of God comes upon those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Those with knowledge are without excuse, but as infants have no moral knowledge, they are with excuse for their behavior. As they grow, they make free will choices. Hence we are told to teach them, disciple them, etc. If their nature caused their actions, teaching them would be useless and discipline would be cruelty and pointless. Only if their free will makes their choices can teaching and disciple change their behavior.

The perfection that God requires is a perfection that we are capable of. It is purity of motive – a perfection of heart. The Bible commands us to love God and love our neighbor. The Bible speaks of men who were ”perfect in heart” which shows it is possible for man in this life. The commandment is directly proportationate to our ability, as we are command to love God ”with all” thy ability and love your neighbor ”as yourself.” We are not commanded to love with more ability than we have, but with all the ability that we have. So it is not impossible. If it were impossible, God’s law would be unreasonable and unjust. Damnation would be infinite cruelty. But as God is just and as He does punish sinners, this shows that they were capable of avoiding their sin

Which is greater, the power of sin or the power of the cross and the grace of God?

If the power of the cross is greater than the power of sin, why can’t you stop sinning? Does not the cross make you love God? And if you love Him, you will obey Him. When you are tempted, just look at the cross. Put your faith in God and you will overcome sin.  As love is the fulfillment of the law – a complete satisfaction to our moral obligation. Love is perfection. God does not want us to have an imaginary holiness but an actual holiness. The Bible never says that Christ’s works of the law are imputed to us. That is not necessary as we are not justified by works of the law. The ”imputed righteousness of Christ” is a cliche and a myth. If you sin, God see’s it. Nothing is hide from His eyes the Bible says. He says, ”I know your works, be zealous therefore and repent.” Don’t dream that you are covered by the imputed righteousness of Christ while you continue to sin, thus making his work a license to sin. Rather, repent of your sins and then you will be pardoned by His grace and mercy.

Paul taught that we were not under the law, as in the Torah, but not that we were free from all moral obligation. As Paul said we are obligated to love God and love our neighbor. God is not an anarchist or an antinomian. He does not promote lawlessness. As Paul said, not without law to God but under the law of Christ.

God does not impute our trespasses to us when He forgives us and pardons us. This is conditional upon our repentance and faith. Holiness, in terms of the Christian, is an internal attitude of submission and obedience whereby we are set apart from sin and to the service of God. And Jesus not only saves our souls, He changes our lives. He is not only our justification, He is also our sanctification.  Justification by works of the law is impossible. Obedience cannot atone for past disobedience. Hence, we need gracious justification. God can declare us pardoned. He commands us to repent and believe and when we are converted He pardons all our past trespasses through the atonement of Christ.

”By nature children of wrath” in context is about how we previously lived a sinful lifestyle. The Greek word for nature in that passage can mean that which by long habit has become nature, according to Thayer which is one of the best Greek-English Lexicon available. The Bible also says that the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, which show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness. Doesn’t sound like they were born totally depraved with a sinful nature. Conscience is part of our nature, and it tells us to obey God.

The Bible is clear that Jesus died for everyone but not everyone is saved because not everyone repents and believes. It is possible for those for whom Christ died to perish. As Paul said you can cause a brother to perish for whom Christ died. And you can deny the Lord who bought you and bring upon yourself swift destruction.

The atonement does not give us a license to sin or make salvation automatic for anyone. Pardon through the atonement is conditional. The Bible says repent, believe, and persevere unto the end. If we fail any of those points, we cannot expect God’s mercy but His wrath. Jesus said He that perseveres unto the end shall be saved. That speaks of salvation in the future tense. There are others passages that speak of it as past and present. I am saved. I am being saved. And I will be saved. The Bible says eternal life is to know God. And it says by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that says I know Him and keeps not His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in Him. So those who are obedient to God have eternal life and those who are disobedient do not. As it is written, He is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.

He tasted death for EVERY man it says. He is the propitiation, not only for our sins, but for the sins of the WHOLE world. Just as the serpent was lifted up for WHOSOEVER to be saved through it, so God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him would be saved, etc. There is no limited atonement in the foreshadow sacrifices.

People attack biblical holiness and the born again experience as self-righteousness and confuse biblical repentance with justification by works of the law. If a person is living in sin, aka sinning every day in word, thought, and deed, than it should be obviously that they haven’t put their faith in Christ. If they had confidence in His character and trusted Him they would do whatever He asks. As Hebrews 11 says by faith Abraham obeyed. Abraham was justified by an obedient faith, or a faith that resulted in obedience. What sins do you have in your life that you cannot stop? What sins do you have in your life that Christ cannot set you free from? Or really, what sin do you have in your life that you are unwilling to repent of?

Obedience can never atone for disobedience

We could never make up for our sins by obedience and we could never earn or merit salvation. It must come by grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. But it is conditional. We must repent and believe to receive it. I say that we must repent and believe (obedience to the gospel) but that our obedience to the gospel does not merit or earn salvation. ”By faith Abraham…obeyed” Hebrews 11:8. Abraham was justified by an obedient faith. There is a difference between conditions and grounds. Our obedience to the gospel is not the grounds of our salvation. It does not merit or earn salvation. Peter said, ”repent of this thy wickedness that the thought of your heart might be forgiven thee” and ”save yourselves from this untoward generation”. Was Peter teaching heresy by telling them to save themselves? Certainly not. Repentance is a condition of forgiveness. We can only save ourselves, through the atonement of Christ, by repenting and believing.

Justification by works of the law is regarding the Torah and merit. It is not about repenting of your sins to be pardoned by grace and mercy. We do not need to obey the law (Torah) to be saved. But we must obey the gospel, which demands that we repent of our sins and trust in Christ. If good works are the evidence of faith, then bad works are the evidence of unbelief. There is no condemnation for those who walk after the spirit and not after the flesh. If you are living in sin, aka walking after the flesh, there is condemnation.  By faith you can live a pure and holy life. By faith you can overcome all sin and be perfect in heart. The same faith that justifies also sanctifies. Under the New Covenant we are not under obligation to the Torah, but only to the moral law of God. The New Testament does not command us to be circumcised, but to love God and love our neighbor.

“But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” Gal. 2:14

“To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.” 1 Cor. 9:21.

We are not under the law of Moses, but under the law of Christ.

“For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” Heb. 7:12.

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things” Heb. 10:1.

The external and physical laws of the Old Covenant, like the clean and unclean food, circumcision, etc, were figurative of the internal and moral change that occurs under the New Covenant. Thus, the New Covenant fulfills the Old Covenant. These Old Covenant laws were figurative, but in the New Covenant that which is better has come. Hence,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;” Heb. 10:16.

You can read more from Jesse Morell on his website.

”Any theology that gives man a legitimate excuse for sin and maligns God’s holy character CANNOT, by definition be ‘God centered’”  (Kerrigan Skelly)

It’s a choice to be children of wrath (Ephesians 2)

There are some who believe that God randomly selects people to be saved and ignore the rest, and they try to use Ephesians 1-2 as support for this theory. The truth is that God wants ALL people to be saved because he IS a merciful God and he wants us to take after HIM when it comes to showing mercy. (We shouldn’t strive to be merciful to SOME and ignore the majority.)

2 Peter 3:⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance

Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, 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?

Luke 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

In Ephesians we can read about a corporate election, and the body of Christ IS indeed chosen to inherit his kingdom. I believe God decided before the world began that true believers shall inherit his kingdom, but the question is if we as individuals would like to join the body of Christ (the Church) or not. IF we so choose, the wonderful promises are also tied to us. ”Elect” can mean precious, and we are indeed precious if we choose to believe in our Savior and live holy and separate. The book of Ephesians concerns what BELIEVERS can look forward to in the future. Pay attention to how many times IN him, THROUGH him, etc, are mentioned in Ephesians 1-2. Being IN HIM is the condition for being one of the elect! Also pay attention to the warnings addressed to christians. Paulus starts out his letter by addressing FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS who therefore are HOLY and very special (elect):

Ephesians 1

When Paul talks about US he means about both jews and gentiles who believe in Jesus Christ. Paulus puts a lot of emphasis on trying to get the jews to understand that they are not on the way to Heaven just because they are born jews and are his chosen people. It’s through JESUS that we can be saved. It’s through his blood because only his precious blood can cleanse our sins. What God had decided from eternity past is NOT which individuals to provide faith to and eventually save, but rather that whoever is IN HIM (”us” v. 4) are ELECT, and chosen to be holy and blameless before God thanks to the blood of Jesus! The condition is therefore that we must be IN HIM in order to reach the state where we have all the mentioned wonderful promises tied to us.  What is foreknown is that those who are IN HIM will through Jesus Christ be taken up as his holy children. Those who are not IN HIM are not forgiven for their sins and redeemed in his blood, resulting in that they are lost. WE as believers have redemption through his blood, and that means we are on the safe side. WE are therefore adopted as children and can expect an inheritance. (Let’s not forget that a son can be disinherited though.)

