The Two Roads: Wide Leading To Destruction and Narrow Leading To Life
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 KJV)
Many believe that the WIDE meaning is “WORKS” of a person. And that NARROW must be GOOD WORKS because it is hard to maintain good works in the light that God is PERFECT in every way. But is that the truth of Matthew 7:13-14?
Context matters and so if we look at other passages of Jesus, do see that meaning conveyed for how to become RIGHTEOUS before God? The answer is a resounding “NO”.
Jesus is clear that Salvation is by one thing and that is ‘changing our mind (the Bible definition of the word REPENT) and BELIEF ON Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. Look at John 3 where Jesus told Nicodemus how a person becomes RIGHTEOUS. It is by being ‘BORN AGAIN’ – not by our works. Jesus goes on to tell us how to be born again in The Spirit in verse 14-17 and it is all about BELIEF ON CHRIST with NOTHING ELSE MENTIONED. And then Jesus makes this very clear statement,
“He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned ALREADY, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18 KJV)
And when we look more into Jesus other words we also see Him say,
“28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you REST. 29 Take MY YOKE upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find REST unto your souls. 30 For my YOKE IS EASY, and my burden IS LIGHT.” (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV)
A LIGHT YOKE? A LIGHT BURDEN? If we are to believe that it is our WORKS that save us and keep us saved, how does that fit Jesus’ words?
Given this is Jesus words as well, we need to look closer at Matthew 7:13-14 for proper context, because Jesus NEVER contradicts Himself and in fact, Apostle Paul does not either.
And Apostle Paul states clearly that this cannot be about works when he wrote,
“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.” (Eph. 2:8-9 KJV)
So what is Jesus really meaning in Matthew 7:13-14?
If you look at virtually every world religion, even much of the ‘Christian’ world religion churches, you will see a strong emphasis on WORKS to be saved or remain saved. Yet, Jesus never taught this about Salvation or justification with God. Nor is it how a person becomes righteous. Righteousness comes only by FAITH – NOT WORKS.
““And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Philippians 3:9 KJV)
“Now to the one who WORKS, his wage is NOT RECKONED on the basis of GRACE, but as what is DUE. But to the one who DOES NOT WORK, but BELIEVES in Him (Jesus) WHO JUSTIFIES the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Romans 4:4-5 KJV)
“Knowing that a man is NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, but BY THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST, even we have BELIEVED in Jesus Christ, that we might BE JUSTIFIED by the FAITH OF CHRIST, and NOT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW: FOR BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED.” (Galatians 2)
Going back to Matthew 7, we also see that Jesus continues on and warns of about FALSE PROPHETS (verse 15) and what are they teaching? Jesus says,
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
They are teaching that Salvation is because of and by their works. And Jesus gives a stern warning AGAINST THIS IDEA! In verse 23 Jesus says that on judgement day (the judgement of UNBELIEVERS – not believers) they will hear Jesus say that HE NEVER KNEW THEM. They thought they were saved by works – but they were not. Why? Because Salvation is not by works but by Faith and belief in Jesus as the once for all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sin of the whole world (1 John 2:2). It is belief on JESUS’ FINISHED work on the cross that saves as God in the flesh.
The WIDE WAY is works. Not the narrow way. The narrow way is belief that Jesus is THE FORETOLD CHRIST, the Messiah. And this is belief alone by faith on HIS finished work.
Apostle Paul also warned sternly against adding our good works as a requirement of our Salvation and justification in Galatians, calling them ‘foolish’ for believing false teachers adding our good works to remain to be saved,
“Christ is become of NO EFFECT UNTO YOU whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4 KJV)
NO effect? That is NOT where any believer o Christ wants to be right?
Does that mean a believer’s good works after Salvation do not matter? NO. Good works are…well.. GOOD! But the point is, they are not what saves us nor keeps us saved.
BELIEF ON JESUS , THE CHRIST, ALONE, and HIS FINISHED WORK PAYING FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD… IS THE NARROW WAY.
That is a good question isn’t it? The Bride of Christ (believers living today in this dispensation of the age of grace) received immortal resurrected glorified bodies at the Rapture, The Old Testament saints were already resurrected at Christ’s Second Coming event. Surviving believers from the Tribulation period enter the Kingdom age to repopulate the Earth.
But what about those BORN during the 1000 year reign of Christ on Earth, before the Great White Throne judgement of unbelievers? We know by Scripture that for us living TODAY in this age of grace dispensation will not be judged at the Great White Throne. Only the DEAD who rejected Christ. We will ALREADY be bodily resurrected and in the New Jerusalem – that heavenly city. We will be saints in glorified bodies as Jesus now has.We will not be living on the Earth. Our home will be the New Jerusalem which is in space above the Earth. We will be ruling and reigning with Christ on Earth. Our home is the New Jerusalem but we will be going back and forth between there and the Earth because we will be doing God’s work on Earth as Kings and Priests of God.
Salvation in NOT BY WORKS. And those being judged to the lake of fire at the Great White Throne Judgement are the unbelieving dead who now reside in Hades. In Hades, only the torments side has the unsaved dead in it. The paradise side is empty because Jesus took them to Heaven just after the cross. They are judged by their WORKS and not faith. Believers are saved by FAITH in Christ’s finished work on the cross, having paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and NOT BY WORKS (Ephesians 2:8-9).
