Today, I made peace with God...

To have assurance of a future with God in heaven all you have to do is believe in His Son. John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me.” You have to be His child and the Word of God says in John 1:12 “as many as received Him to them gave He right to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

1 Corinthians 15:3&4 tells us what Jesus did for us. He died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day. Other Scriptures to read are Isaiah 53:1-12, 1 Peter 2:24, Matthew 26:28&29, Hebrews chapter 10:1-25 and John 3:16&30.

In John 3:14-16&30 and John 5:24 God says if we believe we have eternal life and simply put, if it ends it wouldn’t be eternal; but to emphasize His promise God also says those who believe shall not perish.

God also says in Romans 8:1 that “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.”

The Bible says that God cannot lie; it is in His innate character (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18&19).

He uses many words to make the promise of eternal life easy for us to understand: Romans 10:13 (call), John 1:12 (believe & receive), John 3:14&15 (look – Numbers 21:5-9), Revelation 22:17 (take) and Revelation 3:20 (open the door).

Romans 6:23 says eternal life is a gift through Jesus Christ. Revelation 22:17 says “And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” It is a gift, all we need to do is take it. It cost Jesus everything. It costs us nothing. It is not a result of our doing works. We cannot get it or keep it by doing good deeds. God is just. If it were by works it would not be just and we would have something to brag about. Ephesians 2:8&9 says “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Galatians 3:1-6 teaches us that not only can we not earn it by doing good works, but we can’t keep it that way either.

It says “did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith… are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh.”

I Corinthians 1:29-31 says, “that no man should boast before God… that Christ is made unto us sanctification and redemption and… let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

If we could earn salvation Jesus would not have had to die (Galatians 2:21). Other passages which give us assurance of salvation are:

1. John 6:25-40 especially verse 37 which tells us that “him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out,” that is, you don’t have to beg or earn it.

If you believe and come He will not reject you but welcome you, receive you and make you His child. You only have to ask Him.

2. 2 Timothy 1:12 says “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day.”

Jude24&25 say “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever more! Amen.”

3. Philippians 1:6 says “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

4. Remember the thief on the cross. All he said to Jesus was “Remember me when You come in your kingdom.”

Jesus saw his heart and honored his faith.
He said, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:42&43).

5. When Jesus died He finished the work God gave Him to do.

John 4:34 says, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to finish His work.” On the cross, just before He died, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

The phrase “It is finished” means paid in full.

It is a legal term that refers to what was written over the list of crimes someone was being punished for when his punishment was completely finished, when he was set free. It signifies that his debt or punishment was “paid in full.”

When we accept Jesus’ death on the cross for us, our sin debt is paid in full. No one can change this.

6. Two wonderful verses, John 3:16 and John 3:28-40

both say that when you believe you will not perish.

John 10:28 says never perish.

God’s Word is true. We just have to trust what God says. Never means never.

7. God says many times in the New Testament that He imputes or credits Christ’s righteousness to us when we put our faith in Jesus, that is, He credits or gives to us Jesus’ righteousness.

Ephesians 1:6 says we are accepted in Christ. See also Philippians 3:9 and Romans 4:3&22.

8. God’s Word says in Psalm 103:12 that “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

He also says in Jeremiah 31:34 that “He will remember our sins no more.”

9. Hebrews 10:10-14 teaches us that Jesus death on the cross was sufficient to pay for all sin for all time – past, present and future.

Jesus died “once for all.” Jesus’ work (being complete and perfect) never needs to be repeated. This passage teaches that “he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Maturity and purity in our lives is a process but He has perfected us forever. Because of this we are to “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:25).

10. Ephesians 1:13&14 says the Holy Spirit seals us.

God seals us with the Holy Spirit as with a signet ring, putting on us an irreversible seal, not able to be broken.

It’s like a king sealing an irreversible law with his signet ring. Many Christians doubt their salvation. These and many other verses show us God is both Savior and Keeper. We are, according to Ephesians 6 in a battle with Satan.

He is our enemy and “as a roaring lion seeks to devour us” (I Peter 5:8).

I believe that causing us to doubt our salvation is one of his greatest fiery darts used to defeat us.
I believe that the various parts of the armor of God referred to here are the Scripture verses which teach us what God promises and the power He gives us to have victory; for example, His righteousness. It is not ours but His.

Philippians 3:9 says “and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.”

When Satan tries to convince you that you are “too bad to go to heaven,” respond that you are righteous “in Christ” and claim His righteousness. To use the sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God) you need to memorize or at least know where to find this and other Scriptures. To use these weapons we need to know that His Word is truth (John 17:17).

Remember, you have to trust God’s Word. Study God’s Word and keep on studying it because the more you know the stronger you will become. You must trust these verse and others like them to have assurance.

His Word is truth and “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

You must fill your mind with it until it changes you. The Word of God says to “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,” like doubting God. Ephesians 6 says to use that sword and then it says to stand; don’t quit and run (retreat). God has given us everything we need for life and godliness “thorough the true knowledge of Him Who called us” (2 Peter 1:3).

Just keep on believing.

The Word of God says, “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).  In order to have any relationship with God a person must come to God by faith through His Son, Jesus Christ.  We must believe in Jesus as our Savior, Whom God sent to die, to pay the punishment for our sins.  We are all sinners (Romans 3:23).  Both I John 2:2 and 4:10 talk about Jesus being the propitiation (which means just payment) for our sins.  I John 4:10 says, “He (God) loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man comes to the Father but by Me.”  I Corinthians 15:3&4 tells us the good news…”Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”  This is the Gospel which we must believe and we must receive.  John 1:12 says, “As many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”  John 10:28 says, “I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.”

So our relationship to God can only begin by faith, by becoming a child of God through Jesus Christ.  Not only do we become His child, but He sends His Holy Spirit to dwell within us (John 14:16&17).  Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Jesus also refers to us as His brothers.  He certainly wants us to know that our relationship with Him is family, but He wants us to be a close family, not just a family in name, but a family of close fellowship.  Revelation 3:20 describes our becoming a Christian as entering a relationship of fellowship.  It says, “I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in, and dine with him, and he with Me.”

John chapter 3:1-16 says that when we become a Christian we are “born again” as newborn babies into His family.  As His new child, and just as when a human is born, we as Christian babies must grow in our relationship with Him.  As a baby grows, he learns more and more about his parent and becomes closer to his parent.

This is how it is for Christians, in our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  As we learn about Him and grow our relationship becomes closer.  Scripture speaks a lot about growing and maturity, and it teaches us how to do this.  It is a process, not a one-time event, thus the term growing.  It is also called abiding.

1). First, I think, we do need to start with a decision.  We must decide to submit to God, to commit to following Him.  It is an act of our will to submit to God’s will if we want to be close to Him, but it is not just one-time, it is an abiding (continuous) commitment.  James 4:7 says, “submit yourselves to God.”  Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”  This must start with a one-time choice but it is also a moment by moment choice just as it is in any relationship.

2). Secondly, and I think of utmost importance, is that we need to read and study the Word of God.  I Peter 2:2 says, “As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.”  Joshua 1:8 says, “Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night…”  (Read also Psalm 1:2.)  Hebrews 5:11-14 (NIV) tells us that we must get beyond babyhood and become mature by “constant use” of the Word of God.

This does not mean reading some book about the Word, which is usually someone’s opinion, no matter how smart they are reported to be, but reading and studying the Bible itself.  Acts 17:11 speaks about the Bereans saying, “they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”  We need to test everything anyone says by the Word of God not just take someone’s word for it because of their “credentials.”  We need to trust the Holy Spirit in us to teach us and really search the Word.  2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (NIV correctly handling) the word of truth.”  2 Timothy 3:16&17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete (mature)…”

This study and growing is daily and never ends till we are with Him in heaven, because our knowledge of “Him” leads to being more like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18).  Being close to God requires a daily walk of faith.  It is not a feeling.  There is no “quick fix” which we experience which gives us close fellowship with God.  Scripture teaches that we walk with God by faith, not by sight.  However, I believe that when we consistently walk by faith God makes Himself known to us in unexpected and precious ways.

Read 2 Peter 1:1-5.  It tells us that we grow in character as we spend time in the Word of God.  It says here that we are to add to faith goodness, then knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.  By spending time in study of the Word and in obedience to it we add to or build character in our lives.  Isaiah 28:10&13 tells us we learn precept upon precept, line upon line.  We do not know it all at once.  John 1:16 says “grace upon grace.”  We do not learn all at once as Christians in our spiritual life anymore than babies grow up all at once.  Just remember this is a process, growing, a walk of faith, not an event.  As I mentioned it is also called abiding in John chapter 15, abiding in Him and in His Word. John 15:7 says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

3). The Book of I John talks about a relationship, our fellowship with God.  Fellowship with another person can be broken or interrupted by sinning against them and this is true of our relationship with God also.  I John 1:3 says, “Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”  Verse 6 says, “If we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in darkness (sin), we lie and do not live by the truth.”  Verse 7 says, “If we walk in the light…we have fellowship with one another…”  In verse 9 we see that if sin disrupts our fellowship we need only to confess our sin to Him.  It says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  Please read this entire chapter.

We do not lose our relationship as His child, but we must maintain our fellowship with God by confessing any and all sins whenever we fail, as often as necessary.  We must also allow the Holy Spirit to give us victory over sins we tend to repeat; any sin.

4). We must not only read and study God’s Word but we must obey it, which I mentioned.  James 1:22-24 (NIV) states, “Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the Word, but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”  Verse 25 says, “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”  This is so similar to Joshua 1:7-9 and Psalm 1:1-3.  Read also Luke 6:46-49.

5). Another part of this is that we need to become part of a local church, where we can hear and learn God’s Word and have fellowship with other believers.  This is a way in which we are helped to grow.  This is because each believer is given a special gift from the Holy Spirit, as a part of the church, also called “the body of Christ.”  These gifts are listed in various passages in Scripture such as Ephesians 4:7-12, I Corinthians 12:6-11, 28 and Romans 12:1-8.  The purpose for these gifts is to “build up the body (the church) for the work of the ministry(Ephesians 4:12).  The church will help us to grow and we in turn can help other believers to grow up and become mature and minister in God’s kingdom and lead other people to Christ.  Hebrews 10:25 says we should not forsake our assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another.

6). Another thing we should do is pray – pray for our needs and the needs of other believers and for the unsaved.  Read Matthew 6:1-10.  Philippians 4:6 says, “let your requests be made known unto God.”

7). Add to this that we should, as part of obedience, love one another (Read I Corinthians 13 and I John) and do good works. Good works cannot save us, but one cannot read Scripture without determining that we are to do good works and be kind to others.  Galatians 5:13 says, “by love serve one another.”  God says we are created to do good works.  Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

All of these things work together, to draw us closer to God and make us more like Christ. We become more mature ourselves and so do other believers.  They help us to grow.  Read 2 Peter 1 again.  The end of being closer to God is being trained and mature and loving one another.  In doing these things we are His disciples and disciples when mature are like their Master (Luke 6:40).

The first question to answer in regard to your question is what is a true Christian, because many people can call themselves Christians who have no idea what the Bible says a Christian is. Opinions differ as to how one becomes a Christian according to churches, denominations or even the world. Are you a Christian as defined by God or a “so-called” Christian. We have only one authority, God, and He speaks to us through the Scripture, because it is the truth. John 17:17 says, “Thy Word is truth!” What did Jesus say we must do to become a Christian (to be a part of God’s family – to be saved).

First, becoming a true Christian is not about joining a church or religious group or keeping some rules or sacraments or other requirements. It is not about where you were born as in a “Christian” nation or to a Christian family, nor by doing some ritual such as being baptized either as a child or as an adult. It is not about doing good works to earn it. Ephesians 2:8&9 says,” For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works…” Titus 3:5 says, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus said in John 6:29, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Let’s look at what the Word says about becoming a Christian. The Bible says “they” were first called Christians in Antioch. Who were “they.” Read Acts 17:26. “They” were the disciples (the twelve) but also all those who believed in and followed Jesus and what He taught. They were also called believers, God’s children, the church and other descriptive names. According to Scripture, the Church is His “body,” not an organization or building, but the people who believe in His name.

