Q&A: Salvation

Do Not Mix Law Following With Grace For Justification With God

Don Gerrity Q&A: False Salvation Invitations, Q&A: Law of Moses, Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About...
Do Not Mix Law Following With Grace For Justification With God

Apostle Paul wrote,

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14 KJV)

The English word ‘dominion’ here in the Greek is ‘kyrieuō‘ and is defined as ‘to rule over’. In essence, in today’s English would be the words ‘your master’.

Does that mean we will never sin as believers? No. But sinning will not be master over us. We have the Holy Spirit living within us to guide us into all truth and to CHANGE us by the renewing of our mind by the Word of God (Romans 12). It is an inward change in the MIND that happens over time and changes us on the inside, in our inner man. This change slowly works it’s way outward into our lives and affects others. We believe right by God’s Word and that expresses in our outward living because as we believe in the mind – is how we live.

What is it, according to Apostle Paul, that causes sin to not be master over us as believers anyway? Is it because we work so hard to not sin? NO , it does not say that. Is it because we obey the Law of Moses? No, it does not say that either.

Why will sin not be master over believers?

Because WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE. Reading this verse backwards helps clarify what Paul is actually stating to us.

‘Under grace, we are Not Under The Law, and so sin is not our master.’

Do you see how clear this verse is? It is Law for justification with God or it is by God’s Grace through faith. It is NEVER mixing them together for righteousness.

Paul goes on to say even more about Law following verses Salvation by the Grace of God through Christ Jesus in Romans 7:

“But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.” (Romans 7:8 KJV)


What is this ‘concupiscence’? It is defined in the Greek as ‘lusts and desires’. So let’s replace the word so we can see exactly what Paul is meaning in this verse.

“But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of lustful desires. For without the law sin was dead.”

Paul is telling us that following the Law of Moses actually causes us to sin more! You see, that is the very purpose of the Ten Commandments; The Law. Here are other verses by Apostle Paul explaining this:

“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)


Paul is clearly stating that the very STRENGTH of sinning is following the Law of Moses for justification. I ask you, does that somehow change after being saved by God’s grace? NO.

The Law and Ten Commandments as many know it by were given by God to bring the Jews to their knees in understanding that we CANNOT EVER justify ourselves nor make ourselves Holy in our own self righteous efforts. The Law is a mirror so we can see ourselves as God sees us; wretched sinners needing a Savior. The Law is meant to bring us to our knees and to cry out to God for mercy because only God can MAKE us Holy.

YES! The Ten Commandments are true and they are still valid as God’s Holy standard. Yet, Paul tells us that following them will NOT make you Holy nor give you favor or justification with God. And after Salvation, following the Law will not make you any more Holy than God has already made a believer – the very righteousness of God, in Christ by faith, complete in Him (see 1 Corinthians 5:17-21, Colossians 2).

Only by belief in the Son of God, who is God in the flesh, Jesus The Christ, who never sinned in thought nor deed, who willingly died on the cross and shed His blood to pay for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD (1 John 2:2) and then rose again; through this belief is a person justified with God. (John 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

Salvation is a gift to be received or rejected. After accepting it – we are NOT KEPT SAVED by our performance or Law keeping to RETAIN righteousness. Should we not murder steal etc. Of course, we should not do these things. But our new source is the indwelling Holy Spirit who also guides us to not do such things. Our old self is DEAD and we are now a NEW SELF – a NEW Spirit if God at the very core of our being.

In Galatians, we see false teachers who crept into the church teaching that Law following was also a REQUIREMENT of justification with God. Does Paul agree? In fact, he strongly opposed this teach as false. Paul’s response to this is calling the Galatians ‘foolish’ and that such teachers are to be ‘accursed’ and that,

“Christ is become of NO EFFECT UNTO YOU, whosoever of you are justified BY THE LAW; ye are FALLEN FROM GRACE.” (Galatians 5: 4 KJV)

No effect unto you is not somewhere we should be as believers !

Do Not Mix Law and the Gospel of God’s Grace Through Jesus Christ. Doing so, is not Gospel and no salvation at all. Instead, it is the sin of pride, being boastful. We need to be humble.

Is Lordship Salvation The Gospel?

Don Gerrity Q&A: False Gospels, Q&A: False Salvation Invitations
Is Lordship Salvation The Gospel?

Lordship Salvation is one of the most widely spread false teachings about Salvation today within the Christian communities. This is serious and it is rampant false teaching within the Christian Community and being taught by pulpits. It ‘sounds right’ but that is because it appeals to our wrong old nature thinking in the mind, instead of the truth of God’s Word and our New Spirit of God that God made believers from the moment of belief on Christ for justification and Salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Lordship Salvation teachers tell us that a person must believe the gospel PLUS repent of sins a requirement of Salvation Through Christ. The very statement itself states two opposing beliefs! It is teaching that salvation is not by faith alone in Christ alone. It is PRIDE! Instead, it would be by faith PLUS the act of turning from sin as a person makes Jesus Lord Of All.

