This image is a depiction of Christianity today. There is one major missing piece that provides all the missing pieces. And when the puzzle pieces are all filled in, it is a truth that makes us want to shout. Filling in the pieces takes time; time in learning the knowledge of the truth;
The Gospel of Grace Through Christ Crucified, Died and Risen.
ALREADY RAISED WITH CHRIST? RIGHT NOW?
In Colossians 2 we see a truth that still today a large number of people who claim they are born again believers have still not heard, nor understand. It is not that Christ forgave our past sins, but now we have to not have any sins again. It is not that we have to have good works after salvation in order to remain saved and born again. Colossians 2 takes these false Christianity beliefs and tosses them into the same pile as following The Law For Righteousness; which is UNBELIEF in the sufficiency of what Christ accomplished on the cross for all humankind and especially for those who have gained eternal life by belief on Christ, and not by works.
Jesus taught not to judge others who are sinning more, or more grievous sins, then we have in Matthew 7,
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? THOU HYPOCRITE, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 KJV)
Looking at others as if you are better than they are because you have less sin, or less grievous sins, in God’s eyes in nothing but UNBELIEF and being a hypocrite. Believing this way is screaming unbelief and yet this is what the majority of church pulpits are teaching in these last days of the dispensation of God’s grace. Just as Israel fell away from God many times, the Christian community in these churches surely has fallen away from the true Gospel Of Grace here nearing the end of the time period from the cross to the Rapture; The Church Age. At the time of Jesus’ Earthly ministry Israel had fell from true belief and trust that one day the Messiah would come and pay for all sins, as foretold in the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.) The leading Pharisees were teaching The Law for righteousness and favour with God. Jesus comes on the scene and causes quite a turbulence because He started teaching the true extent of this false belief. To those who thought they were in right standing with God because of their good works and genealogy as Jews, Jesus shows them that they are far from the Holiness of God. Jesus is teaching them the falseness and impossibility to keep all of the Law of Moses, let alone just the Ten Commandments. We see Jesus teaching in opposition to their wrong belief in Matthew 5,
“27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 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;
(Matthew 5 KJV)
Jesus took the Law and made it even more impossible for a person to actually keep the Law in a few points, if not all points of even the Ten Commandments. He was showing the Jewish people , God’s chosen people, how wrong their belief actually is. He was preparing them for the truth which is the Gospel of Grace. He was bringing them to their knees so that they would cry out to God for MERCY, instead of living in pride not knowing they were headed in the wrong direction. These teachings went against the very core of their wrong belief at that time and is the reason such resistance was encountered. Jesus is the foretold Messiah but he was rejected and as the Prophet Daniel wrote in prophecy, the Messiah was cut off, on that cross (Daniel 9:26).
Jesus taught that our works will not be what gains us entrance in Heaven when we die in Matthew 7:15-23. Jesus taught not to judge others who are sinning more, or more grievous sins, then we have in Matthew 7.
It is not just that believers in Christ are forgiven their sins by their belief in Christ.
In Colossians 2, we see a truth that still today a large number of people who claim they are born again believers have still not heard, nor understand. It is not that Christ forgave our past sins, but now we have to not have any sins again. It is not that we have to have good works after salvation in order to remain saved and born again. Colossians 2 takes these false Christianity beliefs and tosses them into the same pile as following the Law for righteousness; which is UNBELIEF in the sufficiency of what Christ accomplished on the cross for all humankind and especially for those who have gained eternal life by belief on Christ, and not by works.
Jesus taught not to judge others who are sinning more, or more grievous sins, then we have in Matthew 7,
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? THOU HYPOCRITE, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 KJV)
Looking at others as if you are better than they are because you have less sin, or less grievous sins, in God’s eyes in nothing but UNBELIEF and being hypocrite. Believing this way is screaming unbelief and yet this is what the majority of church pulpits are teaching in these last days of the dispensation of God’s grace. Just as Israel fell away from God many times, the Christian community in these churches surely has fallen away from the true Gospel Of Grace here nearing the end of the time period from the cross to the Rapture; The Church Age.
Jesus taught that our works will not be what gains us entrance in Heaven when we die in Matthew 7:15-23.
“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. 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)
Where from most pulpits have you heard these words of Jesus? And if you did, did the pulpit teacher state this is about a saved person who loses salvation? Such as false teaching that is! Look at the clear context I have bolded in this passage and the truth becomes very clear. First notice that in verse 15 Jesus states that He is warning about FALSE PROPHETS, false teachers; not born again believers. They are teaching an iniquity with grave consequence; ending up condemned. Their teaching words (fruit) shows their false belief. What is this iniquity? The context shows that it is believing their self righteous works in pride will save them and justify them with God. Here Jesus showed what it will be like for them at the final Great White Throne Judgment of all unbelievers in Christ. They will be in shock and will be told they are headed for the Lake of Fire. And they are seen still full of pride mentioning their ‘many wonderful works’, but never mentioning that Christ paid for their sins. They denied belief on Christ alone for salvation and righteousness. They are NOT BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS as Jesus clearly will say “I NEVER knew you”. These are not born again believer losing salvation.