Eph. 1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus

V. 5 below uses the word ”adoption” but this word didn’t mean exactly the same thing 2000 years ago as it does today in our modern world. The Greek word ”huiothesia” refers to the standing of someone who is ALREADY a son and Adoption is thus the inheritance or promise  that the son can expect to receive as an heir.  Huiothesia is not the same as salvation but it is the promise of God received by those who are believers in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:22-27).  The body of Christ is predestined to God’s kingdom and to receive the inheritance, and the question remains who would like to join and who will remain to the end. The body of Christ is heading there, but are YOU? Join the body-of-Christ-bus, but stay on the bus to the end station!

Eph. 1:³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places IN CHRIST:⁴ According as he hath chosen us IN HIM before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame BEFORE HIM in love:⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted IN THE BELOVED.⁷ IN WHOM we have redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace

The Holy Spirit is like a  deposit for us christians (and all the spiritual gifts will one day pass away when we enter God’s kingdom), but just like in all legal contracts our particular ”contract” with God can be broken (just like the old covenant was broken) if either of the party doesn’t follow the agreement. If you buy a car through making regular installments and stops paying – which you signed a document promising you would – the car will be seized despite that it was once in your possession. It’s also good to have a ”guarantee receipt” because it entitles you (if it hasn’t expired) to certain rights, but if you throw it away or if you have lost it, then it won’t do you much good despite all the promises that are listed on it.

Having the Holy Spirit is often likened with being ”sealed”. This doesn’t mean anything unbreakable as shown here, but it means that we are ”marked” as very special and holy people who can expect a great inheritance. (As long as we remain in Christ of course.) We are separate from all others who do not have this seal, due to their refusal to repent and believe. The sealing occurs AFTER that we believe, and we can read in Acts 5:32 that the Holy Spirit is given to all those who OBEY him, so belief and obedience must come before we get the Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that OBEY him.

We can also read that God works all things after the counsel of his own will. Does this will exclude the possibility that he might want to place conditions for salvation on us? No of course not, because God can do anything he wants and it’s clear that he require US to repent, believe and show good fruit. He is not going to do this for us. The mystery of his will is that he will one day gather all believers together and give them the inheritance – those who are IN CHRIST! And we can read that TRUST plays an important role in order to be one of the elect. God is not ”trusting” for us. WE are supposed to trust in him and we can read that Paul says that trust comes AFTER hearing about the gospel of our salvation.

Eph. 1:⁹ Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:¹¹ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:¹² That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first TRUSTED in Christ.¹³ In whom ye also TRUSTED, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye BELIEVED, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Paul prayed a lot for the Ephesians, indicating that we can absolutely change the outcome of things with our prayers, and in this case Paul prayed for wisdom. Our prayers can influence others to be enlightened and to know what the HOPE is for God’s calling. We can read once again that it’s the SAINTS who get the benefit of the inheritance. We can also read that the CHURCH, which is the body of Christ will ultimately and once for all be under his feet. This is what the beginning of Ephesians is all about. HIS CHURCH – THE BODY OF CHRIST, consisting of BELIEVING SAINTS.

Eph. 1:¹⁶ Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;¹⁷ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the HOPE of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the SAINTS,¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward WHO BELIEVE, according to the working of his mighty power,²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:²² And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the CHURCH,²³ Which is his BODY, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2 starts with Paul telling us that God has quickened us who were dead in trespasses and sins. I can only say that it’s a very bad choice to  be dead in trespasses and sins! When are we spiritually DEAD according to the Bible? That is when we SIN and in that way separate ourselves from our holy God.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Luke 15:(The prodigal son) ³⁰ But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.—³² It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was DEAD, and is alive AGAIN; and was LOST, and is found.

Nowhere in the Bible does it suggest that spiritually ”dead” people cannot make any good moral decisions or that they are unable to seek God. And nowhere does it say that we are totally depraved (words not even in the Bible), BORN as children of wrath or born with a sinful nature. On the contrary, even evil unbelievers can do much good, as can be seen here. How then do we become quickened/alive from the predicament that our sin has brought us into? We must of course REPENT for our sins and let the blood of Jesus cleanse us so that we can be born again and become righteous! Then we are no longer dead since we are alive in Christ and new persons. He removed all traces of sins on our account and we have left the old man behind. Paul explains that the Ephesians in time PAST walked in sin, but he doesn’t expect them to continue like that. Also note that in order to commit the sins that Paul lists, you must at least be an ADULT first. Babies are unable to ”walk according to the world”, or ”walk according to Satan”, or choose to ”be disobedient”, or ”walk in the lusts of their flesh”, or ”fulfill the desires of their flesh and of their mind”. So don’t get confused about the expression ”children of wrath” because the description fits only adults, and we can be labelled either children of God or children of Satan depending on our life styles. We can also read that the ”children of wrath” are also called  ”children of disobedience” so it’s clear that in order to fit the bill you must be able to DISOBEY – something that babies cannot do. Does God want people to disobey him? Clearly not! Evidently Eph. 2 doesn’t suggest we are BORN as children of wrath, but it provides details for how we can BECOME children of wrath by the way we live. Even the Ephesians WERE dead due to their choice to sin, but thanks to the blood of Jesus, so rich in mercy and grace, and through their own repentance of their sins, they were restored. Paul says ”hath raised us up together”, but that is a picture of our future with Christ, because he continues the sentence with ”in the ages to COME”. Obviously, we haven’t been elevated yet.

Eph. 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of DISOBEDIENCE³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,⁵ Even when we WERE dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

And don’t get confused just because it says ”by nature”, because 1) it still doesn’t indicate we are BORN that way, 2) we can see below in Rom 2:14 that people can by nature do the things contained in the law, and 3) those who by nature are the children of wrath are those who have made a habit out of sinning and hardened their hearts. (Read more in Romans 1 about how certain men hardened their hearts to the extent that God eventually gave them over to a reprobate mind.) A diligent alcoholic might feel that it’s totally natural for him to get drunk once in a while, and in combination with a refusal to repent his habits might turn him over to become a child of wrath/disobedience. 

Rom. 2:¹⁴ For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:¹⁵ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Now we have arrived to the famous verses which are likely the most cited verses in the entire Bible. These couple of verses are often used as an attempt to show that we can be saved even if we don’t show any fruit, and even if we SIN. That’s not what the verses are saying though.The gift of God in these sentences is NOT ”faith” but that we can be saved. You can read more why the Greek original text makes this clear here. We are either saved by the law OR by grace, and most of us can agree on that we haven’t chosen to obey the law to 100% so the only other option is GRACE (God’s mercy). To suddenly start to make good deeds will never cover for our PAST sins. It’s thanks to the blood of Jesus that we can be cleansed and saved. So does Eph. 2:8-9 suggest that it’s no longer damaging for our souls if we would sin and/or not provide any work? NO! It does not say that! It only informs us that salvation is by grace through FAITH. Nothing we do or believe can ever MERIT salvation, but there are still conditions. We must repent for our sins and believe. Breaking the moral law (the ten commandments) are just as important today as it was during the time of Moses, and as it was during the time of Cain and Abel. Sins always separate us from God whether we live in the old or new testament. Faith without works is dead, and works without faith is also dead.

Eph. 2:⁸ For by grace are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: IT is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Verse 10 is not nearly as popular and it’s rarely cited. This verse tells us that we are supposed to WALK unto good works.  Do you believe that God will accept us the way we are even if we would NOT walk with him and show good works? Hardly!  So this is a warning towards christians. Neither will God do the walking for us, because WE are created to do the walking. However, we can do nothing without Jesus so we have to be IN HIM. 