One possibility is where in Rev. 20:15 says, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” It seems interesting that John mentioned the Book of Life. If this is a judgement only for the unsaved dead, why mentioned the Book Of Life? Some may conclude that believers who die during the Millennium, will be found in the Book of Life and will be resurrected. It does seem plausible, but I am conflicted on this because at the Great White Throne, the judgement is based on works and not faith alone in Christ.
I do not think that is a correct assumption. Why would the Book Of Life be checked to see if they are in the Book of the saved then? Well, this is court of God. In a human court, do we not need to present the evidence of why someone is to be convicted? First and foremost, the need to show the person that they did not get born again is evidenced by the Lamb’s Book of Life. Once that is shown as THE MAIN EVIDENCE (because salvation is only by faith – not works, and it shows them how they rejected salvation through Christ), then they are judged by their works. This makes more sense to me.
In Rev 20:5, we see that the subject is about the 1st resurrection, describing the Tribulation saints. ‘Blessed’ are this group of believers. In Rev 20:6, the ‘rest of the dead’ are those who died in the Millennial reign of Christ. The second death has no power over the believers.
Scripture does indicate that people will live long lives, perhaps as long as before the great flood of Noah’s time. And how old did they live? A very long time! Noah as an example, lived 950 years before his death!
Those living in the Millennial Kingdom Age will be born mortal just as we are today. They also will need to make a decision to follow Christ or reject His GIFT of Salvation. Of course, Satan is bound for this 1000 year period of time and cannot influence humankind on Earth. And let’s not forget that Jesus is ruling ON the Earth and we will be ruling and reigning and teaching those born on this time span on Earth. Peace will abound.
Isaiah writing about this time period we call the Millennial Kingdom Age reads,
“There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” (Isaiah 65:20 KJV)
This may indicate that those in the Kingdom Age who reject Christ as Lord and continue in their sins may die early, to be resurrected at the Great White Throne Judgement after the 100 years have past for that future dispensation on Earth.
It could be that believers will remain alive until the Great White Throne Judgement and are kept alive in their mortal bodies, never to die. Possibly, according to Rev 20:5 the millennial believers may be resurrected at the end of the Millennial reign. This question is one many ponder. Although we are not given the answer specifically, I see no other options in my limited knowledge. Yet, either way, I trust God will do right for His believers in the Millennium reign of Christ on Earth.
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1 Cor. 9:27 KJV)
Paul mentions THE BODY, NOT THE SPIRIT in this verse. He is not writing about Salvation.
The Greek word translated ‘castaway’ is ‘adokimos’ and means ‘not standing the test, not approved’.
The only test for salvation by Jesus’ own words is belief (John 3:16, 6:28-29, 6:37-40) and the only way to be disqualified is to refuse to believe on Christ (John 3:18) .
In 1 Cor. 9, Paul compared a believer’s life to an athlete’s attempts to achieve victory in a race. Both involve bringing one’s body into subjection. This is not a precondition for salvation, but a way to achieve victory over the flesh (wrong beliefs in the mind) after we have been saved.
So, this verse is not about salvation, but about living right outwardly. It in no way teaches against the eternal security of a believer. In his other writings Paul explains how to live right outwardly. We need to renew our Mind by God’s Word (Romans 12) and walk in the Spirit to avoid the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:16).
Good works are, well, good right? An unsaved person can help a person and it is a good work; a good thing. Does an unbeliever have NO GOOD WORKS? Yes, of course they do! And this is where confusion begins.
But does an unbeliever’s good works save him from the sins he has committed? No, NEVER! This is the part some find hard to understand. Then they go to church because they seek God and forgiveness and they hear from a pulpit that good works are ‘REQUIRED ‘ for Salvation through Christ. That it is Christ PLUS good works that save. You must do more good works than bad works or you might just not be saved at all.
Friends, I am telling you by God’s Word (not my opinion); THAT IS SUPER FALSE GOSPEL! It is a doctrine straight from the devil, who is orchestrating this subtle LIE to deceive people so they do not actually get saved by Christ’s atonement ! To stop people from hearing the GOOD NEWS; The Gospel Of Grace Through Jesus Christ.
And when a true Gospel believer teaches others that Works are not required for salvation and that if you sin after being saved, that your sins will not mean loss of your salvation, immediately the flesh in their minds shouts that it is heresy. Yet, this is exactly what the Bible teaches!
It is not that it means, go and sin all you want because the grace of God is abounding (Romans 6:1-2) but it is truth. Apostle Paul is clear. What many believers miss, (and it is because of false gospel teachers!) is that there is a difference between a believer’s NEW SPIRIT and a persons MIND. They are not the same.
The Spirit is redeemed but the MIND – needs renewing (Romans 12)! The problem is there is a fine line when sharing the Gospel because many teach works are REQUIRED to be saved and not just belief in Christ – and that is actually FALSE GOSPEL (Galatians 5:4. Eph 2:8-9, John 3:18, John 6:37-40). Apostle Paul says that such false teachers are to be ACCURSED as we read in Galatians 1:8. That is Serious stuff! Paul goes on to state this dire warning,
“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4 KJV)
NO EFFECT UNTO YOU! That is not a good place to be. That is relying on our works and not Jesus’ finished work on the cross, paying for the sins OF THE WHOLE WORLD (1 John 2:2). Believing that works are a REQUIREMENT of Salvation may mean, you did not understand the Gospel of your salvation in the first place. VERY Scary thought! Jesus warned the same in Matthew 7:23. It is God’s GRACE ALONE that saves us through belief on Christ. Do not add ANYTHING to that! Doing so, is the sin of PRIDE. The very sin the devil himself committed. We need to be humble.
