Q&A: Difficult Passages

Did God Predestine Some to Heaven And Other To Hell Before The Foundation Of The World?

Don Gerrity General OSAS Questions, Q&A: Difficult Passages

This is how I see the answer in Scripture and I will use an analogy and then show Scriptures in support.

A loving parent buys a ticket for an airplane trip and 3 week vacation in the sunny Caribbean for a newly married couple as a wedding gift. If the couple does not have those tickets for that vacation, they cannot get on the plane. Not even an offer to clean the floors in the airport, will allow them to be on that flight. We cannot work our way to get on the plane. The tickets were a gift the couple received and accepted. They can not use monopoly to get a ticket either. Only real currency will be accepted.

Likewise, a person who tries to work their way to being righteous by God, by their own efforts have not accepted the GIFT of salvation. The wages of sin, is not good works, nor being a good person. The wages of sin is DEATH (Romans 6 :23). That is what God requires for the sins we have. A blood sacrifice is required for remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Jesus made that payment for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) as a gift to be received/accepted or to be rejected.

Now the ticket holders are able to board that plane and because they have a ticket, they are predestined to all that the travel package includes; the sun, the huge swimming, the shows etc. Jesus paid for all sins of the whole world and for all those who believe on Him, they have accepted the free gift of Salvation by His payment for their sins on that cross. We get sealed by the Holy Spirit, not by works, but by belief on Christ’s payment.

Now let’s look at all of Romans 6:23:

“For the wages of sin is death; BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23 KJV)

Jesus gave us a ticket for that plane as a GIFT, just as a parent gives a trip, as a gift, to their son or daughter for their honeymoon. As a gift, it can be accepted or rejected right? It was a FREE GIFT. An unearned favor. But it must be accepted, and usually is with great gratitude! And that free gift of a plane ticket gives them full access to everything predestined and included in the vacation plan being sold.
In the same way, a believer is given the free gift of Salvation to be accepted or rejected. If accepted than the person becomes saved and has full access to everything that God predestined for those that will believe on Christ and His final, once for all blood sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus, in John 3, uses the word ‘whosoever’ multiple times. That clearly indicates a choice we need to make.

” 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.” (John 3 KJV)

God created time and space so He exists outside of time and space as well. What name did God tell Moses to say to the Hebrew slaves as to who sent him?

“I AM THAT I AM”

Our God lives in the forever present. By that I mean that God sees our past, present and future all at the same time. Hard for us to comprehend because we are IN TIME. God knew before he created you and me, who would accept Christ and who would reject Christ.

God Gave Us All A Free will To Choose

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who HATH BLESSED US with all spiritual blessings in HEAVENLY PLACES in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him BEFORE the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having PREDESTINATED us unto the adoption of children BY Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of HIS will, To the praise of the glory of HIS GRACE, wherein he hath MADE US accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6 KJV)

God is sovereign. Absolutely!
God is all knowing. Absolutely!

Yet it is clear that God also gave us all FREE WILL to choose. He used Judas Iscariot to fulfill prophecy but Judas had free will to betray Christ.

That is how I see predestination in Scripture anyway.

1 Corinthians 1:17: What did Paul mean by MY GOSPEL?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Difficult Passages, Q&A: Dispensations
1 Corinthians 1:17: What did Paul mean by MY GOSPEL?

“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” (1 Cor. 1:17 KJV)

These words of from Apostle Paul, are for the gentiles living in our current dispensation time period called the Dispensation of grace. Yet, we have many sincere Bible teachers telling people that water baptism is still a REQUIREMENT for Salvation. This is blown away by Paul in one verse written above. If water baptism were required for us living in today’s age of grace, why would Paul write this? In fact, Paul is the ONLY Apostle that can even state this. All the other Apostles in the Gospels, and shortly after the event of Jesus’ crucifixion, all used water Baptism. Jesus also had his disciples water baptize during His ministry to the Jewish people. If so, how can Paul state such a thing?

This is important to understand. And this seeming contradiction, like so many others on the topic of Salvation by pulpits and Bible teachers, disappears when we understand that the Word of God, the Holy Bible, is divided into different dispensations.

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 destiny in 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!

Matthew 7:13-4: ‘broad is the way, narrow is the way’.

Don Gerrity Matthew, Q&A: Difficult Passages
Matthew 7:13-4: ‘broad is the way, narrow is the way’.

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.

 

What Are Dispensations & Rightly Dividing God’s Word?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Difficult Passages, Q&A: Dispensations, Q&A: The Truth About...
What Are Dispensations & Rightly Dividing God’s Word?

“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 destiny in 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!

Understanding Dispensations Chart – Image Copyright, SeekKnockFind.org

Matthew 10:38-39: ‘taketh not his cross’

Don Gerrity Matthew, Q&A: Christian Living, Q&A: Difficult Passages

“And he that taketh not HIS cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:38-39 KJV)

MATTHEW 10:  Instructions For Service As Disciples

Up until Matthew 10, the disciples have learned the Gospel message and seen the miracles of Jesus. Now they are about to experience this for themselves. Jesus sends the Disciples out to preach the good news of the Gospel. He sends them to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. Jesus knows the threats they will face. He knows the fear they will have in proclaiming the good news to the Jewish people He is sending them to. He is sending them with the message of the Gospel that the Messiah has come and that Jesus from Nazareth is the foretold Messiah that would come and save them from their sins. To share the first hand account of the miracles performed by Jesus even to rising people from death back to life.

