Author: Don Gerrity

Is Repentance (Change of Mind) A Free Will Response To Conviction Of The Holy Spirit For The Believer?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Holy Spirit
Is Repentance (Change of Mind) A Free Will Response To Conviction Of The Holy Spirit For The Believer?

Q: Do you think repentance ( changing our minds) is a work? 

A: No. Repentance is defined in the Bible as simply.. ‘change your mind’. For more details read this article.

Q: Do you think repentance (changing our minds) is a free will response to the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Do you think we have to change our minds once the Holy Spirit convicts us ?

A: God the father reveals to a person Jesus is the Messiah by the Holy Spirit. Repentance UNTO SALVATION is a free will choice to believe and have eternal life or reject Christ and remain condemned (John 3:18). In John 3, Jesus is addressing the Jewish Pharisee Nicodemus and Jesus tells him “WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM” (in Jesus as Messiah) Whosoever is whosoever believes by free will.

After salvation, we are positionally in Christ, if we truly believed. We are made the very righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Not that we achieved this righteousness; it was imputed to us.

After Salvation with the Holy Spirit indwelling us, things have changed. We still have the thought processes of the Flesh and it wars with the new us; The Spirit.

“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

OF SIN, because THEY BELIEVE NOT on me;

OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

OF JUDGEMENT, because the prince OF THIS WORLD is judged.”
(John 16:8 KJV)

Based on John 16 and the context, the indwelling Holy Spirit for the believer does not ‘convict’ believers of sins. That is what the Holy Spirit does to an UNBELIEVER (verse 9) so they call out for mercy and Salvation through Christ crucified.

The Holy Spirit convicts the believer of their RIGHTEOUSNESS IN CHRIST (verse 10). And look at what Apostle Paul wrote in Romans :

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is GOD THAT JUSTIFIETH. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US.” ( Romans 8:33-34 KJV)

As for judgement, that is not for the believer but for Satan as he is currently the ‘ruler of this world’ (verse 11). Satan wants us focusing on our sins and judgement for them. But Jesus came NOT TO CONDEMN BUT TO SAVE!

What believers should be doing is focusing on the GRACE OF GOD; our sin punishment paid in full on Christ on that cross! What we need to fear is what Hebrews tells us,

“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)

One thing is a for sure and crystal clear in the Word of God and it is the truth that focusing on your sins with a sin consciousness,   you have you  SINNING MORE!

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence MIGHT ABOUND. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” (Romans 5:20)

 

“The sting of death is sin; and the STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW.” (1 Corinthians 15:56 KJV)

Focus on Gods grace, learning that God has made you the righteousness of God IN CHRIST. We need to take this truth to heart!

“As far as the east is from the west, so far HATH HE REMOVED our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12 KJV)

 

“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; 17 And their sins and iniquities WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE.”
(Hebrews 10:16-17 KJV) 

This New Covenant is the Gospel of Grace Through Jesus Christ crucified!

Why Did Jesus Insist To Be Baptized By Water?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About..., Water Baptism
The Holy Spirit

John the Baptist said to the people,

” 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)

In Matthew, it is it making plain that the purpose of John’s baptism was to provide an occasion for Jewish people to confess their sins and repent (defined in Greek it was penned as ‘changing their mind‘) and get right with God. The Jewish people were relying on Law keeping and their lineage from Abraham (Matthew 3:9) to save them and John the Baptist was ‘preparing the way’ for the message of Salvation by what Christ would do as the coming Messiah; pay for the sins of the whole world to save all who would believe. A drastic repentance which is a drastic change of belief for the Jewish people. It was a cleansing sprinkling under the Law of Moses (Numbers 19:11-22).

In Matthew 3, then we see Jesus coming on the scene as John the Baptist said He one day would:

“13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John FORBAD HIM, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”

We see here that John is saying to Jesus that Jesus has no need to be baptized unto repentance. Jesus has no sins to change His mind about!

“15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. Then he suffered him.”

Jesus fulfilled ‘all righteousness’. He never sinned as He was God in the flesh. Yet, He came to pay for our sins on the cross as the once for all payment (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

Jesus as Messiah (The Word) became human and joined fallen humanity, though without having sin, and he was providing righteousness for us in sharing their water baptism of REPENTANCE, not relying on Law keeping or being of the lineage of Abraham. Jesus humbled Himself in perfect righteousness so we, in belief on Him (John 3:14-18, 1 Cor. 15:1-4) could receive the righteous which comes by faith, not works (Eph. 2:8-9, Philippians 3:8–9). Water baptism is part of the Law of Moses (Numbers 19:11-22) and Jesus had to fulfill ‘all righteousness’. Jesus had to be without sin to become the once for all final blood atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

By being baptized unto repentance He fulfilled all righteous. Did Jesus deserve to die shedding His blood on the cross when He had NO SIN? NO!

Why did He then? To fulfill all righteousness and be the ONE FINAL SACRIFICE (Hebrews 10) to pay the sin debt we all have, MAKING US through His sacrifice, the righteous of God, in Christ ( Cor. 5:21).

John water baptized UNTO REPENTANCE. It was an outward expression of the people’s change of mind about how to be saved. The water baptizing itself is not what saved them once Christ came. It is changing their minds (which is the literal Greek definition of the English word ‘repent’) from a false salvation by their self righteous efforts of Law keeping and relying on Abraham’s lineage, to belief on Christ.

Jesus was water Baptized to show them it was true and in doing so fulfilled all righteousness. A blessing to those changing their mind.

What Is Meant Saying That We DIED When We Believed On Christ?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About..., Q&A: Uncategorized List
What Is Meant Saying That We DIED When We Believed On Christ?