So let’s see what Jesus taught about becoming a Christian; what it takes to enter His Kingdom and His family. Read John 3:1-20 and also verses 33-36. Nicodemus came to Jesus one night. It is apparent that Jesus knew his thoughts and what his heart needed. He told him, “You must be born again” in order to enter the Kingdom of God. He told him an Old Testament story of the “serpent on a pole”; that if the sinning Children of Israel went out to look at it, they would be “healed.” This was a picture of Jesus, that He must be lifted up on the cross to pay for our sins, for our forgiveness. Then Jesus said those who believed in Him (in His punishment in our place for our sins) would have everlasting life. Read John 3:4-18 again. These believers are “born again” by God’s Spirit. John 1:12&13 says, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name,” and using the same language as John 3, “who were born not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” These are “they” that are “Christians,” who receive what Jesus taught. It’s all about what you believe Jesus did. I Corinthians 15:3&4 says, “the gospel which I preached to you…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried and that He was raised on the third day…”

This is the way, the only way to become and be called a Christian. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father, but by Me.” Read also Acts 4:12 and Romans 10:13. You must be born again into God’s family. You must believe. Many twist the meaning of being born again. They create their own interpretation and “re-write” Scripture to force it to include themselves, saying it means some spiritual awakening or life renewing experience, but Scripture clearly says we are born again and become God’s children by believing in what Jesus has done for us. We must understand God’s way by knowing and comparing Scriptures and giving up our ideas for the truth. We cannot substitute our ideas for God’s word, God’s plan, God’s way. John 3:19&20 says men don’t come to the light “lest their deeds should be reproved.”

The second part of this discussion must be to see things as God does. We must accept what God says in His Word, the Scriptures. Remember, all of us have sinned, doing what is wrong in God’s sight. Scripture is clear about your life style but mankind chooses either to just say, “that’s not what it means,” ignore it, or say, “God made me this way, it’s normal.” You must remember that God’s world has been corrupted and cursed when sin entered the world. It is no longer as God intended. James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has been guilty of all.” It doesn’t matter what our sin may be.

I have heard many definitions of sin. Sin goes beyond what is detestable or displeasing to God; it is what is not good for us or for others. Sin causes our thinking to be turned upside down. What is sin is seen as good and justice becomes perverted (see Habakkuk 1:4). We see good as evil and evil as good. Bad people become victims and good people become evil: haters, unloving, unforgiving or intolerant .
Here is a list of Scripture verses on the subject you are asking about. They tell us what God thinks. If you choose to explain them away and continue to do what displeases God we can’t tell you it is OK. You are subject to God; He alone can judge. No argument of ours will convince you. God gives us free will to choose to follow Him or not to, but we pay the consequences. We believe Scripture is explicit on the subject. Read these verses: Romans 1:18-32, especially verses 26&27. Read also Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13; I Corinthians 6:9&10; I Timothy 1:8-10; Genesis 19:4-8 (and Judges 19:22-26 where the men of Gibeah said the same thing as the men of Sodom); Jude 6&7 and Revelation 21:8 and 22:15.

The good news is that when we accepted Christ Jesus as our Savior, we were forgiven for all our sin. Micah 7:19 says, “Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” We don’t want to condemn anyone but to point them to the One Who loves and forgives, because we all sin. Read John 8:1-11. Jesus says, “Whoever is without sin let him cast the first stone.” I Corinthians 6:11 says, “Such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” We are “accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6). If we are true believers we must overcome sin by walking in the light and acknowledging our sin, any sin we commit. Read I John 1:4-10. I John 1:9 was written to believers. It says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

If you are not a true believer, you can be (Revelation 22:17). Jesus wants you to come to Him and He will not cast you out (John 6:37).
As seen in I John 1:9 if we are God’s children He wants us to walk with Him and grow in grace and “be holy as He is holy” (I Peter 1:16). We must overcome our failures.

God does not abandon or disown His children, unlike human fathers can. John 10:28 says, “I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.” John 3:15 says, “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This promise is repeated three times in John 3 alone. See also John 6:39 and Hebrews 10:14. Hebrews 13:5 says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 10:17 says, “Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.” See also Romans 5:9 and Jude 24. 2 Timothy 1:12 says, “He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” I Thessalonians 5:9-11 says, “we are not appointed to wrath but to receive salvation…so that…we may live together with Him.”

If you read and study Scripture you will learn that God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness does not give us a license or freedom to continue to sin or live in a way which displeases God. Grace is not like a “get out of jail free card.” Romans 6:1&2 says, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” God is a good and perfect Father and as such if we disobey and rebel and do what He hates, He will correct and discipline us. Please read Hebrews 12:4-11. It says He will chasten and scourge His children (verse 6). Hebrews 12:10 says, “God disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness.” In verse 11 it says of discipline, “It produces a harvest of holiness and peace to those who have been trained by it.”
When David sinned against God, he was forgiven when he acknowledged his sin, but he suffered the consequences of his sin for the rest of his life. When Saul sinned he lost his kingdom. God punished Israel by captivity for their sin. Sometimes God allows us to pay the consequences of our sin to discipline us. See also Galatians 5:1.

Since we are answering your question, we are giving an opinion based on what we believe the Scripture teaches. This is not a dispute about opinions. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” God does not hate the sinner. Just as the Son did with the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11, we want them to come to Him for forgiveness. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

As a Christian, you are born into God’s family. Jesus told Nicodemus (John 3:3-5) that he must be born of the Spirit. John 1:12&13 makes it very clear, as does John 3:16, how we are born again, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the children of God, to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 3:16 says He gives us eternal life and Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” This is our miraculous new birth, a truth, a reality to be believed. Just as a new baby needs nourishment to grow, so Scripture shows us how to grow spiritually as God’s child. It is abundantly clear for it says in I Peter 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.” This precept is not just here but in the Old Testament as well. Isaiah 28 says it in verses 9&10, “Whom shall I teach knowledge and whom shall I make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from milk and drawn from the breasts; for precept must be upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little.”

This is how babies grow, by repetition, not all at once, and so it is with us. Everything which enters a child’s life affects his growth and everything God brings into our lives affects our spiritual growth as well. Growing in Christ is a process, not an event, though events can cause growth “spurts” in our progress just as they do in life, but daily nourishment is what builds our spiritual lives and minds. Don’t ever forget this. Scripture indicates this when it uses phrases like “grow in grace;” “add to your faith” (2 Peter 1); “glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18); “grace upon grace” (John 1) and “line upon line and precept upon precept” (Isaiah 28:10). I Peter 2:2 does more than show us that we are to grow; it shows us how to grow. It shows us what is the nutritious food that makes us grow – THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD OF GOD.

Read 2 Peter 1:1-5 which tells us very specifically what we need to grow. It says, “Grace and peace be unto you through the knowledge of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, according as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue… that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature…giving all diligence, add to your faith…” This is growing in Christ. It says we grow by the knowledge of Him and the only place to find that true knowledge about Christ is in the Word of God, the Bible.

Isn’t this what we do with children; feed them and teach them, one day at a time till they grow up to be mature adults. Our goal is to be like Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 states, “But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” Children copy other people. We often hear people say, “He is just like his father” or “she’s just like her mother.” I believe this principle plays out in 2 Corinthians 3:18. As we watch or “behold” our teacher, Jesus, we become like Him. The hymn writer caught this principle in the hymn “Take Time To Be Holy” when he said, “By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be.” The only way to understand Him is to know Him through the Word – so keep studying it. We copy our Savior and become like our Master (Luke 6:40; Matthew 10:24&25). This is a promise that if we behold Him we will become like Him. Growing means we will become like Him.

God even taught the importance of God’s Word as our food in the Old Testament. Probably the most well-known Scriptures which teach us what is important in our lives to be a mature and effective person in the body of Christ, are Psalm 1, Joshua 1 and 2 Timothy 2:15 and 2 Timothy 3:15&16. David (Psalm 1) and Joshua (Joshua 1) are told to make the Word of God their priority: to desire, meditate on and study it “daily.” In the New Testament Paul tells Timothy to do the same in 2 Timothy 3:15&16. It gives us knowledge for salvation, correction, doctrine and instruction in righteousness, to thoroughly equip us. (Read 2 Timothy 2:15).

Joshua is told to meditate on the Word day and night and to do all that is in it to make his way prosperous and successful. Matthew 28:19&20 say we are to make disciples, teaching people to obey what they are taught. Growing can also be described as being a disciple. James 1 teaches us to be doers of the Word. You cannot read Psalms and not realize that David obeyed this precept and it permeated his entire life. He speaks of the Word constantly. Read Psalm 119. Psalm 1:2&3(Amplified) says, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law (His precepts and teachings) he (habitually) meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted (and fed) by streams of water, which yields fruit in its season; its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers (and comes to maturity).”

The Word is so important that in the Old Testament God told the Israelites to teach it to their children over and over (Deuteronomy 6:7; 11:19 and 32:46). Deuteronomy 32:46 (NKJV) says, “…set your hearts on all the Words I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe all the words of this law.” It worked for Timothy. He was taught it from childhood (2 Timothy 3:15&16). It is so important we should know it for ourselves, teach it to others and especially pass it on to our children.

So the key to being like Christ and growing is to really know Him through the Word of God. Everything we learn in the Word will help us know Him and reach this goal. Scripture is our food from babyhood to maturity. Hopefully you will grow beyond being a baby, grow from milk to meat (Hebrews 5:12-14). We do not outgrow our need of the Word; growing doesn’t end till we see Him (I John 3:2-5). The disciples did not achieve maturity instantly. God doesn’t want us to remain babies, to be bottle fed, but to grow to maturity. The disciples spent a lot of time with Jesus, and so should we. Remember this is a process.

OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO HELP US GROW

When you consider it, anything we read, study and obey in Scripture is a part of our spiritual growth just as everything we experience in life influences our growth as a human being. 2 Timothy 3:15&16 says Scripture is, “profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work,” so the next two points work together to bring about that growth. They are 1) obedience to the Scripture and 2) dealing with the sins which we commit. I think probably the latter comes first because if we sin and don’t deal with it our fellowship with God is hindered and we will remain babies and act like babies and not grow. Scripture teaches that carnal (fleshly, worldly) Christians (those who keep sinning and living for themselves) are immature. Read I Corinthians 3:1-3. Paul says he could not speak to the Corinthians as spiritual, but as “carnal, even as unto babies,” because of their sin.

1. Confessing Our Sins to God

I think this is one of the most important steps for believers, God’s children, to achieve maturity. Read I John 1:1-10. It tells us in verses 8&10 that if we say we don’t have sin in our life that we are self-deceived and we make Him a liar and His truth is not in us. Verse 6 says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.”

It is easy to see sin in other peoples’ lives but hard to admit our own failures and we excuse them by saying things like, “It’s not that big a deal,” or “I’m just human,” or “everyone’s doing it,” or “I can’t help it,” or “I’m like this because of how I was raised,” or the current favorite excuse, “It’s because of what I’ve been through, I have a right to react like this.” You have to love this one, “Everyone has to have one fault.” The list goes on and on, but sin is sin and we all sin, more often than we care to admit. Sin is sin no matter how trivial we think it is. I John 2:1 says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not.” This is God’s will regarding sin. I John 2:1 also says, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.” I John 1:9 tells us exactly how to deal with sin in our lives: admit (acknowledge) it to God. This is what confession means. It says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is our obligation: to confess our sin to God, and this is God’s promise: He will forgive us. First we have to recognize our sin and then admit it to God.

David did this. In Psalm 51:1-17, he said, “I acknowledge my transgression” … and, “against Thee, Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.” You can’t read the Psalms without seeing the anguish of David in recognizing his sinfulness, but he also recognized God’s love and forgiveness. Read Psalm 32. Psalm 103:3, 4, 10-12 & 17 (NASB) say, “Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion…He has not dealt with us according to our sin, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us…But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children.”

Jesus illustrated this cleansing with Peter in John 13:4-10, where He washed the disciples’ feet. When Peter objected, He said, “He that is washed needs not to wash save to wash his feet.” Figuratively, we need to wash our feet every time that they are dirty, every day or more often if necessary, as often as necessary. God’s Word reveals sin in our lives, but we must acknowledge it. Hebrews 4:12 (NASB) says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” James also teaches this, saying the Word is like a mirror, which, when we read it, shows us what we are like. When we see “dirt,” we need to be washed and be cleansed, obeying I John 1:1-9, confessing our sins to God as David did. Read James 1:22-25. Psalm 51:7 says, “wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Scripture assures us that Jesus sacrifice makes those who believe “righteous” in God’s sight; that His sacrifice was “once for all,” making us perfect forever, this is our position in Christ. But Jesus also said we need to, as we say, keep short accounts with God by confessing every sin revealed in the mirror of God’s Word, so our fellowship and peace are not hindered. God will judge His people who continue to sin just as He did Israel. Read Hebrews 10. Verse 14 (NASB) says, “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Disobedience grieves the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:29-32). See the section on this site about, if we keep on sinning, for examples.

This is the first step of obedience. God is longsuffering, and no matter how many times we fail, if we come back to Him, He will forgive and restore us to fellowship with Himself. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says “If my people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

2. Obeying/Doing What the Word Teaches

From this point, we must ask the Lord to change us. Just as I John instructs us to “clean” up what we see is wrong, it also instructs us to change what is wrong and do what is right and obey the many things God’s Word shows us to DO. It says, “Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only.” When we read Scripture, we need to ask questions, such as: “Was God correcting or instructing someone?” “How are you like the person or people?” “What can you do to correct something or do it better?” Ask God to help you do what He teaches you. This is how we grow, by seeing ourselves in God’s mirror. Don’t look for something complicated; take God’s Word at face value and obey it. If you don’t understand something, pray and keep studying the part you don’t understand, but obey what you do understand.

