Romans 6 KJV
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him(my note-details of the book-"with" him, not "like" him) by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 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. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord....18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Galations 2 KJV
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Colossians 3 KJV
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
2 Timothy 2KJV
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."
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Above-Forever justified members of the boc are considered crucified, dead, buried,(and risen), and dead.....As such, since we are dead, we are "freed from sin. Read it-"freed from sin." What sin/sins? Where are they? In hell...The Lord Jesus Christ deposited them there-Psalms 16:10 KJV, Acts 2:27 KJV.
Really? Yes. Survey...
Hebrews 9 KJV
28 so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Without sin here? What? The Saviour had sin, in Him, during His earthly ministry? No, He beared sin, on the cross, as the propitiation, sin offering,......Get it? He will return, "the second coming," the second time"(see also Acts 7:13 KJV), without sin.....Get it? Where did those sins go, where are they now? Hell. And, if they are not in hell, He could not be raised from the dead, and, per 1 Cor. 15 KJV ff., we should shut down TOL, call it a day, dismiss class, "party on," as we are all "toast," as Paul tells us, " let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die."(1 Cor. 15:32 KJV)-"Party on, Garth!"
What sins? Get it? My/respective members of the boc's sins are in hell, never "to be brought up again!" Get it? Good news.
Ephesians 4 KJV
32 and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake(my note: notice the basis-"for Christ's sake") hath forgiven you.
Colossians 1 KJV
14 in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Colossians 2 KJV
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Read it, believe it: "all trespasses"
Colossians 3 KJV
13 forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Romans 4:5-8 KJV-".....blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."
What sins?
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The Big Switch......(identification/imputation)
Believers cannot be put on trial again, as we died in Him, and that would be "double jeopardy", and make the LORD God unrighteous, and we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, and no one has the power to break that seal, despite "the Cains" of the world protests to the contrary, grinding their wolfie chops, and circumcision is irreversible, and adoption is irreversible.
Believers, adopted sons, now have the righteousness of God in Christ based upon the work of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, alone.
When the Lord Jesus Christ died, we were reckoned to have died in Him-executed, dead, justice served. DEAD.
When the Lord Jesus Christ was buried, we, who we were "in Adam", our "old man", was reckoned to be buried.
When the Lord Jesus Christ rose, we are reckoned to have rose with Him in the newness of life.
When the Lord Jesus Christ ascended, we are reckoned to have ascended with Him, seated in heavenly places.
Believe this good news.
The Cains of the world do not know what happened at Calvary, and why. And hence, due to pride, they are still pulling up their fig aprons, as did "The Adam(s) Family."
They cannot choose to be unsaved, despite their unbelief/faltering faith, since justification(and sanctification, and future glorification) is dependent on the LORD God's faithfulness, not theirs. They have no power to break the Father's seal of the Spirit, which God promises to keep sealed unto the day of redemption, nor do they have the power to reverse their adoption, nor do do they have the power to be "re tried"(as in court trial), since they are dead, nor can they be "uncircumcized", nor can they chose to be "plucked out"/removed from the body of Christ, as they were identified permanently as a member of this body(try plucking your eye out).
"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." 2 Ttimothy 2:11-13 KJV
Read it, memorize it, Cains:
"If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself..."
As I wrote, and others before me, when we believe the gospel of Christ, we become identified(basic meaning of the word baptize) with the Lord Jesus Christ's death-we died with Him-His death was credited as ours. Since we are identified with Christ's death, we cannot become "unidentified", as we are now sealed in our identification by the Holy Spirit(Eph. 1:3 KJV). Per 2 Tim. 2:12 KJV, if we suffer with Him, we will reign with Him. However, if we deny Him, He will deny us reigning with Him(Romans 8:17-18 KJV). However, 2 Timothy 2:13 KJV says "if we believe not", and Paul is including himself in this hypothetical situation. Paul is saved, and yet he says "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful." If Paul, for some/any reason, had stopped believing, he would still be saved, because of the LORD God's faithfulness(despite our faulty comprehension of this "good news"), and so Paul concludes "he(God) cannot deny himself." Again, once a person is justified, he is placed, identified, "baptized" and sealed by the Holy Spirit into the BOC. Per Ephesians 5:30 KJV:
How many believers, at least once, did doubt, i.e., "believe not."?