Apostle Paul wrote:

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized INTO HIS DEATH? Therefore we are BURIED WITH 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:  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. For he that is DEAD IS FREED from sin. Now if we BE DEAD WITH CHRIST, we believe that we shall also LIVE WITH HIM:  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, HE DIED UNTO SIN ONCE: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be DEAD INDEED TO SIN, but alive unto God THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Romans 6: 3-11 KJV)

Wow. The more I read this, the more grateful and hope filled I become. Yet, is this the message we are hearing from church religion pulpits today? What I hear mostly are sayings like, “we need to die to self.” and “we need to die daily.”  Did you know these phrases are not even found in the Bible? It is the truth! They are found no where in the Bible. Search it out for yourself; it simply does not exist in the Bible. In fact, the passage above in Romans 6 is likely the closest thing to the phrase and yet it does not teach us that at all. In fact, it is telling us something very opposite.

Do you really know and understand who you are, IN CHRIST?

The majority of people who say they are Christian do not even realize that we need to separate our physical existence and our Spiritual existence when coming to understanding about our Salvation and what happened (past tense!) at the very moment of belief on Christ’s finished work of atoning for our sins on the cross. So powerful and sufficient was Christ’s once for all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), yet do we grasp the depth of what Christ did for us? When you study passages like Romans 6 and Colossians 2 and 3 and Galatians we see Apostle Paul making this clearer and clearer.

‘When Jesus died on the cross, He nailed our sins to the cross.’ Now there is a phrase we hear all the time right? And, yes, that is certainly true but it goes well beyond that!

First, what is the wages of our sin? What is the penalty of our sin? Is the penalty that we need to be a better person? Do we need to be more penitent? Do we need to do more good than bad? In God’s economy regarding our sins, none of these are the wages of sin. The wages of our sin, IS DEATH! We cannot earn our way to paying off our sin debt against God because the only thing that can pay for our sins is death by the shedding of blood.

Now, look at verse 3 above in Romans 6. This is telling us that when Jesus died on the cross, He took our old self WITH HIM. It says we WERE baptized into His death. What does Baptized mean in this verse? Looking at the Greek in which this was penned for the translated into English word “baptized” here is the Greek word ‘baptizō‘ and the meaning is ‘to immerse’. Paul is not talking about water Baptism here though. He is talking about Spiritual baptism; the Baptism of the Spirit, being Born Again. As believers, our spirit nature was taken with Christ onto that cross and we DIED WITH CHRIST. Physically we are here on Earth. But spiritually, this is what took place. Notice that this is all written in the PAST TENSE! Our old spiritual self was DEAD with Christ, buried with Christ and rose again WITH CHRIST at the cross! In Colossians 2, Paul expands further and states that believers are “COMPLETE IN CHRIST” and “SEATED WITH CHRIST”, again all written in the present tense!

Just as Jesus said, IT IS FINISHED! God foreknew who will accept the GIFT of Salvation and who would reject such a great gift. And the will of the Father is that He will not lose any of His own.

“And 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.” (John 6:39 KJV)

In foreknowledge, God placed a believer’s old self on that cross WITH CHRIST. This is something we do not see taught very often from pulpits. Instead, we get more surface understanding that ‘our sins were paid for on the cross’ without the deeper understanding of this truth. We hear catchy phrases like ‘we need to die to self’, although this is as close as Scripture gets to that phrase; WE DIED WITH CHRIST! This is what being BORN AGAIN is all about folks! Our old self, (what Paul refers to as the Old Man)  and our sins were crucified on that cross. Died on the cross. Buried with Christ and have been resurrected (born again). Jesus cried out, on that cross just before physically dying, IT IS FINISHED which in the Greek it was penned is an accounting term meaning, DEBT PAID IN FULL. Our sin debt was paid. Our wages of sin (death penalty) was paid for, IN FULL, on Christ. And when Jesus rose again, so did we rise again in the Spirit; Eternal, Holy, Righteous and redeemed forever. That just makes me want to shout THANK YOU JESUS. How about you? Grateful is the word.

From the very moment of our belief on Christ’s finished work on the cross, we were SEALED by the Holy Spirit forever. (Ephesians 1:13-14) How close are we to Christ as believers? We hear in church sermons that we ‘need to die to self’ and that  we ‘need to get closer to Christ’ by doing this, that and the other thing. More church building attendance. More good works. More Bible study. These may all be good things to do, yes! Yet, Apostle Paul tells us that our old self ALREADY DIED  with Christ on that cross and we are now ALREADY a NEW self called The Spirit. We have become (past tense) BORN AGAIN in the Spirit and are a new creation in the Spirit which is the righteousness of God, in Christ (John 3:5-6, 14-18, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

What About Our Sins After Salvation?

Apostle Paul addresses this too of course. He tells us that because we DIED TO SIN with Christ on that cross (Romans 6, Colossians 2 and 3), and that we are now a NEW CREATION IN CHRIST (2 Corinthians 5:17), and that we are now SEATED with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6-7), why should we continue in sin? He is not saying that sinning after Salvation will result in loss of Salvation. Remember ALL our life long list of sins (even future ones because all our sins are future from the cross) were paid in full on that cross 2000 years ago! He is just saying, look…this is the new you in union with Christ. Now when a temptation to sin comes around we should walk in the Spirit to avoid the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Walk in the truth and knowledge that as believers we are in union with Christ spiritually which is the new us and deny that sin knowing we are already DEAD to sin, in Christ.

Unbelievers just go ahead and sin and have no remorse about it really. But believers when they sin, well, we feel kinda icky! We become remorseful. We confess the sin and tell God we are sorry that we blew it after all He did for us. That is because we are born again. The Holy Spirit is right here dwelling within us. We are IN CHRIST! And sometimes if we are stubborn about a sin, God will chastise us just as a human parent chastises their children for their own good. It is all out of love for us and there is no greater love that God’s love for us.