We need to ask God to change us because it clearly says in the Word that we can’t change ourselves. It clearly says in John 15:5, “without Me (Christ) you can do nothing.” If you try and try and don’t change and keep failing, guess what, you are not alone. You may ask, “How do I make change happen in my life?” Though it starts with recognizing and confessing sin, how can I change and grow? Why do I keep doing the same sin over and over and why can’t I do what God wants me to do? The Apostle Paul faced this same exact struggle and explains it and what to do about it in Romans chapters 5-8. This is how we grow – through God’s power, not our own.

Paul’s Journey – Romans chapters 5-8

Colossians 1:27&28 says, “teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:29 says, “whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son.” So maturity and growth is being like Christ, our Master and Savior.

Paul struggled with the same problems we do. Read Romans chapter 7. He wanted to do what was right but could not. He wanted to stop doing what was wrong but could not. Romans 6 tells us not to “let sin reign in your mortal life,” and that we should not let sin be our “master,” but Paul could not make it happen. So how did he gain victory over this struggle and how can we. How can we, like Paul, change and grow? Romans 7:24&25a says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” John 15:1-5, especially verses 4&5 says this another way. When Jesus talked to His disciples, He said, “Abide in Me and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in Me. I am the Vine, you are the branches; He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” If you are abiding you will grow, because He will change you. You cannot change yourself.

To abide we must understand a few facts: 1) We are crucified with Christ. God says this is a fact, just as it is a fact that God laid our sins upon Jesus and that He died for us. In God’s eyes we died with Him. 2) God says we died to sin (Romans 6:6). We must accept these facts as true and trust and count on them. 3) The third fact is that Christ lives in us. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

When God says in the Word that we should walk by faith it means that when we confess sin and step out to obey God, we count on (trust) and consider, or as Romans says we “reckon” these facts to be true, especially that we died to sin and that He lives in us (Romans 6:11). God wants us to live for Him, trusting in the fact that He lives in us and wants to live through us. Because of these facts, God can empower us to be victorious. To understand our struggle and Paul’s read and study Romans chapters 5-8 over and over again: from sin to victory. Chapter 6 shows us our position in Christ, we are in Him and He is in us. Chapter 7 describes Paul’s inability to do good instead of evil; how he could do nothing to change it himself. Verses 15, 18&19(NKJV) sum it up: “For what I am doing, I do not understand…For to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I find not…For the good that I will to do I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice,” and verse 24, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Sound familiar? The answer is in Christ. Verse 25 says, “I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

We become believers by inviting Jesus into our lives. Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and dine with him and he with Me.” He lives in us, but He wants to rule and reign in our lives and change us. Another way to put it is Romans 12:1&2 which says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 6:11 says the same thing, “reckon (consider) yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” and verse 13 says, “do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” We need to yield ourselves to God for Him to live through us. At a yield sign we yield or give the right of way to another. When we yield to the Holy Spirit, the Christ who lives in us, we are yielding the right to Him to live through us (Romans 6:11). Note how often terms like present, offer and yield are used. Do it. Romans 8:11 says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit who dwells in you.” We must present or give ourselves – yield – to Him – allow Him to LIVE in us. God does not ask us to do something that is impossible, but He asks us to yield to Christ, who makes it possible by living in and through us. When we yield, give Him permission to, and allow Him to live through us, He gives us the ability to do His will. When we ask Him and give Him the “right of way,” and step out in faith, He does it – He living in and through us will change us from within. We must offer ourselves to Him, this will give us the power of Christ for victory. I Corinthians 15:57 says, “thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He alone gives us power for victory and to do God’s will. This is God’s will for us (I Thessalonians 4:3) “even your sanctification,” to serve in newness of Spirit (Romans 7:6), to walk by faith, and “bring forth fruit to God” (Romans 7:4), which is the purpose of abiding in John 15:1-5. This is the process of change – of growth and our goal – becoming mature and more like Christ. You can see how God explains this process in different terms and many ways so we are sure to understand – whatever way Scripture describes it. This is growing: walking in faith, walking in the light or walking in the Spirit, abiding, living an abundant life, discipleship, becoming like Christ, the fulness of Christ. We are adding to our faith, and becoming like Him, and obeying His Word. Matthew 28:19&20 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Walking in the Spirit produces fruit and is the same as “letting the Word of God dwell in you richly.” Compare Galatians 5:16-22 and Colossians 3:10-15. The fruit is love, mercy, meekness, longsuffering, forgiveness, peace and faith, just to mention a few. These are Christ’s characteristics. Compare this also to 2 Peter 1:1-8. This is growing in Christ – in Christlikeness. Romans 5:17 says, “much more then, they which receive abundance of grace shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.”

Remember this word – ADD – this is a process. You may have times or experiences which give you growth spurts, but it is line upon line, precept upon precept, and remember we will not be perfectly like Him (I John 3:2) until we see Him as He is. Some good verses to memorize are Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 3:18 and any others which help you personally. This is a lifelong process- as is our physical life. We can and do continue to grow in wisdom and knowledge as humans, so it is in our Christian (spiritual) lives.

The Holy Spirit Is Our Teacher

We have mentioned several things about the Holy Spirit, such as: yield yourself to Him and walk in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is also our teacher. I John 2:27 says, “As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” This is because the Holy Spirit was sent to dwell within us. In John 14:16&17 Jesus told the disciples, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” All persons of the Godhead are One.

This concept (or truth) was promised in the Old Testament where the Holy Spirit did not indwell people but rather came upon them. In Jeremiah 31:33&34a God said, “This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel…I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it. They will not teach again each man his neighbor…they will all know Me.” When we become a believer the Lord gives us His Spirit to dwell within us. Romans 8:9 makes this clear: “However you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” I Corinthians 6:19 says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have from God.” See also John 16:5-10. He is in us and He has written His law in our hearts, forever. (See also Hebrews 10:16; 8:7-13.) Ezekiel also says this in 11:19, “I will…put a new spirit within them,” and in 36:26&27, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.” God, the Holy Spirt, is our Helper and Teacher; shouldn’t we seek His help to understand His Word.

Other Ways to Help Us Grow

Here are other things we need to do to grow in Christ: 1) Attend church regularly. In a church setting you can learn from other believers, hear the Word preached, ask questions, encourage one another by using your spiritual gifts which God gives to each believer when they are saved. Ephesians 4:11&12 says, “And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ…” See Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:1-11, 28-31 and Ephesians 4:11-16. You grow yourself by faithfully recognizing and using your own spiritual gifts as listed in these passages, which differ from talents we are born with. Go to a fundamental, Bible-believing church (Acts 2:42 and Hebrews 10:25).

2) We must pray (Ephesians 6:18-20; Colossians 4:2; Ephesians 1:18 and Philippians 4:6). It is vital to talk to God, to fellowship with God in prayer. Prayer makes us be a part of God’s work.

3). We should worship, praise God and be thankful (Philippians 4:6&7). Ephesians 5:19&29 and Colossians 3:16 both say, “speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Think how often David praised God in the Psalms and worshiped Him. Worship could be a whole study by itself.

4). We should share our faith and witness to others and also build up other believers (see Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19&20; Ephesians 6:15 and I Peter 3:15 which says we need to be “ready always…to give a reason the for the hope that is in you.” This requires considerable study and time. I would say, “Never get caught twice without an answer.”

5). We should learn to fight the good fight of faith – to refute false doctrine (see Jude 3 and the other epistles) and to fight our enemy Satan (See Matthew 4:1-11 and Ephesians 6:10-20).

6). Lastly, we should strive to “love our neighbor” and our brothers and sisters in Christ and even our enemies (I Corinthians 13; I Thessalonians 4:9&10; 3:11-13; John 13:34 and Romans 12:10 which says, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love”).

7) And whatever else you learn that the Scripture tells us To Do, DO. Remember James 1:22-25. We need to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

All these things work together (precept upon precept), to cause us to grow just as all the experiences in life change us and make us mature. You won’t finish growing until your life is finished.

 

Scripture does have an answer to this question, so let us be clear, from experience, if we are honest, and also from Scripture, it is a fact that salvation does not automatically keep us from sinning.

Someone I know led an individual to the Lord and received a very interesting phone call from her several weeks later. The newly saved person said, “I can’t possibly be a Christian. I sin more now than I ever did.” The person who led her to the Lord asked, “Are you doing sinful things now that you have never done before or are you doing things you’ve been doing all your life only now when you do them you feel horribly guilty about them?” The woman replied, “It’s the second one.” And the person who led her to the Lord then told her confidently, “You’re a Christian. Being convicted of sin is one of the first signs that you are really saved.”

The New Testament epistles give us lists of sins to stop doing; sins to avoid, sins we do commit. They also list things we ought to do and fail to do, things we call sins of omission. James 4:17 says “to him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Romans 3:23 says it this way, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” As an example, James 2:15&16 speaks of a brother (a Christian) who sees his brother in need and does nothing to help. This is sinning.

In I Corinthians Paul shows how bad Christians can be. In I Corinthians 1:10&11 he says there were quarrels among them and divisions. In chapter 3 he addresses them as carnal (fleshly) and as babies. We often tell children and sometimes adults to stop acting like babies. You get the picture. Babies squabble, slap, poke, pinch, pull each other’s hair and even bite. It sounds comical but so true.

In Galatians 5:15 Paul tells the Christians not to bite and devour one another. In I Corinthians 4:18 he says that some of them have become arrogant. In chapter 5, verse 1 it gets even worse. “It is reported that there is immorality among you and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans.” Their sins were obvious. James 3:2 says we all stumble in many ways.

Galatians 5:19&20 lists the acts of the sinful nature: immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and orgies as opposed to what God expects: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Ephesians 4:19 mentions immorality, verse 26 anger, verse 28 stealing, verse 29 unwholesome language, verse 31 bitterness, anger, slander and malice. Ephesians 5:4 mentions filthy talk and coarse jesting. These same passages show us also what God expects of us. Jesus told us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, “that the world may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” God wants us to be like Him (Matthew 5:48), but it is obvious that we are not.

There are several aspects of the Christian experience which we need to understand. The moment we become a believer in Christ God gives us certain things. He forgives us. He justifies us, even though we are guilty. He gives us eternal life. He places us in the “body of Christ.” He makes us perfect in Christ. The word used for this is sanctification, set apart as perfect before God. We are born again into God’s family, becoming His children. He comes to live in us through the Holy Spirit. So why do we still sin? Romans chapter 7 and Galatians 5:17 explain this by saying that as long as we are alive in our mortal body we still have our old nature which is sinful, even though the Spirit of God now lives within us. Galatians 5:17 says “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” We don’t do what God wants.

In commentaries by Martin Luther and Charles Hodge they suggest that the closer we approach God through the Scriptures and come into His perfect light the more we see how imperfect we are and how much we fall short of His glory. Romans 3:23

Paul seems to have experienced this conflict in Romans chapter 7. Both commentaries also say that every Christian can identify with Paul’s exasperation and plight: that whereas God desires us to be perfect in our behavior, to be conformed to the image of His Son, yet we find ourselves as slaves of our sinful nature.

I John 1:8 says that “if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:10 says “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.”

Read Romans chapter 7. In Romans 7:14 Paul describes himself as “sold into bondage to sin.” In verse 15 he says I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” In verse 17 he says the problem is sin which lives in him. So frustrated is Paul that he states these things two more times with slightly different words. In verse 18 he says “For I know that in me (that is in may flesh – Paul’s word for his old nature) nothing good dwells, for to will is present with me but how to perform what is good I do not find.” Verse 19 says “For the good that I will, I do not do, but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” The NIV translates verse 19 as “For I have the desire to do good but I cannot carry it out.”

In Romans 7:21-23 he again describes his conflict as a law at work in his members (referring to his fleshly nature), warring against the law of his mind (referring to the Spiritual nature in his inner being). With his inner being he delights in God’s law but “evil is right there with me,” and the sinful nature is “waging war against the law of his mind and making him a prisoner of the law of sin.” We all as believers experience this conflict and Paul’s extreme frustration as he cries out in verse 24 ” What a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body of death?” What Paul describes is the conflict we all face: the conflict between the old nature (the flesh) and the Holy Spirit that indwells us, which we saw in Galatians 5:17 But Paul also says in Romans 6:1 “shall we continue in sin that grace may abound. God forbid. ” Paul also says God wants us to be rescued not only from the penalty of sin but also from its power and control in this life. As Paul says in Romans 5:17 “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” In I John 2:1, John says to the believers that he writes to them so that they WILL NOT SIN. In Ephesians 4:14 Paul says that we are to grow up so that we won’t be babies anymore (as the Corinthians were).

