In Romans 6:1-13 the Apostle Paul tells church people that they CANNOT CONTINUE TO SIN (vs 1)–to break God’s Law (1 Jn. 3:4). Being “dead to sin,” they can no longer live with sin in their lives, but are to live unto God by making Jesus the LORD (MASTER) OF THEIR LIVES (vs 11). If He is not our LORD in this life He will not be our SAVIOR in the next life.

Now notice the next verse: “LET NOT SIN RULE YOU by obeying the desires of the flesh.” Like Adam and Eve and everyone born since Eden, man has free moral agency (will). If God controlled our will, we would be human robots.–religious AIs. Jesus of Nazareth had free moral agency. He CHOOSE to obey His Lord, knowing that it would result in a horrendous death. When death loomed just ahead Jesus asked His Father if there was another way to save mankind. There was not. He then said: “Nevertheless, not MY WILL but thine be done” (Lk. 22:42). Jesus had a will; He could have failed. Like any other human, His will was to live. But He voluntarily SUBMITTED HIS WILL to that of His Father, just as He had done for 31 years. Did He have God’s grace? Yes. But He still had to obey Him–His Law. Are we better than Christ?

That man has free will is stated in Romans 6:12 where Paul uses the word “Let” in reference to one’s will. He points out that we are not under the Law (its penalty of death) but under grace due to Christ’s death. The death penalty for our PAST (pre-conversion) sins has been removed, IF we are truly converted and cease from sinning. This does not mean that we can now sin without the death penalty coming into play. “THE WAGES OF SIN IS (NOW SPIRITUAL) DEATH.” “God forbids” us to even think that we can sin with impunity. If the speed law is 70 for a local highway, you are always under that law. However, you are not under that law’s penalty UNLESS YOU BREAK IT. The law remains in effect. We decide whether we will break it and pay (be under) the penalty, or obey it and not pay (be under) the penalty. The penalty for sin is always the same–death. Sinning places us under the (penalty of) the Law (Rom. 8:2). Having the Holy Spirit to empower us to obey God’s Ten Commandment Law (including #4), we choose to either live (obey it) or die (disobey it). We are “under the Law” (its death penalty) when we disobey it. We are not under the Law (its death penalty) if we obey it. God’s grace, which provides His Holy Spirit power, enables us to refrain from sinning. Our will determines whether we sin (and die spiritually) or obey (and live spiritually). Read Romans 8:2 again. Note that we are free from the Law of sin and death IF we obey the Law, not simply because we believe in God’s grace and have faith. Faith without WORKS (obedience) is death. Read James 2:10,14,17,18,20,24,26).

If we truly repent of our past sins and become converted (go the opposite way) through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are not under the DEATH PENALTY of the Law, but rather under grace because of Christ’s death. However, as Hebrews 10:26 tells us, if we know the Truth and continue to reject it (sin), “THERE IS NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS.” This means that Christ’s sacrifice does not apply to us. Recall that Jesus said He would die for His friends–those who “… do whatsoever I command you to do” (Jn. 15:13,14). When we sin we spiritually “sacrifice Christ afresh” with each sin. When we sin we spiritually drive the nails into His body. In the eyes of God, WE KILL HIS SON AGAIN, AND AGAIN …. (Heb. 6:6). All grace–no Law people do not believe Hebrews 6:6 and 10:26.

In verse 15 Paul, anticipating that some would misinterpret his grace–Law statements, asked: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under (the death penalty of) the Law but under grace?” His answer: “GOD FORBID.” SIN PLACES US BACK UNDER THE DEATH PENALTY. WE ARE UNDER GRACE AS LONG AS WE KEEP SIN OUT OF OUR LIVES. Billions of people “deceive themselves” by believing the deadly “all grace–no Law” theory preached by “condemned men who have sneaked into the church unaware.” Read Jude 4.

The Truth concerning grace, sin, conversion, life, death, etc. requires a goodly amount of “fine print” study. Through that type of study we find that God’s grace does not give us the right to live contrary to His Ten Commandment Law, which is still in effect as the apostles tell us repeatedly. If we continue to sin after conversion, then, as far as we are concerned, CHRIST DIED IN VAIN. Read Jude 4 again.

We cannot save ourselves. Neither can Christ do everything for us. But if, after accepting the blood of Jesus, we submit our will to God’s will and obey His Law, Christ’s life lived in us through the power of the Holy Spirit CAN and WILL save us IF we continue to “walk as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6) until the end of our lives (Mat. 10:22). Upon His return His Very Elect will be resurrected, born again (changed from flesh to spirit) and awarded eternal life. As was the case with the angels, Adam and Eve and their descendants, the choice belongs to us.

Let us turn to an Old Testament passage that has much to say about God’s people, sin and its consequences, etc. God’s people embrace the Old Testament because the messages recorded therein were preserved to be used for “our instruction upon whom the ends of the world have come”–the modern day church (1 Cor. 10:11) which was built on the teachings of both the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles (Eph. 2:20). The testaments were formulated by “Holy men of old spoke (and wrote) as they were moved upon by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). Only those who believe and obey what they spoke and wrote will inherit eternal life (1 Pet. 4:17,18).

In 2 Chronicles 7:12-15 God tells Solomon that HE (God) sends punishment on “MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME” because of their sins (vs 13). GRACE WAS/IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE. Then notice what He says in verses 14 and 15. IF His people will FIRST humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their sins, THEN He will forgive their sins; THEN He will heal their land; THEN He will see them; THEN He will hear them. Nothing has changed. Grace comes into play ONLY AFTER PEOPLE humble themselves, pray, seek His face and TURN FROM THEIR SINFUL WAYS IN TRUE CONVERSION. Though grace is always available, it is not given automatically upon belief in its existence.

As stated in the previous posting, like a rope thrown to a drowning man, grace itself saves no one. Grace empowers one to live in such a way that one can receive salvation. God’s grace enables us to BE HUMBLE, TO PRAY, TO SEEK HIS FACE, TO TURN FROM OUR SINS, TO BE SEEN AND HEARD BY HIM AND TO QUALIFY FOR SALVATION UPON THE RETURN OF HIS SON. The key Word is “IF.” “IF” involves obedience or disobedience relative to His Law He has written in our hearts by His Holy Spirit. Read Jeremiah 31:31-34. Hebrews 8:8-12 proves that GOD’S NEW COVENANT CHURCH IS SPIRITUAL ISRAEL–“THE ISRAEL OF GOD” (Gal. 6:16). Read these passages carefully. God’s true, end-time church has the Ten Commandment Law written in their hearts by His Holy Spirit, making them His true Israel. The word “Israel” means “power with God.” That power is God’s Holy Spirit (Lk. 1:35/ Acts 1:8). L.J.