I rather boast in God’s love for me , then my love for Him – that is for sure. I still blow it sometimes and fall into temptation as anyone at times. But do I ever feel bad about it later! Apostle Paul was telling us that he too had this ongoing struggle with our old mind not acknowledging or maybe knowing the truth about a sin. Even knowing something is a sin, we still step into it, even when our spirit really does not want to. Our new Spirit is Holy Righteous and redeemed but we need to renew our mind by the Word of God (Romans 12:2). We need to BELIEVE that what the Bible says we now are as believers is the truth and then accepting that in belief, our actions move outwardly into our lives. Let’s face it, how we believe, is how we will act!

Ever take notice that if someone tempts you to murder them, you just would never do that? You would walk away. But why then with other sins do you lose the battle with temptation? It is because right believing results in right living and right actions. If there is anything I pray for you and I as believers, it is that God grant us His WISDOM. His knowledge! The truth! And the more we study the Word of God the more knowledge we have for living in victory from our old self, wrongful thinking.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS MIGHT.” (Ephesians 6:10 KJV)

The devil and his fallen angels are working to instill FEAR in believers. They will throw arrows at you such as, ‘you are not good enough..see you sinned again’, or ‘you have trampled on Jesus and your salvation is lost’ or ‘you better do more good and follow the Ten Commandments or you will lose salvation’. There are many arrows and schemes (called the wiles of the devil in Ephesians 6:11) they are using against believers because it is through us, others will come to the truth. And if they can distract us with lies and fear they believe they can stop people from being saved through Christ. And the truth is the only thing believers have to fear is not entering God’s REST.

“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)

Know who you truly are in Christ. It is the truth that sets us free as believers.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
(John 8:32 KJV)

If I Am A New Creation In Christ, Why Can’t I Seem To Stop Sinning?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Christian Living, Q&A: Uncategorized List
If I Am A New Creation In Christ, Why Can’t I Seem To Stop Sinning?

“OH NO! I BLEW IT AGAIN AND SINNED!”

I once had a person telling me that the Jews killed Christ and made Him die on that cross. The reality though, which many may not want to think about, is that it really was ME and YOU that made it so Jesus had to shed His blood in such a horrible manner to save us from our debt of sins against God; to save us from perishing. Such an enormous sacrifice in love for us has Christ bestowed upon us! The greatest act of love in all of human history and that is a fact! ‘Jesus paid it all. All to Him I Owe’, as the song goes. We know the depth of desperation we find ourselves in. We believe. We are grateful. We are thankful. Yet…YET!, we still blow it and sin after accepting Christ. It is a powerful force, our old Flesh nature. We have had it all our lives. And it is at war with our new position in Christ.

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41 KJV)

Ever feel like that as a believer? Even as a very devout believer? You know, when you fail and blow it with sin as a believer, and you wonder if you will ever overcome that wrongful anger? Outbursts of hatred? Harsh words spoken to your daughter or son or wife? Or thoughts of lust that seem to come outta no where? Or there is a pesky sin that keeps popping up in your life? You hate it but it happens anyway. You tell God how sorry yo are and you feel worthless? You fight but lose the battle at times? Sometimes? Many times? You wonder why you just cannot win sometimes with the battle against sins in your life?

What Does It Mean That We Are Positionally Saved?

Let’s be honest for a moment. Guess what all this means? It means we are human and although God made us a NEW CREATION in the Spirit from the very moment we believed on Christ for forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:13-14), we all still have Old Nature thoughts and processes in our mind, called The Flesh. It is like a disease and pestilence that we cannot eradicate in our own effort while we reside in our corrupt bodies.

To God, POSITIONALLY, we have become COMPLETELY NEW BEINGS that are called The Spirit. As believers in Christ, God made us into a NEW CREATION in the Spirit. This NEW US is not something we worked to achieve. The Spirit is the GIFT of Salvation from God and not of ourselves, nor our good works nor religious rituals (Ephesians 2:8-9). When we believe Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and then accept this GIFT of God’s grace as truth by belief, we are TRANSFERRED from being what the Bible positionally calls ‘The Unrighteous/Wicked’ group of people into being positionally ‘The Righteous/Redeemed’ group of people.

It is 100% the work of God. It is not some scale of our performance that makes us more and more Holy as time passes. We are deemed 100% Holy to God from the very moment of our Salvation and belief on Christ alone for Salvation. This is very clear in Scripture. We read in Colossians 2,

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 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, 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 2:9-14 KJV)

We ARE (present tense, right now!) COMPLETE IN HIM. But how can that be if we still have sins in our life? Yes, we struggle against sinning but we still sin. The struggle is REAL! And it is NOT EASY.

If I am complete IN CHRIST, why do I still have such bad thoughts?

Let me show you by an analogy. Grab a book. Any book at all. We will call this book, CHRIST. Now take a piece of wrinkled up, torn scratched paper. Make it look filthy. That piece of paper represents you and I, with a debt of sins. Now, open that book and place that piece of paper inside between any two pages of the book. NOW, SHUT THE BOOK! Wherever that book goes, you are going with it because you are IN IT as that piece of wrinkled and torn paper.

When a person accepts the GIFT of Salvation by belief on Christ, the Holy Spirit (God) indwells that person from the very moment of belief on Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). At the very same time we become the very righteousness of God, IN CHRIST in the Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:21). And because of this we are MADE COMPLETE…IN HIM. So when Jesus was on the cross nailing the sins of the world to that tree, we were there having our sins paid for. When Jesus died and was buried, so did we die in the Spirit. And when Jesus rose again, we too rose again in NEWNESS OF LIFE in the Spirit.

“Therefore we are buried WITH 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.” (Romans 6:4 KJV)

This is a change of POSITION from being unrighteous to being righteous. This righteousness is not of ourselves, nor something we achieve. It is only by faith in Christ’s complete atonement for our sins on that cross. If we had our sins forgiven by Christ on the cross (which we did) and we then DIED and were RAISED UP as a new being called The Spirit (which we did), our sins are no longer in the way between us and God! Even sins we commit after Salvation.

It is a positional relation.