Eph. 2:¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.¹¹ Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands¹² That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:¹³ But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Paul continues to talk about the good news and what we can accomplish THROUGH Jesus, whether we are jews or gentiles – as long as we are believers. We are united together in one body through the power of the cross. Once again, Ephesians is about the Church and the body of Christ as in God’s family. Are you in or are you out? You decide and you know the conditions.

Eph. 2:¹⁴ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;¹⁵ Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;¹⁶ And that he might reconcile both unto God in ONE BODY by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:¹⁷ And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.¹⁸ For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.¹⁹ Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;²⁰ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;²¹ In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:²² In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Finally, keep the parable in Matthew 22 in mind where we can read ”many are called but few are chosen”. The ”chosen” ones are those who freely accepted to go to the party, and who also went.  As opposed to others who were on the guest list and expected to come by the King himself, but who still declined to go. We can place ourselves among the chosen elect if we choose GOD and show it by our actions.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Evil people and unbelievers can do GOOD and BELIEVE

Also atheists can do much good, and many of them feel terrible when they realize they have behaved inappropriately and hurt someone’s feelings. Maybe we can even relate to ourselves and to the time before we were born again. We didn’t live in constant sins, and we did lots of good to others whether we knew them or not. Each time we refrained from hurting others, or from lying and stealing, we surely did something good. We all have a conscience, and it’s our own decision whether to listen to our conscience or not. There are even atheists who have given up their lives and died for others. Their good deeds and their decisions to live morally upright of course won’t save them in the end, but there should be no arguments about whether non believers and/or bad people can do good because they CAN. Each time they decide to not sin, it’s a GOOD thing before the Lord, and each time they decide to give comforting words to a stranger in distress, it’s GOOD. It’s just that it’s not good enough for salvation because in order to be saved they need to repent and believe in Jesus and his offer or else they are not cleansed. Here are a few examples of that unbelievers can seek and find the Lord, and that even EVIL people can make good moral decisions.

Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being EVIL, know how to give GOOD gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 

Acts 28:And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.² And the BARBAROUS PEOPLE shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

1 Cor. 14:24 But if an UNBELIEVER or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “GOD IS REALLY AMONG YOU!”

James 4:¹⁷ Therefore to him that KNOWETH to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Rom. 2:¹⁴For when THE GENTILES, which have not the law, DO BY NATURE the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁵Whichshew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another)

Luke 15:¹⁷ (The prodigal son) And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,¹⁹ And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.²⁰ And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.²¹ And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.—³² It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive AGAIN; and was lost, and is found.

Job 4:¹¹ And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? Job 3:¹⁰ And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Acts. 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, ² A DEVOUT man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway—⁴ And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.⁷ And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a  DEVOUT soldier of them that waited on him continually;—¹⁹ While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.—²⁸ And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or UNCLEAN.—⁴⁵ And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the GENTILES also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

God created man in such a way that they should SEEK Him and FIND Him. That was the idea and it shows how merciful our Lord is to all of us. We all have a chance to be saved and God is not far away from any of us. When we choose to come to Him we must have the right approach and we must BELIEVE that He is, and that He will listen and reward those who diligently seek Him.  If we renew our minds and change our hearts, then we will learn what the perfect will of God is:

Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;²⁷ THAT THEY SHOULD SEEK THE LORD, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.

Jeremiah 4:14 Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved

Romans 12:²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God expects us to repent from our sins and change our own hearts for His sake and in order to get LIFE. We can read that He has NO PLEASURE in the death of him that dies, and He sincerely wants us all to turn to Him to get eternal life. His desire is that we eventually enter his Kingdom but He will not force us. If we won’t let go of our sins, and if we refuse to change our hearts, then we are separated from God and unable to enter. If also unrepentant sinners could enter Heaven, it’s wouldn’t really be a Heaven. It’s important to realize that we are not saved because Jesus was righteous FOR us or INSTEAD of us. It’s true that we as christians are cleansed in His righteous blood, but we must continue to keep ourselves clean! If we show good fruit we can actually talk about OUR righteousness and not JESUS righteousness. Jesus will not produce good fruit for us. That’s our job. Nothing we propose to do can ever merit salvation, but on judgment day it will still be those who DO GOOD who will be saved if the foundation that we build on is JESUS. We are not saved unconditionally:

Ezekiel 18:—Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.³¹ Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?³² For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

2 Cor. 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of YOUR righteousness 

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: ³⁵But in every nation he that feareth him, and WORKETH RIGHTEOUSNESS, is accepted with him.

Rom. 2:⁶Who will render to every man according to HIS DEEDS: ⁷To them who by patient continuance in WELL DOING seek for glory and honour and immortality, ETERNAL LIFE

There are three factors provided for us that enables us to realize there is a Creator who has opinions about the way we lead our lives – even if we would be born in the jungle:

1) Creation itself proves that there is a Creator and we can SEE it with our own eyes (and/or hear and feel if we are born blind)

Rom. 1:¹⁹ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.²⁰ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse

2) God has placed a knowledge in our hearts so that we can UNDERSTAND that the beauty of the world is from our Creator

Eccl. 3:¹¹ He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

(Eccl. 3:11 The whole He hath made beautiful in its season; also, that knowledge He hath put in their heart without which man findeth not out the work that God hath done from the beginning even unto the end. Young’s Literal)

3) We have been given a conscience

Rom. 2:¹⁴For when THE GENTILES, which have not the law, DO BY NATURE the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁵Whichshew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another)

This means there are no excuses for us to reject God

James 2 says that we are justified by WORKS and not by faith alone

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only (James 2:24)

In order to avoid the implications of what this verse is saying – that we are not justified by faith alone – people suggest that we are justified by our works before PEOPLE, whereas we are justified by our faith (alone) before GOD. But does understanding hold up to scrutiny? Let’s see what James 2 is saying about Abraham:

James 2:²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by WORKS, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ²³And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴Ye see then how that BY WORKS a man is justified, and NOT by faith only. ²⁵Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? ²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD ALSO.

Here is the incident where Abraham offered up his son Isaac:

Genesis 22:³ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.⁴ Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.⁵ And Abraham said unto his young men, ABIDE YE HERE WITH THE ASS; and I AND THE LAD WILL GO YONDER and worship, and come again to you.⁹ And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.—¹¹ And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy“, he said. “Do not do anything to him. NOW I KNOW that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”—¹⁸ And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; BECAUSE thou hast obeyed my voice.¹⁹ So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

If James 2:21-24 is supposed to show that christians are justified by works before people, then James couldn’t have chosen a worse example since there were NO people around to see Abraham nearly sacrificing his son which James described as ”Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” Abraham was alone when he offered up his son, and not even his servants were around to see it (which is also confirmed by the secular history as per The Book of Jasher). We can read that God says ”Now I know” when he beheld Abraham offering his son. Clearly Abraham’s famous work which labelled him ”righteous” (the most famous example) was before GOD and not before people. We can get this established also here:

Romans 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just BEFORE GOD, but the doers of the law shall be justified  

The passage earlier in James 2 says this:

James 2:¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? ¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ¹⁸Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ¹⁹Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ²⁰But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 

The context is about WORKS (and not about the constitution of God or angels). James compares faith without works with the faith that demons have, and even though he confirms that demons also have faith they don’t have the right fruit to go with it. Faith without works is dead, and works without faith is dead as well. We can’t merit salvation with our works, but works is still a condition for salvation and therefore needed. If we don’t show good fruit, Jesus promises we will be cut off the vine so it’s something very essential for our salvation. We know that sinning doesn’t mean reduced rewards in heaven, but our SOULS are at stake:

Rom 6:21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in DEATH!

Romans 6:16: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin UNTO DEATH, or obedience unto righteousness.

1 Pet 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your SOUL.

Romans 8: ⁶For to be carnally minded is DEATH; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. —¹³For if ye live after the flesh, YE SHALL DIE: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, YE SHALL LIVE. 

John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son WILL NOT SEE LIFE, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Mark 9:47.And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into HELL

Matt. 7:21 Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who DOES the will of my Father who is in heaven.