The fear in proclaiming the Gospel to the Jewish people is because the teachings of Jesus went directly against the grain of what the Pharisees taught. The nation of Israel at that time, from the religious leaders down to the people themselves, were believing in following the Law of Moses (which was 613 Laws which included the Ten Commandments given to Moses) in order to gain righteousness before God. Jesus’ teachings were threatening this belief and the people were following Christ more and more.  The Jewish Pharisee leaders felt threatened about losing the power they had over the people. As Jesus taught, they were all about the ‘letter of the Law’ but ignored the ‘heart of the Law’. Jesus proclaimed that He is the foretold Messiah and that He forgave sins and many called His saying this as blasphemy. Jesus told the Jewish people and Pharisees that He is the Son Of God. He did this right at the start of His ministry to the Jewish people in the synagogue of His home town, by quoting Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah to come, saying ‘in your hearing this has been fulfilled’ (Luke 4:21).

Jesus knew the fear they had and also knew what they would go through in each city and town they were being sent to. He knew they , as He, would be rejected by many, and also threatened in persecution by many in this endeavor.

Jesus did give them powers to heal and to cast out demons from people. He gave them the ability to heal even lepers and to raise people from the dead! These were some serious powers Jesus bestowed on them for their missions to preach the Gospel to the cities and towns in Israel.

However, Jesus also told them that they will have to rely on God for everything. They were denied bringing their own money, no extra cloths, no extras sandals for their journey (a big deal in the sandy region back then!). They could not even bring a staff with them for protection. They will have powers but they would also be vulnerable to an extreme (Matthew 10:9-11). They are being sent out as “sheep among wolves”! I believe what they went through also prepared them for what was to come after Christ ascended and they went out to preach the Gospel.

Jesus explains to them that this is not going to be an easy task, even with the powers He bestows on them. He tells them things that will happen that would give anyone great fear. They will be facing arrest, possible beatings, persecution (even by their own family members and friends). A fear that those being preached to would want to kill them even (Matthew 10:16-23). Jesus explains to them that if the Master is persecuted then so shall they as the disciples preaching the same message that Jesus was preaching to the Jewish people. The Pharisee religious leaders were brutal towards Jesus and so the disciples too are being sent directly into the same kind of situation. After telling them this Jesus encouraged the disciples to not fear these people that will do such to them. Instead FEAR GOD. Trust in God in this task with every fiber of their being.

This is the context of Matthew 10, sending the disciples to preach the Gospel. They were sent to “the house of Israel” and we need to keep that context in focus. At the same time, there is something relative to us today on this side of the cross as well. Telling others about Jesus is not easy. Witnessing can be a fearful endeavor. Even family members are known to turn backs on believers. Even today there is great persecution against Christians in the world. So this whole chapter can apply to believers who choose to be disciples in this way. We may not have all those powers Jesus gave them but we have the complete Word of God today.

This is the context of Matthew 10. In Matthew 10:38-39 we then read,

“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:38-39 KJV)

Some are taking these two verses out of the context for Matthew 10 and making it about our salvation. That would be wrong because Jesus is talking to already saved disciples here. Matthew 10 is all about instructions for service as a disciple. It is not about salvation other then helping others hear the good news of the Gospel to help others believe in Christ for righteousness and salvation.

Some are also saying that Matthew 10 applies to us as well today as believers, fully. Remember that from verses 5 to 10 that the commission here in Matthew 10 is specific to the original Twelve Disciples, not all who came to believe on Jesus at that time. The powerful abilities Christ gave them was for them alone at that time. No one since that time has been given such authority and power. In Matthew 10, this is focused on the disciples alone preaching the truth to the Jewish people of Israel, to the “house of Israel”. That said, once Jesus went to the cross and rose again and then ascended, the Church Age believers too are called to preach the Gospel (See Acts 1:8). So there are points here we too can take to heart.

DISCIPLES: Take The Cross & Follow Jesus

By saying to take the cross and follow Christ, Jesus is telling the disciples they will now have to carry a cross to bear as He has. At this point in time, Jesus has not gone to the cross and so to the disciples, they did not see that cross event. That stated, they certainly knew what the cross bearing meant! It was going against the powerful Roman Authority. The teaching of the Gospel to Israel caused quite a bit of turmoil. The Jewish leaders were in fear of the turmoil Jesus was causing as well. The disciples understood this well. The punishment of death by crucifixion was a very public and painful punishment unto death for anyone convicted and sentenced to face it in those days. Criminals and even those who went against the authority of Rome feared it. Jesus was telling them that they needed to follow Him and preach the Gospel even under the most fearful of all persecutions, even such a horrible death. They did not know it at the time, but Jesus Himself would be crucified and here we see Jesus foreshadowing this event which only those of us on this side of Jesus’ crucifixion see clearly.