WE DO NOT MAKE JESUS LORD….HE IS LORD!

In other words, it is a belief that salvation is obtained by faith in God PLUS turning from sin–which amounts to keeping the Law. It is about our performance being required. This is very false. It is NOT the Gospel! In fact, it appeals to The Flesh.  It is really a more subtle ‘works for Salvation’ false Gospel.

A Very Deceptive Teaching

It is so subtly deceptive. It is mixing grace with self righteous works in order to be saved. It mixes Salvation with sanctification. It teaches that all believers have chosen to be disciples but not all believers have. Salvation is not by our efforts!!

It uses a wrong definition of the English word REPENT used in the Bible.

Repenting is not defined as ‘turning from sin’ in the Bible. Turning from sin may be a result, over time, as the Holy Spirit renews a believers mind. But it is not a requirement of our justification; it is a result, yet not perfectly! Not until the Rapture will we become perfect, when we become whole with bodies and minds free from the Fleshly wrong thinking in the mind. We will be in the body, and mind, just like Jesus now is. Currently, only our Spirit has been reborn but our mind and body need renewing.

John says,

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10 KJV)

The modern day dictionary defines the word repent as “to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one”s life for the better; be penitent.”

If this were the definition for repentance in the Bible then the entire Gospel and Salvation in Christ becomes a false gospel based on works and our own human effort. A read through the book of John Galatians, Ephesians, Hebrews and Romans shows that this cannot be the case.

The Greek word for the English word repent is “metanoia” and is defined as “a change of mind”. By repenting we change our mind toward Salvation by faith alone in the atonement Christ Jesus provided for us on the cross. By repenting we have turned toward God. After Salvation we repent and change our mind by God’s Word by guidance of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12); our ongoing sanctification process.

The repenting UNTO Salvation is the change in your mind from the world’s way of dealing with sin (by our performance, being a good person, doing more good than bad, Law following, religious rituals) and changing to God’s way of dealing with sin which is believing on Christ for Salvation apart from works of any kind (Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:18).

**Stopping the practice of a particular sin is a RESULT of repenting and changing your mind. That is, it is NOT the repenting itself. This is so important to understand!

A Dangerous Teaching!

Lordship Salvation is not only wrong. It is serious and dangerous teaching. Apostle Paul says in Galatians 3, such are ‘foolish’. He goes on and writes ,

“This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?:” (Galatians 3:2-3 KJV)

In Galatians 5 Paul makes this statement about mixing our performance with God’s Grace for Salvation:

“Christ is become of NO EFFECT UNTO YOU, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are FALLEN FROM GRACE. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness BY FAITH.” (Galatians 5:4-5 KJV)

Christ of NO EFFECT to a person? Scary place to be! Believing this is that ‘other Gospel’ Paul spoke of in Galatians 1 stating that such teachers are to be ‘accursed’. Such have ‘fallen from grace’ Paul says. This is serious business my fellow believers!

Renewing our mind by God’s Word, by the guidance by the Holy Spirit, is a very good thing (Romans 12). This is REPENTING – changing our mind by God’s Word. It is what we need to do, what we should do. We live outwardly as we believe in the mind. The mind connects our Spirit with our body see? Believe right by God’s truth instead of our emotions and old nature thoughts and we start living right and sinning less!

In our Spirit, from the moment we believed on Christ alone for our justification (Ephesians 1:13-14) something miraculous happened. In foreknowledge of all who will accept the gift of Salvation by belief on Christ alone, God placed our Spirit of Man on the cross with Christ and WE DIED in the Spirit! We died WITH CHRIST and ROSE WITH HIM in the Spirit (Colossians 2, Romans 6). God imputed our sins to Christ and Christ’s righteousness to us. An exchange that saved us eternally! We were at that moment of belief in Christ MADE BY GOD the ‘righteousness of God, IN CHRIST’ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). A Divine Exchange indeed!

This is something so many Christians have not grasped yet. They know they were forgiven. But do they know that God changed their core being, their ‘self’, their Spirit, into the very righteousness of God? Do they know they have eternal life from that very moment of belief on Christ’s atonement for our sins (John 3:18, Ephesians 1:13-14) ? Do they know they are, in the present tense, ‘Complete In Christ’, right now (Colossians 2:12)? Many believers do not know this part! They think that after accepting Christ’s GIFT of Salvation that they now have to work to retain Salvation and that is not the Gospel ! And it is easy to be deceived by this false teaching of Lordship Salvation. It appeals to our feelings of ‘guilt’ and to our fleshly thoughts. But that is in THE MIND – not the Spirit. The BODY, SOUL, MIND AND SPIRIT are not the same.