The truth is a believer is SEALED in Salvation from the moment of belief in Christ for righteousness (John 3:14-18, John 6:37-40, Ephesians 1:12-14, ) and we are MADE BY GOD the righteousness of God, IN CHRIST (2 Cor., 5:17-21) and are COMPLETE IN CHRIST (Colossians 2) It is by the OPERATION OF GOD that He changes our Spirit, our heart. But Salvation is NOT by our works , nor kept by our works neither! This NEW SPIRIT we have been given as an UNMERITED GIFT from God through belief on Christ alone, by the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Word of God in the Bible, starts to renew our mind (Romans 12).
Our Spirit is PERFECT, redeemed and COMPLETE IN CHRIST and is SEATED WITH CHRIST – right now in the present tense as Paul wrote. But our MIND still has the old DEAD spirit thoughts and beliefs which need to be renewed by who we now are – the righteousness of God, in Christ. This all happens the moment we BELIEVE ON CHRIST. SAVED ETERNALLY!!
This is NOT my opinion. In fact, go read the Bible yourself and see the truth!
Jesus said it very simply and clearly in John 3:18,
“He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is NOT CONDEMNED: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned ALREADY, BECAUSE he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18 KJV)
As we renew our wrong beliefs and thoughts in the mind, and we find them replaced by God’s truth, we almost effortlessly make RIGHT DECISIONS in our mind which work outwardly to good works. Perfectly, without ever sinning? No. Our mind has the corrupt FLESH in it still and will until we are bodily resurrected. But we should see good works in our life in an increasing way. Not that our Salvation relies on it; it is just outward evidence of our salvation just like the book of James teaches. That is what Apostle Paul was explaining in Ephesians 2. He wrote the words “UNTO GOOD WORKS”.
Salvation and justification with God is ONLY by belief in Christ but because we start changing over time (each of us at different paces), God’s good works start shining outwardly. It is God working THROUGH US! Amazing yes?
GOOD WORKS FLOW FROM THE SOURCE!
Holy Spirit >> The SPIRIT of GOD >> MIND RENEWING >> DECISIONS >> Good works or sin outwardly in the Body.
“Now to him that worketh is the reward NOT reckoned of grace, but OF DEBT. But to him that worketh NOT, but BELIEVETH ON HIM (Jesus) that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Romans 4:4-5 KJV)
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“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2 KJV)
GET THIS RIGHT:
IT IS ONLY GOD WHO CHANGES US and KEEPS US SAVED
Yes, GOOD WORKS FOLLOW after our moment of Salvation and conversion in the Spirit. Yet it is not self righteous forced works to ‘remain saved’. We are saved ETERNALLY (John 3:16-18) from the very moment of belief on Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). Instead, it is God’s Works THROUGH US by RIGHT BELIEVING from our redeemed Spirit.
“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. 10 For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST UNTO GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we SHOULD walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)
The story of the rich man and Lazarus after they died is found in Luke 16. Jesus talks about the place a person’s Spirit goes after physical death prior to Jesus dying on the cross; that is prior to the New Covenant. Prior to Christ’s physical death on the cross. Some teach that this is only a parable but no other parable uses specific names as Jesus describes here. Jesus is explaining an incident.
This place is called HADES in the Greek and is a holding place for human Spirits separated from the body at death. Hades has 2 container areas separated by a great chasm/divide.
One side is called ‘paradise’(Abraham’s Bosom) where Old Testament believers, went at physical death. This is the place Jesus said to the thief on the cross who ended up believing on Christ for Salvation went at his death as Jesus promised.
“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43 KJV)
The other side of Hades is called called ‘torments’, where the unbeliever’s Spirit of Man went, and still goes today, at physical death. Those in this container are headed for the Great White Throne Judgment of the unsaved as described in the book of Revelation. We see Jesus state that at this judgement seat,
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Rev. 20:14 KJV)
The word ‘hell’ in this verse in the Greek is ‘Hades‘; this very holding place of all the Spirits of the unredeemed dead. Before Christ, and before His death and resurrection as the final once for all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), believer’s sins were only temporarily covered, year to year, as they looked toward the Messiah to come (Hebrews 10). Jesus had not yet completed His sacrifice and so ‘paradise’ was a holding place for Old Testament believer’s Spirits until Christ came.
Heaven is a perfect place without sin. Only perfection may enter. Now that Jesus came and fulfilled the final sacrifice for sins, believers today are immediately from the moment of belief on Christ, born again in the Spirit (John 3) and eternally sealed in Salvation (Eph. 1:13-14), recreated in the Spirit as the righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21). Complete in Christ and already risen with Christ (Colossians 2) . And seated with Christ (Eph. 2:6). All in the present tense!
So when a believer in Christ dies physically today, only their Spirit is with Christ. It is fully redeemed, right now! It is IN CHRIST, yet still tethered to our physical body, our ‘tabernacle’ , our ‘tent’.
However, our body is not yet resurrected, still corrupted by this THING called sin. The body cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. It is still corrupt and stays behind at physical death; one day to also be resurrected either to Heaven at the Bema judgement seat of believers or the Lake Of Fire at the Great White Throne judgement.