DICSIPLES: Lose Your Life For Jesus’ sake And Find Eternal Life

Jesus is encouraging them that even though they are about to face persecution and great fear from some of those who they will proclaim the Gospel truth to, they will be helping others find eternal life and they themselves as well. It is about aligning their lives to God and the Gospel and that means they will forgo living their lives for the worldly.

This is what “making disciples” of others is about. This is sharing the Gospel in face of anything that comes. What the Twelve Disciples did, changed many minds unto salvation for all who believed. And after Christ ascended, look what the Apostles did. Look how they changed people’s minds. Because of what they did, we today know the truth of the Gospel and God continues to bring people around the globe, both Jew and Gentile, to the knowledge of the truth.

Applications Of Matthew 10 For Today, On This Side Of The Cross Of Jesus Christ

A person is saved from the very moment of belief when we TAKE the cross. That is, when we believe the Gospel. This word TAKETH in Strongs Greek Concordance is ‘Lambano’, which means to ‘grab a hold of’. We accept the GIFT of Salvation Jesus paid through the cross of Jesus. God’s hand reaches out to every person and offers the gift of Salvation. It can be accepted and TAKEN or rejected and not taken. When a person takes it and grabs hold of Salvation (Lambano), that person is saved that very moment (John 3:18, Ephesians 1:13-14). This is to be saved by the cross. A person believes by faith and taking the gift is how they receive it.

BEING A DISCIPLE IS THE NEXT STEP OF A BELIEVER

Later, in Matthew 16:24, we notice that Jesus uses a DIFFERENT Greek word, Strongs G142, ‘airo‘. It’s meaning is different that lambano. It is defined as ‘to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; figuratively, to raise ‘:

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and TAKE UP his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:4 KJV)

So Lambano is simply to ‘grab hold of’ and airo is to ‘lift up’. So we are to grab hold of the cross in Salvation and then lift it up. This is what Jesus asks us to do with the cross. Just as the man who helped Jesus carry the cross when He stumbled and fell carrying the cross. The man grabbed the cross of Jesus and lifted it up (see Matthew 27).

So we are to not only make a decision to take hold of the cross in receiving the unmerited gift of Salvation; We are to lift it up on our shoulders and SHARE IN the cross.

WHICH CROSS BEARING SAVES US TODAY?

Jesus bore the suffering and paid for the sins of the whole world on that cross. Only He can do this! Why? Because He is the only one who never sinned! He is God in the flesh who bore our sins on that cross.

Are we without sin? Nope…we have sin right? So Jesus saying we need to ‘take up’ (airo) is not about our cross bearing and being the once for all sacrifice for sins that Jesus is (Hebrews 10:10).

However, by taking and grabbing hold of the cross, we partake in belief. The cross is about one thing to criminals and that is DEATH! Paying for their crimes with their very lives! Before being saved, it must be understood that by believing Salvation by the cross of Christ that we know where it is going to head… to the death of our Spiritual self.

TWO DEATHS ARE REQUIRED FOR OUR SALVATION

In Romans 6:23, Paul tells us that,

“… the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Our self righteous efforts nor good works can save us. These things are not the currency that can pay for our sins committed. In God’s economy, the payment required is death. And looking at the Greek for this word it is actually talking about Spiritual death.

By grabbing hold of what Jesus did on the cross and lifting it up onto our shoulders, we willingly share in losing our life WITH CHRIST as partakers.

“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39 KJV)

Only Jesus paid for our sins. But by belief on Christ Paul tells us that…

“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:” (Romans 6:6-8 KJV)

 

“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.” (Colossians 2:12 KJV)

The real us is our Spirit. You see, by taking hold of the cross in belief that Christ paid for our sins, our old unsaved Spirit of Man (which Paul referred to as our ‘old man’), was placed on the cross WITH CHRIST. Christ’s death paid the penalty required for our sins; Spiritual death. But we too, as believers in Christ had our sins paid in OUR Spiritual death WITH CHRIST. In that moment, an exchanged happened ON THE CROSS.

When Christ died, we died (in the Spirit). When Christ rose, WE ROSE a new being in the Spirit. In foreknowledge of all who will believe on Christ for Salvation, God placed believers, IN CHRIST, on that cross! God took all our sins and imputed them onto Christ. At the same time God imputed Jesus’ righteousness onto us (2 Corinthians 5). Our spirit was placed in Christ and Christ bore the physical and Spiritual punishment and pain on the cross and we BOTH DIED.

The wages of sin was completely satisfied with the Father!

Paul says clearly, in the present tense, right now, as believers in Christ,

“And YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Colossians 2: 10 KJV)

Did we earn that? NO WAY. It was imputed to us by belief on Christ alone. Believers are in Christ, FOREVER. Our body is here on Earth but the real us, The Spirit of God is wherever Christ is, because we are in Christ!