We are to walk by the New Spirit God made us (2 Cor. 5:17-21) to avoid the sins of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). A believer’s sin debt PAID IN FULL! NOT BY US! God made us the righteousness of God, IN CHRIST. By our works? By our efforts and performance to be a ‘good person’? No! By faith in Christ alone and HIS finished work. Never forget that!

After Salvation we are to ‘repent’ but it is all about mind renewing (Romans 12). Our new Spirit is of God, the seed of God, eternal, Holy and FULLY REDEEMED ALREADY as believers. Yet our MIND is not yet made perfect. It still has thinking processes and thoughts and beliefs from the now DEAD ‘old man’, the old Spirit of God that was crucified with Christ. Apostle Paul called this ‘The Flesh’. That is why Apostle Paul focused on renewing our mind by God’s truth in Romans 12.  ‘Walk in The Spirit’ is what God Paul taught. Walk by the truth of who you  really are now in the Spirit – Righteous, Holy Redeemed. Do we feel like we are these things living in this sinful world with un-renewed bodies and minds? NO. But our emotions about it are not the truth. God’s Word is the truth and we are who it says we are as believers on Christ. It is all about right believing fellow believers.

Why continue walking in the old DEAD Spirit anymore? It is GONE! Renew our mind. BUT THAT COMES AFTER WE ARE SAVED. Our good works and refusing to sin does not keep us saved. We are ALREADY ETERNALLY SAVED from the moment that we believed on Christ for our justification. We do not work to be ‘more saved’ or ‘more righteous’ or to get ‘more of the Holy Spirit’. NO friends. No. We have it ALL ALREADY in the Spirit (in our core being). Focus on renewing the mind. That is where the battle is. That is also where satan attacks. He excites the left over old Fleshly thoughts and emotions of our mind to entice us to sin. But when we renew these old beliefs with the truth of God’s Word – satan’s efforts are greatly lessened. We find ourselves sinning..LESS NOT MORE. But if you believe it is all about your performance over renewing the mind, that is the same as Law following and you are doomed to fail and sin more!Paul put it this way,

“But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:  How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?  For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.” (2 Corinthians 3: 7-9 KJV)

Paul tells us that Law following, our performance for righteousness is a ministry of CONDEMNATION! What we are to follow is the ministry of righteousness and that only comes by belief on Christ and His finished work. The same Apostle Paul stated,

“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)

Look what Jesus said,

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.  If the Son therefore shall MAKE YOU free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8: 31-36 KJV)

There are two important statements being made here by Jesus that are related to this false Lordship Salvation teaching in these last days.

First, Jesus tells His BELIEVERS (the saved) if they continue in HIS WORD they will be disciples. Not all saved people are disciples! Lordship Salvation teaches all believers MUST BE DISCIPLES. Wrong. Should we be? Well, YES! But our Salvation does not rely on that. Our Salvation is by BELIEF on Christ alone as Jesus told Nicodemus (a chief Pharisee and Law follower) in John 3:18,

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18 KJV)

Second, Who makes us free from sin? THE SON! JESUS MAKES US FREE! By our works? By our efforts in not sinning after Salvation? No. By HIS WORK on the cross alone (John 3:14-18)! Adding your own self righteous efforts and works to remain saved is the same as being a servant to sin. So are good works and not sinning a requirement of Salvation? No! Should we do good works after being saved? ABSOLUTELY YES! But it is not good works after Salvation that keep us saved. BELIEF in God’s Grace through Christ Jesus crucified (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), the once for all sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (Hebrews 10:10, 1 John 2:2) does.

These statements made by Jesus disprove Lordship Salvation as truth.

The Main Books On Salvation

In fact, if we look at the ‘Main Books’ in the Bible about Salvation it also disproves Lordship Salvation.

The book of John is all about how to be saved. Do you know that the word “repent” nor “repentance” does not even appear once. But the word “believe” on Christ is seen all over the book many times.

The book of Galatians. This is the book fighting against the false Gospel based on works for Salvation. Again, the word “repent” is not found once in this book contending for the true Gospel! However the word “faith” in Jesus Christ is found all through the book!

The book of Romans known as ‘the Romans road to Salvation’. Paul tells us again and again that Salvation is NOT OF WORKS IN ANY MANNER! And where the word “repent” is found, it is not the same Greek word. It does not mean “turning from your sin”.

Christian teachers need to stop using the dictionary definition of the word “repent”. They are teaching a FALSE GOSPEL WHICH WILL NOT SAVE ANYONE!