So when Paul cried in Romans 7:24 “who will help me?’ (and us with him), he has a jubilant answer in verse 25, “I THANK GOD – THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.” He knows that the answer is in Christ. Victory (sanctification) as well as salvation come through the provision of Christ who lives in us. I am afraid that many believers just accept living in sin by saying “I’m just human,” but Romans 6 gives us our provision. We now have a choice and we have no excuse to continue in sin.

If I’m Saved, Why Do I Keep on Sinning? (Part 2) (God’s Part)

Now that we understand that we do still sin after becoming a child of God, as evidenced both by our experience and by Scripture; what are we supposed to do about it? First let me say that this process, for that’s what it is, applies only to the believer, those who have put their hope of eternal life, not in their good deeds, but in Christ’s finished work (His death, burial and resurrection for us for the forgiveness of sins); those who have been justified by God. See I Corinthians 15:3&4 and Ephesians 1:7. The reason it applies only to believers is because we cannot do anything by ourselves to make ourselves perfect or holy. That is something only God can do, through the Holy Spirit, and as we shall see, only believers have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Read Titus 3:5&6; Ephesians 2:8&9; Romans 4:3&22 and Galatians 3:6

Scripture teaches us that at the moment we believe, there are two things God does for us. (There are many, many others.) These are, however, vital in order for us to have “victory” over sin in our lives. First: God puts us in Christ (something that is hard to understand, but we must accept and believe), and second He comes to live in us through His Holy Spirit.

Scripture says in I Corinthians 1:20 that we are in Him. “By His doing you are in Christ who became to us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Romans 6:3 says that we are baptized “into Christ.” This is not talking about our baptism in water, but a work by the Holy Spirit in which He puts us into Christ.

Scripture also teaches us that the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. In John 14:16&17 Jesus told His disciples that He would send the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) Who was with them and would be in them, (He would live or dwell in them). There are other Scriptures that tell us that the Spirit of God is in us, in every believer. Read John 14&15, Acts 1:1-8 and I Corinthians 12:13. John 17:23 says He is in our hearts. In fact Romans 8:9 says that if the Spirit of God is not in you, you do not belong to Christ. Thus we say that since this (that is, making us holy) is a work of the indwelling Spirit, only believers, those with the indwelling Spirit, can become free or victorious over their sin.

Someone has said that Scripture contains: 1) truths we must believe (even if we don’t completely understand them; 2) commands to obey and 3) promises to trust. The facts above are truths which must be believed, i.e. that we are in Him and He is in us. Keep this idea of trusting and obeying in mind as we continue this study. I think it helps to understand it. There are two parts we need to understand in overcoming sin in our daily lives. There is God’s part and our part, which is obedience. We will look first at God’s part which is all about our being in Christ and Christ being in us. Call it if you will: 1) God’s provision, I am in Christ, and 2) God’s power, Christ is in me.

This is what Paul was talking about when he said in Romans 7:24-25 “Who will deliver me…I thank God…through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Keep in mind this process is impossible without God’s help.

 

It is obvious from Scripture that God’s desire for us is to be made holy and for us to overcome our sins. Romans 8:29 tells us that as believers He has “predestined us to be conformed to the likeness of His Son.” Romans 6:4 says His desire is for us to “walk in newness of life.” Colossians 1:8 says the goal of Paul’s teaching was “to present every one perfect and complete in Christ.” God teaches us that he wants us to become mature (not to remain babies as the Corinthians were). Ephesians 4:13 says we are to “become mature in knowledge and attain the full measure of the fullness of Christ.” Verse 15 says we are to grow up into Him. Ephesians 4:24 says we are to “put on the new self; created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”bI Thessalonians 4:3 states “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” Verses 7&8 say He has “not called us to impurity, but in sanctification.” Verse 8 says “if we reject this we are rejecting God who gives his Holy Spirit to us.”

(Connecting the thought of the Spirit being in us and us being able to change.) Defining the word sanctification can be a little complicated but in the Old Testament it meant to set apart or present an object or person to God for His use, with a sacrifice being offered to purify it. So for our purposes here we are saying to be sanctified is to be set apart to God or to be presented to God. We were made holy for Him by the sacrifice of Christ’s death on the cross. This is, as we say, positional sanctification when we believe and God sees us as perfect in Christ (clothed and covered by Him and reckoned and declared righteous in Him). It is progressive as we become perfect as He is perfect, when we become victorious in overcoming sin in our daily experience. Any verses on sanctification are describing or explaining this process. We want to be presented and set apart to God as purified, cleaned, holy and blameless, etc. Hebrews 10:14 says “by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”

More verses on this subject are: I John 2:1 says “I am writing these things to you that you may not sin.” I Peter 2:24 says, “Christ bare our sins in His own body on the tree…that we should live to righteousness.” Hebrews 9:14 tells us “Christ’s blood cleanses us from dead works to serve the living God.”

Here we have not only God’s desire for our holiness, but His provision for our victory: our being in Him and sharing in His death, as described in Romans 6:1-12. 2 Corinthians 5:21 states: “He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Read also Philippians 3:9, Romans 12:1&2 and Romans 5:17.

Read Romans 6:1-12. Here we find an explanation of God’s work on our behalf for our victory over sin, i.e. His provision. Romans 6:1 continues the thought of chapter five that God does not want us to continue to sin. It says: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” Verse 2 says, “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 5:17 speaks of “those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.” He wants victory for us now, in this life.

I would like to highlight the explanation in Romans 6 of what we have in Christ. We have spoken of our baptism into Christ. (Remember this is not water baptism but the work of the Spirit.) Verse 3 teaches us that this means we “have been baptized into his death,’ meaning “we died with him.” Verses 3-5 say we are “buried with him.” Verse 5 explains that since we are in Him we are united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection. Verse 6 says we are crucified with him so that “the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” This shows us that the power of sin has been broken. Both the NIV and NASB footnotes say it could be translated “the body of sin might be rendered powerless.” Another translation is that “sin will not have dominion over us.”

Verse 7 says “he who has died is freed from sin. For this reason sin can’t hold us as slaves anymore. Verse 11 says “we are dead to sin.” Verse 14 says “sin shall not be master over you.” This is what being crucified with Christ has done for us. Because we died with Christ we died to sin with Christ. Be clear, those were our sins He died for. Those were our sins He BURIED. Sin therefore does not have to dominate us any more. Simply put, since we are in Christ, we died with Him, so sin does not have to have power over us anymore.

Verse 11 is our part: our act of faith. The previous verses are facts which we must believe, though difficult to understand. They are truths we must believe and act upon. Verse 11 uses the word “reckon” which means “count on it.” From here on out we must act in faith. Being “raised” with Him in this passage of Scripture means we are “alive unto God” and we can “walk in newness of life.” (Verses 4, 8 & 16) Because God has put His Spirit in us, we can now live a victorious life. Colossians 2:14 says “we died to the world and the world died to us.” Another way to say this is to say that Jesus did not die only to free us from the penalty of sin, but also to break its control over us, so He could make us pure and holy in our present life.

In Acts 26:18 Luke quotes Jesus as saying to Paul that the gospel will “turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified (made holy) by faith in Me (Jesus).”

We have already seen in part 1 of this study that although Paul understood, or rather knew, these facts, victory was not automatic and neither is it for us. He was unable to make victory happen either by self-effort or by trying to keep the law and neither can we. Victory over sin is impossible for us without Christ.

Here is why. Read Ephesians 2:8-10. It tells us that we cannot be saved by works of righteousness. This is because, as Romans 6 says, we are “sold under sin.” We cannot pay for our sin or earn forgiveness. Isaiah 64:6 tells us “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” in God’s sight. Romans 8:8 tells us that those who are “in the flesh cannot please God.”

John 15:4 shows us that we cannot bear fruit by ourselves and verse 5 says, “without me (Christ) you can do nothing.” Galatians 2:16 says “for by the works of the law, no flesh shall be justified,” and verse 21 says “if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died needlessly.” Hebrews 7:18 tells us “the law made nothing perfect.”

Romans 8:3&4 says, “For what the law was powerless to do, in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”

Read Romans 8:1-15 and Colossians 3:1-3. We can’t be made clean or be saved by our good works and neither can we be sanctified by the works of the law. Galatians 3:3 says “did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect in the flesh?” And thus, we, like Paul, who while knowing the fact that we are set free from sin by Christ’s death, still struggle (see Romans 7 again) with self-effort, being unable to keep the law and faced with sin and failure, and crying out “O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me!”

Let us review what led to Paul’s failure: 1) The Law couldn’t change him. 2) Self-effort failed. 3) The more he knew God and the Law the worse he seemed. (The law’s job is to make us exceedingly sinful, to make our sin obvious. Romans 7:6,13) The Law made it obvious that we need God’s grace and power. As John 3:17-19 says, the closer we get to the light the more obvious it gets that we are dirty. 4) He ends up frustrated and saying: “who will deliver me?” “nothing good is in me.” “evil is present with me.” “a war is within me.” “I cannot carry it out.” 5) The Law had no power to meet its own demands, it only condemned. He then comes to the answer, Romans 7:25, “I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So Paul is leading us to the second part of God’s provision which makes our sanctification possible. Romans 8:20 states, “the Spirit of life sets us free from the law of sin and death.” The power and strength to overcome sin is Christ IN US, THE Holy Spirit in us. Read Romans 8:1-15 again.

The New King James translation of Colossians 1:27&28 says it is the job of the Spirit of God to present us perfect. It says, “God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles which is, Christ in you, the hope of glory.” It goes on to say “that we may present every man perfect (or complete) in Christ Jesus.” Is it possible that the glory here is the glory of which we fall short in Romans 3:23? Read 2 Corinthians 3:18 in which God says He wishes to transform us into God’s image from “glory to glory.”

Remember we talked about the Spirit coming to be in us. In John 14:16&17 Jesus said that the Spirit who was with them would come to be in them. In John 16:7-11 Jesus said it was necessary for Him to go away so the Spirit would come to dwell in us. In John 14:20 He says, “at that day you will know that I am in My Father and you in Me, and I in you,” just exactly what we have been talking about. This was actually all foretold in the Old Testament. Joel 2:24-29 speaks of His putting the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

In Acts 2 (read it), it tells us this occurred on the Day of Pentecost, after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. In Jeremiah 31:33&34 (referred to in the New Testament in Hebrews 10:10, 14 & 16) God fulfilled another promise, that of putting His law into our hearts. In Romans 7:6 it tells us that the result of these fulfilled promises is that we can “serve God in a new and living way.” Now, the moment we become a believer in Christ, the Spirit comes to abide (live) in us and HE makes Romans 8:1-15 & 24 possible. Read also Romans 6:4&10 and Hebrews 10:1, 10, 14.

At this point, I would like you to read and memorize Galatians 2:20. Never forget it. This verse summarizes all Paul teaches us about sanctification in one verse. “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Everything we will do that pleases God in our Christian life can be summed up by the phrase, “not I; but Christ.” It is Christ living in me, not my works or good deeds. Read these verses which also speak of the provision of Christ’s death (to render sin powerless) and the work of the Spirit of God in us.

I Peter 1:2 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Hebrews 2:13  Ephesians 5:26&27 Colossians 3:1-3

God, through His Spirit, gives us the strength to overcome, but it goes even further than that. He changes us from the inside, transforming us, changing us into the image of His Son, Christ. We must trust Him to do it. This is a process; begun by God, continued by God and completed by God.

Here is a list of promises to trust. Here is God doing what we cannot do, changing us and making us holy like Christ. Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing; that He which has begun a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 3:19&20 “being filled with all the fullness of God… according to the power that works in us.” How great is it that, “God is at work in us.”

Hebrews 13:20&21 “Now may the God of peace… make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ.” I Peter 5:10 “the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

I Thessalonians 5:23&24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He Who calls you, Who also will do it.” The NASB says “He also will bring it to pass.”

Hebrews 12:2 tells us to ‘fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (NASB says perfecter).” I Corinthians 1:8&9 “God will confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful,” I Thessalonians 3:12&13 says God will “increase” and “establish your hearts unblameable at the coming of our Lord Jesus.”

I John 3:2 tells us “we will be like Him when we see Him as He is.” God will complete this when Jesus returns or we go to heaven when we die.

We have seen many verses which have indicated that sanctification is a process. Read Philippians 3:12-14 which says, “I have not already attained, neither am already perfect, but I press toward the goal of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” One commentary uses the word “pursue.” Not only is it a process but active participation is involved.

Ephesians 4:11-16 tells us that the church is to work together so we may “grow up in all things into Him Who is the Head – Christ.” Scripture also uses the word grow in I Peter 2:2, where we read this: “desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” Growing takes time.

This journey is also described as walking. Walking is a slow way of going; one step at a time; a process. I John talks about walking in the light (that is, the Word of God). Galatians says in 5:16 to walk in the Spirit. The two go hand in hand. In John 17:17 Jesus said “Sanctify them through the truth, thy word is truth.” The Word of God and the Spirit work together in this process. They are inseparable.