1 Peter 4:18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and sinner?

1 Cor. 9.“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived…”

Matt. 16:24 Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up theircross and follow me.

The oft mentioned verses in Eph. 2:8-9 doesn’t speak against the above. We are either saved by the law OR by grace through faith (one or the other), and we know it could not be the former since that option requires 100% obedience at all times which we have not achieved. Thankfully God offers the gift of salvation by faith, but this doesn’t mean that obeying the MORAL law (the ten commandments) is from now on just ”optional” to obey, albeit ”good” if we manage to obey them. No, we are supposed to have these laws in our hearts and we are not under the law IF we live by the spirit. The ten commandments are just as important to obey today as they have always been (ever since the time of Adam) since iniquities continue to separate us from God. We are free from ceremonial laws but certainly not from the ten commandments. Being cleansed in the blood of Jesus doesn’t mean that we are still saved if we continue to get filthy in the future. See also how Paul on one hand says we are NOT under the law, but on the other hand lists numerous examples of sins which separate us from God.

Gal.5:18 BUT IF YE BE LED OF THE SPIRIT, YE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Rom.3:³⁰Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.³¹Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, We ESTABLISH THE LAW.

Bible verses about DOING righteousness and obeying the Lord

To DO and WORK righteousness

Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 13:41-42: The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which DO INIQUITY. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the RIGHTEOUS [those who do righteousness] shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Romans 2:18: For the WRATH of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and UNRIGHTEOUSNESS of men

Romans 2:6-11: [God] will render to every man according to his DEEDS: To them who by patient continuance in WELL DOING seek for glory and honour and immortality,  ETERNAL LIFE: But unto them that are contentious, and DO NOT OBEY THE TRUTH, BUT OBEY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, indignation and WRATH, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that DOETH EVIL, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace to every man that WORKETH good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.

Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in GOD’s SIGHT, but it is those who OBEY THE LAW who will be declared RIGHTEOUS. 

Romans 6:¹⁵What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.16: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to OBEY, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of SIN UNTO DEATH, or OBEDIENCE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS. ¹⁷But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ²⁰For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ²¹What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is DEATH. ²²But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting LIFE. ²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 John 2:²⁸And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.²⁹If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS is born of him.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU: he that DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RIGHTEOUS, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Deuteronomy 25:16: All that DO unrighteously are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Deuteronomy 6:25 And it shall be OUR righteousness, if we observe to DO all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.

Hosea 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousnessupon you.

Acts 10:34-35: Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and WORKETH righteousness, is accepted with Him.

1 Peter 4:18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and sinner?

1 Cor. 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? BE NOT DECEIVED

Galatians 6:7-8 BE NOT DECEIVED; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH SHALL OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION. 

1 Cor 15:34 Awake to RIGHTEOUSNESS, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame!

2 Cor. 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of YOUR righteousness 

Sinning causes DEATH also for a true believer

Galatians 6:⁸For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap CORRUPTION; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap LIFE EVERLASTING. 

Rom 8:⁶For to be carnally minded is DEATH; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. —¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Rom. 6:¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of SIN UNTO DEATH, or of obedience unto righteousness?—²¹ What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of THOSE THINGS  IS DEATH.²² But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Jam. 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth DEATH.16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Jam. 1:²¹Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS. —²⁶If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 

James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way SHALL SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

1 Pet 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your SOUL.

Matt. 10: ²²And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the END shall be saved.

Rev. 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie…

Gal. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that THEY WHICH DO SUCH THINGS SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son WILL NOT SEE LIFE, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Mark 9:47.And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into HELL

1 Peter 4:18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and sinner?

Ezekiel 18:20-24 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he DIE.

Those who OBEY will get eternal life

Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. 

Acts: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of God, nor of His son Jesus Christ, who gives the HOLY GHOST to ALL who OBEY Him.

John 5: ²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, ²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

Hebr.12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

1 Tim 6:¹²Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

1 John 21:¹⁷And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

2 Cor 5:9Wherefore we LABOUR, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him.

Jhn 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man SERVE me, him will my Father honour.

Heb 6:¹¹And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: ¹²That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

We are expected to stop sinning

1 Cor. 7:¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Romans 8:⁴That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ⁵For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. — ¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. ¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should NOT SERVE SIN.

1 Tim. 5:22 Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

1 Pet. 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings

James 1:¹⁹Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: ²⁰For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. ²¹Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS. ²²But be ye DOERS OF THE WORD, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ²³For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. ²⁵But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. ²⁶If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

Col. 3: ⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: ⁶For which things’ sake the WRATH of God cometh on the children of DISOBEDIENCE: ⁷In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. ⁸But NOW ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. ⁹Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; ¹⁰And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Eph. 4: ²⁹Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. ³⁰And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

1 Pet. 1:¹⁴As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the FORMER lusts in your ignorance: ¹⁵But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; ¹⁶Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Ezekiel 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, 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?

James 4⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

1 Kin. 8:61 Let your heart therefore be PERFECT with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, as at this day

Jhn 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and DOETH HIS WILL, him He heareth.

Mal 2:17 You have wearied the LORD with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask. By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them”

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me :seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children

Isa. 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

1 Pet 5: ⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Heb 12:⁴Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Mark 9: ⁴⁷And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

1 Cor. 10: ¹²Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. ¹³There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ¹⁴Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Heb 10:²⁶For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, ²⁷But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. ²⁸He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: ²⁹Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath TRODDEN UNDER FOOT the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was SANCTIFIED, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

King David: Psa. 17:³Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress

Matt. 16: ²⁴Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are NOT GRIEVOUS.

Deut. 30:¹⁰IF thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and IF thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. ¹¹For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. —¹⁴But the word is VERY NIGH unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, THAT THOU MAYEST DO IT. ¹⁵See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; ¹⁶In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. ¹⁷But IF thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; ¹⁸I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. ¹⁹I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 

The normal life for a christian is to obey

1 John 2:3,4 We know that we have come to know him IF we obey his commands. The man who says, ”I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Luke 8:21He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and DO not the things which I say?”

Matt. 7:21 Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

John 3:³⁶He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him

John 14:15 If you love me, you will obey what I command.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keeps them, is he that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him.—23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

Jude 21 ”keep yourselves in the love of God”

James 2:⁵Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that LOVE him?

Matt.19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Genesis 4:⁶And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? ⁷If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

”Go, sin no more” John 5:14; John 8:11 
Awake to righteousness, and sin not 1 Cor. 15:34
”Little children, sin not” 1 John 2:1
Shall we continue in sin?” Romans 6:1, 2
”Stand in awe, sin not” Ps. 4:4
”He that committeth sin is of the Devil” 1 John 3:8
”Whosoever is born of God doth not sin” 1 John 5:18; 3:9
”Let not sin reign in your bodies” Romans 6:12
”Sin shall not reign” Romans 6:14

What is sin?

1 John 3:⁴Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

James 1:14-16 But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.  

James 4¹⁷Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

Rom 5:¹³For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Matt 15¹⁸But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.¹⁹For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Rom. 2:¹²For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹⁴For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁵Whichshew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another)

List of sins

Gal. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Cor. 6:⁹Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ¹⁰Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 

Eph. 5:³But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; ⁴Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. ⁵For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Rev. 3:14-16 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Rev 21 ⁸But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

2 Tim 3: ²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

1 Thessalonians 4:³For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: ⁴That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; ⁵Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: ⁶That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. ⁷For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. ⁸He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

Justified by the works of the law?

The whole idea of a sinner being justified by the works of the law is impossible. Justification is to be pronounced innocent in the court of law and being acquitted of all charges, but God cannot lie so he cannot justify the wicked (Ex. 23:7; Deut. 25:1; Prov. 17:15; Nah. 1:3).  While the law condemns the guilty, God has the authority to forgive them because God can pronounce the guilty as ”pardoned”.  Justification by works of the law is when you are pronounced innocent, which is impossible for a sinner, but justification by grace is when those who are guilty and deserve punishment are pardoned and forgiven. Justification by works of the law is merited and deserved, while justification by grace is unmerited and undeserved. Jesus used the word justification synonymous with forgiveness (Lk. 18:10-14).God will not set aside the penalty of a sinner who still plans on sinning.