And also God repents many times in Scripture. Now, think logically a moment. Does God need to turn from His sins? NO! Repent is defined as simply, ‘changing your mind’.

You can change any Scripture that says ‘repent’ with ‘change your mind’ and then see the real meaning of the passage based on the context of the passage.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15 KJV)

…is same as…

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: CHANGE YOUR MIND ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15 KJV)

Do not allow this false teaching to evade your beliefs about your Salvation. It is rampant and growing and being taught in pulpits; maybe even your own church’s pulpit. It is deceptive teaching. It is ‘slight of hand’ teaching. Those teaching this are mostly sincere but they are sincerely wrong! They may even use Matthew 7 to prove their Lordship Salvation teaching is correct – but they IGNORE the entire context of Matthew 7, which is false prophets teaching works for Salvation (see Matthew 7, verse 15).

Is God Unjust In Not Saving Anyone That Is Trying To Be A Good Person Without Knowing Christ?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation
Is God Unjust In Not Saving Anyone That Is Trying To Be A Good Person Without Knowing Christ?

This is one of the questions where so many shy away from believing in a loving God. Some even think God is unjust! Others believe religion based on works is what saves a person or keeps a person righteous with God. It is all about DOING. But is that true?

We need to realize that the top sin is PRIDE. This is the sin of Lucifer causing him to fall as satan. That started the whole problem with angels and humans! It caused all the DIVISION. Pride, even though deceived by the devil, is why Eve and Adam sinned in the garden. It is also for any person, the very sin that leads to remaining a lost person and unsaved.

God has already done everything He can to save us

Following RELIGION is SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS as if we are Vines (gods) but we are not vines…WE ARE BRANCHES , unable to do anything without Christ abiding in us in belief (John 15) !

All religions, Jewish included, are works based salvation false lies that teach it is what WE DO to be justified with God. That is every person’s belief before accepting the Gospel; before accepting Christ’s finished work for our righteous standing before a perfectly Holy God.

Jesus warns unbelievers of justification by works and not by faith alone in Him in Matthew 7 warning against false prophets (verse 15) teaching a works for Salvation.

“21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH THE WILL of my Father which is in heaven.

22 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.” (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)

Do you See it? They are saying have not WE, and in thine name WE, WE done many WORKS. WE WE WE! They rely on their own ability to please God and by doing such think they are saved.

It is PRIDE and SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS. It saves no one.

What is this will we are to do Jesus speaks of in Matthew 7 then? Is it about our performance as saved believers as some teach? No! Jesus is teaching about false prophets, unbelievers…not saved believers. Doing the Father’s will for an unbeliever is ONE THING ONLY and Jesus Himself answered what God’s will for an unsaved person is in John 6,

“39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40 KJV)

It is not about externals. It is about a change in our inner core being; our Spirit. Not a change we can make…a change only God can make if you humble yourself of Pride and instead accept the GIFT of Salvation paid for by Christ the cross. And RECEIVE FREELY righteousness by faith, not works. Salvation by BELIEF on Christ’s FINISHED WORK having paid for our sins. A once for all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world – ALL SIN! (1 John 2:2)

Once received a person is free of their debt of sins and has been changed into the righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

It is FROM THIS new Spirit of God we have been reborn as that believers show fruit of good works. It is UNTO good works FROM salvation without works required. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Live in self righteous pride… you are lost.

Believe on Christ’s finished work for righteousness… you are saved.

Is Matthew 7 About Fruit Inspecting?

Don Gerrity Matthew, Q&A: Salvation
Is Matthew 7 About Fruit Inspecting?

“Beware of FALSE PROPHETS, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them BY THEIR FRUITS. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every GOOD TREE bringeth forth good fruit; but a CORRUPT TREE bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.   Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore BY THEIR FRUITS ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20 KJV)

I have seen the words of Jesus in Matthew 7 to teach that,

  1. That Matthew 7 shows that a believer can lose Salvation.
  2. That a person with good fruit is saved and a person with bad fruit is not saved.

Both of these teachings are WRONG by the very context found within Matthew 7. If you have been taught these, please stop telling others this as truth and I am showing you why in this article. It is the very reason for this article.

These two wrong teachings about Matthew 7 are running very rampant in Christian communities. Many pulpits are also stating these very wrong teachings about Matthew 7. We must watch the CONTEXT very closely! Otherwise, as a believer you will be condemning others in harsh judgement, when Jesus has clearly taught against doing such!

Let’s look closely at this passage of Scripture with proper context to see the true meaning of Jesus.