When Christ ascended He took those waiting in Paradise to heaven with Him. He finally could because the final sacrifice for sins was PAID IN FULL in the cross.
“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)” (Ephesians 4:8-10 KJV)
Today, living in the New Covenant dispensation, the age of God’s Grace, a believer’s Spirit is SEATED WITH CHRIST. The ‘paradise’ side of Hades is empty.
Yet the ‘torments’ side in Hades keeps being filled with the Spirits of the unsaved dead. Reserved until bodily resurrected for eternal damnation at the Great White Throne Judgement.
Do not end up in ‘torments’ nor the Lake Of Fire. Jesus paid for your sins! But you have free will to accept or reject the gift He paid for (Eph. 2:8-9) by belief or unbelief.
Jesus says you must be born again in the present by accepting the gift of Salvation THROUGH BELIEF ON HIM; NOT BY GOOD WORKS NOR BY BEING A GOOD PERSON.
“…whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but HAVE eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but HAVE everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world THROUGH HIM might be saved.
He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned ALREADY, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:15-18 KJV)
The phrase ‘as a thief’ regarding the Lord’s Return, is seen twice in the New Testament, not once.
‘As a thief in the night‘ is for unbelievers living during the Tribulation period and after the Tribulation period. This passage is not about the Rapture event. Nor does it apply to believers.
With the Rapture no one knows the date of the event. It is imminent. But here, unbelievers do not know, but believers WILL KNOW.
Once The Pre-Tribulation Rapture event happens, the Tribulation Period starts. During the Tribulation Period on Earth. the 144,000 Jewish Evangelists for Christ will know the exact date of Christ’s return. We know exactly the day that the Second Coming will occur and it occurs exactly 1,260 days after the Abomination of Desolation during the Tribulation Period. And it occurs exactly 1,290 days after the Antichrist issues the decree to stop the Jewish sacrifices at the Temple.
That is a very time specific prophecy from Daniel. So for THE BELIEVING survivors of the Tribulation Period, they are anticipating the Lord’s coming on a specific date!
THE UNBELIEVERS who sided with Antichrist will believe his great deception and will think Christ already is here ; the antichrist. To THEM it will come as A THIEF in the night but not for believers.
Paul is talking about the same event as Jesus in Matthew 24:43,
“But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch THE THIEF would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” (Matthew 24:43 KJV)
These two passages are about the Second Coming; not the Pre-Trib Rapture.
Paul tells about the Pre-Tribulation Rapture in another earlier passage and it too will happen. But this passage is about the Second Coming Event.
1 Thessalonians 5
“1 But of the times and the seasons, BRETHREN, YE have NO NEED that I write UNTO YOU.
2 For YOURSELVES KNOW PERFECTLY that the DAY OF THE LORD so cometh as A THIEF in the night.”
DON: This group Does Know The Time. Believers will know. Who will not know?
“3 FOR WHEN THEY shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
DON: The word THEY is used not the word YOU. These are unbelievers in the first part of the Tribulation Period. A peace treaty by Antichrist will have those unbelieving left behind at Rapture saying ‘peace and safety’.
“4 BUT YE, BRETHREN, ARE NOT in darkness, that that day should overtake YOU as a thief.”
DON : For YOU believers it will NOT take you surprise as a thief! This is talking about believers.
“5 YE ARE all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let US not sleep, AS DO OTHERS; but LET US watch and be sober.
7 FOR THEY that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.”
DON: Switches to THEY, that is unbelievers.
“8 But LET US, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate OF FAITH and love; and for an helmet, THE HOPE OF SALVATION.”
DON: Switches back to believers. The Rapture is our blessed hope! Believers are looking for the Rapture and not the Antichrist in the Tribulation Period.
We who believe on Christ, in this age of grace, will be Raptured before the Tribulation and will return WITH CHRIST for the Second Coming event. Paul encourages these believers, and us, living in this dispensation of God’s Grace that we will be raptured before the Tribulation.
“9 For God hath not appointed US TO WRATH, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,”
DON: Wrath is God’s wrath and will be poured out to those living in the Tribulation Period, not our current dispensation of Grace.
“10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, WE should live together WITH HIM. 11 Wherefore COMFORT YOURSELVES together, and edify one another, even as also YE DO.”
Apparently the believers Paul writes to were thinking if they died before the Rapture they will miss it and some were confused about the two separate events: The Rapture and The Second Coming.
Paul is comparing and contrasting so they know they are two events and not one. The Rapture is our blessed hope. We meet the Lord ‘in the air’ to our new home; The New Jeruslaem prepared for the Bride of Christ. The completion of our now perfect Spirit (Colossians 2) united with our new glorified resurrected body which has no more sin problem.
At The Second Coming of Christ returning to Earth to begin His 1000 year reign in the Kingdom Age, we return with Christ and Christ lands ‘on the Earth’ to setup the 1000 year Kingdom Age on Earth.
The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is Scriptural but 1 Thessalonians 5 is about The Second Coming.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)
Apostle Paul did not state.. “rightly believing” the truth. Nor did He say “rightly living” the truth.
This verse is VERY important. Believer, we must get this! In fact, not understanding this is the very reason why there are so many Christians believing falsely about Salvation and Justification with God.
You see, all the Bible is truth. All the Bible is for us. However, not all the Bible is addressed directly to us, living in our current dispensation of the Age of God’s Grace.