We are beginning to see action verbs a lot as we study this topic: walk, pursue, desire, etc. If you go back to Romans 6 and read it again you will see many of them: reckon, present, yield, don’t yield. Doesn’t this imply that there is something we must do; that there are commands to obey; effort required on our part.

Romans 6:12 states “let not sin therefore (that is, because of our position in Christ and the power of Christ in us) reign in your mortal bodies.” Verse 13 commands us to present our bodies to God, not to sin. It tells us not to be a “slave to sin.” These are our choices, our commands to obey; our ‘to do” list. Remember, we can’t do it by our own self effort but only through His power in us, but we must do it.

We must always remember it is only through Christ. I Corinthians 15:57 (NKJB) gives us this remarkable promise: ” thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our LORD JESUS CHRIST.” So even what we “do” is through Him, through the Spirit’s in working power. Philippians 4:13 tells us we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” So it is: JUST AS WE CAN’T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT HIM, WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM.

God gives us the power to “do” whatever He asks us to do. Some believers call it the ‘resurrection” power as expressed in Romans 6:5 “we shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” Verse 11 says the power of God that raised Christ from the dead raises us to newness of life to serve God in this life.

Philippians 3:9-14 also expresses this as “that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.” It is obvious from this verse that faith in Christ is vital. We must believe in order to be saved. We must also have faith in God’s provision for sanctification, ie. Christ’s death for us; faith in God’s power to work in us by the Spirit; faith that He gives us power to change and faith in God changing us. None of this is possible without faith. It connects us to God’s provision & power. God will sanctify us as we trust and obey. We must believe enough to act on the truth; enough to obey. Remember the chorus of the hymn:

“Trust and obey For there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus But to trust and obey.”

Other verses relating faith to this process (being changed by God’s power): Ephesians 1:19&20 “what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.”

Ephesians 3:19&20 says “that you may be filled with all the fullness of Christ.n Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.” Hebrews 11:6 says “without faith it is impossible to please God.”

Romans 1:17 says “the just shall live by faith.” This, I believe, does not only refer to initial faith at salvation, but our day by day faith that connects us to all that God provides for our sanctification; our daily living and obeying and walking in faith.

See also: Philippians 3:9; Galatians 3:26, 11; Hebrews 10:38; Galatians 2:20; Romans 3:20-25; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 3:12&17

It takes faith to obey. Remember Galatians 3: 2&3 “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or hearing of faith… having begun in the Spirit are you now being made perfect in the flesh?” If you read the whole passage it refers to living by faith. Colossians 2:6 says “as you have therefore received Christ Jesus (by faith) so walk in Him.” Galatians 5:25 says “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

So as we begin to talk about our part; our obedience; as it were, our “to do” list, remember all we have learned. Without His Spirit we can do nothing, but by His Spirit He strengthens us as we obey; and that it is God Who changes us to make us holy as Christ is holy. Even in obeying it is still all of God – Him working in us. It is all of faith in Him. Remember our memory verse, Galatians 2:20. It is “NOT I, but Christ…I live by faith in the Son of God.” Galatians 5:16 says “walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

So we see there is still work for us to do. So when or how do we appropriate, take advantage of or take hold of God’s power. I believe it is proportional to our steps of obedience taken in faith. If we sit and do nothing, nothing will happen. Read James 1:22-25. If we ignore His Word (His instructions) and don’t obey, growth or change will not take place, i.e. if we see ourselves in the mirror of the Word as in James and go away and are not doers, we remain sinful and unholy. Remember I Thessalonians 4:7&8 says “Consequently he who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”

Part 3 will show us practical things we can “do” (i.e. be doers) in His strength. You must take these steps of obedient faith. Call it positive action.

Our Part (Part 3)

We have established that God wants to conform us to the image of His Son. God says that there is something we also must do. It requires obedience on our part.

There is no “magic” experience we can have that instantly transforms us. As we said, it is a process. Romans 1:17 says the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. 2 Corinthians 3:18 describes it as being transformed into Christ’s image, from glory to glory. 2 Peter 1:3-8 says we are to add one Christ-like virtue to another. John 1:16 describes it as “grace upon grace.”

We have seen that we can’t do it by self-effort or by trying to keep the law, but that it is God who changes us. We have seen that it begins when we are born again and is completed by God. God gives both the provision and the power for our day to day progression. We have seen in Romans chapter 6 that we are in Christ, in His death, burial and resurrection. Verse 5 says sin’s power has been rendered powerless. We are dead to sin and it shall not have dominion over us.

Because God also came to live in us, we have His power, so we can live in a way that pleases Him. We have learned that God Himself changes us. He promises to complete the work He began in us at salvation.

These are all facts. Romans 6 says that considering these facts we must begin to act on them. It takes faith to do this. Here begins our journey of faith or trusting obedience. The first “command to obey” is exactly that, faith. It says “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” Reckon means count on it, trust it, consider it to be true. This is an act of faith and is followed by other commands such as “yield, don’t let, and present.” Faith is counting on the power of what it means to be dead in Christ and God’s promise to work in us.

I am glad God doesn’t expect us to understand all of this completely, but only to”act” on it. Faith is the avenue of appropriating or connecting to or taking a hold of God’s provision and power.

Our victory is not achieved by our power to change ourselves, but it may be in proportion to our “faithful” obedience. When we “act,” God changes us and enables us to do what we can’t do; for example changing desires and attitudes; or changing sinful habits; giving us power to “walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) He gives us “power” to reach the goal of victory. Read these verses: Philippians 3:9-13; Galatians 2:20-3:3; I Thessalonians 4:3; I Peter 2:24; I Corinthians 1:30; I Peter 1:2; Colossians 3:1-4 & 3:11&12 & 1:17; Romans 13:14 and Ephesians 4:15.

The following verses connect faith to our actions and our sanctification. Colossians 2:6 says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus, so walk ye in Him. (We are saved by faith, so we are sanctified by faith.) All further steps in this process (walk) are contingent upon and can only be accomplished or attained by faith. Romans 1:17 says, “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” (That means one step at a time.) The word “walk” is often used of our experience. Romans 1:17 also says, “the just shall live by faith.” This is talking about our daily life as much as or more so than its beginning at salvation.

Galatians 2:20 says “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Romans 6 says in verse 12 “therefore” or because of reckoning ourselves as being “dead in Christ” we are now to obey the next commands. We now have a choice to obey daily and moment by moment as long as we live or until He returns.

It starts with a choice to yield. In Romans 6:12 the King James Version uses this word “yield” when it says “don’t yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness, but yield yourselves to God.” I believe yielding is a choice to relinquish control of your life to God. Other translations us the words “present” or “offer.” This is a choice to choose to give God control of our lives and offer ourselves to Him. We present (dedicate) ourselves to Him. (Romans 12:1&2) As at a yield sign, you give control of that intersection to another, we yield control to God. Yield means to allow Him to work in us; to ask for His help; to yield to His will, not ours. It is our choice to give the Holy Spirit control of our life and yield to Him. This is not just a one time decision but is continuous, daily, and moment by moment.

This is illustrated in Ephesians 5:18 “Be not drunk with wine; wherein is excess; but be filled with the Holy Spirit.: It is a deliberate contrast. When a person is drunk he is said to be controlled by alcohol (under the influence of it). In contrast we are told to be filled with the Spirit.

We are to be voluntarily under the control and influence of the Spirit. The most accurate way to translate the Greek verb tense is “be ye being filled with the Spirit” denoting a continuous relinquishment of our control to the control of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:11 says present the members of your body to God, not to sin. Verses 15&16 say we should present ourselves as slaves to God, not as slaves to sin. There is a procedure in the Old Testament by which a slave could make himself a slave to his master forever. It was a voluntary act. We should do this to God. Romans 12:1&2 says “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” This appears to be voluntary also.

In the Old Testament people and things were dedicated and set apart for God (sanctified) for His service in the temple by a special sacrifice and ceremony presenting them to God. Though our ceremony may be personal the sacrifice of Christ already sanctifies our gift. (2 Chronicles 29:5-18) Should we not, then, present ourselves to God once for all time and also daily. We should not present ourselves to sin at any time. We can only do this through the Holy Spirit’s strength. Bancroft in Elemental Theology suggests that when things were consecrated to God in the Old Testament God often sent down fire to receive the offering. Perhaps in our present day consecration (giving ourselves as a gift to God as a living sacrifice) will cause the Spirit to work in us in a special way to give us power over sin and to live for God. (Fire is a word often associated with the Holy Spirit’s power.) See Acts 1:1-8 and 2:1-4.

We must continue to give ourselves to God and obey him on a daily basis, bringing each revealed failure into conformity to God’s will. This is how we become mature. To understand what God wants in our lives and to see our failures we must search the Scriptures. The word light is often used to describe the Bible. The Bible can do many things and one is to light our way and reveal sin. Psalm 119:105 says “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Reading the Word of God is part of our “to do” list.

The Word of God is probably the most important thing God has given us in our journey toward holiness. 2 Peter 1:2&3 says “According as His power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue.” It says everything we need is through the knowledge of Jesus and the only place to find such knowledge is in God’s Word.

2 Corinthians 3:18 carries this even further by saying, ” We all, with unveiled face beholding, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” Here it gives us something to do. God by His Spirit will change us, transform us a step at a time, if we are beholding Him. James refers to Scripture as a mirror. So we need to behold Him in the only obvious place we can, the Bible. William Evans in “The Great Doctrines of the Bible” says this on page 66 about this verse: “The tense is interesting here: We are being transformed from one degree of character or glory to another.”

The writer of the hymn “Take Time to Be Holy” must have understood this when he wrote:n”By looking to Jesus, Like Him thou shalt be, The friends in thy conduct, His likeness shall see.”

 

The conclusion to this of course is I John 3:2 when “we shall be like Him, when we see Him as He is.” Even though we don’t understand how God does this, if we obey by reading and studying the Word of God, He will do His part of transforming, changing, completing and finishing His work. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) says to “Study to show thyself approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The NIV says to be one “who rightly handles the word of truth.”

It is commonly and jokingly said at times that when we spend time with someone we begin to “look” like them, but it is often true. We do tend to mimic people we spend time with, acting and talking like them. For instance, we might mimic an accent (like we do if we move to a new area of the country), or we might mimic hand gestures or other mannerisms. Ephesians 5:1 tells us “Be ye imitators or Christ as dear children.” Children love to mimic or imitate and so we should mimic Christ. Remember we do this by spending time with Him. Then we will copy His life, character and values; His very attitudes and attributes.

John 15 talks about spending time with Christ in a different way. It says we should abide in Him. Part of abiding is to spend time studying Scripture. Read John 15:1-7. Here it says “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you.” These two things are inseparable. It means more than just cursory reading, it means reading, thinking about it and putting it into practice. That the opposite is also true is apparent from the verse “Bad company corrupts good morals.” (I Corinthians 15:33) So pick carefully where and with whom you spend time.

Colossians 3:10 says the new self is to be “renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. John 17:17 says “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Here is expressed the absolute necessity of the Word in our sanctification. The Word specifically shows us (as in a mirror) where the flaws are and where we need to change. Jesus also said in John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Romans 7:13 says “But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.” We know what God wants through the Word. So we must fill our minds with it. Romans 12:2 entreats us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We need to turn from thinking the world’s way to thinking God’s way. Ephesians 4:22 says to be “renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Philippians 2:5 sys “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Scripture reveals what is the mind of Christ. There is no other way to learn these things than to saturate ourselves with the Word.

Colossians 3:16 tells us to “let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Colossians 3:2 tells us to “set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth.” This is more than just thinking about them but also asking God to put His desires into our hearts and minds. 2 Corinthians 10:5 admonishes us, saying “casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Scripture teaches us everything we need to know about God the Father, God the Spirit and God the Son. Remember it tells us “all we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us.” 2 Peter 1:3 God tells us in I Peter 2:2 that we grow as Christians through learning the Word. It says “As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.” The NIV translates it this way, “that you may grow up in your salvation.” It is our spiritual food. Ephesians 4:14 indicates that God wants us to be mature, not babies. I Corinthians 13:10-12 talks about putting away childish things. In Ephesians 4:15 He wants us to “GROW UP IN ALL THINGS INTO HIM.”

The Scripture is powerful. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “The word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” God also says in Isaiah 55:11 that when His word is spoken or written or in any way is sent out into the world it will accomplish the work it is intended to do; it will not return void. As we have seen, it will convict of sin and will convince people of Christ; it will bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ.

Romans 1:16 says the gospel is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” Corinthians says “the message of the cross…is to us who are being saved…the power of God.” In much the same way it can convict and convince the believer.