“15 Beware of FALSE PROPHETS, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them BY THEIR FRUITS. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every GOOD TREE bringeth forth good fruit; but a CIRRUOT TREE bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore BY THEIR FRUITS ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the WILL OF MY FATHER which is in heaven.
22 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.” (Matthew 7:15-23 KJV)

This is a very power packed passage of truth to decipher and so let’s do just that.

The real context starts at verse 15.  Jesus is talking about FALSE PROPHETS. This is the context of this passage. They come to you as sheep, as ‘Christians’. They come with various verses of Scripture, all taken out of context by the way, to tell you it is your WORKS that matters. They teach about Jesus but it is false teaching.

It is these false prophets who are the verse 23 “YE THAT WORK INIQUITY”. Jesus speaks about the false prophets, and what are they doing wrong? What is their iniquity?

They are thinking and telling others that it is WHAT THEY DO that qualifies them for salvation in Jesus. They are combining grace with works for righteousness and mixing Law following with Grace through Christ. We need to take this very seriously! Jesus gives us a stern warning here.

In Matthew 7:22 Jesus makes it clear,

 “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?”

Do you See it? They are saying have not WE, and in thine name WE, WE done many WORKS. WE WE WE! They rely on their own ability to please God and by doing such think they are saved.

To them Jesus gives stern warning in verse 23 that on Judgement day for them (The Great White Throne Judgement of the unsaved),

“And then will I profess unto THEM, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23 KJV)

Notice this one verse does not say they were believers who lost salvation. Not at all. It says that Jesus NEVER knew them. This is definitely about those who think they are saved by their works. They are being judged and condemned to eternal separation from God at the future Great White Throne judgement of unbelievers and in defending themselves, they show nothing but self righteous pride! They will not even mention that Jesus paid for their sins. Instead, they will try and stand as righteous because of their works. That my friends is the devil’s BIGGEST LIE. Satan’s biggest deception to the whole world is deceiving people into believing this.

What About Fruit Inspecting?

What about fruit inspecting in this passage? If salvation is not about works then what is verses 16-20 all about? It is clear that by the comparison Jesus just gave in previous verses that it is a comparison of judging and condemning others verses showing love and mercy as Christ as done for us. Think about this a moment.

Jesus talks about two groups of people as TREES. What a great analogy! In John 15, Jesus teaches this too and states that HE is the vine and WE, as saved believers, are BRANCHES! Where does a branch life come from? The sap, which comes from the ROOT of a tree. Jesus is the VINE of a believer. He is our Root.

An unbeliever has at their core being, as the root, a Spirit of Adam, a sin nature at their very core. They sin because they have a sin nature at their core. They know they have sinned against God. That is the truth. But they think that they can gain God’s favor by their outward living in good works. They fail to realize that this is not the wages for our sins! In God’s economy the wages for sin is not works. The wages of sin is DEATH, eternal death and separation from God (Romans 6:23). Failing to realize this truth, they remain lost in their debt of sins. To them it is all about works and good deeds. And so, how do they live outwardly, in love or condemnation and judging of others?

A person who instead realizes they are a sinner and that they CANNOT work off their sins with good deeds, turns to God and seeks Him for MERCY, just as Jesus states earlier in Matthew 7 as the right way to be saved. Their tree root has been changed and made RIGHTEOUS in the Spirit. Being saved by God’s grace they know God’s love and how He gave His own begotten Son to save us by His death on the cross. The greatest act of love in all of history.

Having received this GRACE, their Spirit inside was REBORN (John 3) and RECREATED (2 Cor. 5:17-21) and have become COMPLETE IN CHRIST (Colossians 2). With this new Spirit, we now work from our new inward Spirit (our tree root), outward into our lives with good works by God’s love through us. It is God’s grace that we have received as believers that encourages us to live outwardly in love to others. Apostle Paul says that we should walk ‘in the Spirit to avoid the lusts of the flesh’ and not by the Law, in the book of Galatians. Saved believers are right now RIGHTEOUS at our core being and this works outward into good works in our lives.

That is what Jesus means in context when He says,

“A GOOD TREE cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a CORRUPT TREE bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:18-20 KJV)

Remember, this whole passage is about false prophets speaking (starting at verse 15). Yet, these are the same works based false salvation teachers today that use Matthew 7, verse 22 and 23 to claim that works are required for salvation and that believers can lose salvation. They are very wrong! If they would only read the previous verses in context.

These verses have confused many when not seen in the proper context of Matthew 7. Some believers today are mistaking these “fruits” with the “fruit bearing” of John 15 which is about being a disciple bearing good fruit and not about salvation.

