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There is no inherent " Goodness " in the heart of men, no, even the bible, God's word tells us, that there is none that do good, none, that seek God in their own power.

This is the REAL problem...people have been led to believe that "everyone has some good in them". If this is true, then the logic goes that we only need a little nudging to be perfect, or at least "good enough" to go to heaven. But we have already broken the law - we are ALL sinners - and the "wages of sin is death", not being good, going to church, giving money, feeding the poor, praying the right prayers, etc. NO. Only the shedding of blood makes atonement for the soul. ONLY through Christ's blood are we made as righteous as God - which is what we MUST be to enter heaven.

I wonder with sadness if the people who say they believe in Jesus and call themselves Christians - they say they believe He died on the cross for their sins, that Jesus opened the gates of heaven, BUT that they must "cooperate" with God's grace by doing good works in order to merit eternal life - are somehow by God's grace going to be saved? I have loved ones who do not believe we are saved by faith alone but they DO believe in Jesus and try to follow him. I grieve to think that they cannot be saved because they are not truly trusting in Christ alone to save them but who also rely on their own part in the deal.

I believe, of course, that God loves them far more than I do and He wants all to come to true repentance and be saved, but most people won't be. All I can do is trust the God who does what is right and just and continue to pray for people and speak the truth of the gospel. Only the Holy Spirit can open spiritual eyes to grasp the truth of what is said and written.

Those who trust in their " GOODNESS " or " GOOD WORKS " actually reject the blood atonement of Jesus Christ.

That's what the author of the book of Hebrews talks about in their sin of unbelief when:

Hebrews chapter 10 verse 26.

26. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

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?
30. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Of course ?

The law pushers, those who put their trust in their works for salvation will cry out and say:

" Gotcha " ... see ?
" if we continue to willfully sin AFTER we have received the truth ".

The thing is ?
What they don't understand, or want to deceive those who are weak in their faith is ?

That the book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Hebrews in the early church.

There was a group of " Judaisers " who were going around and their agenda was to try and get these people who may have listen to the Gospel preachers to go back and reject Christ and go back in to Judaism.

That's what the book of Hebrews was all about, showing these people who much greater Jesus Christ is to the old system of Judaism, and the old sacrificial system of killing animals for atonement.
How Jesus Christ was is greater than the high priest.

The writer of the book of Hebrews were writing to Jewish Hebrews who " Heard " the news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who were enlighten and started to understand the good news, but, never have took the extra step of being saved.

Someone can " hear " about the gospel and about getting saved, but, that does not mean they are actually saved.

The writer of the book of Hebrews in previous chapters 3 and 4 in the book of Hebrews talks about how Israel refused to enter into the promised land, the rest that God had for them.
The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us that they didn't enter the promised land because of unbelief.... i.e. the SIN of unbelief, and yes, even the writer calls their unbelief .. SIN !
Those who trust in keeping the law is still in the sin of unbelief.

Hebrews chapter 3 verse 12.

12. See to it, brothers and sisters, ( that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart ) that turns away from the living God.

I didn't say it, GOD's word says it.

So God swore in his wrath that they would never enter into that rest, his rest.

The Sabbath was created for man, the man was never created for the Sabbath... Sorry law pushers, that's what Jesus Christ even said.

God gave us the Sabbath to rest.

The promised land was Israel's rest.... i.e. Sabbath.

Even some in the Christian community want us to obey the Sabbath rules,law,

but ? Jesus Christ is our promised land, our rest, our Sabbath.

God in that chapter called their sin of unbelief " Rebellion " for they harden their hearts because they did not believe.

That's what the writer of the book of Hebrews is referring to in the 10th chapter when he says " if we willfully continue to sin " ...

To willfully disobey, willfully reject the sacrificial atonement that God offers us in Christ and count it as a " COMMON " thing as bulls and goats.

Because ?

That is exactly what those who trust in their own efforts, their works, keeping the law are doing.
They count Jesus Christ's blood as nothing, as a common thing as the blood of bulls and goats, and they have to face a fearful expectation of the wrath of God for rejecting Christ's blood and putting it under their feet and offending the spirit of GRACE. i.e the Holy Spirit.