In Ephesians Apostle Paul tells us,

“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:6 KJV)

We also read this in 1 John 4:

“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.” (1 John 4:17 KJV)

The seat is about our position in Christ. Our Spirit resides in our soul and is housed in our body. But our Spirit is now also one with Christ, who is one with the Father and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

BEING A DISCIPLE TODAY IS ABOUT LIVING OUT OUR FAITH, FROM SALVATION

The world is offended by Salvation. In pride, the unsaved person thinks they are a good enough person in self righteous good works, Law following and religious rituals to appease God. “Do good…Get good.” Be good to pay for the bad deeds. Do a ritual and God will forgive. DO, DO, DO….but that is a bunch of “doo doo!’ It simply is not Biblical.

Apostle Paul considered everything the law gained him as “skybalon” which is in the Greek the literal word for “poop”! (Philippians 3:4-8) Pretty graphic and strong words again from Paul. See, this is important for a person’s very Salvation and witness to others!

We read in Luke 14:26-27 KJV,

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be MY DISCIPLE. And whosoever doth not BEAR his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

Again, in proper context, we see here that Jesus is talking about being a disciple. He is sending the future apostles out to preach the Gospel and He is telling them many will be greatly offended and lash out at them.

The Greek word BEARING OUR CROSS is Strong’s G941, ‘bastazo‘ and means ‘to lift, literally or figuratively (endure, declare, sustain, receive, etc.):—bear, carry, take up.’

This word is about our ‘enduring’ and ‘bearing’ the truth of the cross when sharing it with others. Especially with those living under a performance based belief for righteousness with God, steeped in traditions and Law following with no assurance of Salvation. That is so horrible!

Being a disciple of Christ and the atonement for sin by the cross carries with it persecution and suffering by the unbelieving world in response. Mention GOD and some may disagree and others will say they believe there is a God. Well, try mentioning Jesus is the only way to have our sins forgiven because of the cross and we get a very different response indeed! A major offence resulting is persecution and ridicule. I have been called ‘narrow minded’ many times – but they do not understand GRACE!

WHEN IS A BELIEVER, A DISCIPLE?

At what point do we become a disciple then? Is it when we accept the gift of Salvation by belief on Christ and ‘Lambano‘; grab hold of and take the cross? The prerequisite is believing the Gospel of Salvation through Christ’s finished work. Following Christ and sharing the Gospel with others is where discipleship comes into play.

Being a disciple of Christ means that we are willing to live out who we now are in Christ and it means we will have to endure persecution at times. The enduring is not what keeps us saved. It is just a reality of being a disciple of Christ.

Know who you are in Christ. You are no longer your dead old spirit of man, with a very nature to want to sin all the time. Your old self DIED WITH CHRIST, so why walk in the ways of the flesh (Romans 6:2) ? Deny your old self thoughts in the mind by replacing wrong beliefs with right beliefs. This is what Paul tells us to do. Renew our minds by the truth of the Gospel (Romans 12) and who God made us at our conversion; the very righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:11 KJV)

 

Matthew 18:35: ‘So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you’

Don Gerrity Matthew, Q&A: Difficult Passages
Matthew 18:35: ‘So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you’

MATTHEW 18:35 THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT & Eternal Security of The Believer

First the context in Matthew 18 matters and at verse 21 we read a statement just before Jesus tells the Jews the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant,

“21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22 KJV)

The parable of the Unforgiving Servant ends with verse 34-35:

“34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” (Matthew 18:34-35 KJV)

There are those ignoring the context and focus of the Gospels based on verse 35. You must admit, verse 24-25 are some harsh words from Jesus right? Does this mean if we do not forgive a person as Jesus forgave us that we will be condemned to hell then and lose Salvation? It is so important to understand that the context here matters greatly. And what is the context in Matthew 18?

First we must realize that passages in the Gospels that are before the cross are addressed directly to the Israelites; the Jewish people and Pharisees of that time who were believing that Law keeping is the way to be favored by God. There are certainly learning to be had in this parable about how believers today should be forgiving others as Christ forgave us but to make verse 34-25 about a believer who loses Salvation is just not in proper context for the Body of Christ.

Jesus is talking to EARLY DISCIPLES (early learners) of His message to the Jews. We see Jesus throughout His earthly ministry burying the people in their own self righteousness. Jesus through His ministry on Earth took the Law of Moses and RAISED it to the strictest of standards. He is showing the Jewish people and the Pharisees the extreme truth that following the Law of Moses as a means to be justified with God is impossible. By showing the extremes of the Law Jesus is preparing them for what is coming and what is coming is the New Covenant of the Grace of God through Christ which Jesus used Apostle Paul to teach to the Gentiles.

Earlier In verse 8 of the same chapter (KJV) Jesus says, “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.”

And again in verse 9 (KJV) Jesus said, “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”

So, are we believers today to do these things? Anyone cutting off their hand or plucking out their eye because we have sin after our moment of Salvation? I certainly hope not because Jesus is not addressing believers in Matthew 18 who have been saved by the Grace of God through Christ Jesus crucified, died and risen. We already know the truth of the Gospel and that is Salvation is not from ourselves, nor our good deeds and Law keeping. Salvation is a GIFT of God that NONE SHOULD BOAST.