However,that is NOT the context here in Matthew 7. It simply cannot be so because Jesus had just previously said that the FALSE PROPHETS come in “sheep’s clothing”. They look like they have good works and people would assume that because such a person has good works that they must be a born again believer. That is actually a completely FALSE STATEMENT! Our works have NOTHING to do with how we are justified in salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). These false prophets are teaching externals, even while using Jesus’ name in doing so. They have missed the Gospel message entirely which is not about good works for righteousness but only faith and belief on Christ alone.

WHAT IS THE FRUIT IN MATTHEW 7 THEN?

So the ‘fruit’ in Matthew 7 is not a person’s WORKS. It is the WORDS these false prophets are teaching! As soon as a teacher is preaching good works for salvation or good works required to remain saved, they are the false teachers being spoken of here by Jesus. They are relying on their works for righteousness or accepting God’s grace but thinking they then need to work to remain saved.

These two false beliefs are actually UNBELIEF. Either a person is BELIEVING and trusting in Christ and HIS FINISHED work having paid for all sins of the world (1 John 2:2) or they are in UNBELIEF and UNSAVED. The unsaved followers of Jesus in Matthew 7 know nothing about the cross Christ will end up upon and I am stating this with passages after the cross for our understanding and application of Matthew 7. Yet, before the cross the Jews did know, and were looking for the appearance of the foretold Messiah, who would become the final payment for the sins of the people. The Pharisees just rejected He is the Messiah but it is true regardless.

Take notice that I am not saying good works after salvation are wrong. NO! Good works after salvation are ‘…UNTO GOOD WORKS..’ but they only come from our NEW SPIRIT and the indwelling Holy Spirit moving outward in our lives in love towards others (Ephesians 2:10). But the works NEVER SAVE ANYONE! Only belief on Christ saves (John 3:14-18, John 6:37-40, 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Eph. 2:8-9, Eph. 1:13-14 etc).

What is the ‘will of the Father’ Jesus is talking about in Matthew 7:21 then? Is this statement by Jesus about our works and good deeds or Law following? Not at all. Jesus is not saying one thing and then another in the same passage of teaching! Look at Jesus’ words to see the truth.

Jesus tells us this in John 6,

“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that YE BELIEVE ON HIM whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29 KJV)”

39 And this is the FATHERS’s WILL which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this IS THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, that every one which seeth the Son, and BELIEVETH ON HIM, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” ( John 6:39-40 KJV)

Today we see many false gospels in so called, ‘christian religions’. False gospels such as, ‘works for salvation’, ‘grace plus works’, ‘social gospel’, ‘prosperity gospel’, ‘Lordship Salvation’, and ‘Word of faith, name it to claim it’; all of which are not the Biblical Gospel of our Salvation.

Should Christians ‘Die To Self’? Is That Right?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Christian Living, Q&A: Salvation
Should Christians ‘Die To Self’? Is That Right?

Do believers have to ‘Die To Self’ to be saved or to remain saved? We here this phrase all the time don’t we? Yet, can I ask a question? Where does that phrase read in the Bible? In reality, it actually does not even exist as a phrase in the entire Bible.

Now, we need to put off the old man, our  old Adam/Flesh thinking and renew our mind by the Word of God. This is repentance for a believer (changing our minds) about many things according to the truth of the Word of God. It causes an inward change in our thinking and beliefs and that works it’s way outward into our lives. I agree with that completely.

But, there is just something about the ‘die to self‘ phrase being thrown around so often these days that many say we must do to be saved or remain saved, because what I read in the Bible is that my old self is ALREADY DEAD as a believer. In fact the Bible teaches that we have been given a NEW SELF called The Spirit which is the very seed of God (1 John 3:9) and it cannot sin.

That is not to say that we do not sin as believers. We still reside within this corrupt body and we still have wrong thinking about many things in the mind which Apostle Paul calls The Flesh (or sometime referred to by some as the Adam Sin nature) but God circumcised the SIN off the new real us now, our Spirit. The Spirit is the real us now and we are a New Creation in Christ which is at war with The Flesh, in our minds.

Yet, as Apostle Paul taught in Romans 7, verses 17 and 20… it is not our Spirit (our new self) that wants to, nor sins. It is The Flesh. And God severed the Flesh from our spirit when He made us a new creation in Christ.

That is why at physical death, our Spirit goes to be with the Lord. It has no sin. It is perfect and Holy, fully redeemed and complete in Christ. Yet, our flesh, our body, it cannot inherit the kingdom of God because it is corrupt with this THING called sin. (Note: In Romans, the word SIN is a noun mostly! It is a THING.)

What I see in the Bible, what Apostle Paul taught, is that God gave us a new heart, a new self, and WE DIED (past tense) with Christ. Did you know that as a believer in Christ? Our Salvation begins with death. Apostle Paul tells us that “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23 KJV). But not just Jesus’ death! As believers, our old self died with Him on the cross!