Many believe that they are under the grace of God while they continue in their wickedness even though the Bible repeatedly says otherwise. God says that it is an ”abomination” to ”justifieth the wicked”. (Prov. 17:15). God said ”I will not justify the wicked” (Exo. 23:7). God is ”angry with the wicked every day” (Ps. 7:11).  We  must give up our wickedness if we want to escape the anger of God and the punishment of hell.  ”Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:6-7). Those who are described as being ”justified” in the Scriptures are also described as being ”sanctified” and ”washed” (1 Cor. 6:11). Those who will inherit the kingdom of God are ”them which are sanctified”. (Acts 20:32)  When a sinner repents he actually becomes a holy saint. Without this repentance or moral transformation, there is no forgiveness or eternal life.

Jesus righteousness is not imputed into us

To say that we need the imputed righteousness of Christ to be transferred to our account in order to be justified is to say that the grace of God and the atonement of Jesus Christ is not enough. It is very important to understand that we do not need Christ’s imputed works of the law to be transferred to our account in order to be justified. That would be justification by works of the law. But those who repent and believe are justified by God’s grace through the atonement.

If God looked at our account and saw that it was spotless according to the law there would be no ”grace” in our justification. Justification by works of the law is when you are pronounced innocent because your record is spotless and perfect in the sight of the law. But justification by grace is when you are pronounced forgiven and pardoned even though your record shows that you are guilty and deserving of punishment.  We are not justified by works or by merit, either from ourselves or from Christ. Christ died for us but He did not obey for us.  We are imputed righteous through Christ, but we do not receive the imputed righteousness of Christ. That distinction is understood when we have a Biblical understanding of what imputed righteousness is.

Biblical imputed righteousness is when you are forgiven and treated as if you had always been righteous even though you haven’t been. When Paul was discussing imputed righteousness, he described this state by quoting Psalms 31:1-2. ”Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, blessed are they whoses iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Rom. 4:5-8). To be imputed righteous without the works of the law is thus when your iniquities are covered and your sins are forgiven.  There is unmerited forgiveness that we receive through the atonement of Christ when we have a living obedient faith, but nobody is imputed righteous or forgiven while they continue to practice unrighteousness.

Abraham and his righteousness

Abraham was not weak in faith. He was fully convinced in what God had promised and OBEYED from that foundation (Rom 4:19-21, Heb 11:8) THEREFORE his faith was credited (imputed) to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS. God did not have to PRETEND that he was righteous because now his heart was upright and obedient in faith. It is his FAITH that is imputed as righteousness (Rom. 4:5), nothing about Christ’s righteousness being imputed. ”Impute” does NOT mean ”transfer.”  When righteousness is formed in us it is not imputed, but ours. It is ours not because of imputation but because we have been actively transformed into the likeness of Christ, possessing the divine nature ourselves. This is the righteousness which is by faith.

James 2:¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?— ¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ¹⁸Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ¹⁹Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ²⁰But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹Was not Abraham our father JUSTIFIED BY WORKS, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ²³And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. —²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

We can fall from grace, and grace is not unconditional

We can fall from GRACE

The word for ”Grace” in Greek is charis (from charisma) and it can mean favor, kindness, mercy, etc. As always it’s best to check the usage of this word in the rest of the Scriptures because worldly lexicons might not get the true meaning. We can read here and there that the grace of God is endless, and this means that God is always a merciful and forgiving God ready to cleanse people from their sins, but it doesn’t say that he does this without conditions. Even if grace is unmerited, we certainly don’t get it unconditionally.

Unfortunately, there some who believe that Grace means that Jesus always covers our sin, or hides it from the Father, so that we can get some kind of a ”license to sin” even if they emphasize that we should still not ”misuse” Grace in that way. But they still believe that Jesus has taken our sins on himself and transferred his righteousness to us, so that we are always positionally righteous even if we sin – as long as we have faith in God. The truth is, however, that we are only righteous if we DO righteousness. We are indeed cleansed from our sins in the blood of Jesus IF we confess our sins and repent, but nowhere does it say ”once righteous, always righteous”.

The Biblical definition of Grace signifies obedience

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, DENYING UNGODLINESS and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world

Col 1:6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth

1 Pet. 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

We can fall from Grace and we can get it in vain

Gal. 5:2-4 shows that we can fall from grace. 5:14 shows that those who were rising to fall were previously saved. They had believed and received the true gospel (3:2; 1:9); were deserting God and turning to a false gospel (1:6); had received the Spirit of God (3:2,5) and were initially running a good spiritual life (5:7); etc. Compare this to Acts 14:21-23 which shows that the Galatians who became disciples were in the Christian faith and placed their trust in the Lord. Paul was not upset with the Galatians for that they had the nerve to obey the ten commandments, but because they believed circumcision (the ceremonial law) was necessary for salvation. 

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Gal. 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Hebr. 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

1 Kor 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

2 Kor 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

Jona 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy (forfeit the grace that could be theirs NIV)

Apg 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

Hebr. 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Judas 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Sam 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

Jer 16:5 For thus saith the LORD, Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the LORD, even lovingkindness and mercies.

Read the CONDITIONS stated below, and notice that being humble is one of the requirements

We cannot boast of grace because it appears before all men. Grace is a teacher that will instruct the humble to deny themselves and all sins. The grace of God appeared to all men, but only the humble receive of it.

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the HUMBLE.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the HUMBLE.

Prov. 3:34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the LOWLY.

Deut. 5 Mos 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS to a thousand generations;

2 King 8:23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that WALK BEFORE THEE with all their heart:

2 Chron. 30:9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, IF YE RETURN unto him.

Neh 1:5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that LOVE HIM AND OBSERVE HIS COMMANDMENTS

Ps 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that FEAR HIM, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

Jer 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, RETURN, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.

Amos 5:15 HATE THE EVIL, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

Either we can work ourselves up to a point of salvation OR we are saved by God’s grace and mercy. It’s one or the other. Since none of us have obeyed the law perfectly, we are saved by grace. But does the fact that God cleanses us from our sins mean it’s ok for us to continue in sin? Of course not. Then we would be defiled and unrighteous yet again.

Luke 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

We are to be merciful the way our Father is merciful, but if he is only merciful to SOME (the elect), wouldn’t this mean that we too can choose to be merciful to SOME people? The Bible says that Jesus died for all of us and we should always be prepared to be merciful to our neighbors. This doesn’t mean we should throw pearls to swine because we too can set up conditions. God has mercy on who he will have mercy, but this should not be interpreted as though he does this unconditionally or arbitrarily. God can set up his own rules, and if God decides to show mercy on whoever believes in him and love him, he is entitled to enforce this rule. He can also decide to show NO mercy to an individual who shows no mercy himself.

Romans 9:¹⁸Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

James 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

There is none righteous who seeks after God as per Romans 3:10?

Rom. 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

To make Romans 3:10-11 a blanket statement of all mankind in all ages is to make the Scriptures to be in contradiction. The Lord himself says:

Jer. 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart 

Matt. 6:³³ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you

 Romans 3:10-11 is a reference to a couple of psalms which must be read in context and in those psalms you will find references of people who are righteous. Here is what Paul says in Romans 3:

Rom. 3: ⁹What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; ¹⁰As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ¹³Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: ¹⁴Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ¹⁵Their feet are swift to shed blood: ¹⁶Destruction and misery are in their ways: ¹⁷And the way of peace have they not known: ¹⁸There is no fear of God before their eyes.

With his comments Paul is referring to something that is written in the scriptures and below are the psalms he is quoting from. Notice that it’s the FOOL who says in his heart that there is no God, and THEY (the fools) are corrupt. We can also read about RIGHTEOUS people in these psalms, and that there are indeed people who use God as their refuge , who worship him and who desires to be lead by him:

Psalm 14:¹THE FOOL hath said in his heart, There is no God. THEY are corrupt, THEY have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. ²The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. ³They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ⁴Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. ⁵There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the RIGHTEOUS. ⁶Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge. ⁷Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. (See also Psalm 53)

Psalm 5:⁴For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. ⁵THE FOOLISH shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all WORKERS OF INIQUITY. ⁶Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. ⁷But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. ⁸Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. ⁹For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. ¹⁰Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee. ¹¹But let all THOSE THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN THEE rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. ¹²For thou, LORD, wilt bless the RIGHTEOUS; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Ps 36:1-3 An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself  too much to detect or hate his sin. The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has CEASED TO BE WISE and to do good. 