Apostle Paul is the one God sent to teach the NEW COVENANT by the Grace of God and 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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

In Matthew 18, Jesus is teaching these people that not only is it impossible to keep the Law of Moses for justification with God but that when you look at the extreme of the Law, it is impossible for the Law to justify us with God. In the end, the self righteousness of such a thought is extremely wrong.

This parable is not saying that once a person is saved and forgiven their sins through the atonement of Jesus Christ that their Salvation can be revoked. That would go against so many Scriptures that show we are secure in Christ from the moment of our Salvation. That would even contradict the words of Jesus Himself many times in Scripture.

The way the servant asks the King for mercy and the request to give him more time (be patient) to pay back the debt shows that this individual does not grasp the reality of the situation. He thinks he can pay back the debt of sin in self effort but we cannot repay for our sins ourselves. Only Christ accomplished this for us on the cross. And being forgiven by the King, he then thinks arrogantly and that he is better than others who are sinning and have a sin debt, as if he does not have sin still. And treats them harshly based on their debt as a sinner. Too full of PRIDE just like Satan is. The King calls this servant ‘wicked’ and that is not a term ever used for the Body of Christ, for believers in Christ’s atonement.

God forgave us with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. It was not just an easy pass. Salvation is a free gift for us to receive without self effort. But for God and Jesus it was hardly free; it was an extremely painful act in love towards us. As a redeemed person we need to have a forgiving heart towards others, even when they sin against you in a vial manner; forgive others to the extreme! Pray that God open their eyes and save them. Only God can do it!

But realize verse 34 and 35 are not directed to saved believers by the Grace of God that Apostle Paul was commissioned by Jesus to teach to us living after Christ died for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD. (1 John 2:2)

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And BY HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts13:38-39 KJV)

 

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Matthew 5:48: ‘be perfect’

Don Gerrity Matthew, Q&A: Difficult Passages
Matthew 5:48: ‘be perfect’

“43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48 KJV)

Is Jesus saying we need to be perfect as God is to be or remain saved? Some are teaching a false Doctrine called ‘Sinless Perfection’ is required for Salvation but that goes against so many Scriptures on Salvation such as Ephesians 2:8-9.

I have added the previous verses to verse 48 so that what I believe to be the proper context is showing us regarding verse 48.

Jesus is showing us that our love should be like God’s love. Hate our enemy? No… love our enemy. He shows us how God makes the sun to rise on evil and good to the just and unjust. This is the love of God.

A love that is UNCONDITIONAL. If we love only those that love us, that is not how God loves. And so, as believers who have the Holy Spirit indwelling, we should also be loving others as God does. We are the light of the world.

When we read BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT, even as your FATHER is in Heaven perfect the meaning is to love others as God loves others and not as the world loves others.

I see no meaning here in context of the passage meaning we must be PERFECT and without any sin. Sinless Perfection while we stll have this Flesh corrupt body is not possible, though we strive to refuse sinning just as Apostle Paul shows us in Romans 7. There is a war within A BELIEVER that an unbeliver doesn not have. We have a new created Spirit since we believed (Eph 1:13-14) Our sinful Flesh is at WAR with our newly created Spirit and as Apostle Paul tells us, we should walk by the Spirit to avoid the lusts of the Flesh. It is a real struggle and we will at times fail.

This does not mean that a person loses their Salvation. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin to bring us back to what our Spirit really wants. We confess our sin to God, knowing He already paid for the sin on that cross asking Him to help us overcome the temptation when it arises again.

Mark 10: Did Jesus Teach That Rich People Cannot Be Saved?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Difficult Passages, Q&A: The Truth About...
Mark 10: Did Jesus Teach That Rich People Cannot Be Saved?

The story of the rich man, in Mark 10, should be read in proper context. It is not just about rich and poor people. There is a truth that we should give to others less fortunate in love. Yet, God does not expect anyone to sell everything they have and give it to the poor to be forgiven and enter Heaven. In fact, the whole situation described in Mark 10 is about those who believe in SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS that they are justified with God; yet are wretched and condemned. This rich guy was wealthy and was not in need of much. His father left him an enormous inheritance.

He asks Jesus,

“17 Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” (Mark 10:17-18 KJV)

Jesus knowing his heart replies with following the Law of Moses:

“19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.” (Mark 10:19 KJV)

》 The thing is, no one can keep all the Law of Moses!!

Jesus came to fulfill the Law and is the only one who was sinless in all of human history. Jesus freed us from the Law and gave us Salvation. We know, that from this side of the cross, we are not saved by works but by the grace of God. (Eph. 2:8-9). So what is Jesus really doing and talking about here to this rich guy?

The reply of the rich man is unbelievably naive and self righteous:

“20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.” (Mark 10:20 KJV)

WOW! REALLY? This guy is telling Jesus he has kept all of the Law of Moses which no one has? Really?!?!?

Now we see Jesus’ words react as He does so many times in His earthly ministry to the Jewish people who thought they are saved and justified with God by their Law following and good works. Jesus is going to bury this guy in his self righteousness and replies with:

“21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:21-22 KJV)

Jesus tells the guy,  ‘look here…you are very self righteous and relying on your riches. Give up your riches. Come follow me.’