Fess up....Release yourself...Let go....
I have. That is an honest response, to this question. If you are not going to be honest with yourself, get honest with the LORD God. And get honest with TOL, while you are at it.
" For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones."
Thus, Paul can say God "cannot deny himself.The LORD God cannot, and will not, deny the body of Christ, which is a spiritual organism(not organization), comprised of believers in this dispensation of the grace of God. Therefore, once a person makes a decision to believe the gospel of Christ, they are saved, justified, and cannot choose to anytime thereafter to become "unsaved/unjustified." The LORD God will remain faithful to His children, and will not deny Himself-the BOC. The promise to not "deny himself" is a reference to not being able to deny the BOC, his children. And those who do "believe not", including apostates(see Demas, an apostate-2 Tim. 4:10 KJV), may suffer loss of rewards , including reigning with Him, but they are still eternally secure.
Those that pound the table with "Apostasy is a possibility since we are not robots" cliche, perverts the gospel of Christ, focusing on "I", and confusing the doctrines of justification with sanctification. We are not "robots" in our sanctification either-that is irrelevant.
The cross of Christ is "I" crossed out. It is physically impossible to crucify yourself, and "un"crucify" yourself-a learning lesson, per Romans 15:4 KJV.=both our justification, and subsequent(my emphasis-order)sanctification, are the LORD God's work.
Apostasy is not only a possibility, it is an inevitability while in these bodies of flesh. Any one here ever doubted there eternal security just once in their life? I have. An honest man/woman would admit he has. But I thank the LORD God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, that my eternal security in Christ is not dependent on my faithfulness, my ability to "keep on believing", my promise to "keep on believing", but on the faithfulness and promise of the LORD God.
"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" Titus 1:2 KJV
My faith, the Cain's self righteous faith, is nothing and faulters all day long. My faith accepts "...the faith of Jesus Christ..."(Romans 3:22 KJV; Galatians 2:16 KJV, Galatians 2:22 KJV; Philippians 3:9 KJV) and what he did, while "religion"'s faith is a works-based performance system,which you "disguise" as "faith", and is under a curse. Works are making a claim on God(a debt) by basing your acceptance by Holy God of yourself on what you have done or will do, your "faith", your "good works", your "commitment", your "surrender" instead of what was already done for us 2000+ years ago, by the dbr. Why is it that humans are happy to receive a gift from a loved one without insulting that loved one by asking "How much do I owe you?", but refuse the same to our Creator, redeemer, and Saviour?
Justification is a legal declaration by God of "not guilty". By definition, it is irrevocable. A criminal was has been pronounced "not guilty" is still "not guilty", whether he/she acknowledges it or not.
Also, the pardon(which is not equivalent to being justified-see my posts-you've read them, in their brilliance/humility), you receive by trusting in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,you cannot become "unpardoned".
The LORD God's gifts, unlike sinful humanity's gifts, are irrevocable: "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance"(Romans 11:29 KJV). Repentance means "to change your mind". In simple, "5th grade English", the Lord God says it is irrevocable, despite our often faulty opinion"/comprehension.
Before we were saved, we were the keeper of our own souls, and we could not do anything but fail in its keeping. But when we are saved, we have turned over our souls to the protection of another-the LORD God. He is now committed to the keeping of our souls to the end-it is based on His faithfulness, not ours. Depending on our faithfulness is a simple concept-we call it religion.This is the opposite of Christianity. Religion is man substituting himself for God-Christianity is God substituting Himself for man.
"Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 1:8 KJV
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Philippians 1:6 KJV
My confirmation unto the end is and the performance of the work is in His hands, not mine. Thus, I cannot become lost by failing in my "committment" to Him, my "faith"=service. My salvation is not based on my commitment(religion)-it is based on God's commitment. Thus, the loss of personal commitment, and that includes the lack of good works, which is inevitable for me and all believers, does not affect our eternal destiny. No, the only way to lose my salvation is to somehow get God to fail in His commitment. That won't happen.
I "lose" my "commitment" daily, as every one does, as my "commitment" wavers every day, and is unreliable. Only one person to have ever walk this earth exhibited "total", "100%", unwavering "commitment" to the LORD God=the Lord Jesus Christ. And I thank God the Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ, that my justification is not dependent on my "faithfulness", which "comes short" every day, and is an unreliable, subjective gauge of my justification,but on the faithfulness, the "commitment", of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When the Lord Jesus Christ died at Calvary, I died with Him. When He was buried, I was buried with Him. When He rose from the dead, I rose from the dead. When He ascended, I ascended. I am now a "new creature"(2 Cor. 5:17 KJV, Gal. 6:15 KJV) in Christ, as my sin(singular) was judged at Calvary(Romans 8:3 KJV), and my sins(plural) were forgiven at Calvary(1 Cor. 15:1-4 KJV). No charges can be filed against me, as the trial is over, as the Judge and jury met, and all charges were heard, I was judged as guilty, I "shut up" and plead guilty(Romans 3:19 KJV), who I was was "in Adam" was executed, and who I was "in Adam"(1 Cor. 5:22 KJV) is now "dead"(Col.3:3 KJV),justice was served, and am "made alive"(1 Cor. 15:22 KJV) in Christ. Who I, the brilliant, humble John W was formerly, a "walking dead man"(spiritually), died. A dead man cannot be retried, my circumcision(Col. 2:11 KJV) is irreversible, and the seal of the Holy Spirit(2 Cor. 1:22 KJV, 2 Cor. 5:5 KJV; Eph. 1:13 KJV,Eph. 4:30 KJV, Romans 8:15 KJV) is an unbreakable, guaranteed security, guaranteed ownership, guaranteed finished transaction, with the "warranty" being the Holy Spirit Himself. This seal cannot, nor will it, be broken. I now not only have forgiveness, I have justification, a judicial declaration by the LORD God, and now have the righteousness of God in Christ.
No one on this board can bring charges against me, nor any other new creature in Christ, like the Cains do, day after day with his "conditional security" bad news, regardless of our/my inevitable lack of "commitment"/"faithfulness.". And this is the "good news" of the great God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ did not come to earth, to die, be buried, and be raised again to make "good" people better; Nay-He came to make spiritually dead people alive, in Him(identification).
Romans 7
1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held;
Paul's argument in Romans 7, is that just as death is the only "force" that can free, liberate from the claims of sin, so, too, is it the only thing that can liberate/free from the burdensome, thunderous(Exodus 19:16 KJV.....Children of Israel under "bondage"...Mt. Sinai......=Romans 15:4 KJV)claims of the law.
Thus, Paul provides another analogy(Romans 6-master/slave), employing the husband and wife.A marriage contract, at that time, could only be dissolved by death. 2 husbands-the Lord Jesus Christ, and the law. Union with the law results in bondage, -death...." to bring forth fruit unto death."(verse 5).In contrast, union with the other husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, produces freedom, and brings forth fruit unto God(verse 4).
Thus, if the husband dies, the wife is free from that "contract." Get it?
When we die to sin, we also die to the law. The law can no longer prosecute us,and we are no longer under its jurisdiction, because, in the eyes of the law, we are dead.You cannot prosecute a dead person.
Dead. No charges can be brought. Justice served.....
Thus, Paul reasons that being identified with Christ, in His death, burial frees him from death, as his "king", Romans chapter 5, frees him from sins as a master/"slave driver", Romans chapter 6, and frees him from the law, the contract(marriage) as a husband, not being bound to it any longer, as the wife is not, when her husband dies.
As one preacher taught me, summarizing Romans 5 through 7:
Romans 5: Deals with sin on a person
Romans 6: Deals with sin over(control) a person
Romans 7:Sin in a person, i.e., desperation
Again:
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Phil. 1:6 KJV
I am confident of this "guarantee", based on the promise and faithfulness of the LORD God.