When you were positionally in the group called The Unrighteous, could doing good deeds erase your bad deeds? Could you make yourself righteous through doing good to erase your bad deeds? NO! It only takes one sin to disqualify a person from Heaven. Well, the same is now true;  as a believer, your bad deeds cannot make you positionally a member of The Unrighteous group of people neither! Why? Because you are positionally IN CHRIST.

Your sin debt has been fully paid by Christ. How much was paid? Did Jesus give a FULL payment for our sins or a partial payment? It is one or the other folks! The Bible tells us this,

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he REMOVED our transgressions from us.” (Pslam 103:12 KJV)

“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 FOR EVER them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:10-14 KJV)

The writer of Hebrews continues to say,

“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.  Now where remission of these is, there is NO MORE OFFERING for sin.” (Hebrews 10: 16-18 KJV)

This is why Jesus on the cross, just after He paid for the sins of the whole world, cried out, “IT IS FINISHED”. It was DONE. The SINS of the world were COMPLETELY PAID IN FULL. In fact, if you look at the Greek in which the New Testament was written, the phrase translated to English Bibles as ‘IT IS FINISHED’ is an accounting term literally meaning ‘DEBT, PAID IN FULL’! Jesus did not make a partial payment for our sins. It was a full and complete payment.

Your sins will never disqualify you once you are saved. They were all paid for by Christ on the cross. That is not to say there are no consequence for sinning; there are serious consequences. Yes, we should turn from our sins. But loss of your new position IN CHRIST as being eternally saved is NOT a consequence. Salvation is ETERNAL (John 3: 14-18, Ephesians 1:13-14).

If I Am A New Creation In Christ, Why Can’t I Seem To Stop Sinning?

This is where many Christians struggle. Actually, ALL Christians (whether they admit it or not). We have become a NEW CREATION in the Spirit. Yet we still struggle with this SIN ISSUE. We understand that all our sins are paid in full by Christ. We understand that we are right now deemed by God to be COMPLETE IN CHRIST, positionally. Apostle Paul knew this struggle as well! Did you know that Paul called himself the CHIEF of sinners? And he did not say that in his past, when he was persecuting Christians that he was the chief of sinners. He used the word in the present tense and so that means after his conversion.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I AM CHIEF.” (1 Timothy 1:15 KJV)

We find the answer to the question of ‘why we still sin?’ provided by Apostle Paul in Romans 7. The Apostle Paul is who God chose to give the Gospel Of Grace to the gentiles (us today) and he also taught the doctrine of the Two Natures At War In The Mind Of A Believer in Romans 7 where we read,

“14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. >> 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. >> 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” (Romans 7: 14-20 KJV, ‘>>’ added for emphasis)

Reading Verse 17 and then again in verse 20 is the truth that so many Christians have not grasped. Paul is saying very clearly that inside of us is the Adam, our OLD NATURE THOUGHTS in our mind before our moment of Salvation which Paul calls The Flesh. Our old nature ways always wants to sin.  Whatever feels right was right with no thought given to sin against God. The Flesh is like a disease since our physical birth.

And then there is the New Created Spirit we received at our conversion and belief in the Gospel Of Grace that our Apostle Paul taught. The Spirit is now the real us and has become our very nature; though we may not act perfectly living in The Flesh. The problem is The Newly Created Spirit is residing in The Body still and will until our bodily resurrection. Our minds have not yet been completely renewed to match up with our new reality of being the very righteousness of God, IN CHRIST, and so our thinking is not perfect yet.

This is where all these sinful thoughts come from to tempt us to sin. Sometimes we can reject the temptation but sometimes it simply gets the best of us. The thing is that there are teachers and pulpits telling believers that if we sin after Salvation, we can lose our position IN CHRIST. That is simply not found in the Bible. For a teacher to give verses seeming to state this as fact, they are ignoring proper Bible context; not to mention ignoring so many other Scriptures stating the very opposite! This is why it is so important to study the Word of God. Do not rely only only pastors, or pulpits or TV evangelists. Do not rely on what my articles and e-books teach either! “Let the Word of God be true and everyone else a liar.” Simply meaning, go and prove if what a person is teaching about the Gospel is actually true, using proper context, to be sure of your faith. To be sure of God’s promises for you which are vastly rich and meaningful in our lives!

As believers, we are positionally COMPLETE IN CHRIST and FULLY REDEEMED, RIGHT NOW. Yet our mind still has all this stinking thinking and wrong beliefs hanging around in our mind and that is where the Devil attacks. That is where the devil tempts. He uses externals to excite sinful thoughts and thoughts, not kept in check, can become beliefs.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:…” (Proverbs 23:7 KJV)

Paul tells us to Renew Our Mind By The Word of God because it is no longer The Flesh that is our nature as believers. We are now actually the New Created Spirit. That is our identity now, in Christ. And that when we fail and sin, and believe me we ALL DO! (1 John 1:10), it is not the REAL US that does it. Instead, as believers, it is this disease we have called the The Flesh. It is this disease we have called sin (our older nature before our belief on Christ).

The Newly Created Spirit we received and have become, is PERFECT (1 John 3:9) and without sin. It is of the seed of the Spirit Of God and is perfectly Holy (which simply means ‘set apart’). This is why the Apostle Paul tells us that our present body, with this Flesh Sin bent, will never inherit the Kingdom of God.

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15:50 KJV)

It is also the reason why we need a bodily resurrection in our future as Apostle Paul continues,

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ( 1 Corinthians 15: 51-57 KJV)

Heaven is a perfect place and there is no sin there. No one can enter Heaven with a sin nature and sin debt against God. The problem is we cannot stop sinning perfectly while living in this Flesh. That is why we need Christ! Paul admonishes that regarding the doctrine of  the Two Natures At War In The Mind Of A Believer in the last verse of Romans 7:

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:24-25 KJV)

Christ paid for all of our lifetime of sins on the cross 100%. Even the future sins we may commit were PAID IN FULL by Christ on that cross because all of our sins were future to the cross right? Jesus paid for ALL THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD (1 John 2:2). He did not give us a partial payment on our sin debt. Jesus cried out on the cross, IT IS FINISHED! Salvation is eternal and the word eternal means, well, ETERNAL and FOREVER!