We have seen that 2 Corinthians 3:18 and James 1:22-25 refer to the Word of God as a mirror. We look into a mirror to see what we are like. I once taught a Vacation Bible School course entitled “See Yourself in God’s Mirror.” I also know a chorus which describes the Word as a “mirror our lives to see.” Both express the same idea. When we look into the Word, reading and studying it as we should, we see ourselves. It will often show us sin in our life or some way in which we fall short. James tells us what we should not do when we see ourselves. “If any one is not a doer he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, for he observes his face, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” Similar to this is when we say that the Word of God is light. (Read John 3:19-21 and I John 1:1-10.) John says we should walk in the light, seeing ourselves as revealed in the light of God’s Word. It tells us that when the light reveals sin we need to confess our sin. That means to admit or acknowledge what we have done and admit it is sin. It does not mean to plead or beg or do some good deed to earn our forgiveness from God but to simply agree with God and acknowledge our sin.

There is really good news here. In verse 9 God says that if we but confess our sin, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin,’ but not only that but “to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This means He cleanses us from sin we are not even conscious or aware of. If we fail, and sin again, we need to confess it again, as often as necessary, until we are victorious, and we are no longer tempted.

However, the passage also tells us that if we don’t confess, our fellowship with the Father is broken and we will continue to fail. If we obey He will change us, if we don’t we won’t change. In my opinion this is the most important step in sanctification. I think this is what we do when Scripture says to put off or put aside sin, as in Ephesians 4:22. Bancroft in Elemental Theology says of 2 Corinthians 3:18 “we are being transformed from one degree of character or glory to another.” Part of that process is to see ourselves in God’s mirror and we must confess the faults we see. It takes some effort on our part to stop our bad habits. The power to change comes through Jesus Christ. We must trust Him and ask Him to the part we cannot do.

Hebrews 12:1&2 says we should ‘lay aside…the sin which so easily ensnares us… looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” I think this is what Paul meant when he said in Romans 6:12 not to let sin reign in us and what he meant in Romans 8:1-15 about allowing the Spirit to do His work; to walk in the Spirit or to walk in the light; or any of the other ways God explains the co-operative work between our obedience and trusting in God’s work through the Spirit. Psalm 119:11 tells us to memorize Scripture. It says “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” John 15:3 says “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” The Word of God will remind us both not to sin and will convict us when we do sin.

There are many other verses to help us. Titus 2:11-14 says to: 1. Deny ungodliness. 2. Live godly in this present age. 3. He will redeem us from every lawless deed. 4. He will purify for Himself His own special people.

2 Corinthians 7:1 says to cleanse ourselves. Ephesians 4:17-32 and Colossians 3:5-10 lists some sins we need to quit. It gets very specific. The positive part (our action) comes in Galatians 5:16 which tells us to walk in the Spirit. Ephesians 4:24 tells us to put on the new man.

Our part is described both as walking in the light and as walking in the Spirit. Both the Four Gospels and the Epistles are full of positive actions we should do. These are actions we are commanded to do such as “love,” or “pray” or “encourage.”

In possibly the best sermon I have ever heard, the speaker said love is something you do; as opposed to something you feel. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:44 “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” I think such actions describe what God means when He commands us to “walk in the Spirit,” doing what He commands us while at the same time we trust Him to change our inward attitudes such as anger or resentment.

I really think that if we occupy ourselves with doing the positive actions God commands, we will find ourselves with far less time to get into trouble. It has a positive effect on how we feel as well. As Galatians 5:16 says “walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Romans 13:14 says “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

Another aspect to consider: God will chasten and correct His children if we continue to follow a path of sin. That path leads to destruction in this life, if we do not confess our sin. Hebrews 12:10 says He chastens us “for our profit, that we might be made partakers of His holiness.” Verse 11 says “afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.” Read Hebrews 12:5-13. Verse 6 says “For whom the Lord loves He chastens.” Hebrews 10:30 says the “Lord will judge His people.” John 15:1-5 says He prunes the vines so they will bear more fruit.

If you find yourself in this situation go back to I John 1:9, acknowledge and confess your sin to Him as often as you need to and start again. I Peter 5:10 says, “May God…after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.” Discipline teaches us perseverance and steadfastness. Remember, however, that confession may not remove consequences. Colossians 3:25 says, “He who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” I Corinthians 11:31 says “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” Verse 32 adds, “When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined.”

This process of becoming like Christ will continue as long as we live in our earthly body. Paul says in Philippians 3:12-15 that he had not already attained, neither was he already perfect, but he would continue to press on and pursue the goal. 2 Peter 3:14 and 18 say we should “be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless” and to “grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

I Thessalonians 4:1, 9&10 tell us to “abound more and more” and “increase more and more” in love toward others. Another translation says to “excel still more.” 2 Peter 1:1-8 tells us to add one virtue to another. Hebrews 12:1&2 says we should run the race with endurance. Hebrews 10:19-25 encourages us to continue and never give up. Colossians 3:1-3 says to”set our minds on things above.” This means to put it there and keep it there.

Remember it is God who is doing this as we obey. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Bancroft in Elemental Theology says on page 223 ” Sanctification begins at the inception of the believer’s salvation and is co-extensive with his life on earth and will reach its climax and perfection when Christ returns.” Ephesians 4:11-16 says being a part of a local group of believers will help us reach this goal as well. “till we all come…to a perfect man …that we may grow up into him,” and that the body “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Titus 2:11&12 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” I Thessalonians 5:22-24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

Welcome to the family of God!

Now that you have believed the Gospel: that Christ died for your sins according to the Scripture, was buried and raised on the third day according to the Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) and have asked Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins, what should you do next?

The first thing you need to do is to get a Bible if you do not already have one. There are a number of accurate, easy to understand modern translations.

Then develop a systematic plan for Bible reading. You wouldn’t start any other book in the middle and then hop from place to place, so don’t do it with the Bible.

The Bible is a collection of 66 books. Four of them, called Gospels, tell about the life of Jesus. I would encourage you to read all four of them in this order, Mark, Luke, Matthew and John and then read through the rest of the New Testament.

The second thing you need to do is to begin praying on a regular basis. Praying is just talking to God, and while you do need to be respectful, you do not need to use special language.

The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 is a great pattern for praying. Thank God for what He has done for you. Admit it to Him when you sin and ask Him to forgive you. (He promises that He will.) And ask God for the things you need.

The third thing that you need to do is to find a good church. Good churches teach that the entire Bible is God’s Word, talk about why Jesus died on the cross, and are full of good people whose lives are being changed by their relationship with God.

The most obvious evidence that a person is in a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ is how they treat people. Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:35

If the church has Bible studies or Sunday School classes for new Christians, try to attend There are many exciting things to learn as you get to know God better. God has plans for you.

Jesus said “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” God “has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him. who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

As you read your Bible, pray and get involved in a good church, God will begin to change your life in ways that you never dreamed were possible and fill you with love and joy and peace and real purpose.

May God bless you as you follow Him.

Whenever you are trying to understand a part of Scripture, there are some guidelines to follow. Study it in its context, in other words look carefully at the surrounding verses. You should look at it in light of its Biblical history and background. The Bible is cohesive. It is one story, the amazing story of God’s plan of redemption. No part can be understood alone. It is a good idea to ask questions about a passage or topic, such as, who, what, where, when, why and how.

When it comes to the question of whether or not a person has committed the unpardonable sin, background is important to its understanding. Jesus began His ministry of preaching and healing six months after John the Baptist began his. John was sent by God to prepare people to receive Jesus and as a witness to Who He was. John 1:7 “to bear witness to the Light.” John 1:14&15, 19-36 God told John that he would see the Spirit descend and abide upon Him. John 1:32-34 John said “he bare record that this was the Son of God.” He also said of Him, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the son of the world. John 1:29 See also John 5:33

The priests and Levites (religious leaders of the Jews) were aware of both John and Jesus. The Pharisees (another group of Jewish leaders) began to ask them who they were and by what authority they were preaching and teaching. It seems they began to see them as a threat. They asked John if he were the Christ (he said he was not) or “that prophet.” John 1:21 This is very important to the question at hand. The phrase “that prophet” comes from the prophecy given to Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15 and is explained in Deuteronomy 34:10-12 where God tells Moses that another prophet would come who would be like himself and preach and do great wonders (a prophecy about Christ). This and other Old Testament prophecies were given so people would recognize the Christ (the Messiah) when He came.

So Jesus began to preach and show people that He was the promised Messiah and to prove it by mighty wonders. He made the claim that He spoke the words of God and that He came from God. (John chapter 1, Hebrews chapter 1, John 3:16, John 7:16) In John 12:49&50 Jesus said, “I (do) not speak of my own accord, but the Father Who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.” By teaching and doing miracles Jesus fulfilled both aspects of Moses’ prophecy. John 7:40 The Pharisees were knowledgeable in Old Testament Scripture; familiar with all these Messianic prophecies. Read John 5:36-47 to see what Jesus said about this. In verse 46 of that passage Jesus claims to be “that prophet” by saying “he spoke of me.” Read also Acts 3:22 Many people were asking if He were the Christ or “the Son of David.” Matthew 12:23

This background and the Scriptures about it all connect to the question of the unpardonable sin. All of these facts come up in the passages about this question. They are found in Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30 and Luke 11:14-54, especially verse 52. Please read these carefully if you want to understand the issue. The situation is about Who Jesus is and Who empowered Him to do miracles. By this time the Pharisees are jealous of Him, testing Him, trying to trip Him up with questions and refusing to acknowledge Who He is and refusing to come to Him that they might have life. John 5:36-47 According to Matthew 12:14&15 they were even trying to kill Him. See also John 10:31. It appears that the Pharisees followed Him (perhaps mingling with the crowds who gathered to hear Him preach and do miracles) in order to keep watch on Him.

On this particular occasion concerning the unpardonable sin Mark 3:22 states that they came down from Jerusalem. They apparently followed Him when he left the crowds to go somewhere else because they wanted to find a reason to kill Him. There Jesus drove out a demon from a man and healed him. It is here that the sin in question occurs. Matthew 12:24 “When the Pharisees heard this they said, ‘it is only by Baalzebub the prince of demons that this fellow drives out demons.” (Baalzebub is another name for Satan.) It is at the end of this passage where Jesus concludes by saying, “whoso speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come.” This is the unpardonable sin: “they said that He had an unclean spirit.” Mark 3:30 The whole discourse, which includes the remarks about the unpardonable sin, is directed at the Pharisees. Jesus knew their thoughts and He spoke to them directly about what they were saying. Jesus’ whole discourse and His judgment on them is based on their thoughts and words; He started with that and ended with that.

Simply stated the unpardonable sin is crediting or attributing Jesus’ wonders and miracles,especially casting out demons, to an unclean spirit. The Scofield Reference Bible says in the notes on page 1013 about Mark 3:29&30 that the unpardonable sin is “ascribing to Satan the works of the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is involved – He empowered Jesus. Jesus said in Matthew 12:28, “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God has come unto you.” He concludes by saying wherefore (that is because you say these things) “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto you.” Matthew 12:31 There is no other explanation in Scripture saying what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is. Remember the background. Jesus had the witness of John the Baptist (John 1:32-34) that the Spirit was upon Him. Words used in the dictionary to describe blasphemy are to profane, revile, insult and show contempt.

Surely discrediting Jesus’ works fits this. We don’t like it when someone else gets credit for what we do. Imagine taking the Spirit’s work and crediting it to Satan. Most scholars say this sin occurred only while Jesus was on the earth. The reasoning behind this is that the Pharisees were eyewitnesses to His miracles and heard firsthand accounts about them. They were also learned in the Scriptural prophecies and were leaders who were thus more accountable because of their position. Knowing that John the Baptist said He was the Messiah and that Jesus said His works proved Who He was, they still persistently refused to believe. Worse still, in the very Scriptures which discuss this sin, Jesus not only speaks of their blasphemy, but also accuses them of another fault – that of scattering those who witnessed their blasphemy. Matthew 12:30&31 “he who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you…anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”

All these things are linked together bringing Jesus’ harsh condemnation. To discredit the Spirit is to discredit Christ, thus nullifying His work to any who listened to what the Pharisees said. It eradicates all of Christ’s teaching and salvation with it. Jesus said of the Pharisees in Luke 11:23, 51&52 that not only did the Pharisees not enter in but they hindered or prevented those who were entering. Matthew 23:13 “you shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces.” They should have been showing people the way and instead they were turning them away. Read also John 5:33, 36, 40; 10:37&38 (actually the entire chapter); 14:10&11; 15:22-24.