In fact, we were buried with Christ and we rose again with Christ in the new created Spirit. We are right now as believers, COMPLETE IN HIM, in The Spirit.

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

And you, 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 2:9-14 KJV)

So yes, we put off our old Flesh sinful ways. Yes, we strive to not do what The Flesh/Adam thoughts we have, tempt us to do. In that sense, we sort of ‘die to self‘. I get that. But that really is dying to our OLD SELF. But the phrase, kinda goes against the way to say that because the language in the Bible tells us we died with Christ.

Maybe I am picky on the wording because I know MOST believers use this phrase describing our struggle with the old sin nature thoughts we have after Salvation.

And then I hear some preachers using ‘you must die to self!’ …. as if that is how we get saved or stay saved; by our SELF righteous efforts. They take this phrase to mean the very opposite of the Gospel of Grace Through Jesus Christ, which is without works required, but is a GIFT to be received or rejected. (Eph. 2:8-9)

Maybe it’s just me. Yet, maybe it is something we should think about before telling others to ‘die to self’.

This phrase confuses new believers. A more accurate phrase would be, ‘our old self died with Christ so why walk it the old self ways? It is not who we are anymore. We are now IN CHRIST. And Christ is living IN US.

Did Christ Pay For ALL Our Sins?

Don Gerrity General OSAS Questions, Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: Uncategorized List
Did Christ Pay For ALL Our Sins?

Sins committed by a believer of Christ for Salvation will not result in loss of Salvation. That stated, should we just sin all we want so that God’s grace abounds? No. We still have consequences for our sins and they are not good at all.

Damnation in hell is not a consequence of sin for a believer on Christ’s atonement but we should be transformed during our life as a believer. We renew our mind by the Word of God, guided by the Holy Spirit.

》》 First… confessing sins and asking for forgiveness for sins are not the same thing.

Confessing is agreeing with God that we sinned. All a person’s sins were forgiven on that cross because Jesus did not make a partial payment for just the sins of those who would believe; He paid for all sins of every person!

“2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and NOT FOR OURS ONLY, but also for the sins of THE WHOLE WORLD.” (1 John 2:2 KJV)

This ‘once for all’ payment of all sins (Hebrews 10:10) is given to us all as a GIFT of God’s grace and can be accepted or rejected because God gives us free will to decide. He asks us… ‘Here is a free unmerited GIFT. It is complete forgiveness of your life sins and makes you the righteousness of God, in Christ.’

….If the gift is rejected, the payment is not placed on the account of a person’s sin debt and they will one day pay for their sin debt themselves in a place called hell.

….If they accept the gift payment by belief on Christ and His once for all sacrifice for our sins on the cross (John 3:14-18, Hebrews 10:10) then they are freed of the debt ENTIRELY. All sins we commit are future from the cross, sins we comit after Salvation as well and all were paid for by Jesus’ ONCE FOR ALL payment , if we accept the GIFT of Salvation.

Jesus paid for ALL SINS FROM ALL TIME..past/present/future.

On that cross Jesus cried out.. IT IS FINISHED. In the Greek that was penned it is an accounting term meaning A DEBT PAID IN FULL.

Salvation is a gift to be received (Eph 2:8-9) by BELIEF ON CHRIST (John 3:14-18, 1 Cor. 15:1-4) not something we work to achieve nor keep. By believing on Christ….any sins comitted both before and after the moment of Salvation are already judged and paid in full.

From the moment of belief on Christ we are SEALED by the Holy Spirit:

” 13 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, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:13-14 KJV)

Notice it is past tense and a believer was sealed from the moment of belief. That does not mean we have no consequences for sinning!!! There could be severe consequences such as physical death even and loss of eternal rewards. But damnation in hell for sins Christ already paid for in our place? Not for the believer.

“4 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:” (Ephesians 1:4 KJV)

God knew every sin we would commit from the foundation of the world..yet He willing became flesh and paid for our sins anyway. Amazing love. Abounding grace!!

What and Where Are Believers In Relation To Christ and The Father?

Don Gerrity General OSAS Questions, Q&A: Salvation
What and Where Are Believers In Relation To Christ and The Father?

Where is our position with the Father and Jesus? Yes, we are forgiven all our sins because Jesus paid for our sins and we accepted the gift of Salvation by belief on Christ. Yet Christ did more than just forgive us! As a believer on Christ and His once for all sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (Hebrews 10:10, 1 John 2:2) there has been a very big change in our position with God. We are not only forgiven our sins.

BELIEVERS ARE NOW PRESENTLY… SAVED ETERNALLY FROM THE MOMENT WE BELIEVE, IN CHRIST

Jesus said,

“15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:15-16 KJV)

Apostle Paul wrote,

“13 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, 14 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)

DEEMED BY GOD AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26 KJV)

Those who reject Christ are NOT children of God. Only believers are. We are in the family! Never to not be family.