We do not keep our Salvation intact by our own efforts! It is Christ alone that keeps us saved. Jesus tells us this very clearly:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10:27-20 KJV)

In God’s sovereignty, He foreknew everything you and I would do in our life and the sins we would commit and yet He still decided to give every person the opportunity to accept Salvation as a FREE GIFT without self righteous works or deeds required. God still came in the flesh and died on that cross for us so that we would be forgiven and saved eternally. What a great gift (Ephesians 2:8-9)! And whosoever believes on Christ alone in faith, He gives them eternal life and keeps them saved forever.

“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)

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.” (Psalms 37:23-28 KJV)

The Grace Of God Is Not A License To Sin

There are still consequences for sinning in this life after the moment of our Salvation (steal/jail) and loss of rewards at the judgement seat of Christ for believers after the Rapture. The Loss of Salvation is not a consequence though. We as believers have the Holy Spirit within to guide us into all truth. We should be reading the Word Of God to renew our minds (John 17).

We should be striving to walk in the Spirit and not by the lusts of The Flesh (The old Sin Nature we were before our moment of Salvation).

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16 KJV)

What we need to realize is that right believing and right thinking (that lines up with the Word of God) leads us to right living in a more effortless manner. So we need to  RENEW OUR MIND by the Word of God. It is the only truth there is!

Focus on that. Shake! Shake off the ‘old man’…The Flesh, because as a believer in Christ for Salvation you are now a NEW CREATION called The Spirit and it is HOLY, REDEEMED and the very righteousness of God, in Christ! Put on your NW MAn clothes to match who God made you in the Spirit; Holy, Set Apart, Redeemed, the righteousness of God, in Christ and right now present tense risen with Christ in the Heavenlies. Realize who you are by FAITH in God’s Word. Believe that inside.

Walk in the Spirit because that is who we truly are as believers.

Psalm 143: Prayer For Tough Times

Don Gerrity Q&A: Prayer, Q&A: Uncategorized List
The Blessed Hope

“1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

7 Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.

10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.”

(Psalm 143 :1-12 KJV)

When The Book of Romans Uses The Word SIN, is it an action verb?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About...
When The Book of Romans Uses The Word SIN, is it an action verb?

There are many teaching that if we do not confess every sin that we commit that we forfeit our Salvation, unless we repent. But is this Biblical truth or is it a misunderstanding partly because of the Bible translation to English of the word SIN in the Book of Romans?

Romans is one such case where understanding the translation from Greek makes all the difference in the meaning. Apostle Paul wrote Romans. And when the proper meaning is seen then we can see how other Scriptures from Apostle Paul agree. Context matters. The translation of certain key words in passages and what the same writer states elsewhere in the Bible matter. They should not contradict. They MUST AGREE.

This is what makes this so important to understand about Romans, written by Apostle Paul. It is a BIG part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, amen! We are to look at the Gospel passages from before the cross in the light and through the lens of what Apostle Paul taught. Peter and all the Apostles agreed to this in Acts 15. And so, we need to get this right!

The New Testament was written in Greek and what we read today is translated into English. And so there are times we need to look at the Greek to see the true meaning of words. One is the word SIN in Romans. The other is the word REPENT throughout the New Testament. I have already addressed the word REPENT in my other article. This article is regarding the word SIN in Romans but it is also related to the words repent and confess and right believing in what repentance and confession actually is defined as by the Bible.

In the Book of Romans we see the word SIN is used 48 times by Apostle Paul. The Romans Road to Salvation is something many use to bring people to Christ and so let us get this right!  If you read Romans believing all instances of the word SIN have the same meaning; that is where confusion starts. The fact is that not all instances of the word SIN has the same meaning. Most believe all instances are used as VERBS describing individual sins that we all commit. We sin because of a sin nature. We do not have a sin nature because we sin. This is important to realize. And because of this we see many pulpits teaching falsely that if we do not REPENT and CONFESS every single sin we commit, that we forfeit our Salvation. If SIN is used as a verb throughout Romans, it is easy to see why people believe that. Other passages by Apostle Paul refute that idea but not everyone sees those passages in their studying and others blindly just listen to pulpits thinking they must be correct based on Romans use of the word SIN.

Yet here is the shocker folks. There are TWO  Greek words for SIN in Romans and they are hamartanō  – a verb and hamartia – a noun).  What is the ratio of use between these two words of either SIN as a noun or SIN as a verb? Hamartia (a noun) is used 46 out of the 48 times! Apostle Paul is talking about SIN as a noun…as a WHOLE. As in SIN, in it’s entirety, not each and every sin we commit. Now, of course every SIN (verb) we commit is included in the noun SIN. Why is it important then? Because it thwarts the idea that if we do not confess every single sin that it somehow means we will not make it to Heaven and will cause loss of Salvation.

You see, Jesus did not only die for the confessed sins of believers!  No. He paid for ALL SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD and that includes believer’s sins and unbeliever’s sins.

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD.” (1 John 2:2 KJV)

And Jesus told Nicodemus that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM hath everlasting life. And that “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) Salvation is BELIEF ALONE my friends! It is ALL the Grace of God.

John the Baptist was baptizing them and they were confessing their sins, yet it was before Jesus even started His ministry, let alone died on that cross. This was confessing UNTO repentance. A change of mind about their sin and instead of doing good deeds and Law following to gain the favor of God – they were crying out o God for MERCY. They were acknowledging their sins to God. However, confessing sins to God in itself will not save anyone because if you miss just one sin you did, say 20 years earlier, where would you be? Still unsaved! It only takes one sin to disqualify us from Heaven because it is a perfect place without sin.