What about ‘he that doeth the will of my Father’? Jesus taught what this will of my Father is for us to do.
“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. 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)
What God wants us to do is TO BELIEVE ON HIM (John 3:14-18) and HIS blood atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and His rising from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
Please, if you learn any truth about the Gospel of Grace Through Jesus Christ KNOW THIS TRUTH; WORKS WILL NEVER SAVE YOU, BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR SALVATION! Yes, we should have good works after our salvation. Yes, good works are good and the right thing to do in love for others with Christ living within us. Yes, with the Holy Spirit guiding us He gives us desires toward good works in love for others by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12, John 17:17, Ephesians 2:10). The point is that good works do not save us nor keep us saved. Apostle Paul wrote,
“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)
The English translated word ‘faith’ in the Greek text is defined not as TO DO. It is defined simply as BELIEVE.
Jesus Accomplished More Than Just Forgiving Our Sins
Thank God all my sins have been PAID FOR IN FULL by Christ. Not just my past sins, all of my sins. All of my sins of my entire life are all future from the cross. Jesus foreknew what sins I would commit in my life (Ephesians 1), yet to all that believe on Christ for righteousness He forgave us anyway! The thing is believer, this is not the only thing Christ did for us on that cross! He also…
MADE US a totally new creation in The Spirit with the Holy Spirit indwelling our new born again Spirit.
And this new Spirit we now have is present tense, ‘the righteousness of God, in Christ’ ! (2 Cor.5:17-21) READ THAT AGAIN and let the power of this truth sink in deep. Even though our body and mind is not yet fully redeemed (1 Cor. 15:50, the reason we need a bodily resurrection in our future) and Heaven ready, OUR SPIRIT IS as righteous to the Father as Christ is to the Father. It is a real mind blowing experience when a person believes this truth. It is a LIFE CHANGING moment. It is the TRUE GOSPEL OF GRACE THROUGH CHRIST CRUCIFIED.
God foreknew from the foundation of the world, before you and I even exited on this planet, who would believe and be saved and who would not belief.
God foreknew all who would accept the FREE GIFT of Salvation by belief on Christ alone apart from our works and deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 7:21-23), through belief alone on Christ’s finished work on the cross. Saved by grace (Romans 5). The cross happened 2000 years ago and so when a person believes on Christ and His death and rising from the dead that forgave sins they are eternally saved (John 3:14-18) and sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit from that very moment of belief until the day of our bodily resurrection (Eph. 1:13-14), at which time we will already be in the Heavenly New Jerusalem (what most today call heaven).
You see, Christ accomplished this all at the cross. When we believe it now in a future time from the cross, it has already happened to us in God’s view. Remember that God created EVERYTHING and that includes TIME. We live within time; born in time, living in time and eventually dying in time. But God lives outside of time because He created time. To God, He sees all moments in time as right now. Hard for us to grasp because all we know is time. To God, all who accepted Him and His Son Jesus the Christ, He sees as already with Him in the New Jerusalem. Salvation happened at the cross. He foreknew who would believe and He placed our old sinful Spirit on the cross with Christ! This truth really clears up many questions people have about salvation. It is not a ‘work by work until we get to heaven’ salvation. No. It is a single event in time on the cross as Jesus paid for all sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2, Hebrews 10:10). And when a person comes to believe, the predestinated gift (Eph. 1) is credited to your account immediately upon your belief on Christ. Jesus bought and paid for all your sins (2 Cor. 5:21). He has perfected you on that cross (Hebrews 10:14) and your old sin bent spirit was on the cross with Him as you are about to see by Scripture.
If you never heard this taught from your church building pulpit, please let this truth sink in. And be careful what you are being taught by a pulpit. We do not ‘work our way’ to heaven before or after belief on Christ. It happened 2000 years ago on the cross and is credited to the account as a GIFT to all. The FREE GIFT OF SALVATION can be accepted or rejected; but never earned! (Romans 11:6) And never kept by ‘good works and deeds’ (Galatians 3).
Colossians 2. Putting The True Gospel All Together.
In Colossians 2, Apostle Paul does a great job explaining what exactly happened when Christ died on that cross. The passage shows an event that happened in the past tense (Jesus on the cross) and who it made every believer in Christ in the present tense. This truth cannot be refuted because the context of past tense and present tense cannot be refuted. If you never read Colossians 2 closely this is going to change your life and belief on salvation. It is all by the grace of God – not our works and efforts. The same Apostle Paul wrote this in Romans 6,
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 KJV)
The wages for even just one sin (and we have thousands!) is ETERNAL DEATH in the Greek it was written. The wages for our sin is NOT good works! Good works do not erase nor pay the punishment for our sins.