If he had done so, he would have asked for mercy and acknowledged that he is a wretched sinner like everyone else and would have looked to God for mercy and Salvation. But as many do, he instead would not give up his self righteousness and reliance on riches instead of God.

We see Jesus burying the Jewish people and Pharisees many times in His earthly ministry. Those who were very SELF RIGHTEOUS, relying on their goodness and good works and Law keeping to justify themselves with God. We see Jesus saying things like, ‘pluck out your eyes’ and ‘cut off your hand’ etc. Jesus takes such people to the extreme of self righteousness. Why? Because He was preparing them for the New Covenant of GRACE through Christ crucified. Bringing them to the end of themselves in hopes they would recognize their sinfulness and instead cry out to God for mercy, understanding they can never match up to God’s Holiness and see their need for their Savior and Messiah, Jesus The Christ.

Jesus continues,

“25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10: 25-27 KJV)

Jesus knew that the New Covenant of the grace of God was coming so that Whosoever believeth on Him shall have eternal life. (John 3)

From the very start to the end of  Jesus’ earthly ministry He proclaimed to be The Christ and Messiah. Believing so means to give up our self righteousness and good works to be forgiven our sins and gain eternal life and instead rely fully on Christ’s FINISHED WORK on the cross; the only atonement for the sins of the whole world. (John 3:14-18, 1 John 2:2, Eph. 2:8-9)

》 ARE YOU SAVED? ARE YOU SURE? YOU CAN KNOW!!

Find out…
https://seekknockfind.org/getsaved/

John 14:15 : What Commandments Was Jesus Referring To? The Ten Commandments?

Don Gerrity John | 1 John, Q&A: Difficult Passages, Q&A: The Truth About...
John 14:15 : What Commandments Was Jesus Referring To? The Ten Commandments?

Jesus said,
“15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15 KJV)


#1: Jesus Was Not Referring To The Ten Commandments


Watching the context closely in John, it is clear that Jesus was NOT referring to The Ten Commandments, nor the whole Law of Moses. Jesus was most definitely not referring to the Law of Moses because He has already FULFILLED those as we see in the next chapter. Remember that chapters were not part of the original writings. They were added for our referencing later. It is to be read as one continuous writing and we see in John 15:

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 15:10 KJV)

Notice the words Jesus uses here. He is showing TWO DIFFERENT sets of commandments. We are to abide in JESUS’ COMMANDMENTS. During Jesus’ life, under the Old Covenant, Jesus had to be sinless and that meant that HE had to keep ALL THE LAW OF MOSES, a feat no human has ever done without fail. He had to keep them all so that He could be the ONCE FOR ALL sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD (1 John 2:2). Jesus kept His Father’s Commandments (The Law) perfectly.

Now once Jesus died on the cross, the New Covenant REPLACED the Old Covenant. Jesus’ >NEW< commandments under the New Covenant is found a chapter before in John 13:34-35 KJV:

“34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35 KJV)

The context of a chapter earlier makes it clear that these are the commandments Jesus’ is speaking about HIS NEW COMMANDMENTS. Jesus says this because if we love each other, not as the world loves, but as Jesus loves us, then we too fulfill the law through love. Our NEW SOURCE is the Holy Spirit within. Walking by the newly created Spirit in us after Salvation,
will we want to murder?, Will we want to covet, steal etc.?

Look at this Scripture in Romans 13:10 KJV:

“10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

#2 This Scripture Should Not Be Taken As A Threat Of Loss Of Salvation

Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15 KJV)

Notice that Jesus did NOT say, ‘You must keep my commandments if you love me.’ Nor did Jesus say, ‘You must keep my commandments to remain saved’.  Yet, I see some believers stating that is what this verse means. TO make this statement o Jesus to mean either of these is to ignore proper context. This is actually very important. Jesus was very clear when He spoke and how He spoke matters. We need to watch how He states things very closely.

In Ephesians 2:8-9, Apostle Paul made it clear that Salvation is not of ourselves nor our works. Our Salvation does not rely on our self righteous efforts in being a good person nor by not sinning. Yes, we should avoid sinning. Of course! But is being legalistic and Law keeping the way to not sin? Absolutely NOT! Using Law keeping to make you saved and keep you saved is a belief headed for complete failure. Thinking this statement by Jesus, in John 14:15, is a threat of loss of Salvation is to hear these words in a very legalistic way, based on our own efforts to keep us saved. It is no different than relying on keeping the Law of Moses to justify us before God and Apostle Paul is clear that the truth is the opposite!

“Knowing this, that the law is NOT MADE FOR A RIGHTEOUS MAN, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,” (1 Timothy 1:9 KJV)

 

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED in his sight: for by the law is the KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.” (Romans 3:20 KJV)

 

“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)

What does Jesus mean by this then? If one only reads this one verse, yet ignores the rest of the book of John they can be very wrong in their interpretation. If you read just Chapter 13 and 14, then this verse in John 14:15 become much clearer.

Earlier in John 13:34 we see Jesus state this,

“A new commandment I give unto you, ++ That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”  (John 13:34 KJV)

And if you continue reading into Chapter 14, just before He states verse 15, you see Jesus say this,

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

 

Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

 

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

Two key commands Jesus gave in John 13 and 14 and these are precisely the commands Jesus is referring to in John 14:15.