But John was showing them their sins against God in preparation for the one coming who would bring in the New Covenant; the prophesied Messiah and the one that WOULD SAVE THEM.  After Christ died on the cross, we repent (change our mind) believing that the work of Christ on that cross was a sufficient and the ONCE FOR ALL payment (Hebrews 10:10, Colossians 2) for the sins of the world. And by BELIEF on Christ alone to save us from our sins (Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:18) what Christ accomplished is placed on our account and all our sins were PAID IN FULL. This is in fact what Jesus cried out on the cross just before He expired physically. PAID IN FULL! is the Greek for IT IS FINISHED!  An accounting term of debt erasure!

From the moment we BELIEVED ON CHRIST we were SEALED by the Holy Spirit forever (Ephesians 1:13-14). Colossians tells us that we were Baptized WITH CHRIST and we DIED WITH CHRIST and we rose again WITH CHRIST because Jesus nailed all our  transgressions to that cross. This is an amazing truth believers! One to shout for joy about!

Be grace conscious!  It is by the Grace of God that people come to repentance and belief unto Salvation through Christ Jesus, our Lord.

IT IS FINISHED!

Believers, Are We Listening? God Wants Us To REST IN HIM.

Don Gerrity Q&A: Christian Living
Believers, Are We Listening? God Wants Us To REST IN HIM.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have TRIBULATION: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 KJV)

When troubles come into our life, and Jesus told us that they would, how should we be reacting? What about when we are working hard at achieving something and these stumbling blocks keep happening? What about when others keep discouraging you? What about when other believers keep trying to convince you that you need to work to keep your salvation? That you are not doing enough and are not saved because you lack enough good works?

I want to understand what the Word of God says. I want you to understand that most of the world and even Christian community are failing to realize something very important and that is resting in God.

God Wants Us To Rest In Him. Are We Listening?

⇒ BE NOT AFRAID. FEAR NOT. 

“FEAR THOU NOT; for I am with thee: BE NOT DISMAYED; for I am 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)
“But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; BE NOT AFRAID.”  (Matthew 14:27 KJV)

 

“And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and BE NOT AFRAID.” (Matthew 17:7 KJV)

 

“FEAR YE NOT therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31 KJV)

 

“So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will NOT FEAR what man shall do unto me.” (Hebrews 13:6 KJV)

Then we see what we should be fearing as believers which seems the opposite of what we mostly believe as evident by our actions and reactions to circumstances in our lives:

“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)

We are to be fearful of not entering into God’s REST.
To be fearful of anything else is an act of unbelief. Bring this to remembrance next time fear grips you. Pray to God to help your unbelief and He will

⇒ THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (Romans 1:17 KJV)

 

“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)

 

“Now THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:38 KJV)

 

“But WITHOUT FAITH it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

 

“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, BECAUSE OF YOUR UNBELIEF: for verily I say unto you, IF YE HAVE FAITH as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:19-20 KJV)

 

Our faith matters. It is the only way we can please God because that is what God wants for us; to have faith in Him and to REST in HIM! By exercising our faith in God, we are resting in Him in belief. It is evidence of our belief.

⇒ DO NOT WORRY.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” (Matthew 6:33-34 KJV)

 

“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED.” (Psalm 16:8 KJV)

 

“CAST THY BURDEN UPON THE LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22 KJV)

 

“TRUST IN THE LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)

 

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV)

 

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And THE PEACE OF GOD, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 KJV)

 

⇒ REST IN GOD IN ALL THINGS. THE GOOD, BAD & UGLY.

As believers, we have been born of the Spirit and made a new creature in Christ. Forever forgiven and made into the righteousness of God, in Christ. Yet we still reside in this corrupt Flesh and we will remain here until physical death or our bodily resurrection. We are weak in this Flesh. We are not perfect and God is fully aware. God is for us! Believe that! Jesus died and shed His blood on that cross showing just how much God cares for us!

ENTER GOD’S REST. Be afraid of not remaining there and when you fall out of His rest, God still got ya! You are forever His and forever forgiven and forever the righteousness of God , IN CHRIST. He will never leave you nor forsake you, even when things do not seem to be going your way. He has a plan. He has a purpose for everything you experience and in the end,

“…we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 KJV)

Is Being A Disciple A Requirement Of Salvation?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About...
Is Being A Disciple A Requirement Of Salvation?

Is every believer a disciple? Is being a disciple the same as being a saved believer? Is being a disciple of Christ a requirement of Salvation?

There is a mass confusion in the Christian community over these very questions. Believing that discipleship is a requirement of Salvation is called Discipleship Salvation or Lordship Salvation. It is such an important issue to settle in your belief as it is rampant false teaching and is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am addressing this head on by the Word of God to help you understand this deceptive teaching, as a believer, and for you to see the truth by proper context which matters greatly when seeking to understand Scriptures.

In John 8, we read this verse, which if read without the context, seems to show that a ‘true believer’ must be a disciple.

“…If ye continue in my word, THEN are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8:31-32 KJV)

The problem with isolating this one verse out of John 8 and making it a foundational doctrine and requirement of Salvation is simple. It is not what Jesus is teaching in John 8 if you read and see the context.

Jesus just saved a woman caught in adultery and thwarted an effort by the Pharisee religious leaders to discredit Jesus in His teachings (John 8:6). Teaching which these Pharisee leaders worried would diminish their power.

A discussion began that became very heated between these Pharisees and Jesus. We see this attempt to discredit Jesus as the Messiah start when Jesus makes a statement of rebuke to the Pharisees.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I AM the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record IS NOT TRUE.” (John 8: 12-13 KJV)

Then Jesus responds with great authority basically telling them if they do not believe He is the Messiah that they will die in their sins (verse 24). Jesus told them He is the Messiah that Abraham looked forward to in faith for Salvation. He is the Messiah sent by the Father in verse 58. And they set their minds to stone Him to death.

In the midst of all this back and forth arguing, many watching Jesus’ responses to the Pharisees verbal attacks had believed on Jesus.

