For now, this will be the final blog on "Sin - What a subject"? I'm certain there will be future blogs from me concerning this subject. So here we go. Hang on and enjoy.
When Jesus came on the scene, one of the first things He had to do was counter all the religious traditions and doctrines of His day. Paul recognized the same problem. He said in Romans 10:2-3, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
Just because people are zealous or religious does not mean what they believe is correct. One of the most misunderstood doctrines in the Bible is what really happened when Jesus came to earth. He fulfilled the Law and was sacrificed for our sins. When He said in John 19:30 “It is finished”, everything changed.
Jesus forever changed the way God relates to mankind. Sure, there are scriptural examples of God’s catastrophic judgment on sin. But God’s greatest act of judgment was when He placed His entire wrath upon Jesus for our sins. This forever satisfied God’s wrath. Since that time, God hasn’t been judging our sins (2 Cor. 5:19).
God’s not angry with us; He’s not even in a bad mood. So why won’t people receive this? Because they don’t know that the performance covenant of the Old Testament Law is over. We are now under New Testament ministry of grace and faith (2 Cor. 3:7-8).
The Law was given to convict people of their self-righteousness so they could see their need for a savior. We are now no longer under the Law. 1 Timothy 1:9 says that the Law is not made for a righteous man. And who is righteous? Any person who is born again (2 Cor. 5:21).
Hebrews 7:12 and 18 says, “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.”
A disannulling. The word disannulling literally means cancellation. To make null and void. The Old Testament Law has been nullified, canceled, done away with. The Law was weak and unprofitable. It was only a stop-gap measure until Jesus (Gal. 3:23-25).
Ephesians 1:3-5 says, “[He] hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings…hath chosen us…Having predestined us unto the adoption of children” (brackets and emphasis mine).
So how blessed is all spiritual blessings? Verse 6 says that we have been accepted in the beloved. Really, that is a super understatement. The Greek word that is used for “accepted” is only used twice in the New Testament. The other place is in Luke 1 where the the Angel Gabriel appeared unto Mary. Gabriel said, “Hail thou that are highly favoured, the Lord is with thee” (verse 28).
The Greek word for“highly favoured” is the only other time that this word was used. When it says that we are accepted in the beloved, it is saying He has made us highly favored. Mary hasn’t got anything on a born-again believer. Every one of us is accepted, chosen, and highly favored. It’s all part of redemption. So there's no way we can be condemned, because we are already accepted.
If you’re born again and still asking questions like these, “Can I lose my salvation?” “If I die with unconfessed sin, will I go to heaven?” “Does God answer the prayers of someone who still sins?” Then you do not understand redemption.
Redemption is very practical. Your understanding of it will determine what you are able to receive from God, not just in eternity… but here and now. So, If God has forgiven you, how dare you keep holding your errors against yourself. I would call that the height of hypocrisy and pride. Get over it. God has. Sin is no longer and issue. Period. Grace and Peace.