Colossians 2
“6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
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;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:6-15 KJV)
I have bolded some text so you do not miss the context. Watch the words of Paul carefully and the truth screams forth. And in belief, so should our minds! You see, Jesus did not only pay for our sins and forgive us. We were on that cross in the spirit and we died with Him, and rose again with Him in the part that is our core being; THE SPIRIT. In verse 13 it reads “he quickened together with him”. Looking at the Greek this was written we see the definition is in Strongs Concordance,
“from G4862 and G2227; to reanimate conjointly —quicken together with.”
Powerful words ! Powerful truth!
Our old spirit that was dead in sins was born again just as Jesus described in John 3 and made a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Christ took our sin, paid for it and then ALSO GAVE US HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS! That’s right! What an exchange to our benefit! The very righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). This is the truth that even Christianity today needs to hear above all else. It is the very foundation of our salvation and freedom in Christ. The truth that can change the effectiveness of our witness to others. Teaching them the knowledge of the truth. The true FREE GIFT OF GOD, The Gospel of Salvation Through Christ Jesus Crucified , Died and Risen.
“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, bullet points added)
That is the True Gospel. Our very core being has been changed. MADE BY THE OPERATION Of GOD (Colossians 2:12), COMPLETE IN CHRIST in the Spirit in the present tense, as in we are complete in Christ in the Spirit, right now. But how can that be if we still fight sin and yet still have sin in our lives? As a born again believer we strive to avoid sin right. Yes! But we will still fail and sin at times right? If we are honest the answer is, yes. We hate our sin. We confess our sin to God and apologize. We thank Him that He foreknew and paid for that sin on the cross 2000 years ago. A FREE GIFT to us but Jesus suffered horribly to give us this salvation. It is free to us but Jesus paid dearly! Do not forget that. I once heard some say that the Jews killed Jesus. The truth is Jesus went to the cross to pay for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and so the truth is that I killed Christ, you killed Christ, we all did! Because He would not have had to go to the cross if we did not have committed sins. We must not be puffed up with pride because God gave us the FREE GIFT of salvation and believe we need to earn some of it. Instead, we as Paul did, need to BE HUMBLE. Not thinking too highly of ourselves because Christ saved us. It is only Christ living through us that even has any power at all.
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5 KJV)
Again we see Paul show this amazing truth of Colossians 2 in his writing to the Galatian believers, in humbleness. Paul states he IS crucified WITH CHRIST. It is a present tense statement!
“I am crucified WITH CHRIST: nevertheless I live; and the life yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 KJV)
Notice in specific that Paul did not write “by the amount of my faith and the son of god”. He specifically states it is the “faith of the son of God”. It is not Paul’s faith but trusting in Christ’s faith living within us as believers and working through our life. Works that count are HIS works through us. Do we have part of the works? Well, it is all Christ in us, working through us, but God gave us a free will. The real truth is that we live outwardly as WE BELIEVE in our MIND. Our core being, The Born Again Spirit of a believer is already fully redeemed, complete in Christ and as righteous as Christ to God from the moment we trusted Christ for salvation. But our body is not yet redeemed. It is corrupt with this thing called sin (a NOUN in Romans – not a verb). The MIND is the connector between our Spirit and body. Paul taught to renew our MIND by God’s Word, the truth about who GOD MADE a believer (Romans 12). Paul also wrote this to the born again believers of the worst model of a group of believers in Corinthians,
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ” (2 Cor. 10:5 KJV)
This is done by knowing the truth of who God made us as born again believers and renewing our MIND by God’s Word. We must know who God made us in Christ. The more truth we KNOW IN THE MIND, the better decisions we can make when temptation comes. Paul said we should ‘walk in the spirit to avoid the lusts of the flesh’ (Galatians 5:16). The indwelling Holy Spirit helps us and brings us to all truth and that truth is the Word of God. So if we read and study the Word of God, we will know more and more of the truth. Our old sinful thoughts and ways that stayed behind when our Spirit was redeemed on the cross with Christ gets thrown out and replaced by the truth and God’s world view. It takes time and accomplishes a few things in our lives:
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- We see our sin and repent (change our mind) about our sins which helps us avoid the sin. This is walking in THE SPIRIT (Galatians 5:16). Perfectly? Not until we receive our bodily resurrection, but increasingly. Just remember, that all our sins are already paid in full.
- We start seeing things as Christ does. We live outwardly in love for others as Christ does. We do not seek revenge but love our enemies. We live toward others as Jesus does towards us.
- We become better witnesses for Christ and the Gospel so others come to salvation.
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This is our sanctification from our inward new Spirit moving outwardly until our bodily resurrection. Jesus prayed for us in John 17,
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17 KJV)
In the next chapter of Colossians 3 we see what that means for us and how we should be living as born again believers. It is the ‘walking in the Spirit’ that Paul told the Galatians in Galatians 5:16. Understanding this amazing truth of what God has done in us as believers is a life changing event! I leave this article with Colossians 3, now understanding this truth, with the missing puzzle pieces now filled in.
“1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” (Colossians 3 KJV)