MADE INTO A NEW CREATION CALLED THE SPIRIT

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” ( 2 Cor. 5:17 KJV)

We are an actual literal new creation of God called ‘The Spirit’. The Holy Spirit indwells us and is right here with us. From the very moment of belief on Christ we are SEALED by the Holy Spirit from now until Heaven and beyond. (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV)

MADE BY GOD THE VERY RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, IN CHRIST!

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might BE MADE the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21 KJV)

Many believers fail to understand how we are deemed righteous BY GOD – not by ourselves or what we do after Salvation! An amazing truth to let sink into our belief!

DEEMED COMPLETE IN CHRIST, IN THE PRESENT

“9 For IN HIM dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried WITH HIM in baptism, wherein also ye are risen WITH HIM through the faith of the operation OF GOD, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together WITH HIM, having forgiven you ALL trespasses; 14 BLOTTING OUT the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” (Colossians 2: 9-14 KJV)

We need to believe and enter God’s REST in our Salvation! Does that mean sit back and be lazy, unloving, not helping others come to the knowledge of Salvation or just go and sin all we want? No! These truths of who we now are as believers should drive us to live more for God as we recognize that we have been changed at the core of our being.

In Hebrews we see a comparison being made to the Hebrews being sent to the promised land. Did they laze around going there? No. It was hard actually. They murmured against God, complaining. They lived by fear, even after seeing the parting of the Red Sea, walking across on dry land, taking Pharaoh’s riches with them, given manna food from heaven to sustain them, etc. Instead God wants us to live by faith and not fear.

Faith that what He says He has deemed you to be is who YOU ARE! Want something to fear? Comparing the Moses Exodus and how the majority of them DID NOT enter the land of promise, the writer of Hebrews wrote what we should fear,

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us OF ENTERING INTO HIS REST, any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1 KJV)

If we use FAITH and BELIEVE that we are, as redeemed Christians, what God says we are in the Word of God; that is REAL REST. And if  you REST in God, just watch God move in our life to help others come to the knowledge of Salvation in Christ! There is work to be done by God through you because we are ONE with The father IN CHRIST. But we must believe who we now are, IN CHRIST. Jesus prayed for you and me…

“20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” ( John 17: 20-23 KJV)

Do you think the Father is answering Jesus’ prayer for us? We better believe He is! Amen!!

Are those under persecution who deny Christ still saved?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: Uncategorized List
Are those under persecution who deny Christ still saved?

Yes. Think about Peter. He believed Jesus was the Messiah and as such was saved. Yet he denied Christ not once but three times swearing before men. Jesus always foretold Peter he would deny Him three times but that He prayed for Peter to come back in faith after feeling such shame for doing it. And Peter was restored to strengthen the other disciples. He did not lose Salvation. He was eternally saved by his BELIEF on Christ as Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, repetitively, regarding how a person is born again and justified in Salvation.

What about Matthew 10:33?

“But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33 KJV)

As believers, knowing what Christ went through to save us on that cross, shedding His blood for us, we hope that we would have enough courage to withstand persecution, even unto death. However, if a person is tortured for their belief in Christ and denies Christ verbally, yet in their heart still fully believes, are they still saved? Jesus paid such a high price in the greatest love there is for us. Would He deny a saved believer for verbally denying Christ under such duress?

The TYPE of denial matters in understanding this subject. Jesus was talking to the disciples right? Keep in mind Judas Iscariot. He did not deny Christ out of fear or distress. His act of betrayal for silver was a complete denial. Although Judas was with Christ, traveled with the disciples and Jesus, he never believed Jesus was the Messiah. He was not a saved believer. And even though he felt remorse and guilt for being responsible for Jesus horrible death, he still did not believe He was the Messiah and committed suicide unsaved.

Do you see the contrast between Peter’s denial and Judas’ denial of Christ. Yes! It is about BELIEF and not outside appearances. Don’t get me wrong, we should all stand up for our belief in Christ. The Gospel is the power to be saved eternally! Yet. I am saying God looks at a person’s heart. Not everyone is strong enough to withstand torture and persecution. They may act one way outwardly to protect themselves but inwardly they are a true believer.

For this reason I believe they are saved.

⇒ More on this topic

Why Did Jesus Insist To Be Baptized By Water?

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

John the Baptist said to the people,

” I indeed baptize you WITH WATER UNTO REPENTANCE but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11 KJV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apostle Paul wrote:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” (John 6:39 KJV)

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

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

What About Our Sins After Salvation?

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1 KJV)

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

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