Yes, I often am "immature" in my "Christian living"=my walk/service/commitment....., I admit that, but I, unlike the Cains, do not base my righteous standing before a holy LORD God on my subjective, unreliable, wavering, "Christian living"/ walk/service/commitment/"continuing to believe...", as they do, but on the objective work and faithfulness of the Saviour 2000+ years ago, and am therefore justified.
I like the contrast.
The Cain's protest??!!!!Translation: I, Cain, am ignorant and clueless as to what happened at Calvary and why, and thus the doctrine of justification I just don't get, even though a 6 year old, who reads the Holy Bible and believes it can get it, but I am so buried in my commentaries, articles, and commentaries on commentaries on articles about opinions about opinions of what others think the Holy Bible means, my church SOF, I have isolated myself from The Holy Bible, and must assert that justification is a "debatable Christian issue", as all "religions" do, such as Roman Catholicism, Presy's, Church of Christ'ers.....and this is why I reject the righteousness of God, imputed to believers, and this is why I reject the sealing of the Holy Spirit, reject that adoption and circumcision is irreversible, and reject that believers are dead in Christ, and cannot be put on trial again.
Accept the gift of justification,Cains. Quit perverting the gospel of Christ with your "continuing to believe...surrender...commitment......" "difficult/easy believism," "greasy grace" jazz, re-defining of justification, Cains.
And this "easy believism" jazz is misguided terminology, as "easy" implies some time of effort. I have revised it to....
"Effortless Believism"
Accept it.
So there.
I know, I know....We will pray for you, my dear, misguided John W, you mean spirited, intolerant, narrow minded, uncultured, belligerent, MAD wacko, as you are not walking in the Spirit, not following in the steps of the lowly Galilean fisherman......Repent of your sins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cricket...Cricket....Cricket....
What sins?
Side bar, LORD God.... Take it away, LORD God.....
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him(my note-details of the book-"with" him, not "like" him) by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 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. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord....18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Galations 2 KJV
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Colossians 3 KJV
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
2 Timothy 2KJV
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."
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Above-Forever justified members of the boc are considered crucified, dead, buried,(and risen), and dead.....As such, since we are dead, we are "freed from sin. Read it-"freed from sin." What sin/sins? Where are they? In hell...The Lord Jesus Christ deposited them there-Psalms 16:10 KJV, Acts 2:27 KJV.
Really? Yes. Survey...
Hebrews 9 KJV
28 so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Without sin here? What? The Saviour had sin, in Him, during His earthly ministry? No, He beared sin, on the cross, as the propitiation, sin offering,......Get it? He will return, "the second coming," the second time"(see also Acts 7:13 KJV), without sin.....Get it? Where did those sins go, where are they now? Hell. And, if they are not in hell, He could not be raised from the dead, and, per 1 Cor. 15 KJV ff., we should shut down TOL, call it a day, dismiss class, "party on," as we are all "toast," as Paul tells us, " let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die."(1 Cor. 15:32 KJV)-"Party on, Garth!"
What sins? Get it? My/respective members of the boc's sins are in hell, never "to be brought up again!" Get it? Good news.
Ephesians 4 KJV
32 and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake(my note: notice the basis-"for Christ's sake") hath forgiven you.
Colossians 1 KJV
14 in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Colossians 2 KJV
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Read it, believe it: "all trespasses"
Colossians 3 KJV
13 forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Romans 4:5-8 KJV-".....blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."
What sins?
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The Big Switch......(identification/imputation)
Believers cannot be put on trial again, as we died in Him, and that would be "double jeopardy", and make the LORD God unrighteous, and we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, and no one has the power to break that seal, despite "the Cains" of the world protests to the contrary, grinding their wolfie chops, and circumcision is irreversible, and adoption is irreversible.
Believers, adopted sons, now have the righteousness of God in Christ based upon the work of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, alone.