#3 KEEP VS OBEY : NIV Translation Has It Wrong.

Corrupt new modern Bible versions have added to the confusion regarding John 14:15 because they mistranslated.

John 14 New International Version (NIV):

“23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will OBEY my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

John 14 KJV/NASB:

“23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will KEEP my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”

John 14:23 New American Standard Bible (NASB):

“23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will KEEP My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.”

The NIV has it wrong. The word is KEEP….NOT OBEY! And no, it is not the same meaning. How do we know that? Look at the Greek:

The word TO KEEP in both Hebrew and Greek does NOT mean “to obey” or “do”.

The Hebrew word for KEEP IS ‘Shamar’ in the KJV, NKJV, and NASB Bible translations and means ‘to keep, to observe, to take heed to, to preserve, to be a watchman, and to regard.’

The Greek word for KEEP is ‘teereo’ and means ‘to keep, to guard, to watch, to preserve, to reserve, to take care of, to keep watch over, and to hold fast.’

“Consult all the Greek Lexicons you wish. Take a good look at Moulton and Milligan, Thayer’s, Vines, Liddell and Scott or the Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich Greek lexicons. They all list the meanings of this Greek word teereo as “to keep, to preserve, to observe, to give heed to, to guard, to hold, to not lose, to protect, to hold firmly” but not one of them lists “to obey” or “to do” as being one of the definitions of this Greek word. ”
(Quoted from Will Kinney at http://brandplucked.webs.com/tokeepvstoobey.htm)

 

 

 

1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins”

Don Gerrity John | 1 John, Q&A: Difficult Passages
1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins”

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 KJV)

Many people think this verse is saying that we must continually ask for forgiveness of sins we commit after our moment of belief on Christ and after receiving the free gift of Salvation through Christ, or else they will lose Salvation. But is this true? The answer is an emphatic, no.

It is important to understand that the context of John’s letter is to thwart a heresy that false teachers were trying to get true believers to accept. This heresy is called Gnosticism. This is the sin that John is referring too in his letter. Those believing this heresy.

Gnosticism in incompatible with Biblical Christianity because Gnostics do not believe that a person can be born again through Christ. They deny that we are saved because Christ died in our place and took on the punishment for our sins but instead rely on extra Biblical ‘secret knowledge’ they say has been imparted to them as if they are special somehow. The Gnostics believed that there was no such thing as sin and that we do not sin. This was a big heresy in the early church and is being shown as false by John.

The Gnostics teachings were causing fear in some of the believers and had them questioning their faith on Christ alone for Salvation. Another of the Gnostics claims was that Jesus did not really come in the flesh and that Jesus was not God. John puts an end to that argument from the get go stating very clearly Jesus was real and did come in the flesh! John says WE HAVE SEEN WITH OUR EYES and TOUCHED WITH OUR HANDS. They had first hand knowledge. They seen and touched Jesus when He rose fro the dead. John puts an emphatic end to the belief of the Gnostics that Jesus was not here in the flesh as the Son of God that died and paid for our sins and rose again.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
(1 John 1:1-3 KJV)

John then goes on to keep destroying the beliefs of the Gnostics and to eradicate the fear it brought to believers of Christ stating he is writing this for the believer’s so that their JOY MAY BE FULL. John seeks to restore their full belief and assurance in Christ alone for their Salvation.

“And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:4-7 KJV)

Another good point here is to acknowledge that John is not only addressing believers in this passage as many believe. In fact, he is addressing the Gnostics and believers with emphasis to having Gnostics change their mind (repent) of their wrong beliefs and for believers to keep full assurance of their Salvation. The use of the word WE here does not mean it is believers only. Why? Let me give you an example:

Your best friend is about to steal something from a store. You see trouble. You say to him, “Hey brother, WE do not want to do that. It is wrong and could send you to jail and wreck your life.”  Now, were you going to steal or was your friend the one doing something wrong? You were right and he was wrong….right? So why use the word WE? It is something people do to be gracious. That’s what is  going on here in 1 John 1. John is telling the Gnostics they are wrong and the believers to keep their assurance of Salvation. This message benefits both believer and Gnostic. We know John is also addressing Gnostics because we read, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:“. What is John saying here? He is addressing the Gnostics who are saying they are saved but are not believing in the fact they have sin nor that Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world on the cross. They think they are living in light but they are living in darkness, without light.

The key to understanding this passage of Scripture is in the understanding what it means to walk in the light and walk in the darkness. John is giving a comparison here to be sure that the one reading he letter is confident that they are truly saved. He uses the contrast of dark verse light to achieve this.

+ Walking In The Light

Jesus is the ‘light of the world’ (John 8:12) and so walking in the light is simply believing on Christ as your Savior. Believing that we have sins. That the sins have to be paid for and punished. That God became flesh in the person of Jesus The Christ, died on the cross, paying for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and then rose from the dead. That all who believe this by faith and belief have all their sins forgiven.