Examples of some righteous people, who were righteous because they showed their faith by their DEEDS

Gen 6:9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a RIGHTEOUS man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. 

Hebr. 11:⁷ By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

James 2:²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Hebr. 7:⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

2 Peter 2:⁷ And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:⁸ (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)⁹ The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Mat 1:19 Because Joseph her husband was a RIGHTEOUS man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

Luke 2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was RIGHTEOUS and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  

Mat 23:35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of RIGHTEOUS Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Job 1:There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

1 Thess. 2:¹⁰ Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe (we=Paul, Silas and Timothy)

Unbelievers can DO good and are requested to BE good

Every time someone decides to not murder or steal, it’s surely a good thing before the Lord. The Prodigal son was spiritually lost and DEAD, and yet he could still choose to act wisely, and he made a good moral decision to repent and to return to his Father.

Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being EVIL, know how to give GOOD gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 

Acts 28:And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.² And the BARBAROUS PEOPLE shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

1 Cor. 14:24 But if an UNBELIEVER or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming,“GOD IS REALLY AMONG YOU!”

James 4:¹⁷ Therefore to him that KNOWETH to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;²⁷ That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Rom 2:14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁵Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another) 

The Bible is loaded with verses which show that we are expected to seek God

Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

1 Chronicles 22:19
Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 28:9
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

2 Chronicles 11:16
And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 14:4
And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment

2 Chronicles 15:12
And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

2 Chronicles 15:13
That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

2 Chronicles 19:3
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.

2 Chronicles 30:19
That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

2 Chronicles 31:21
And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

2 Chronicles 34:3
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

Ezra 6:21
And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

Ezra 8:21
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

Ezra 8:22
For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

Psalm 10:4
The WICKED, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Psalm 63:1
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Psalm 69:6
Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

Psalm 70:4
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, LetGod be magnified.

Isaiah 58:2
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

Daniel 9:3
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

Hosea 3:5
Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

Amos 5:14
Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

2 Chron 15:4
But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

Isa 55:6
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.

Acts 17:2
God has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;That they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us…

Warnings, conditions and commands that we must cleanse ourselves

Jeremiah 4:14 Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved

Ezekiel 18:31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die… 

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded

Romans 12:²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Luke 12:35 Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning

Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without HOLINESS no one will see the Lord. 

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 

2 Peter ⁵And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; ⁶And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; ⁷And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. ⁸For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. ¹⁰Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: ¹¹For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and FOLLOW me.”    

15 verses about law and grace you didn’t know were in the Bible

15 verses about law and grace you didn’t know were in the Bible

1) Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission OF SINS THAT ARE PAST, through the forbearance of God;

2) James 2:24 Ye see then how that BY WORKS A MAN IS JUSTIFIED, and NOT by faith only.

3) Phil 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING

4) Rom 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but THE DOERS OF THE LAW SHALL BE JUSTIFIED

5) 1 John 3:6. WHOSOEVER ABIDETH IN HIM SINNETH NOT: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

6) Matt 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, AND SHALL TEACH MEN SO, he shall be called THE LEAST in the kingdom of heaven: butwhosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called GREAT in the kingdom of heaven.

7) Titus 2:12 (God’s grace) TEACHING US that, DENYING UNGODLINESS and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD;

 8) Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also THE HOLY GHOST, WHOM GOD HATH GIVEN TO THEM THAT OBEY HIM

9) James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but GIVETH GRACE TO THE HUMBLE (a condition)

10) John 15:10. IF YE KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YE SHALL ABIDE IN MY LOVE; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

11) 1 Cor 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, BUT THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

12) Rom. 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, WE ESTABLISH THE LAW

13) James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father JUSTIFIED BY WORKS, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

14) Hebr. 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath TRODDEN UNDER FOOT THE SON OF GOD, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

15) Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,  WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH , BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT

15 verses/claims you thought were in the Bible

1) All men are born with a sinful nature since we have inherited Adam’s sin

2) Once saved always saved

3) God loves us unconditionally

4) Jesus righteousness has been transferred to us, so the Father can’t see our sins but only the blood of Jesus

5) When we repent our past, present and future sins are forgiven

6) Do not judge! – any one at any time!

7) FAITH ALONE is what saves us, and works have nothing to do with our salvation

8) We are no longer under the Law, so obeying the ten commandments is no longer necessary even if they are good to obey so we don’t get reduced gifts in heaven

9) We all sin constantly in thoughts, words and deeds

10) The grace of God is free, unmerited and can’t be forfeited

11) If you could stop sinning you wouldn’t need Jesus

12) The problem with the pharisees was that they focused too much on the Law and obeyed it too much

13) Jesus paid for our sins, took our sins on himself and became sinful on the cross, hence the wrath of the God the Father was upon him

14) He sinned quite severely? Then ”he wasn’t saved to begin with”

15) Christians are taken out of the world before the great tribulation   

The fear of the Lord and holy living

Our unpopular message for the day

So many Christians are compromising these days! It is not very popular to make a stand for holy living. You become ”self righteous” to many by doing so. It is a sad fact that many are falling while truly believing everything is just fine, because they hold a knowledge of God within them.

”Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17

Unfortunately, too many people have been deceived to think they can have their sin and be a Christian at the same time. These lack wisdom! And the Bible tells us in Proverbs 9:10 ”The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom …” And that is just it. People do not fear God, and therefore they have no wisdom to lead them. So they naturally turn to fleshly pleasures while trying to convince everyone that they are Christians.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Do you allow sin in your life while trying to convince everyone that it isn’t all that bad? Do you claim to be a Christian because of a knowledge of the truth, with a form of godliness, but denying the power of it to free you completely from this world and its sins? The good news is that Jesus can set you free! There is great joy in separating ourselves from this world! It can only come by the Holy Spirit as He fills us and transforms us, making us new creatures that are set apart from the rest of this world. If you look like the world; talk like the world; act like the world; and live like the world; then you are of the world and cannot be of Christ – no matter how much you may think you are. The form of godliness is a great deception of these last days! So many believe they are right with God, but are not! The Bible says in Isaiah 5:20

”Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

This is exactly what so many ”Christians” are doing today. They will go out drinking, smoking, partying like the world, and then claim they do it in moderation. Many will cuss up a storm, get involved in bitter arguments, gossip, slander of others, and act lie the world in every way – never living according the the fruit of the spirit. When confronted about there sinful living, they will accuse the righteous person of being full of pride, self righteous, and judgmental. Some will go as far as to think they are more spiritual in their drinking and smoking, as they are more tolerable of sinners, and they are not so ”self-righteous”. They are more mature Christians and able to handle doing those things. Hogwash! It is time to rise up people of God! It is time to stand for what is right! Start with your own life. Start with your family. Be an example for others to follow. Share the love of God and the good life He offers through holy living. Otherwise, sin lies at your door – Genesis 4:7.

We are in a spiritual warfare! This is a war that is unseen in the natural, so that those who drift away from Christ cannot even see it is happening all around them. All the while thinking they are right with God because of what they once had, they slip away into the darkness of the enemy. Don’t ever think you are so spiritual you cannot be overtaken! Our ONLY hope is in Christ jesus alone. Look to Him and search your own heart in humility.

”The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” Proverbs 15:33

Many Christians today are not necessarily sinning, but they are playing with a strange fire, and then offering it up to the Lord. What do we offer to Him? Is it holy or strange? Paul said that we need to examine ourselves whether we be in the Lord. Never assume it! But let us examine our own hearts as we look for the deception in our own minds that has been planted by the enemy.

Righteousness is not a gift, nor is it something we work for. It is a choice. A choice to walk in what he has provided for us. But we have a choice set before us, as it says in Deuteronomy 30:19, ”This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live”.
John dealt with the issue of sin and said in 1 John 5:18, ”We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.” Then in 1 john 3:3-10

3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 
5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 
8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 
9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 
10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

So, I am not talking about new converts who have not yet been sanctified. I am talking about seasoned Christians who after years of living holy lives slowly begin to turn back to sinful living while claiming to be saved. This is very dangerous territory!