To sum it up, they were guilty because: they knew; they saw; they had knowledge; they did not believe; they kept others from believing and they blasphemed the Holy Spirit. Vincent’s Greek Word Studies adds another part of the explanation from Greek grammar by pointing out that in Mark 3:30 the verb tense indicates that they kept on saying or persisted in saying “He has an unclean spirit.” The evidence indicates that they kept on saying this even after the resurrection. All the evidence indicates that the unpardonable sin is not one isolated act, but a persistent pattern of behavior. To say otherwise would negate the clear often repeated truth of the Scripture that “whoever will may come.” Revelation 22:17 John 3:14-16 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Romans 10:13 “for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”

God is calling us to believe in Christ and the gospel. I Corinthians 15:3&4 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” If you believe in Christ, surely you are not crediting His works to Satan’s power and committing the unpardonable sin. “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30&31

You ask, “Why can’t I understand the Word of God?  What a great and honest question.  First of all, you must be a Christian, one of God’s children to really understand Scripture.  That means you must believe that Jesus is the Savior, Who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.  Romans 3:23 clearly says we all have sinned and Romans 6:23 says the penalty for our sin is death – spiritual death which means we are separated from God.  Read I Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53 and John 3:16 which says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son (to die on the cross in our place) that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  An unbeliever cannot truly understand the Word of God, because he does not yet have the Spirit of God.  You see, when we accept or receive Christ, His Spirit comes to dwell in our hearts and one thing He does is instruct us and help us understand God’s Word.  I Corinthians 2:14 says, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

When we accept Christ God says we are born again (John 3:3-8).  We become His children and as with all children we enter into this new life as babies and we need to grow.  We do not come into it mature, understanding all God’s Word.  Wonderfully, in I Peter 2:2 (NKJB) God says, “as new born babies desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby.”  Babies start out with milk and gradually grow to eat meat and so, we as believers start out as babies, not understanding everything, and learn gradually.  Children don’t start knowing calculus, but with simple addition.  Please read I Peter 1:1-8.  It says we add to our faith.  We grow in character and maturity through our knowledge of Jesus through the Word.  Most Christian leaders suggest starting with a Gospel, especially Mark or John.  Or you could start with Genesis, the stories of great characters of faith like Moses or Joseph or Abraham and Sarah.

I’m going to share my experience.  I hope I helps you.  Don’t try to find some deep or mystical meaning from Scripture but rather just take it in a literal way, as real life accounts or as directions, such as when it says love your neighbor or even your enemy, or teaches us how to pray.  God’s Word is described as light to guide us.  In James 1:22 it says to be doers of the Word.  Read the rest of the chapter to get the idea.  If the Bible says pray – pray.  If it says give to the needy, do it.  James and the other epistles are very practical. They give us many things to obey.  I John says it this way, “walk in the light.”  I think that all believers find that understanding is hard at first, I know I did.

Joshua 1:8 and Palms 1:1-6 tell us to spend time in the Word of God and meditate on it.  This simply means to think about it – not fold our hands together and mutter a prayer or something, but think about it.  This brings me to another suggestion I find very helpful, study a topic – get a good concordance or go online to BibleHub or BibleGateway and study a topic like prayer or some other word or topic like salvation, or ask a question and look for an answer this way.

Here is something which changed my thinking and opened Scripture for me in a whole new way.  James 1 also teaches that the Word of God is like a mirror.  Verses 23-25 say, “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.” When you read the Bible, look at it as a mirror into your heart and soul.  See yourself, for good or bad, and do something about it.  I once taught a Vacation Bible School class called See Yourself in God’s Word.  It was eye opening.  So, look for yourself in the Word.

As you read about a character or read a passage ask yourself questions and be honest.  Ask questions such as:  What is this character doing?  Is it right or wrong?  How am I like him?  Am I doing what he or she is doing?  What do I need to change? Or ask: What is God saying in this passage?  What can I do better?  There are more directions in Scripture than we can ever fulfill.  This passage says to be doers.  Get busy doing this.  You need to ask God to change you.  2 Corinthians 3:18 is a promise.  As you look at Jesus you will become more like Him.  Whatever you are seeing in Scripture, do something about it.  If you are failing, confess it to God and ask Him to change you.  See I John 1:9.  This is the way you grow.

As you grow you will begin to understand more and more.  Just enjoy and rejoice in the light you have and walk in it (obey) and God will reveal the next steps like a flashlight in the dark.  Remember that God’s Spirit is your Teacher, so ask Him to help you understand Scripture and give you wisdom.

If we obey and study and read the Word we will see Jesus because He is in all the Word, from the beginning at creation, to the promises of His Coming, to the New Testament fulfillment of those promises, to His instructions to the church.   I promise you, or I should say God promises you, He will transform your understanding and He will transform you to be in His image – to be like Him.  Isn’t that our goal?  Also, go to church and hear the word there.

Here is a warning: don’t read a lot of books about man’s opinions of the Bible or man’s ideas of the Word, but read the Word itself.  Allow God to teach you.  Another important thing is to test everything you hear or read.  In Acts 17:11 the Bereans are commended for this.  It says, “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”  They even tested what Paul said, and their only measure was the Word of God, the Bible.  We should always test everything we read or hear about God, by checking it out with Scripture.  Remember this is a process.  It takes years for a baby to become an adult.

We have our own human view of what are “big” sins, but I think that our view may sometimes differ from God’s. The only way we have forgiveness from any sin is through the death of the Lord Jesus, which paid for our sin. Colossians 2:13&14 says, “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh has He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you ALL transgressions; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.” There is no forgiveness of sin without the death of Christ. See Matthew 1:21. Colossians 1:14 says, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. See also Hebrews 9:22.

The only “sin” that will condemn us and keep us from God’s forgiveness is that of unbelief, rejecting and not believing in Jesus as our Savior. John 3:18 and 36: “He that believes on Him is not condemned; but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God…” and verse 36 “He that believes not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.” Hebrews 4:2 says, “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”

If you are a believer, Jesus is our Advocate, always standing before the Father interceding for us and we must come to God and confess our sin to Him. If we sin, even big sins, I John I:9 tells us this: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” He will forgive us, but God may allow us to suffer the consequences of our sin. Here are some examples of people who sinned “grievously:”

#1. DAVID. By our standards, probably David was the greatest offender. We certainly consider the sins of David as big. David committed adultery and then premeditatedly murdered Uriah to cover up his sin. Yet, God forgave him. Read Psalm 51:1-15, especially verse 7 where he says, “wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” See also Psalm 32. In talking about himself he says in Psalm 103:3, “Who forgives all thine iniquities.” Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Read 2 Samuel chapter 12 where the prophet Nathan confronts David and David says, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan then told him in verse 14, “The Lord also has put away your sin…” Remember, though, God punished David for those sins during his lifetime:

1. His child died.
2. He suffered by the sword in wars.
3. Evil came to him from his own house. Read 2 Samuel chapters 12-18.

#2. MOSES: To many, Moses’ sins may appear trivial compared to David’s sins, but to God they were big. His life is clearly spoken of in Scripture, as was his sin. First, we must understand the “Promised Land” – Canaan. God was so angered with Moses’ sin of disobedience, Moses’ anger at God’s people and his misrepresentation of God’s character and Moses’ lack of faith that He would not let him enter the “Promised Land” of Canaan.

A great many believers understand and refer to the “Promised Land” as a picture of heaven, or eternal life with Christ. This is not the case. You must read Hebrews chapters 3 & 4 to understand this. It teaches that it is a picture of God’s rest for His people – the life of faith and victory and the abundant life He refers to in Scripture, in our physical life. In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” If it were a picture of heaven, why would Moses have appeared with Elijah from heaven to stand with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9)? Moses did not lose his salvation.

In Hebrews chapters 3&4 the author refers to Israel’s rebellion and unbelief in the wilderness and God said that the whole generation would not enter His rest, the “Promised Land” (Hebrews 3:11). He punished those who followed the ten spies who brought back a bad report of the land and discouraged the people from trusting God. Hebrews 3:18&19 says they could not enter His rest because of unbelief. Verses 12&13 say we should encourage, not discourage, others to trust in God.

Canaan was the land promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:17). The “Promised Land” was the land of “milk and honey” (abundance), which would provide them a life filled with everything they needed for a fulfilling life: peace and prosperity in this physical life. It is a picture of the abundant life Jesus gives to those who trust Him during their life here on earth, that is, the rest of God spoken of in Hebrews or 2 Peter 1:3, everything we need (in this life) for “life and godliness.” It is rest and peace from all our striving and struggles and rest in all of God’s love and provision for us.

Here is how Moses failed to please God. He stopped believing and went to doing things his own way. Read Deuteronomy 32:48-52. Verse 51 says, “This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.” So what was the sin which caused him to be punished by losing the thing that he spent his earthly life “working for” – entering the beautiful and fruitful land of Canaan here on earth? To understand this, Read Exodus 17:1-6. Numbers 20:2-13; Deuteronomy 32:48-52 and chapter 33 and Numbers 33:14, 36&37.

Moses was the leader of the children of Israel after they were rescued from Egypt and they traveled through the desert. There was little and in some places no water. Moses was required to follow God’s directions; God wanted to teach His people to trust Him. According to Numbers chapter 33, there are two events where God works a miracle to give them water from the Rock. Keep this in mind, this is about the “Rock.” In Deuteronomy 32:3&4 (but read the whole chapter), part of the Song of Moses, this proclamation is made not only to Israel but to the “earth” (to everyone), about the greatness and glory of God. This was Moses job as he led Israel. Moses says, “I will proclaim the Name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! HE IS THE ROCK, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just, a faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.” It was his job to represent God: great, right, faithful, good and holy, to His people.

Here is what occurred. The first event concerning “the Rock” occurred as seen in Numbers chapter 33:14 and Exodus 17:1-6 at Rephidim. Israel grumbled against Moses because there was no water. God told Moses to take his rod and go to the rock where God would stand before it. He told Moses to strike the rock. Moses did this and water came out from the Rock for the people.

The second event (now remember, Moses was expected to follow God’s directions), was later at Kadesh (Numbers 33:36&37). Here God’s instructions are different. See Numbers 20:2-13. Again, the children of Israel grumbled against Moses because there was no water; again Moses goes to God for direction. God told him to take the rod, but said, “gather the assembly together” and “speak to the rock before their eyes.” Instead, Moses becomes harsh with the people. It says, “Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff.” Thus he disobeyed a direct order from God to “speak to the Rock.” Now we know that in an army, if you are under a leader, you do not disobey a direct order even if you don’t fully understand. You obey it. God then tells Moses his transgression and its consequences in verse 12: “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will NOT bring this people into the land I give them.’ ” Two sins are mentioned: unbelief (in God and His order) and disregard for Him, and dishonoring God before God’s people, those he was in command of. God says in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith it is impossible to please God. God wanted Moses to exemplify this faith to Israel. This failure would be grievous as a leader of any kind, as in an army. Leadership has great responsibility. If we desire leadership to gain recognition and position, to be put on a pedestal, or to gain power, we seek it for all the wrong reasons. Mark 10:41-45 gives us the “rule” of leadership: no one should be a boss. Jesus is talking about earthly rulers, saying their rulers “Lord it over them” (verse 42), and then says, “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant…for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…”Luke 12:48 says, “From everyone who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” We are told in I Peter 5:3 that leaders should not be “lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

If Moses’ leadership role, that of directing them to understand God and His glory and holiness were not enough, and disobedience to such a great God were not enough to justify his punishment, then see also Psalm 106:32&33 which speaks to his anger when it says Israel caused him to “speak rash words,” causing him to lose his temper.

Additionally, let’s just look at the rock. We have seen that Moses recognized God as “the Rock.” Throughout the Old Testament, and the New Testament, God is referred to as the Rock. See 2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 89:26; Psalm 18:46 and Psalm 62:7. The Rock is a key subject in the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy chapter 32). In verse 4 God is The Rock. In verse 15 they rejected the Rock, their Savior. In verse 18, they deserted the Rock. In verse 30, God is called their Rock. In verse 31 it says, “their rock is not like our Rock” – and Israel’s enemies know it. In verses 37&38 we read, “Where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in?” The Rock is superior, compared to all other gods.

Look at I Corinthians 10:4. It is talking about the Old Testament account of Israel and the rock. It says clearly, “they all drank of the same spiritual drink for they were drinking from a spiritual rock; and the rock was Christ.” In the Old Testament God is referred to as the Rock of Salvation (Christ). It is not clear how much Moses understood that the future Savior was THE Rock which we know as fact, nevertheless it is clear that he recognized God as the Rock because he says several times in the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:4, “He is THE ROCK” and understood He went with them and He was the Rock of Salvation. It is not clear if he understood all the significance but even if he didn’t if was imperative for him and all of us as God’s people to obey even when we don’t understand it all; to “trust and obey.”

Some even think it goes farther than that in that the Rock was intended as a type of Christ, and His being struck and bruised for our iniquities, Isaiah 53:5&8, “For the transgression of My people was He stricken,” and “Thou shall make His soul an offering for sin.” The offence comes because he destroyed and distorted the type by striking the Rock twice. Hebrews clearly teaches us that Christ suffered “once for all time” for our sin. Read Hebrews 7:22-10:18. Note verses 10:10 and 10:12. They say, “We have been sanctified through the body of Christ once for all,” and “He having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.” If Moses striking the Rock was to be a picture of His death, clearly his striking the Rock twice distorted the picture that Christ needed to die only once to pay for our sin, for all time. Whatever Moses understood may not be clear but here is what is clear:

1). Moses sinned by disobeying God’s orders, he took things into his own hands.