“As he spake these words, many BELIEVED ON HIM. Then said Jesus to those Jews WHICH BELIEVED ON HIM, If ye CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN ARE YE MY DISCIPLES indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and THE TRUTH shall MAKE YOU FREE.”

Do you hear echoes of Jesus earlier telling Nicodemus how to be saved in John 3?

“He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVIETH NOT is condemned ALREADY, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18 KJV)

Yes. These are believers Jesus is speaking to now. While being confronted with the claims of the Pharisees, Jesus tells the believers listening to all this confrontation to continue in His word because the knowledge of the truth of the Gospel is the only thing that can set them free. Free from what? Free from their sin debt. The Pharisees then begin refuting Jesus claim to the believers in the crowd,

“They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be MADE FREE? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the SERVANT OF SIN.”

All are servants of sin unless they believe on Christ. He would soon be ushering in the New Covenant by becoming the ONCE FOR ALL sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) as the Messiah that He claimed to be. He is encouraging the believers to be disciples in light of His claim of being the Messiah, God in the flesh.

Jesus continues addressing the crowd listening to this confrontational argument with the Pharisees stating,

“And THE SERVANT AABIDETH NOT in the house for ever: BUT THE SON ABIDETH EVER. If the Son therefore shall MAKE YOU FREE, YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED. “

We are free from our sin debt only through the narrow gate; Belief on Jesus the Christ, shedding His blood (John 3:14-18) and paying for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), died and rising from the dead which had not yet happened to Jesus but soon would.

We see here that Salvation hinges on BELIEF ON CHRIST as the prophesied Messiah that was to come; the only begotten Son of God who is God in the flesh by definition as Messiah.

The other point we learn in this passage is that being a believer does not mean being a disciple. They are not the same. A believer can and should be a disciple, but it is not a requirement of Salvation. Jesus was addressing the BELIEVERS. They are SAVED, DEEMED HOLY, RIGHTEOUS and REDEEMED and are NOT CONDEMNED by their belief on Christ. They are not saved by being disciples.

The word ‘disciple’ is the Greek word ‘mathētēs‘ and is defined in Greek
as ‘a learner, a pupil‘. A person is saved by faith and belief alone in Christ and what He accomplished for us on the cross. Apostle Paul wrote,

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV)

This belief on Christ is what saves a person. From this very moment of belief on Christ alone to save a person from their sin debt against God, a person is SEALED and the Holy Spirit indwells the believer (Ephesians 1:13-14). Salvation is not by works but belief on Christ alone.(Ephesians 2:8-9)

Discipleship on the other hand, includes working for the Lord and putting Him first in everything. Studying the Word of God to learn more and more about the knowledge of the truth in Christ. And then helping others understand. It is continuing on in the faith to becoming mature in the faith. Some believers get saved, and are saved by belief on Christ, yet stay babies on milk when they could be maturing to more knowledge in Christ.

If discipleship is a person surrending and working for the Lord, it can not be that being a disciple is required for Salvation because salvation is not of ourselves nor our works. Instead, Salvation is a GIFT to be received.

“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)

So a disciple and a believer in salvation are not defined as the same thing. A believer can and SHOULD BE a disciple. But the word ‘disciple’ and ‘believer in salvation’ are not defined as the same and being a disciple is not a REQUIREMENT of Salvation.

Lordship Salvation is the same as Discipleship Salvation. It is basically saying all believers MUST BE disciples and that we need to work to keep our salvation, or we were never saved in the first place. It is basically a disquised ‘works for salvation’ false gospel. That is not what is found in Scripture in proper context from what I see. And verses that believers in Lordship Salvation use are usually about our walk AS SAVED BELIEVERS and not about how to remain saved.

We read in Colossians 2 that when Christ died on the cross, we were made a ew creation called THE SPIRIT. When Christ was buried, so were we. When Christ rose, so did we IN NEWNESS OF LIFE. How is that possible? Because we are IN CHRIST. To God, Jesus sacrifice was completely and utterly sufficient. And so He took us as servants of sin, where He went in saving us. He nailed ALL our life of sins to that cross and said, IT IS FINISHED. And in the Greek that was penned it is an accounting term meaning, DEBT PAID IN FULL. Christ BECAME OUR SIN and paid for it all and now we are COMPLETE IN HIM.

“10 And YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power:

11 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:

12 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.

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;

14 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: 8-14 KJV)

In Hebrews 7 we read this,

“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this HE DID ONCE, when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7:26-27 KJV)

Yes, Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Yes we strive to please Him in great gratitude and respect with our lives. We allow Him to work through us. We are to do good works after Salvation. Christ lives IN every believer. Yet, the fact is that our new Spirit resides in this corrupt Flesh until our bodily resurrection and we cannot FULLY surrender and not sin as if we are perfect and whole yet, though we strive to do so. Apostle Paul struggled as well as seen in Romans 7. So do all believers.

And when you think about it, Jesus is Lord regardless if we surrender to Him fully (or not) right? Salvation is not kept by our works and I cannot find any Scripture that Salvation hinges on being a disciple. What I do find in the Bible is that Salvation hinges on BELIEF ON CHRIST ALONE. (John 3:18, 1 Cor. 15:1-4. )

Where Does A Person Go At Physical Death?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Uncategorized List
Where Does A Person Go At Physical Death?

To the thief on the cross who came to believe Jesus was the Christ and had asked Jesus to remember him Jesus replied,

“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43 KJV)

The question that comes to mind is where is ‘paradise’ Jesus spoke of. Is it Heaven? Why would Jesus not say Heaven as He mentioned Heaven in His ministry. Why the word ‘PARADISE’?

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)

Is Praying to Dead Catholic Saints Wrong?

Don Gerrity Q&A: False Gospels, Q&A: MYTHS, Q&A: The Truth About...
Is Praying to Dead Catholic Saints Wrong?

A family member of the Catholic faith once posted on social media that by “praying to St. Anthony for help, he will be right on it; and you will always be grateful to know him.”