One example is, when you see a “seemingly” contradiction in the Bible between Scriptures before the cross and Scriptures after the event of the cross (not just Old Testament/New Testament. The New Covenant starts at the cross, not in Matthew 1.) ; that is a sign that they are addressed to Different Dispensations.
Another Example is rightly dividing between Scriptures addressed us in this dispensation we live in and the new dispensation that starts at the Rapture of the church.
There Is Only One Gospel; Belief On The Messiah, The Foretold Christ
Let me be crystal clear about this. There are some teaching Bible dispensations as if the way to heaven is different before and after the cross. That before the cross works were a requirement of salvation and after the cross works were not a requirement. That is not what I am talking about when I mention Dispensations. There is only ONE GOSPEL in both the Old and New Testament. There are differences though in how the Holy Spirit relates to us in these different dispensations.
OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS
Old Testament believers looked forward to a coming promised Messiah who would be a final payment for sins. But because Christ had not come, those living under the Law of Moses had to make an animal sacrifice of an ‘unblemished’ animal as a temporary covering of their sins until Messiah came (Hebrews 9 and 10). The Holy Spirit was UPON BELIEVERS of the foretold Messiah, but were not indwelled and sealed as Church Age believers are today. They looked forward to the day when The Messiah would come and eradicate sin forever. This belief did not mean they were immediately indwelt by the Holy Spirit, though the Holy Spirit was UPON THEM.
King David himself prayed that God would not take the Holy Spirit from him following his sin with Bathsheba as we read in Psalm 51:11. This is showing that even they did not believe so. To them, they never even knew about the Holy Spirit indwelling a person and becoming one with God as Jesus prayed in John 17.
Old Testament believers were never promised that the Holy Spirit would be sealed within them as a guarantee of their eternal destiny in Heaven. They needed to keep believing that the Messiah would come and be the final sacrifice for all sin. That by doing animal sacrifices they are covered until the Messiah will come and accomplish it.
CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS (The Bride Of Christ)
In the dispensation of grace we now live within (The Church Age between the cross and Pre-Tribulation Rapture), the Holy Spirit indwells and seals a person from the moment of belief on Christ (Eph. 1:13-14) and His blood atonement for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and His rising from death (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Colossians 2). This belief seals a person and is our ‘earnest’ which means it guarantees our eternal destinyin Heaven. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is unique to The Bride of Christ (Church Age believers in Christ).
TRIBULATION PERIOD BELIEVERS
Israel, the Jewish people, as a group, have still not accepted Jesus as Messiah. They are still looking for the Messiah to come and unfortunately when Antichrist comes to power, many will believe he is the Messiah come. Yes, some Jewish people have come to salvation in Christ just as in the early church and to this day. Jew or gentile, a believer in Christ is saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Galatians 3:28). But Israel as a nation/group have not been indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Once Church Age believers are Pre-Tribulation Raptured, all left on Earth are unbelievers. I cannot find Scripture that makes an eternal security promise by an indwelling Holy Spirit for Tribulation believers. Scripture indicates that those who come to believe that Jesus, and not the Antichrist, is Messiah and who reject worshiping the Antichrist with the Mark of the beast must ‘endure until the end’. Endure how? Endure Antichrist persecution while not taking the mark, without which no one will be able to buy nor sell. This enduring is enduring in belief because they do not have the sealed indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will work as in Old Testament times, ‘UPON THEM’ , not sealed within them. The indwelling Holy Spirit will have already left when the Church Age believers were Raptured before the Tribulation Period starts.
APOSTLE PAUL TAUGHT DISPENSATIONS IN THE BIBLE
Timothy was a very close person in Paul’s ministry. So close he refers to him as a son, though he was not a real son. Timothy was running the church in Ephesus and it seems that there were problems in that church because of false teachers creeping in. They seem to be the Judiazers just as we see in Galatians. These false teachers were mixing the grace of God with Law keeping as an added requirement for salvation. It is a false teaching that Paul fought hard against in Galatians. We see Paul write this,
“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in THE GRACE that is in Christ Jesus…Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David WAS RAISED from the dead according to MY GOSPEL…Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2 KJV)
Paul wrote about being strong in the -GRACE- that is in Christ Jesus. That Jesus -WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD-! The Judiazers were teaching more than this grace was required to be saved and that following the Law was also required; a very wrong teaching, as it is wrong today as well. A very dangerous teaching. False salvation teaching!
Paul also writes something that so many believers today have not grasped. Paul wrote “MY GOSPEL”. We know that after the Jews rejected Christ, that they refused again and a while after Jesus rose again we see that the Jews stoned Stephen. Saul of Tarsus was there, the chief persecutor of Christians at that time. Christians greatly feared this man. The Apostles continued to preached to the Jewish people in the early church under great persecution but after the stoning of Stephen, we see God put Israel aside and sent Apostle Paul to the Gentiles (non Jews). Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus had an encounter with the risen Jesus and He believed and became a Christian himself! It is very much like God to send the biggest persecutor of Christians (Saul of Tarsus) to save the gentiles! Why? God is showing us the new -Gospel of GRACE- Through Christ Crucified and rose again. It is the same Gospel of belief on the Messiah but there is something different about it because Christ has already come and died on the cross. Jesus already paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). On the road to Damascus, Paul meets the risen Christ and believes the truth and from this conversion is sent to save the Gentiles. And that includes you and me today!