Apostle Paul makes the Gospel very simple when he wrote to the Corinthian church,

“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 is the Gospel of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ. A person is walking in the light from the very moment they became born again by belief in Christ alone for Salvation which is not of ourselves nor works of any kind (Ephesians 2:8-9).

What if a believer sins? Well , he is a person walking in the light yet sinned. The believer is still in the light. Why? Well when we go to 1 John 2:12 (KJV) we read, “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you FOR HIS NAME’s SAKE.”  We see in Hebrews this is supported as well where it states clearly that “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL.” (Hebrews 10:10 KJV) and in Colossians that we are (present tense) COMPLETE IN CHRIST (Colossians 2:10). Should we just ignore our sin then? No. We strive to not sin. But the point here is that those walking in the light are those who acknowledge they have sin and confess (agree) with God they are sinners and by faith in Christ alone in HIS finished work on the cross, atoning for our sins, and by His death and His Resurrection, we are freed from the debt of our sins as believers. 1 John 1:9 is NOT saying we need to confess every sigle sin or a sin is not forgiven. Not at all.

+ Walking In Darkness

This is the state of every person who has not yet accepted the free gift of Salvation through Christ. They walk in darkness because they have not come to the knowledge of the TRUTH in Christ and accepted the free gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is not dwelling in them nor guiding them.

The Gnostics were saying they were saved people, yet they were walking in darkness because they did not believe that we sin nor that Jesus as the only begotten Son of God, who is God, came in the flesh and died for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD – ALL SIN FROM ALL OF TIME (1 John 2:2). They said they were saved but the Holy Spirit was not even indwelling them. This is still going on today! False religions claiming they are saved people as members, but they are walking in darkness. Such as Scientology, for just one example.

This is why the teaching of falling in and out of Salvation is completely wrong when reading 1 John 1:9. A person is only saved by the Grace filled free gift of God through Christ’s atonement for sin or they are living and believing they require good works and never sinning. It cannot be both! In John 3, Jesus is very clear and simple about how a person is forgiven of their sins and saved for all eternity and the word ‘good works’ nor ‘sin’ is not mentioned.

“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)

Apostle Paul also acknowledges this truth stating,

“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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

Many teach that they must CONFESS their sins after Salvation or they will not be forgiven sins not confessed. The thing is John NEVER STATES THIS in 1 John 1, even if a pulpit is teaching that falsely. 1 John 1 is about encouraging the believers that the Gnostics teachings are completely FALSE and showing the Gnostics they are flat wrong thinking they are saved without Christ. Yet, they read the word ‘CONFESS’ in Scriptures as if it means to ‘ASK FOR FORGIVENESS’ but that is not how the Bible defines the word ‘CONFESS’. A believer’s sins were COMPLETELY forgiven and the Holy Spirit comes and indwells the person from the very moment of belief as we see in Ephesians where we read,

“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 (don: means guaranteed down payment) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV)

Again here we see the word BELIEVE as the way to be saved just as in John 3 when Jesus Himself stated so. Peter says the same things to the Jews when he told them that they crucified Christ and that HE was really the Lord God. It ‘pricked’ them in their hearts because once they realized this as truth, some were very sorry and fearful. Peter says to them,

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent (Added for Greek meaning: change your mind), and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Act 2:36-39 KJV)

We need to use the correct Biblical definition for the word ‘confess’. The Greek for the word ‘confess’ in the New Testament is ‘homologeō’ and has a meaning of ‘to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent’. To confess is to agree with God that you did and have sin. We know all our sins were already forgiven, even our future sins because all sins are future to the cross. When we confess, we basically say to God, ‘God.. I blew it again and sinned. Thank you for your amazing grace and for already paying for this sin on that cross for me. I have remorse about this sin. Please help me stop this by the Holy Spirit.’ Do you think that is a prayer that God will honor? Yes, He will. This is proper belief and gives all the glory to God where it belongs! The process of our Sanctification takes time. In fact, a lifetime! Yet we are still saved by the grace of God through our BELIEF on Christ alone.

Look how Paul uses the word ‘confess’ in Romans 10 KJV where we read,

“That if thou shalt CONFESS with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and with the mouth CONFESSION is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever BELIEVETH on him shall not be ashamed.“

We also need to use the correct Biblical meaning for the word ‘repent’ as well, which means ‘ change your mind’ in the Greek. It is not Biblically defined as the modern dictionary states. It does not mean ‘turn from your sin’ nor ‘to be penitent’. Yes, we should turn from our sins and I am not saying otherwise. The Holy Spirit will convict us to. The reading of the Word of God for the renewing of our mind will also. Our newly created Spirit wars with our flesh for us to turn from our sins. Perfectly? Not yet. It is a real struggle! (Romans 7) However, we cannot have sinless perfection until our bodily resurrection when the sin nature will no longer exist within us. However, the definition of the word ‘repent’ in the Bible is not ‘turn from your sin’; it is ‘change your mind’. By changing our mind about sins we should be turning from sin but the repenting is not the turning from sin. The turning from sin is a result of repenting; that is changing of mind. And Apostle Paul tells us to renew our mind by the Word of God.

“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)

I hope this helps to clarify 1 John 1:9 by using the proper context.

God bless.