By stating this, whether knowing or not, she was stating that St. Anthony was the reason why prayer will be answered. The problem with this is that this is putting faith in St. Anthony and not God as if God is refusing to hear her prayers.

The Bible truth is that GOD HEARS ALL OUR PRAYERS and ONLY GOD can answer prayers.

I know this is a prayer to St Anthony to pray for a person, as to say Anthony is dead and is present with the Lord. So He is closer to God to pray on her behalf. Raised from birth in the Roman Catholic religion, I was brought up believing this too. However, since actually reading the Bible, I never understood doing this because I cannot find doing this instructed anywhere in the Bible.

First, as a believer in Christ and the atonement for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) that He provided on the cross for us, Apostle Paul tells us that at our very moment of belief on Christ alone for Salvation, a person is SEALED by the Holy Spirit who indwells the person forever from that moment on (Ephesians 1:13-14) until our bodily resurrection. With God now residing WITHIN US, how much closer can we get to God? Why is there any need of praying to a person that is dead when God is right here WITHIN US NOW as we are experiencing troubles? (Galatians 2:16-21)

Apostle Paul wrote,

“For there is ONE God,and ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself A RANSOM for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2: 5-6 KJV).

The Bible also says that Jesus intercedes on believer’s behalf to the Father,

“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34 KJV)

If Jesus Christ HIMSELF is interceding for us, why the need to pray to a dead person? What we need is to have faith IN JESUS who is interceding for us already. He should be our only object of faith, shouldn’t he?

Jesus Himself prayed to the Father for us before His death and resurrection,

“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:” (John 17:20-22 KJV)

Do you think that prayer was answered? Absolutely! So, if a believer is one with Christ and Christ in us and we are now one with the Father. THAT IS REALLY INTIMATE AND CLOSE!!

Second is that we, as believers, have been completely forgiven for all the sins of our life (past/present/future) because Christ paid for all the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) on the cross. By belief on Christ’s finished ‘once for all sacrifice’ (Hebrews 10:10) for the payment of all sins we have been made into a NEW CREATURE (2 Corinthians 5:1) called The Spirit and are from the very moment of belief SEALED by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14, Ephesians 4:30, 2 Corinthians 1:22) and MADE the very righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Now, Stop and read that last paragraph again. Look up the Scripture references. This is not my opinion. It is what the Word of God clearly teaches. Let that soak into your mind! It should make us want to shout out loud! Hallelujah!

That is why it states in Hebrews,

“Let us therefore COME BOLDLY unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and FIND GRACE to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 KJV)

I am not trying to step on the toes of Catholic believers here. It is not my opinion that even matters. I was brought up believing this way too. I was taught this in Catholic High school. Priests have taught this to me.

The things is, I just cannot find it in Scripture anywhere. And NO ONE has been able to show me it is taught in the Bible anywhere either (unless context is ignored on a verse). And so, I gotta stick to what the Word of God says, the Bible. Church pulpits are not always right. I am not picking on just the RCC leadership in saying this. Most denominational Church religions each have some traditions they created without Scriptural backing. So does the Roman Catholic Church and I believe that praying to dead Saints or even Mary is one of the teachings without Scriptural backing.

Some people I know say that this prayer to St. Anthony works and has worked for them more then once. Their testimony makes me believe that it actually worked. I am not refuting that. If you experienced it… you did!

But my point is that maybe it works because they use their FAITH that GOD HEARS THE PRAYER. Maybe because God sees what is going on and wants to heal the issue anyway because He loves us and sees our heart. Maybe because Jesus is already interceding to the Father. Yet I wonder that maybe, going directly to the source of our faith (JESUS) is a better way we should pray in faith that God does hear our prayers and does answer them? In fact, the Bible definition of a SAINT is any person that accepts Christ as savior and Lord.

Another dark side could also be the reason for some such prayers to be answered. We see in Matthew 7 that Jesus is talking about false prophets (verse 15) who believe the are saved because of their works. They even cast out demons in the name of Jesus, yet Jesus will say to them at judgement day to ” I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:32 KJV).

Jesus will tell them the worst news of their lives; He never KNEW them and so they were not believers on Christ for Salvation but rather had faith in their works to save them. They thought they were ‘good enough’ by their own merit in self righteous deeds to be saved but they were wrong – seriously wrong! Jesus is warning them and us about something here.

First, Salvation is not by works but by faith and belief alone in Jesus finished work (John 3:14-18, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4..etc).

Second, we see that these unbelievers did cast out demons in Jesus name! The question is, without the indwelling Holy Spirit of a believer, HOW COULD THEY? It could be that the devil’s angels were casting fellow demons out to deceive these people to stay in their unbelief on Christ alone knowing it would in the end blind them to the true Gospel through Christ crucified.

Let this be a warning to everyone! If an unbeliever prays to the devil himself and it comes to pass, is it from God or was it fallen angels working behind the scenes making something happen in a person’s life? SCARY THOUGHT! Ephesians 6 tells us that is exactly what fallen angels are doing! It is called the ‘wiles of the devil’ and there is an importance to putting on the full armor of God to stand firm in faith in God alone and HIS MIGHT (Ephesians 6:10).

By the Word of God, I know the truth and the truth is that my prayers directly to God in faith ARE HEARD BY GOD. Answers are sometimes a YES and sometimes it is a YES with a delayed answer (as God knows the best timing) and sometimes the answer is simply a NO! We need to acknowledge that although we are struggling with something, God has a plan and purpose for everything we face in life. He has it all planned out from the very foundation of the world! Long before you and I were born. And in the end His purposes and plans are always the best.

Jesus said to encourage us,

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world YE SHALL HAVE tribulation: but BE OF GOOD CHEER; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 KJV)

Place your trust in Him alone. Give Him all the glory in all things (the good, the bad and the down right ugly). And TRUST GOD in all things, even when we do not understand.