Posted on 05/13/2023 3:03:49 AM PDT by metmom
We must once and for all understand what Christ did for us at the cross. He forever took away the sin which separated us from God; from here on, we will always have the right to enter his presence without hesitation. We are accepted in God’s sight. There is not a single thing in his heart against us!
Stop and consider the sublime efficacy of Christ’s blood. We are fully pardoned because the cross cleared us in God’s eyes. We may lose sight of that, but God never does. The veil was torn to allow us to enter directly into God’s presence. He says, “You are accepted! Come boldly to my throne, for you are my beloved.”
Settle this in your heart. If God is satisfied, we should also be satisfied. Is there anything between you and your Father in heaven? You may say, “My heart condemns me! I’ve said and done things that would grieve the Spirit. I feel unworthy, and the heavens seem closed off to me.” To all this, you can answer, “But God is greater than my thoughts or feelings, and he has accepted me!”
Do you hate your sins? Have you confessed them? Do you believe that “that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 13:38 NKJV)?
Many Christians falter when it comes to accepting forgiveness. They live with unnecessary fear and bondage because they don’t understand the victory of the cross. There is now nothing blocking access to God except our fear and lack of knowledge. When the veil was split, he came out of the holiest of holies to directly commune with you and me.
How incredible! God was so anxious to forgive us that he made himself a sacrifice for our sins. Sin was judged and the offense was removed. Now God can say, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12). He has closed the distance between us!
God does not desire to impute sin against us. Instead, he seeks to reconcile us to himself. He longs for us to live in the blessedness of knowing the sin question was forever settled at the cross.
The Return ping
A mixture of blessed Truth along with error. One must first be converted by penitent, effectual heart-purifying, regenerating faith, (Acts 10:43-47; 15:7-9) that is is imputed for righteousness, (Romans 4:5) and is shown in baptism and following the Lord. (Acts 2:38-47; Jn. 10:27, 28) It is by which faith the redeemed soul is indeed "accepted in the Beloved" and positionally seated with Him in Heaven, on His account, glory to God. (Ephesians 1:6; 2:6; cf. Phil. 3:21
But rather than "there is not a single thing in his heart against us," while we do not work for salvation, yet we can choose to sin, and God can and will have issues against us, (Revelation 2:4, 14, 20; 3:2,15) thus: "if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."(Hebrews 12:8) "But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." (1 Corinthians 11:32) God chastens to conform us to Christ in character, as with Job, and also works to bring us to repentance back to faith, via Godly sorrow, lest we be condemned with the world, as in 1 Cor. 5:5.
For Scripture warns against falling away in impenitence and forfeiting what faith obtained (Gal. 5:1-4; Heb. 3:12-14; 10:25-39; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 13:5; 2 Peter 2:1) It is those who die in overall obedient faith that go to be forever with Him at death or His return (Phil 1:23; 2Cor. 5:8 [“we”]; Heb, 12:22,23; 1Cor. 15:51ff'; 1Thess. 4:17) These things [4 chapters describing saving faith, versus the contrary] have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may [continue to] believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)
A mixture of blessed Truth along with error. One must first be converted by penitent, effectual heart-purifying, regenerating faith, (Acts 10:43-47; 15:7-9) that is is imputed for righteousness, (Romans 4:5)
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I searched your entire Romans passage for “error”, your apologetic word for sin. I found none. One of the essential tenets of our simple religion is indictment of one’s own transgressions. Excusing them before indicting them is not Christianity.
The error is one that results from isolationist exegesis, and if you read more than the Romans passage (which was provided as referencing one aspect of what I wrote) then you should see the error, that of preaching that a one time conversion means henceforth there will not be a single thing in God's heart against us," versus , "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee," (Revelation 2:4) and thus chastisement unto repentance, and of the warnings to believers to continue in the faith, versus making Christ to no effect, drawing back unto perdition, no longer being in the faith, denying the Christ that bought them. Gal. 5:1-4; Heb. 3:12-14; 10:25-39; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 13:5; 2 Peter 2:1)
Still God is Sovereign in His Saving grace and as sinners as We believe Jesus Is the Resurrected Son of the Living God and cry out to be Remembered by Christ in His Hevenly Kingdom,Salvation is Ensured as the Good Theif next to Jesus on Calvary.
When these truths are genuinely comprehended and accepted, I don't see how anyone could think it gives them a license to sin and it doesn't matter how they live. Just the shear gratitude and humility for what God has done out of His grace and love for us in addition to the indwelling Holy Spirit compels us to live in a way that pleases Him and brings Him honor. Will there be struggles with sin? Sometimes, yes, because of the still-kicking human nature, but what follows is remorse, repentance and confession and then the acceptance of His forgiveness and cleansing and a fresh commitment to walk in newness of life stronger than before. At no time does the true child of God lose his salvation because ETERNAL life is eternal. Salvation is by God's grace and not our works.
That is the abundant and victorious life Jesus Christ promised us. Will we believe Him or call Him a liar?
AMEN!!!
Salvation is indeed Ensured as the Good Theif next to Jesus on Calvary who died in faith, but Scripture manifestly warns Christians, as Christians, against making Christ to no effect, departing from the living God, drawing back unto perdition, no longer being in the faith, denying the Christ that bought them. As substantiated and ignored. Gal. 5:1-4; Heb. 3:12-14; 10:25-39; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 13:5; 2 Peter 2:1)
Christ and Him Crucified Is my focus and Dismas,the Good Theif, gives me the ability to start a conversation with others about God’s ability to save the sinner. As I see it Dismas proclaimed his
Guilt, Christ’s Diety and Faith in the soon coming Kingdom of God.
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and So Come Lord Jesus!
Thank you for pointing these things out.
And if my thoughts are inadequate for a conversation among those who are better students of Scripture than I am, please forgive my intrusion here.
It seems reasonable to conclude that the active choice to sin can only be done in the presence of doubt, which is the opposite of faith.
I enjoy listening to J. Vernon McGee, who preaches “Back yonder in the Garden of Eden man doubted, and that led to disobedience, and the way back is by faith, the obedience of faith as Paul says in Romans.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZXOYIau4R4
It was the first Indulgence!
Well, if unbelief can be classed as doubt that would be true, but while Eve was deceived, Adam was not, and believed the benefit of compromise was worth the penalty of God. All we choose to do is a result of what we truly believe, as least at the time. Essau believed satisfying his present need at the expense of his future blessing was worth it. That might be held to be doubt, but the Bible calls such unbelief.
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