When the Lord Jesus Christ died, we were reckoned to have died in Him-executed, dead, justice served. DEAD.
When the Lord Jesus Christ was buried, we, who we were "in Adam", our "old man", was reckoned to be buried.
When the Lord Jesus Christ rose, we are reckoned to have rose with Him in the newness of life.
When the Lord Jesus Christ ascended, we are reckoned to have ascended with Him, seated in heavenly places.
Believe this good news.
The Cains of the world do not know what happened at Calvary, and why. And hence, due to pride, they are still pulling up their fig aprons, as did "The Adam(s) Family."
They cannot choose to be unsaved, despite their unbelief/faltering faith, since justification(and sanctification, and future glorification) is dependent on the LORD God's faithfulness, not theirs. They have no power to break the Father's seal of the Spirit, which God promises to keep sealed unto the day of redemption, nor do they have the power to reverse their adoption, nor do do they have the power to be "re tried"(as in court trial), since they are dead, nor can they be "uncircumcized", nor can they chose to be "plucked out"/removed from the body of Christ, as they were identified permanently as a member of this body(try plucking your eye out).
"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." 2 Ttimothy 2:11-13 KJV
Read it, memorize it, Cains:
"If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself..."
As I wrote, and others before me, when we believe the gospel of Christ, we become identified(basic meaning of the word baptize) with the Lord Jesus Christ's death-we died with Him-His death was credited as ours. Since we are identified with Christ's death, we cannot become "unidentified", as we are now sealed in our identification by the Holy Spirit(Eph. 1:3 KJV). Per 2 Tim. 2:12 KJV, if we suffer with Him, we will reign with Him. However, if we deny Him, He will deny us reigning with Him(Romans 8:17-18 KJV). However, 2 Timothy 2:13 KJV says "if we believe not", and Paul is including himself in this hypothetical situation. Paul is saved, and yet he says "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful." If Paul, for some/any reason, had stopped believing, he would still be saved, because of the LORD God's faithfulness(despite our faulty comprehension of this "good news"), and so Paul concludes "he(God) cannot deny himself." Again, once a person is justified, he is placed, identified, "baptized" and sealed by the Holy Spirit into the BOC. Per Ephesians 5:30 KJV:
How many believers, at least once, did doubt, i.e., "believe not."?
Fess up....Release yourself...Let go....
I have. That is an honest response, to this question. If you are not going to be honest with yourself, get honest with the LORD God. And get honest with TOL, while you are at it.
" For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones."
Thus, Paul can say God "cannot deny himself.The LORD God cannot, and will not, deny the body of Christ, which is a spiritual organism(not organization), comprised of believers in this dispensation of the grace of God. Therefore, once a person makes a decision to believe the gospel of Christ, they are saved, justified, and cannot choose to anytime thereafter to become "unsaved/unjustified." The LORD God will remain faithful to His children, and will not deny Himself-the BOC. The promise to not "deny himself" is a reference to not being able to deny the BOC, his children. And those who do "believe not", including apostates(see Demas, an apostate-2 Tim. 4:10 KJV), may suffer loss of rewards , including reigning with Him, but they are still eternally secure.
Those that pound the table with "Apostasy is a possibility since we are not robots" cliche, perverts the gospel of Christ, focusing on "I", and confusing the doctrines of justification with sanctification. We are not "robots" in our sanctification either-that is irrelevant.
The cross of Christ is "I" crossed out. It is physically impossible to crucify yourself, and "un"crucify" yourself-a learning lesson, per Romans 15:4 KJV.=both our justification, and subsequent(my emphasis-order)sanctification, are the LORD God's work.
Apostasy is not only a possibility, it is an inevitability while in these bodies of flesh. Any one here ever doubted there eternal security just once in their life? I have. An honest man/woman would admit he has. But I thank the LORD God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, that my eternal security in Christ is not dependent on my faithfulness, my ability to "keep on believing", my promise to "keep on believing", but on the faithfulness and promise of the LORD God.