2). God was displeased and grieved.

3). Numbers 20:12 says he did not trust God and publicly discredited His holiness

before Israel.

4). God said Moses would not be allowed to enter Canaan.

5). He appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and God said he was faithful in Hebrews 3:2.

Misrepresenting and dishonoring God is a serious and grievous sin, but God forgave him.

Let’s leave Moses and look at a couple of New Testament examples of “big” sins. Let’s look at Paul. He called himself the greatest sinner. I Timothy 1:12-15 says, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” 2 Peter 3:9 says God does not want anyone to perish. Paul is a great example. As a leader of Israel, and knowledgeable in the Scriptures, he should have understood who Jesus was, but he rejected Him, and greatly persecuted those who believed in Jesus and was an accessory to the stoning of Stephen. Nevertheless, Jesus appeared to Paul personally, to reveal Himself to Paul to save him. Read Acts 8:1-4 and Acts chapter 9. It says he “made havoc of the church” and committed men and women to prison, and approved of the slaughter of many; yet God saved him and he became a great teacher, writing more New Testament books than any other writer. He is a story of an unbeliever who committed great sins, but God brought him to faith. Yet Romans chapter 7 also tells us he struggled with sin as a believer, but God gave him victory (Romans 7:24-28). I want to mention also Peter. Jesus called him to follow Himself and be a disciple and he confessed who Jesus was (See Mark 8:29; Matthew 16:15-17.) and yet enthusiastic Peter denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:31-36 & 69-75). Peter, realizing his failure, went out and wept. Later, after the resurrection, Jesus sought him out and said to him three times, “Feed My sheep (lambs),” (John 21:15-17). Peter did just that, teaching and preaching (see the Book of Acts) and writing I & 2 Peter and giving his life for Christ.

We see from these examples that God will save anyone (Revelation 22:17), but He also forgives the sins of His people, even the big ones (I John 1:9). Hebrews 9:12 says, “…by His own blood He entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrew 7:24&25 says, “because He continues ever…Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them.”

But, we also learn that it is a “fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). In I John 2:1 God says, “I write this to you so that you will not sin.” God wants us to be holy. We should not fool around and think we can just keep sinning because we can be forgiven, because God can and will often require us to face His punishment or consequences in this life. You can read about Saul and his many sins in I Samuel. God took his kingdom and his life from him. Read I Samuel chapters 28-31 and Psalm 103:9-12.

Don’t ever take sin for granted. Even though God forgives you, He can and often will enact punishment or consequences in this life, for our own good. He certainly did that with Moses, David and Saul. We learn through correction. Just like human parents do for their children, God reproves and corrects us for our good. Read Hebrew 12:4-11, especially verse six which says, “FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON HE RECEIVES.” Read all of Hebrews chapter 10. Read also the answer to the question, “Will God forgive me if I keep on sinning?”

God has made provision for forgiveness for all of us. God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sins by His death on the cross. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” When unbelievers accept Christ and believe He paid for their sins, they are forgiven for All their sins. Colossians 2:13 says, “He forgave us all our sins.” Psalm 103:3 says that God “forgives all your iniquities.” (See Ephesians 1:7; Matthew 1:21; Acts 13:38; 26:18 and Hebrews 9:2.) I John 2:12 says, “Your sins have been forgiven on account of His name.” Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Christ’s death not only gives us forgiveness of sin, but also the promise of ETERNAL LIFE. John 10:28 says, “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall NEVER perish.” John 3:16(NASB) says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

Eternal life begins when you accept Jesus. It is eternal, it does not end. John 20:31 says, “These are written unto you that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His Name.” Again in I John 5:13, God says to us, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” We have this as a promise from the faithful God, Who cannot lie, promised before the world began (see Titus 1:2.). Note also these verses: Romans 8:25-39 which says, “nothing can separate us from the love of God,” and Romans 8:1 which states, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.” This penalty was paid in full by Christ, once for all time. Hebrews 9:26 says, “But He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 10:10 says, “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” I Thessalonians 5:10 tells us we will live together with Him and I Thessalonians 4:17 says, “so shall we ever be with the Lord.” We know also that 2 Timothy 1:12 says, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”

So what happens when we do sin again, for if we are truthful, we know that believers, those who are saved, can and still do sin. In Scripture, in I John 1:8-10, this is very clear. It says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,” and, “if we say we have not sinned we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” Verses 1:3 and 2:1 are clear that He is talking to His children (John 1:12&13), the believers, not the unsaved, and that He is talking about fellowship with Him, not salvation. Read 1 John 1:1-2:1.

His death forgives in that we are saved forever, but, when we sin, and we all do, we see by these verses that our fellowship with the Father is broken. So what do we do? Praise the Lord, God has made provision for this also, a way to restore our fellowship. We know that after Jesus died for us, He also rose from the dead and is alive. He is our way to fellowship. I John 2:1b says, “…if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Read also verse 2 which says this is because of His death; that He is our propitiation, our just payment for sin. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us.” He intercedes on our behalf before the Father (Isaiah 53:12).

The good news comes to us in I John 1:9 where it says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgives us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Remember – this is the promise of God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). (See also Psalm 32:1&2, which tells that David acknowledged his sin to God, which is what is meant by confession.) So the answer to your question is that, yes, God will forgive us if we confess our sin to God, as David did.

This step of acknowledging our sin to God needs to be done as often as necessary, as soon as we are aware of our wrongdoing, as often as we sin. This includes bad thoughts that we dwell on, sins of failure to do the right thing, as well as actions. We should not run away from God and hide as Adam and Eve did in the garden (Genesis 3:15). We have seen that this promise of cleansing us from daily sin comes only because of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and for those who are born again into God’s family (John 1:12&13).

There are plenty of examples of people who sinned and fell short. Remember Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God also demonstrated His love, mercy and forgiveness for all of these people. Read about Elijah in James 5:17-20. God’s Word teaches us that God does not hear us when we pray if we regard iniquity in our hearts and lives. Isaiah 59:2 says, “Your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” Yet here we have Elijah, who is described as “a man of like passions as we are” (with sins and failures). Somewhere along the way God must have forgiven him, because God certainly answered his prayers.

Look at the forefathers of our faith – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. None of them were perfect, all of them sinned, but God forgave them. They formed God’s nation, God’s people and God told Abraham that his offspring would bless the entire world. All were people who sinned and failed just like us, but who came to God for forgiveness and God blessed them.

The nation of Israel, as a group, was stubborn and sinful, continuously rebelling against God, yet He never cast them away. Yes, they have often been punished, but God was always ready to forgive them when they sought Him for forgiveness. He was and is longsuffering to forgive over and over. See Isaiah 33:24; 40:2; Jeremiah 36:3; Psalm 85:2 and Numbers 14:19 which says, “Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquities of this people, according to the greatness of Thy mercy, and as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” See Psalm 106:7&8 also.

We have talked about David who committed adultery and murder, but he acknowledged his sin to God and was forgiven. He was punished severely by the death of his child but knew that he would see that child in Heaven (Psalm 51; 2 Samuel 12:15-23). Even Moses disobeyed God and God punished him by forbidding him entry to Canaan, the land promised to Israel, but he was forgiven. He appeared with Elijah from heaven on the mount of transfiguration, and was with Jesus. Both Moses and David are mentioned with the faithful in Hebrews 11:32.

We have an interesting picture of forgiveness in Matthew 18. The disciples asked Jesus how often they should forgive and Jesus said “70 times 7.” That is, “uncountable times.” If God says we should forgive 70 times 7, we surely can’t outdo His love and forgiveness. He will forgive more than 70 times 7 if we ask. We have His unalterable promise to forgive us. We only need to confess our sin to Him. David did. He said to God, “Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy site” (Psalm 51:4).

Isaiah 55:7 says, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him and to our God for He will freely pardon.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 says this: “If My people, who are called by My Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

God’s desire is to live through us to make victory over sin and godliness possible. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God IN Him.” Read also: I Peter 2:25; I Corinthians 1:30&31; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 3:9; I Timothy 6:11&12 and 2 Timothy 2:22. Remember, when you continue to sin your fellowship with the Father is broken and you must acknowledge your wrongdoing and come back to the Father and ask Him to change you. Remember, you cannot change yourself (John 15:5). See also Romans 4:7 and Psalm 32:1. When you do this your fellowship is restored (Read I John 1:6-10 and Hebrews 10).

Let’s look at Paul who called himself the greatest of sinners (I Timothy 1:15). He suffered through the problem of sin the same as we do; he kept sinning and tells us about it in Romans chapter 7. Maybe he asked himself this same question. Paul describes the situation of living with a sinful nature in Romans 7:14&15. He says it is “sin that dwells in me” (verse 17), and verse 19 says, “the good that I would, I do not and I practice the very evil that I do not wish.” In the end he says, “who shall deliver me?”, and then he learned the answer, “Thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (verses 24&25).

God doesn’t want us to live in such a way that we are confessing and being forgiven for the same particular sins over and over again. God wants us to overcome our sin, to be like Christ, to do good. God wants us to be perfect as He is perfect (Matthew 5:48). I John 2:1 says, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin…” He wants us to stop sinning and He wants to change us. God wants us to live for Him, to be holy (I Peter 1:15).

Although victory starts with acknowledging our sin (I John 1:9), we like Paul cannot change ourselves. John15:5 says, “Without Me you can do nothing.” We must know and understand Scripture to understand how to change our lives. When we become a believer, Christ comes to live in us through the Holy Spirit. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

Just as Romans 7:18 says, victory over sin and real change in our lives comes “through Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 15:58 says this in the exact same words, God gives us the victory “through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Galatians 2:20 says, “not I, but Christ.” We had that phrase for victory in the Bible School I attended, “Not I but Christ,” meaning, He accomplishes victory, not I in my self-effort. We learn how this is done by other Scriptures, especially in Romans 6&7. Romans 6:13 shows us how to do this. We must yield to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to change us. A yield sign means to allow (let) another person have the right of way. We must let (allow) the Holy Spirit to have the “right of way” in our life, the right to live in and through us. We have to “let” Jesus change us. Romans 12:1 puts it this way: “Present your body a living sacrifice” to Him. Then He will live through us. Then HE will change us.

Don’t be fooled, if you continue to sin it will affect your life, by missing out on God’s blessing and it could also result in punishment or even death in this life because, even if God forgives you (which He will), He may punish you as He did Moses and David. He may allow you to suffer the consequences of your sin, for your own good. Remember, He is just and righteous. He punished King Saul. He took his kingdom and his life. God will not allow you to get away with sin. Hebrews 10:26-39 is a difficult passage of Scripture, but one point in it is very clear: If we continue to willfully sin after being saved, we are trampling on the blood of Christ by which we were forgiven once for all and we can expect punishment because we are disrespecting Christ’s sacrifice for us. God punished His people in the Old Testament when they sinned and He will punish those who have accepted Christ who deliberately keep on sinning. Hebrews chapter 10 says this punishment could be severe. Hebrews 10:29-31 says “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Read I John 3:2-10 which shows us that those who are God’s do not continually sin. If a person continues to sin purposefully and go their own way, they should “test themselves” to see if their faith is really genuine. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test?”

2 Corinthians 11:4 indicates there are many “false gospels” which are not the Gospel at all. There is only ONE true Gospel, that of Jesus Christ, and which is totally apart from our good works. Read Romans 3:21-4:8; 11:6; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:4-6; Philippians 3:9 and Galatians 2:16, which says, “(We) know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law., because by the works of the law no one will be justified.” Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” I Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” If you are trying to get away with sinning, deliberately continuing to sin, you probably have believed some false gospel (another gospel, 2 Corinthians 11:4) based on some form of human behavior or good deeds, instead of the real Gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-4) which is through Jesus Christ our Lord. Read Isaiah 64:6 which says our good deeds are just “filthy rags” in God’s sight. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 2 Corinthians 11:4 says, “For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.” Read I John 4:1-3; I Peter 5:12; Ephesians 1:13 and Mark 13:22. Read Hebrews chapter 10 again and also chapter 12. If you ARE a believer, Hebrews 12 tells us God will rebuke and discipline His children and Hebrews 10:26-31 is a warning that “The Lord will judge His people.”

Have you really believed the true Gospel? God will change those who are His children. Read 1 John 5:11-13. If your faith is in Him and not your own good deeds, you are His forever and you are forgiven. Read I John 5:18-20 and John 15:1-8

All these things work together to deal with our sin and bring us to victory through Him. Jude 24 says, “Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” 2 Corinthians 15:57&58 says, “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” Read Psalm 51 and Psalm 32, especially verse 5 which says, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”