A New Dispensation began that the Jewish people failed to recognize was going to start. They knew about Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks. They mostly knew that they were living at the end of the 69th week as well which is why the Jews were looking for their Messiah. Many felt like it was not the right time because nothing seemed to be happening except being ruled under the harsh Roman Empire. They were living under bondage of the Roman Empire and were looking for the Messiah to come and start Daniel’s 70th week, after which the Kingdom Age would start. This is the Kingdom the Jews sought after. It is the only Kingdom they knew about. But they failed to understand that Daniel’s prophecy stated that the Messiah would be cut off. This happened when the Jews, rejected Jesus as Messiah and crucified Him. This event did not take God by surprise! He foretold to them that it would happen through Daniels prophecy right?
When Paul started this new Gospel message, to the Jews, we see Paul calling it MY GOSPEL. Eventually he met with Apostle Peter and they agreed that Paul was sent by God. The Apostles agreed that they would continue to preach to Israel, the Jewish peoples, and Paul would preach to the Jews, but mostly to the gentiles. So what was different in the message? Why does Paul call it MY GOSPEL?
Those living under the Law before the event of the cross, never heard about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They never heard such a thing and did not understand that. They never heard about human beings becoming one with God through and in Christ (John 17, Colossians 2). What they knew is that animal sacrifices were needed to cover the sins of the people UNTIL Messiah came to be the final sacrifice for sin. These animal sacrifices never paid for their sins, and it was only a temporary covering for their sin as they looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. They were to follow the Law of Moses, the Ten commandments and the Levitical laws which equate to 613 Laws. And animals without blemish had to be sacrificed.
“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins EVERY YEAR. For it is NOT POSSIBLE that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but A BODY THOU HAST PREPARED ME: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.” (Hebrews 10:3-6 KJV)
That is why when Jesus died on the cross and paid for the sin of the whole world the Bible says He SAT DOWN. It was FINISHED! He became the final, once for all, blood sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which CAN NEVER take away sins: But this man, after he had offered ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOR EVER, SAT DOWN on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For BY ONE OFFERING HE HATH PERFECTED FRO EVER them that ARE sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:10-14 KJV)
And what do we see today in the large major of, so called, Christian religious organizations and denominations? Still preaching condemnation to BELIEVERS! Still preaching they must have more good works than bad works to be saved. That a person can lose salvation because of their works and deeds. It is all the same FALSE TEACHINGS of the Judiazers my brothers and sisters in Christ. Do not be fooled! Christ paid it all! Apostle Paul,
“For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the GIFT OF GOD: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED In CHRIST JESUS UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)
Whenever Paul mentions Jesus as ‘Christ Jesus’ it is speaking about the crucified Christ, and how He paid for the sins of the world on the cross. Paul also shows here that those teaching that works are required to become saved or remain saved are actually BOASTING in THEMSELVES and not the finished work of Christ! God forbid it brothers and sisters in Christ! Do not fall for this lie of ‘works for salvation’. It will only bring people to hell in the end; lost forever. Jesus
warned sternly about this in Matthew 7:22-23 and Paul in Galatians.
NO ONE was able to keep every Law and the animal sacrifices covered their sins before Jesus came. Only Jesus did that as God in a human body.They looked forward to the Bible prophecies that one day there would be a FINAL Messiah who would save all the people. Jesus is that Messiah. When He finally came, He preached that to be saved, they needed to believe He is the foretold Messiah. We see this in John 3:56 and 14-18. At the time, Christ had not yet gone to the cross and was living under The Law. Jesus fulfilled ALL THE LAW and that required water baptism. This is why John the Baptist used water baptism UNTO salvation. Not FOR salvation. John the Baptist said,
“I indeed baptize you WITH WATER UNTO REPENTANCE but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and with fire:”(Matthew 3:11 KJV)
Today we are baptized by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells a believer from the very moment of belief on Christ as the Messiah and Christ who paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) with His once for all final blood atonement on the cross (Hebrews 10:10).
“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, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV)
The ‘purchased possession’ is our bodily resurrection when Christ will come and Rapture all believers from our current dispensation of grace. And so, this verse means for ever. A believer is forever SEALED IN CHRIST from the very moment we believe on Christ and His finished work on the cross, rising again. In Colossians 2, we see what really happened on the cross that the Jews did not see nor understand.
“And YE ARE COMPLETE –IN HIM–, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried WITH HIM in baptism, wherein also YE ARE RISEN WITH HIM through the faith of the operation OF GOD, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, HATH HE quickened together WITH HIM, having forgiven you ALL trespasses; BLOTTING OUT the handwriting of ordinances that WAS against us, which WAS contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to HIS CROSS;” (Colossians 2 KJV)
This is the difference. When Paul writes, MY GOSPEL, it is the Gospel Jesus sent Paul to preach to those living in this new dispensation of grace that we now live within. The perspective has changed because the Messiah came already. Jesus was the final blood sacrifice and “…there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins…” (Hebrews 10:26) except to believe. That is the wilful sin the writer of Hebrews was talking about; the sin of unbelief and adding the Law to what Christ already accomplished and completed on the cross. Jesus paid for ALL the sins of the whole world.