"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" Titus 1:2 KJV
My faith, the Cain's self righteous faith, is nothing and faulters all day long. My faith accepts "...the faith of Jesus Christ..."(Romans 3:22 KJV; Galatians 2:16 KJV, Galatians 2:22 KJV; Philippians 3:9 KJV) and what he did, while "religion"'s faith is a works-based performance system,which you "disguise" as "faith", and is under a curse. Works are making a claim on God(a debt) by basing your acceptance by Holy God of yourself on what you have done or will do, your "faith", your "good works", your "commitment", your "surrender" instead of what was already done for us 2000+ years ago, by the dbr. Why is it that humans are happy to receive a gift from a loved one without insulting that loved one by asking "How much do I owe you?", but refuse the same to our Creator, redeemer, and Saviour?
Justification is a legal declaration by God of "not guilty". By definition, it is irrevocable. A criminal was has been pronounced "not guilty" is still "not guilty", whether he/she acknowledges it or not.
Also, the pardon(which is not equivalent to being justified-see my posts-you've read them, in their brilliance/humility), you receive by trusting in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,you cannot become "unpardoned".
The LORD God's gifts, unlike sinful humanity's gifts, are irrevocable: "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance"(Romans 11:29 KJV). Repentance means "to change your mind". In simple, "5th grade English", the Lord God says it is irrevocable, despite our often faulty opinion"/comprehension.
Before we were saved, we were the keeper of our own souls, and we could not do anything but fail in its keeping. But when we are saved, we have turned over our souls to the protection of another-the LORD God. He is now committed to the keeping of our souls to the end-it is based on His faithfulness, not ours. Depending on our faithfulness is a simple concept-we call it religion.This is the opposite of Christianity. Religion is man substituting himself for God-Christianity is God substituting Himself for man.
"Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 1:8 KJV
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Philippians 1:6 KJV
My confirmation unto the end is and the performance of the work is in His hands, not mine. Thus, I cannot become lost by failing in my "committment" to Him, my "faith"=service. My salvation is not based on my commitment(religion)-it is based on God's commitment. Thus, the loss of personal commitment, and that includes the lack of good works, which is inevitable for me and all believers, does not affect our eternal destiny. No, the only way to lose my salvation is to somehow get God to fail in His commitment. That won't happen.
I "lose" my "commitment" daily, as every one does, as my "commitment" wavers every day, and is unreliable. Only one person to have ever walk this earth exhibited "total", "100%", unwavering "commitment" to the LORD God=the Lord Jesus Christ. And I thank God the Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ, that my justification is not dependent on my "faithfulness", which "comes short" every day, and is an unreliable, subjective gauge of my justification,but on the faithfulness, the "commitment", of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When the Lord Jesus Christ died at Calvary, I died with Him. When He was buried, I was buried with Him. When He rose from the dead, I rose from the dead. When He ascended, I ascended. I am now a "new creature"(2 Cor. 5:17 KJV, Gal. 6:15 KJV) in Christ, as my sin(singular) was judged at Calvary(Romans 8:3 KJV), and my sins(plural) were forgiven at Calvary(1 Cor. 15:1-4 KJV). No charges can be filed against me, as the trial is over, as the Judge and jury met, and all charges were heard, I was judged as guilty, I "shut up" and plead guilty(Romans 3:19 KJV), who I was was "in Adam" was executed, and who I was "in Adam"(1 Cor. 5:22 KJV) is now "dead"(Col.3:3 KJV),justice was served, and am "made alive"(1 Cor. 15:22 KJV) in Christ. Who I, the brilliant, humble John W was formerly, a "walking dead man"(spiritually), died. A dead man cannot be retried, my circumcision(Col. 2:11 KJV) is irreversible, and the seal of the Holy Spirit(2 Cor. 1:22 KJV, 2 Cor. 5:5 KJV; Eph. 1:13 KJV,Eph. 4:30 KJV, Romans 8:15 KJV) is an unbreakable, guaranteed security, guaranteed ownership, guaranteed finished transaction, with the "warranty" being the Holy Spirit Himself. This seal cannot, nor will it, be broken. I now not only have forgiveness, I have justification, a judicial declaration by the LORD God, and now have the righteousness of God in Christ.