But ?
There is hope, the writer says " IF " we continue to willfully sin.
Now ? if they truly repent, yup, that's what repent really means, to have a change of mind, a change of attitude of trying to save your self in your own efforts, and turn to the one who can and will save you, Jesus Christ.

Remember ?
Most of your cults are inherently " WORKS BASED " man made religion to keep people under their control.

The only reason why they preach and harp about " WORKS " to get saved or stay saved is to keep you inline, under their thumb, to keep you in bondage under their authority, not God's authority.

You see ?
Those who are in Christ have already meet all God's holy requirements for salvation in the person of Jesus Christ.... we have a higher standard.

Paul said, had it not been for the law, he would have not known about sin, but, Jesus Christ has already delivered us from the bondage of sin and death... we live in the newness of life.

Paul also says that the law is the ministry of death, the letter of the law is the ministry of death that shows us our sins and condemns us.

But, Jesus Christ has come to save us, to set us free from the bondage of sin and death and give us a hope, a faith in him that we will live for ever with him.

The law was weak through the flesh, but, Jesus Christ came to keep the law perfectly, for he was the only one who could have kept it perfectly.

What the law pushers, works based salvation pushers tend to forget, or deliberately want people to forget ?

Yes, God gave the law, but, still set up a system for a blood atonement.... people were still in their sins.... year after year.

The law pushers ? works based salvation pushers ?

Since you put your trust more in your works and efforts, keeping the law than the once and for ALL blood atonement of Jesus Christ ?

Then ?

Were is your system of the sacrificial blood atonement of bulls and goats since you reject what Jesus Christ has done on the cross for your salvation ?

The blood sacrificial system of atonement was done away with 2000 years ago when the Romans sacked and burned Jerusalem.

SO ? how are your sins atoned for ?

YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS !
In trusting in yourselves, your works, your own righteousness, and still claim Jesus Christ's blood sacrifice... sorry, it does not work what way... either , or.

You can keep the law all you want, but still go to hell.
There was still a need for a blood atonement.

However ?
Jesus Christ himself said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 20.

That ?

That unless your righteousness exceeds even that of the Scribes and Phantasies, in no wise, or in no case can you enter into heaven.

Jesus was saying that humanly speaking ?
It was impossible for any man to make it into heaven on their own accord.

There had to be another way, the anointed one i.e. JESUS CHRIST to make a way for us.

Paul said that no man was ever made justified in the sight of God by the law.

Those who want to push " SALVATION BY WORKS " only want it so to keep people in bondage and under their control, and when people talk about Salvation by Grace alone through faith, they are afraid to lose their power over the people.

Those in power didn't want the bible to be read by the unwashed masses, they wanted to keep the unwashed masses in ignorance.... i.e. in darkness.

That's what John talks about in 1 John 1:

You see ?
The law pushers, the salvation by works pushers want you to believe that John is talking about sin, sin , sin, sin, sin, sin, sin.

Now ?
If you look at the verse carefully and read the letter of John carefully in it's proper context, John is writing to weak Christians in their faith.

There were Gnostics going around telling people that Jesus Christ did not come in actual flesh, but, he was just a spirit.
John was saying here:

6. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

Yes, some will still try to convince you that John is talking about, sin, sin, sin, sin ....

That's strange ?

Isn't Jesus Christ the very one who came to save us from sin, sin, sin, sin ?

Besides ?

IF John is writing about sin, sin, sin, sin, sin, sin, sin, sin ?
Then ?
This verse would not make any sense, since ? John goes on and says :

In the 8th verse : 8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

So ?

The law pushers, the salvation by works pushers say, it means, sin, sin, sin, sin, but John goes on in the same chapter,: " IF ? we say we have no sin ? we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. "

WOW ! such a contradiction of the Law pushers and Salvation by works pushers... isn't it ?

So ? what is John talking about here ?

Turn off the light in your room right now and you will see what John is talking about, if you turn off the light ? what do you see ? OHH YES !! DARKNESS !!

John is talking about being ignorant, unbelief, rejection of the truth.
Grace and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ.

Can't be in the light, and reject Jesus Christ at the same time.
What John is talking about is being ignorant of the truth, ignorance of the Gospel, unbelief of Jesus Christ.
So ? if you reject Jesus Christ and follow your own way to GOD ? the truth is not in you... your still walking in darkness since Jesus Christ is the light of the world.