The Jews never had the indwelling Holy Spirit before Jesus came. Once Jesus came, something changed! The indwelling Holy Spirit is only for the dispensation of grace that we live within today. Jesus is gathering from this dispensation a special group of people who He calls His Bride. We see Jesus telling Nicodemus that the requirement for the Jews to be saved now is “Whosoever believeth in Him” as the foretold Messiah.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)
Notice that nothing else is mentioned. No Law of Moses following because the Law cannot save a person except for SHOWING THEM they have sin. No water baptism is required. Jesus was preparing the Jews for the soon coming Gospel of Grace Through Christ Crucified And Risen.
When the Messiah (Jesus) was ‘cut off’ God paused Daniel’s prophecy 70 weeks, right at the end of the 69th week. And then God turned to save the Gentiles and the new dispensation began which is the dispensation of grace as Paul wrote. In the dispensation of grace in which we live, a person is indwelt by the Holy Spirit from the moment of belief on Christ, sealed in salvation from the very moment of belief on Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). Our salvation is not by our good works nor by Law following. Salvation is a GIFT to be accepted or rejected and as a gift it is never EARNED! That is the GOOD NEWS, the Gospel truth. Those who come to believe on Christ in this dispensation have become the Bride of Christ, in union with Christ forever.
Christ is one with the Father and the Father is one with Christ and the Holy Spirit (John 17). Believers today are IN CHRIST and so we are also one with the Father and Holy Spirit. Oh, if the Christian community today would embrace this great truth! What would we do for Christ IN US, the hope of glory!
The devil can only be in one place at one time. Same goes for the fallen angels that rebelled against God in pride. They are still angels but have rebelled against God and are now, fallen angels. Angels are not what people become at physical death. Angels are a completely different creation of God than humankind.
ANGELS CAN HEAR US AUDIBLY
Angels can see what we write and what we do. Angels can see how we react to things as well. They see our faults and try to give us FEAR over them. FEAR is the opposite of FAITH. That is why we see Jesus so many times in Gospels telling people to FEAR NOT and WORRY NOT.
ANGELS HAVE RANKS LIKE AN ARMY
Fallen angels too. This is how the fallen angels scheme against us which Apostle Paul calls the ‘ wiles of the devil ‘ in Ephesians 6.
An Example:
You have a stressful situation at work. At home you cry, scream out about it etc. A fallen angel hears you and can tell higher ranking fallen angels who PLAN and scheme how they can make it worse. Commands and orders go out to various fallen angels to try to get people to do things to make it worse for you etc.
The fallen angels of satan do know that as a believer our Spirit is already redeemed. THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT! WE ARE SAVED ETERNALLY! Yet, they do not want us helping others to be saved. So they scheme to stress us, keep us busy with other things. They try to excite the old Flesh, wrong beliefs in our mind from our now DEAD old Spirit of Man.
So as believers we should watch what we say. And be careful what we do. Not only are unbelievers watching us, which can affect our witness of the Gospel to them, but fallen angels are watching too! And they are our adversary!
They will scheme against us to have us act wrongly by exciting The Flesh in our mind so we will make wrong decisions resulting in sin, and the bad consequences sin causes in our life, and in the lives of others. Why? So we are less effective sharing the Gospel!
In Ephesians 6, Apostle Paul explains this:
“10 Finally, my brethren, be strong IN THE LORD, and in the power of HIS MIGHT. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. 12 For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour OF GOD, that ye may be able to WITHSTAND in the evil day, and having done all, TO STAND. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about WITH TRUTH, and having on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel OF PEACE; 16 Above all, taking the SHIELD OF FAITH, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet OF SALVATION, and the sword of THE SPIRIT, which is the WORD OF GOD: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication IN THE SPIRIT, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication FOR ALL SAINTS; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth BOLDLY, TO MAKE KNOWN THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL,” (Ephesians 6:10-19 KJV)
We need to renew our mind by the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and by the Word of God (Romans 12). This is true repentance AFTER being saved by belief on Christ; we ‘change our MIND’ (the very definition of the word Repent in the Bible) by God’s Word. We change our old Fleshly thoughts and beliefs in THE MIND (Romans 7). We live outwardly as we BELIEVE in the MIND. This is what ‘putting on the armor of God’ is truly all about!
The devil and his angels can only excite wrong beliefs in a believer’s mind (The Flesh). The more we replace these wrong beliefs by the truth of God’s Word, the less the devil and his angels can deceive us with fear!
This Is True Repentance For A Saved Believer
Change our MIND! Do not focus on changing just what you DO, or how you live outwardly. That is the same as following the Law to please God and is doomed to fail! Ever see a sign saying ‘do not walk on the grass’ when you were young and unsaved? Made you want to walk on it more huh?
Following the Law only produces fear, the very opposite of faith.
Following the Law in our own efforts to please God will make us sin more – not less!
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence MIGHT ABOUND. But where sin abounded, grace did MUCH MORE ABOUND:” (Romans 5:20 KJV)
“The sting of death is sin; and the STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW.”
(1 Corinthians 15:56 KJV)
What we need to do is Walk in the Spirit God made us at our conversion in belief on Christ, by FAITH instead.
“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (Galatians 3:11 KJV)
We need to CHANGE OUR MIND. This is the ‘repenting’ a believer should focus on AFTER the moment of their Salvation. Change what we BELIEVE IN OUR MIND. Right believing leads to right living and is God working through us UNTO GOOD WORKS.