No one on this board can bring charges against me, nor any other new creature in Christ, like the Cains do, day after day with his "conditional security" bad news, regardless of our/my inevitable lack of "commitment"/"faithfulness.". And this is the "good news" of the great God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ did not come to earth, to die, be buried, and be raised again to make "good" people better; Nay-He came to make spiritually dead people alive, in Him(identification).
Romans 7
1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held;
Paul's argument in Romans 7, is that just as death is the only "force" that can free, liberate from the claims of sin, so, too, is it the only thing that can liberate/free from the burdensome, thunderous(Exodus 19:16 KJV.....Children of Israel under "bondage"...Mt. Sinai......=Romans 15:4 KJV)claims of the law.
Thus, Paul provides another analogy(Romans 6-master/slave), employing the husband and wife.A marriage contract, at that time, could only be dissolved by death. 2 husbands-the Lord Jesus Christ, and the law. Union with the law results in bondage, -death...." to bring forth fruit unto death."(verse 5).In contrast, union with the other husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, produces freedom, and brings forth fruit unto God(verse 4).
Thus, if the husband dies, the wife is free from that "contract." Get it?
When we die to sin, we also die to the law. The law can no longer prosecute us,and we are no longer under its jurisdiction, because, in the eyes of the law, we are dead.You cannot prosecute a dead person.
Dead. No charges can be brought. Justice served.....
Thus, Paul reasons that being identified with Christ, in His death, burial frees him from death, as his "king", Romans chapter 5, frees him from sins as a master/"slave driver", Romans chapter 6, and frees him from the law, the contract(marriage) as a husband, not being bound to it any longer, as the wife is not, when her husband dies.
As one preacher taught me, summarizing Romans 5 through 7:
Romans 5: Deals with sin on a person
Romans 6: Deals with sin over(control) a person
Romans 7:Sin in a person, i.e., desperation
Again:
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Phil. 1:6 KJV
I am confident of this "guarantee", based on the promise and faithfulness of the LORD God.
Yes, I often am "immature" in my "Christian living"=my walk/service/commitment....., I admit that, but I, unlike the Cains, do not base my righteous standing before a holy LORD God on my subjective, unreliable, wavering, "Christian living"/ walk/service/commitment/"continuing to believe...", as they do, but on the objective work and faithfulness of the Saviour 2000+ years ago, and am therefore justified.
I like the contrast.
The Cain's protest??!!!!Translation: I, Cain, am ignorant and clueless as to what happened at Calvary and why, and thus the doctrine of justification I just don't get, even though a 6 year old, who reads the Holy Bible and believes it can get it, but I am so buried in my commentaries, articles, and commentaries on commentaries on articles about opinions about opinions of what others think the Holy Bible means, my church SOF, I have isolated myself from The Holy Bible, and must assert that justification is a "debatable Christian issue", as all "religions" do, such as Roman Catholicism, Presy's, Church of Christ'ers.....and this is why I reject the righteousness of God, imputed to believers, and this is why I reject the sealing of the Holy Spirit, reject that adoption and circumcision is irreversible, and reject that believers are dead in Christ, and cannot be put on trial again.
Accept the gift of justification,Cains. Quit perverting the gospel of Christ with your "continuing to believe...surrender...commitment......" "difficult/easy believism," "greasy grace" jazz, re-defining of justification, Cains.
And this "easy believism" jazz is misguided terminology, as "easy" implies some time of effort. I have revised it to....
"Effortless Believism"
Accept it.
So there.
I know, I know....We will pray for you, my dear, misguided John W, you mean spirited, intolerant, narrow minded, uncultured, belligerent, MAD wacko, as you are not walking in the Spirit, not following in the steps of the lowly Galilean fisherman......Repent of your sins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cricket...Cricket....Cricket....
What sins?
Side bar, LORD God.... Take it away, LORD God.....
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