In Romans 6:33 the Apostle Paul noted that the penalty for sin IS eternal death. In 3:23 he notes that we all HAVE SINNED (past tense). Therefore, we all deserve eternal death for breaking God’s Ten Commandment Law. For this reason Christ came to earth with the intention of dying so as to erase man’s PAST sins (Rom. 5:8), a divine act Biblically known as “justification” which renders the penitent totally sinless, holy and righteous. This forgiveness is made available through God’s grace–His unearned favor. Notice that God’s grace is made available for the forgiveness of sins, not for the eradication of His divine Law by which He defines sin (1 Jn. 3:4).

Forgiveness of sin is not automatic upon repentance. God does not take our word that we will walk in obedience to His Law. We must prove ourselves to Him. Then, and only then does grace enter the situation. As we go forward remember this Biblical Truth: THE WAGES OF SIN IS ETERNAL DEATH. Christ’s death did not do away with that Law. Carefully read Hebrews 6:4-6. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you the importance of the Apostle Paul’s words.

While grace is a free, unmerited gift, it is both CONDITIONAL AND RELEVANT TO TIME. God requires certain things from us before He will extend His grace toward us. Jesus said that unless we REPENT we will all perish (Lk. 13:3,5). To REPENT means to TURN FROM SIN and to dedicate oneself to a TOTAL REVERSAL OF LIFE. Total change of one’s life from disobedience to obedience, from serving Satan and self to serving Father and Son is required in order to receive grace for the removal of all PAST sins. REPENTANCE MEANS TO CONQUER SIN–TO OVERCOME SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS TO SIN. Otherwise, one’s repentance is meaningless. Jesus said in Revelation 3:21 that only those who “OVERCOME (Satan) EVEN AS I OVERCAME (him) WILL SIT WITH ME ON MY THRONE” in the Kingdom of God. We must also overcome our own human nature, which is the origin of sin. The MAN Jesus of Nazareth had the same nature as all other men and had to overcome it. It is our nature that Satan appeals to and attacks with his temptations– His “fiery darts.” He knows we are human, that we all have “buttons,” and he knows which buttons to push. We will remain human until we are born again (transformed from flesh to spirit) at the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 10:22 that only those who endure (walk in holiness) to the end (of life or His return) will (then) be saved. Read what Jesus said in verses 21 and 22 about what His people must “endure” with while maintaining their holiness, which we must do in order to attain eternal life.

That grace is not given until we have proven ourselves to God is brought out in Acts 3:19: “Repent therefore and be CONVERTED (SO) THAT YOUR SINS MAY (THEN) BE BLOTTED OUT.” Note that conversion–total reversal of life–comes BEFORE our sins are forgiven through God’s grace. Salvation comes to those who, through spiritual growth unto spiritual maturity, overcome sin and remain in an overcoming status until death or Christ’s return, whichever comes first. The Holy Scriptures tell us that, prior to baptism, we must repent of our PAST sins and accept Christ’s shed blood as the death penalty for THOSE sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism symbolically washes away THOSE sins. The Holy Spirit is placed within us to provide the power needed to obey God–to CONVERT to a new way of life by overcoming Satan and our own human nature. “If a man is IN CHRIST he is a totally new creation. Old things have passed away, behold, ALL things have become (been made) new” (2 Cor. 5:17). The Apostle Paul completes this admonition in Ephesians 4:17-24. Read this passage carefully.

This is totally different from what is normally taught in church circles. We have been taught that repentance means to feel sorry for one’s past sins, and that one will feel equally sorry for all future sins, for which one will repent. This continuous ritual is then carried out until death ends it. This sin-repent, sin-repent cycle supposedly keeps the repentant sinner in God’s good graces until death. This is the mindset of so-called “Sinners Saved By Grace.”

Let us look at this theology from a common sense point of view. A judge has mercy on a repentant criminal and forgives his crime. He then tells the penitent that he can continue his criminal activity without fear of being held accountable. He need only repent following each crime. Does this make sense? Religious scholars tell people to accept Christ’s blood sacrifice not only for their past sins, but for all of their future sins which they MUST commit due to Adam’s sin transferal miracle. They are taught that forgiveness is just a repentance away. As one girl replied after going to mass:” “I’m good for another week.” But what do the Scriptures tell us?

In Romans 3:25 and Acts 2:38 we are told to accept Christ’s blood as payment to satisfy the death penalty earned as a result of our PAST sins. At this point God offers His grace to the penitent. Then baptism symbolically washes away all his past sins and imparts God’s Holy Spirit to empower the believer to live according to God’s Law. This requires CONVERSION TO A NEW WAY OF LIFE. This is not what is taught today. Contrary to popular opinion, being sorry for one’s sins and repenting of them is not all that is required. Notice the depth of David’s repentance as found in Psalm 51:11 where He begs God not to “take Your Holy Spirit from me.” Sin separates us from God (removes His Spirit from within us–Isa. 59:2). True sons of God are led by His Holy Spirit which resides within them (Rom. 8:14). Sin removes the Spirit, leaving them unable to be led by that Spirit, making them low hanging fruit for Satan. Recall what Jesus said to the prostitute whose sins He had forgiven. He commanded her to: “SIN NO MORE” (Jn. 8:11). He did not tell her to cut back on her whoredoms. Nor did He tell her to repent following each inevitable sin. He had extended grace toward her. Receiving His offer was an option. In order to receive and continue in grace she had to stop sinning (breaking His Law–1 Jn. 3:4).

Having accepted Christ’s shed blood for our past sins, shall we continue to sin and repent? Paul answers the question: “That as sin has reigned (over us) unto death (in the past), now grace can reign over us THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS (obedience to God’s Law) UNTO ETERNAL LIFE by Jesus Christ our LORD” (Rom. 5:21; 6:22). Notice that the END RESULT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS (NOT GRACE AND FAITH) IS SALVATION. Grace and faith are spiritual tools used to attain and maintain righteousness and holiness which, IF RETAINED UNTIL THE END, will result in eternal life.

In Romans 6:1,2 Paul asks: “What shall we say then? Shall we CONTINUE IN SIN so that God can extend His grace toward us? God forbid! How can we who are dead to sin live any longer in sin?” In verses 3 and 4 Paul describes what water baptism symbolizes. When we are put under water we are symbolically buried with Jesus Christ. When we come up out of the water we then walk with Him “IN NEWNESS OF LIFE” (vss 3,4)–in AGREEMENT WITH HIM (Amos 3:3). This necessitates a total reversal of life, from darkness to light, from unholiness to holiness. We become dead to (Satan’s temptations to) sin. The old man and his ways die at baptism because of God’s grace. Henceforth we must live unto (in obedience to) God in order to remain under grace. Notice that the sin-repent cycle is not mentioned. L.J.