When Jesus said, ”It is finished”, He was not saying that sin no longer had any power to condemn. Obviously many sinners are still going to hell. Paul’s said in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death. Nothing changes this. Not even the work of Christ. The gift of God that is eternal life is through Christ Jesus. To be IN Christ is to walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Paul said that if we sow to the flesh, we will reap of the flesh corruption. He also said that if we defile the temple of God, which we are, then such people will God destroy. Many, many more warnings are given to Christians all throughout the scriptures to be careful and always check our hearts, lest will fall. In Romans 11:21 Paul said, ”For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.” Obviously, we are not in the clear just because Jesus died for our sins and we are presently saved.

We cannot miss the good news in this message, which is that God will cast our sins as far as the east is from the west and remember them no more. But we need to understand that this ONLY refers to past sins that have been confessed through repentance, and not to present or future sins. No scripture says anything close to the idea of future sins being cover under our first repentance. It is not an issue of being completely sinless. We know that is not possible. It is an issue of not committing sins we know are wrong, and thus being in rebellion to God – which the bible says is as the sin of witchcraft. And we know that no witch will be saved. But as we turn to Him after we have examined our lives and allow Him to purify our lives, we will be transformed, becoming new creatures. And such a creature will hate sin as much as God does and will want nothing to do with it. 

James spoke of a sin unto death and a sin not unto death. The sin not unto death are those little things that we are not aware of that are buried deep within and only pop up on certain occasions. These are a part of our spiritual growth. A sin unto death is a sin of rebellion, when we do something we know is wrong but just don’t care. We can try to justify and deceive ourselves, and then our conscience can be seared – causing us to think all is fine, when in fact we are backslidden in heart.

Jesus will take us just the way we are – no doubt! But He will not keep us the way were are. This is what being ”born again” is all about. We start a new life in christ and we are transformed as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17. The old is passed away, and all becomes new.

What married couple will say that because they are married they do not need to work on their relationship, but that their married alone makes the relationship? This kind of marriage is one that winds up in divorce. Their is always work involved in a relationship. a relations takes two parties both working together to make it work. We know God is always faithful to do His part in this. His part is never in question! It is our part that has to be questioned. Are we talking to Him? Are we listening to Him? Are we submitting to Him? Or are we doing our own thing and then calling it a relationship?

Any person who allows sin in their life needs to fell bad, low, and unworthy. This is called conviction. This is not condemnation. However, the bible does that that those who live in sin are condemned already. The great hope is that Jesus came to set men free. And He who the Son sets free is free indeed! He came to take away the guilt, to lift up our spirits, and to make us worthy! It is only in Him that we can have all of these things. If we turn to sin, we are not turning to Him. And if we are not turning to Him, then we cannot have what He offers – which is freedom from sin. This is not a superficial freedom, and a real life changing freedom. How we live our lives is a direct expression of what Christ has done and is doing in our lives. And this is something He has put in our own power to receive and walk in, or to reject and walk away from.

The original lie of Satan was to tell Eve, ”You shall not surely die as God has said”.

The same lie exists in the Church today as many will teach that you shall not surely die (spiritually) as God has said. That sin has completely lost its power to damn the soul of the Christian to hell. Sin has not lost its power! Sin still brings death! But the gift of God is eternal life through CHRIST JESUS. Not a one-time confession, but a daily confession through an obedient walk in the spirit.

There is plenty of good news to put behind this entire message. But it is all in Christ Jesus alone! It is not in a doctrine. It is not in a one-time confession of sins. It is not in a previous relationship with Him. It is in a continued walk with Him, in obedience to His commands, as we are ”free indeed” from sin and the walk of the flesh. He is ever present to make intercession for us. But we must be willing to confess our sins so He can do that.

In Romans Paul makes it clear that if it had not been for the law then we would not know right and wrong. Jesus said that He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. It is in Christ that we receive power of sin and to live holy lives. Law is fulfilled in us as we walk in the spirit and do not fulfill the lists of the flesh.

Jesus took away the burden of animal sacrifice and penalty for sins in this life. Now, through Him, we have access to the throne of grace, whereby we may receive forgiveness of sins. But forgiveness can only come through repentance. We know that true repentance means to turn ourback on our past sins. This is a choice we have to make. And as we make the choice, God gives us the ability to overcome. Repentance of sins is first of all an act of obedience. And Jesus said, ”if you love me, keep my commandments”. Jesus has done the work! But He leaves the choice up to men whether they will follow and obey His commandments. If we do not obey His commandments then we are denying Him. We are saying we do not trust Him or believe in what He said in His Word. And if we deny Him, He will deny us before His father in heaven. Our lives must be a walk of faith or we cannot please Him.

 ‎[Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel]. 1 Peter 1: 14

If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. John 12: 26

It is through Him that we have received grace and [our] apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name’s sake among all the nations. Romans 1: 5

Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)? Romans 6: 16

If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love. John 15: 10

But He said, Blessed (happy and to be envied) rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey and practice it! Luke 11: 28

For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead. James 2: 26

But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]. Romans 7: 6
For the time [has arrived] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will [be] the end of those who do not respect or believe or obey the good news (the Gospel) of God? 1 Peter 4: 17

And we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we [watchfully] obey His orders [observe His suggestions and injunctions, follow His plan for us] and [habitually] practice what is pleasing to Him. 1 John 3: 22

Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [of the Gospel] is not in him.
1 John 2: 4

[Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel]. 1 Peter 1: 14

The wise in heart will accept and obey commandments, but the foolish of lips will fall headlong. Proverbs 10: 8

Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy ] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart. 1 Peter 1: 22

Jesus said that no man can serve two masters. The devil is a thief who has come to steal, kill, and destroy. He cannot steal what one does not have. Sinners have nothing he wants to take or end in their lives. It is Christians he is after. He wants to steal our peace and joy and the abundant life we have in Christ; he wants to kill us spiritually; and then it is his final hope to destroy our souls in hell if he can. Many have been deceived into thinking they can serve two masters and still be okay. If this was an easy thing to see, then it would not be a deception. People who call themselves Christians and even go to Church every week are perishing in the pews of the Church. This is because they live like the world during the week, and with this deception have come to believe that they are saved all along.

As much as we would like to strip satan of all his power, and claim that he has be completely defeated by the work of Christ, this simply is not at all what the scriptures teach us. He is only defeated for those who abide in Christ, walk in the spirit, and obey Him daily as they take up their cross and follow Him. But satan is hard at work for a few different reasons. One, because he knows he only has a short time to get his job done. Second, it the fact that he knows he is able to deceive even Christians and pull them away from a walk with Christ. Otherwise he would be totally wasting his time and efforts to no avail.

Not too many Christians are going to take the bait of blatant heresy and lies. If they knew they were lies then they would turn away immediately! But satan is very slick at what he does. He will make sin appear to be ”not so bad”, as it sucks the spiritual life out of people without them even realizing it. This is why Jesus told us to be watchful, be on the guard, to beware, and to diligently seek Him. The bible says that satan walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Obviously this is not referring to sinners. He already has them. It is Christians he is after. He is looking for those who have put their guard down; who have lain down their spiritual armor. This is why we need to go thru our spiritual armor check list and make sure we have it and keep it on all the time. Satan is looking for the one he can catch off guard. And then he will come in subtly so that we do not even realize it is him.

This is why Paul said that when you think that you stand, take heed, lest you fall. An overconfidence in the work of Christ without doing our part will lead to spiritual death. We can believe we are saved all we want. But faith without works is dead! We can have COMPLETE confidence in the work of Christ – as long as we walk in obedience to His will and commands. But if we allow sin to creep in, then death lies at the door. Faith then becomes nothing more than a presumption, without any true power to save. And just as the devils in hell believe and cannot be saved, so it is with those who claim Christ and willfully and in rebellion live in sin.

All the promises we have are ”in Christ”. We must understand what it means to be in Christ. It is not a one time prayer that magically transfers us from death to life without any further conditions. It is a transformed life! The old is passed away, and all is become new. So as John said, we no long live in sin, but we walk in the spirit and by true faith thru obedience.

Through Jesus Christ we are no longer under the condemnation of the law?