“For by GRACEare ye savedTHROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN Christ Jesus UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we SHOULD walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)
Understand who God made us in Christ. We were made by God by imputation the righteousness of God, IN CHRIST (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) in The Spirit. We are present tense, COMPLETE IN HIM and ALREADY risen WITH Christ in the Spirit (Colossians 2)! Knowing who we now are IN CHRIST, then we should stand in the power of Gods might – BY FAITH! (Ephesians 6:10 KJV) I am telling you, quote verse 10 when tempted or being bothered by the wiles of the Devil and he will flee! Because YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! You KNOW WHO CHRIST MADE YOU in the Spirit!
“And 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.” (Romans 12:2 KJV)
Jesus Prayed For You And Me Before HE Ascended!
The most beautiful prayer you will read that Jesus prayed to the Father for us is found in John 17. Please read it closely, slowly and then again. So simply awesome!
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.“ (John 17:17-26 KJV)
So, do you think that Jesus prayer
to the Father will be answered?
! YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT !
Makes me want to shout every time I read John 17 !
The question for saved believers is not ‘how holy do I need to be to keep myself saved’. The right question is to ask ‘how holy is Jesus to keep me saved’ because believers are in Christ right now!
When God looks at a believer, He sees Jesus! Our sin debt problem is finished! Believers, God is not mad at you! The wages for sin in God’s economy is DEATH. This wage has been paid in full by Christ on The cross 2000 years ago.
+ JESUS IS THE CHRIST.
+ JESUS IS GOD IN THE FLESH.
+ SALVATION IS ONLY BY BELIEF IN HIM.
Jesus is clear that He is God. He became flesh in the person of Jesus as the Christ, who lived as human without committing any sin, and that by belief that He is God come to pay for our sins, we are justified BY GOD – NOT BY OUR DEEDS (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Our sins paid and forgiven, He gave ‘WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM’ eternal life (John 3:14-18). He took our spirit of man (full of sin) to the cross where it DIED WITH CHRIST, was buried WITH CHRIST, and ROSE WITH CHRIST (Romans 6, Colossians 2), our sin debt paid in full as a NEW CREATION of God that HE MADE US , which is the very RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, IN CHRIST (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 KJV).
All accomplished by His GIFT OF GRACE without works required but UNTO good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
“And WITHOUT CONTROVERSARY great is the mystery of godliness: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16 KJV)
“And the Word as MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of GRACE AND TRUTH.” (John 1:14 KJV)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS GOD.” (John 1:1 KJV)
Notice a capital W in Word. That because it is a NAME!
“Ye are my witnesses, SAITH THE LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and BELIEVE me, and understand that I AM HE: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, EVEN I, AM THE LORD; and beside ME there is no saviour” (Isaiah 43:10-11 KJV)
‘Fear thou not; for Iam with thee: be not dismayed; for Iam thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of MY RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Isaiah 41:10 KJV)
Believers are held by God’ hand and God’s righteousness. Not by ours!
Whenever Jesus repeats Himself in a passage, He wants us to UNDERSTAND THIS! Here is Jesus with more repetition… UNDERSTAND THIS!
“14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have ETERNAL LIFE.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED.
18 He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned ALREADY, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18 KJV)
“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for IF YE BELIEVE NOT , that I AM HE, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:24 KJV)
Justification in Salvation is by BELIEF ALONE that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah, the Christ, who is God, who came as foretold to live a sinless life, and with grace and truth had our sins imputed onto Him and paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), as the final once for all blood sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:10).
What About Following His commandments?
1. FOR UNBELIEVERS:
For unbelievers, who are believing there is no God or that they rely on being a good person and their good works or relying on religious rituals, to be justified with God; God’s will for them is to believe Jesus is the Christ. To understand that self righteous works will not save them! Law following will not pay for sins!
Jesus answered clearly when asked by unbelievers how they can do the ‘will of God’ ,
“…this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, that every one which seeth the Son, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM, may have EVERLASTING LIFE: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40 KJV)
2. FOR SAVED BELIEVERS ON CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK :
Jesus gave eternally saved believers two commandments:
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)
1. Love the Lord thy God with all our heart, soul, and our mind.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
To keep ourselves saved? No. He never said that to BELIEVERS. Jesus constantly states and repeats that our justification is only by BELIEF ON HIM.
These two commands are not a conditional statement like the Law. They are the morals of the Law which is living right and in great gratitude for God’s unconditional love for us. For His GRACE!
Our newly created Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) and the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) guide and help believers to renew and CHANGE THEIR MIND (the Biblical definition of repentance).
Believers , overtime, start replacing our left over old Spirit of man beliefs (The Flesh) with the truth of God’s Word. Right believing in THE MIND leads and allows our new Spirit of God to make decisions that result in outward good works. This is what Apostle Paul means by ‘walking in the Spirit’ in his writings. Our REAL SELF, our core being is our Spirit and so why walk by our now DEAD OLD SPIRIT OF SIN by our wrong fleshly sinful beliefs in our mind. Renew our mind instead! It is all GOD’S GRACE.
BELIEVER: FEAR NOT!
If you, as a believer in Christ, have sin consciouness and your feelings are deceiving to fear loss of Salvation, stop. God says to believers,
“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; And their sins and iniquities WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE.” (Hebrews 10:16 KJV)
Believers have one thing mentioned to fear and it is not loss of Salvation….
“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into HIS REST, any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1 KJV)
Believers…. REST IN CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK TO SAVE YOU.