Let’s not forget one major thing here. We must be “in Christ” in order to be free from these things. The devil is given back his rights the moment we give in to willful sin and do not repent. The cross DID NOT disarm him! It is only through our faith in the cross that he can be disarmed. And just as we can have faith, we can lose faith. This is a fact that has be proven to be true with many backsliders.

The Bible does not teach a sin debt. It teaches “wages of sin”. Wages are earnings, not a debt. We have earned death for our sin. Christ came to die as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. But not as a literal payment. This term should only be understood as a figurative term to say that Christ took care of the sin issue on our behalf. The literal understanding of what Christ did can only be properly understood as a provision for forgiveness. When John saw Jesus coming to be baptized, he announced, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. Now we know that Jesus has not literally taken away the sins of all men. Otherwise all men would be saved already without any conditions. This actually points back to the Levitical sacrifices for the sins of Israel, as two goats were brought. One was just a sacrifice unto the Lord, while the other was the one who had sins confessed over it and it was released into the wilderness. Some believe it was led to a cliff to fall to its death. But either way it was not punished for sins, nor did it “pay” for sins. What this was is a picture of the true atonement that was to come through Christ as men are being born again through faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Then as Paul said, the old is passed away and all things become new. When we are transformed in such a supernatural way, our old life of sin passes away, and we enter into a new life of faith and holiness in Christ. If we sin, we deny this power to free us from sin, and thus deny Christ.

Sin really is not the issue at all. It is only the symptom. The root of the problem is never the sin, but a matter of our faith. If we truly walk by faith, then we will be walking in the spirit, and we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

James, in the first chapter says this: 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

You see, sin still brings death. Only a true Christian who walks by faith can later be “drawn away and enticed”. The end result of sin is and always will be death. The wages of sin IS death, and always will be. So it is our responsibility to discipline our own lives to make sure we make wise decisions and do not give in to the lusts of the flesh – as they can and will bring death.
There is no doubt that Satan will bring condemnation upon us for past sins that we have been forgiven of. It is at this time that we need to realize he is a liar and all that is under the blood of Jesus and cast away. But present and future sins are a completely different issue. No sin is automatically forgiven just because we are Christians.

In Hebrews 10:26 we are told, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins.”

So obviously sin still has the power to harm the Christian. “No more sacrifice” here does not mean that there can be no future forgiveness, or that the sacrifice of Christ is not sufficient. This means that the confession of a past sin in which we trusted in the sacrifice of Christ cannot cover future sins committed – without another act of repentance on our part. The work of Christ is finished! But it does not cover unrepented sins, or else the entire world would be saved. Sin is only the symptom of a much deeper issue taking place in a persons heart. And if it goes undealt with, then their soul is in danger just like the rest of the world who is in their sins. And If Christ conquered sin in the way you are saying, then sinners should not need to repent to be saved. Since sin has lost its power, all they need to do is believe in Him and believe they are save, and they can continue in their sins. All is good.

Christianity is done done done, not do do do?

What Christ did for us is only on the sacrificial and provision part. It is man’s part to believe, continue, abide, follow, trust, walk in the spirit, etc. So many commands are given it is incredible. This is not about “works salvation” as many like to try to make it. This is about truly trusting in His work. A true faith will have a direct affect on the way we will our lives every day. But we are able to lose that faith through lust, which leads to sin. This is why we are told we must take up our cross and follow Him daily, crucify the old man, and walk in the spirit so we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Such instruction is given because of the absolute certain possibility or probability of falling from Grace and forfeiting the life we once had in Christ.

We are not talking about working on our own. We are talking about having true faith in His work, which leads to holiness and a separation from sin. Sin is only the works of the flesh that show where we are spiritually. Just as the fruit of the spirit shows where we are spiritually. Jesus said, “You shall know them by their fruit”. How a person lives shows where their heart really is. And if it is after sin, the father of sin is then their master. As the scripture says in Romans 6:16, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey-either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

Any person who turns to sin is doing what the devil wants, and he becomes their master. I am not talking about sins we commit now and then, and then repent. I am talking about habitual sins that people try to justify. And notice the word “Obey” here? We are only considered the servant of God if we obey Him!

Romans 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth to be an atoning sacrifice through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”

Only past sins can be forgiven. Present sins have not godly sorrow if they remain. And future sins – lets get real. If I slug a brother in the face and I say I am sorry and ask him to forgive me – does that mean that if I do the same thing every now and then that he should automatically forgive me each time without me ever being truly sorry? Or if I punch him today, but tomorrow I steal from him, should my stealing be forgiven because I asked for forgiveness for punching him? Yet this is what this idea says of God and salvation. Sin has offended God. He is holy and He cannot be in the presence of sin. If men want to abide in His presence, then they have to separate themselves from sin. The work of Christ in no way changes who God is. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. And He see’s sin in the same way as always. Having law or doing away with it changed nothing. Men sinned and offended God long before the law came. God judged Cain, He flooded the earth in Noah’s day, He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and so much more before the law ever came along. So after law we cannot expect Him to have any different of an attitude towards sin. Sin is not covered up. It MUST be removed from us through the work of Christ, and by repentance. If it isn’t it will damn the soul. This is just a simple Biblical fact. It was taught by the early Church very boldly for hundreds of years – before the corruption by the Catholic Church. It is a truth that we must take heed to today. This is why Paul said that when you stand, take heed lest you fall. Sin still has the power to destroy the soul. We are completely safe “In Christ”. But if we step across the line into sin, we give up our protection.

“John 1:29 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! that word sin is a noun ( person place thing), John knew that Jesus came to take sin the whole thing from the world, it doesnt say who comes to take away the past sin of the world, current sin of the world, but ”SIN of the world” What a waste of time it would have been to have God send His only Son Jesus to do a work like that,”

As already mentioned, atonement is a provision, not a literal payment. And sin is not a substance that can be literally removed. It is an issue of heart that has to be changed. The figurative always leads to a literal meaning different than the figure itself. This is why we must be “born again”, which we know is not a literal entering back into the womb, but a new life in Christ that starts as we are changed – transformed. So of course not part of the sin of the world is taken away – because it is not talking about a substance of sin, but an issue of heart that is changed when a person puts their faith in Jesus. And this can only happen when there is faith in Christ. The sins of millions will take them to hell still, regardless the work of Christ. So did Christ’s work fail or fall short? Of course not. It is men who failed to not put their faith in Him. Jesus dies for ALL sins, past, present and future. But forgiveness of these sins can ONLY come through repentance of them. And until there is repentance, there is not forgiveness or taking away of sins – since the heart of the person has not been change when they continue to sin.

”He who the son sets free is free indeed”

Absolutely! But what is freedom? It is not freedom in sin, but freedom FROM sin. Huge difference here. There is not “freedom” in sin. That is called bondage. The word “indeed” is like an exclamation point on the “free”. This shows it to not be a superficial freedom from the power of sin to condemn while still committing sin, but a real and complete freedom from both sins power, effect, and existence in our lives. In Romans 6 Paul made it clear that sin will no longer have dominion over those who are in Christ and remain in Him. A true freedom from sin is the completely changed life where sin no longer has any controlling power. If we do sin, we will confess that sin. But we will not live under it.

I wrote a book called, “Faith without Works” years ago that is full of hundreds of scriptures against this doctrine. Since then I had studied and read through the early Church writings that had proven what they really believed on the issue, confirming everything I am saying here. Then after that I did an in-depth study and research on the Levitical sacrificial system and how it pointed to the work of Christ. It is from false ideas of atonement that so many false teachings arise. But this work shows through the sacrificial system how sin has always been the issue with God, and that Christ took care of it in the provisional sense – but not as a payment as so many assume. The Bible does not teach a payment in the literal sense at all. The fact that WE are bought does not speak of sin, and it is figurative – as no money was exchanged or deal made between Satan our old master and Jesus our Atonement. It is through the OT that the NT is revealed. Yet so many try to teach atonement from the NT perspective without understand the OT system. When we really look into the OT, then we can see what atonement is really all about in Christ. And now, it is by faith that we are able to obtain Grace, as we confess Him and our sins in repentance as the people were told by Peter in Acts 2:38. A one-time repentance can never cover future sins! This is been show by scripture and simple logic.

Thanks to LYNDON CONN