In Romans 5:8-10 the Apostle Paul made a statement in which two words–“HIS (CHRIST’S) LIFE“–places the salvation situation on a completely different level from where it has rested, unchallenged for some 1900 years. In this posting we will work our way to those Words and their true meaning which has been hidden by Satan from many generations of parishioners.

In verse 8 Paul tells us that Jesus died for us while we WERE SINNERS. The word “were” is significant because it reveals the power of Satan over the religious beliefs and doctrines of professing Christendom. “Were” means that God’s true saints were, but are no longer sinners in that they have been justified (made righteous) and have retained their justification (righteousness) by obeying God’s Law/Word/Gospel/Truth. Satan’s false prophets tell us that, due to Adam’s sin gene transferal miracle, righteousness is not possible, and that, even if it was possible, it is not necessary. In the series titled Bait and Switch (key word–Bait) I explain how the devil causes church people to leave God’s righteous “track” and transfer to the devil’s saved sinners “track” without realizing what they have done. This trick is completed by making people believe that righteousness is not necessary (or even possible) relative to salvation, and that Jesus, knowing this, died so that people could do what comes natural (sin) without bearing any guilt. The process is simple: sin at will, repent, sin-repent, sin-repent … until death, at which time God will give them one last sin-cleansing as they soar up to heaven. An old church hymn puts the system to music and assures us that no matter how many times we sin, “He’ll always say, ‘I forgive.'”

This is heresy–a Satanic lie used by the enemy to deceive the entire church world, with the exception of God’s tiny remnant–His “Little Flock” of true saints. God has always had a remnant of faithful saints whom the rest of the church world rejects because darkness hates light which exposes it. Nothing has changed. The church hates God’s people. You will learn this Truth if you truly sell out to the Lord. Read Matthew chapter 10 and the series titled Persecution. Key word–Persecution.

Obviously, Satan’s “everything for nothing” theology has great appeal to those who want eternal life without meeting the Lord’s conditions for receiving it. Before embarking on that holiness journey, God has two warnings: 1) “count the cost” (Lk. 14:28) of true discipleship, then 2) be ready to “take up your cross” and follow Him (Mat. 16:24) into war, which is the “cost.”. The walk of Crist is a spiritual war as Satan will tempt the true convert relentlessly, just as He did to Jesus. WE MUST WIN THAT WAR BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.

But that is not what we are told from pulpit and podium. Satan’s messengers tell us that, following our supposed “salvation/ born again experience,” we are still sinners, thanks to Adam. However, now we can get away with sinning because Jesus (or Mary) “takes care of” our sins, thereby enabling us to sin again, and again, and again. We are told that all is well as long as we repent for each sin. Read the series titled Is Divine Forgiveness Automatic? Key word–Divine. One local preacher told his local and t.v. congregation: “Don’t even try to be righteous; you’ll just make yourself sick. You’re noting but a society of sinners.” And Satan smiled, knowing that if their fellow churchites located throughout the earth had heard him proclaim that blasphemy, they would all have agreed with him.

In verse 9 Paul states that, because the people had been JUSTIFIED (MADE RIGHTEOUS AND HAVE REMAINED RIGHTEOUS) BY CHRIST’S BLOOD, they would be saved from God’s wrath. Notice that CHRIST SHED HIS BLOOD IN ORDER TO MAKE JUSTIFICATION (not salvation) AVAILABLE through God’s GRACE.. In verses 8 and 10 Paul states a Truth that is overlooked by Bible readers. There he states that SINNERS (INCLUDING CHURCH SINNERS) ARE GOD’S ENEMIES. Sin separates us from God (Isa. 59:2), meaning that, if we have sin in our lives, we cannot walk with Him in ONENESS/AGREEMENT (Amos 3:3). Justification (removal of all PAST sins) RECONCILES/ATONES (VS 11) US TO GOD. Then, having received justification (righteousness, reconciliation and atonement–vs 11), “WE SHALL BE (LATER) SAVED BY HIS LIFE.” Note that Christ’s blood makes justification available through God’s grace. However, WE “SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE” IF, AND ONLY IF we retain our justified/righteous status by OBEYING HIS LAW. As a man, Jesus had to obey the Father’s commandments in order to retain His (God’s) love. Are we better than Jesus? Read John 15:10. Notice that we remain in Christ’s love ONLY IF WE OBEY THE TEN COMMANDMENT LAW, just as Jesus remained in God’s love ONLY BY OBEYING THOSE SAME COMMANDMENTS. Notice that commandment #4 is not excluded.

In verses 16 and 17 Paul makes the “we shall be saved by His life” statement more clear. Only those who seek Bible Truth relative to receiving salvation truly appreciate Paul’s Holy Spirit-inspired words. As Jesus said, these saints are few in number. Why? BECAUSE SALVATION MUST BE EARNED BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Notice that the Lord, through Paul, states in verse 16 that God’s gift of JUSTIFICATION (called RIGHTEOUSNESS in verse 17) is graciously given to former sinners for a specific reason–SO THAT THEY CAN “REIGN (RULE) IN THIS LIFE.”

Churchman does not want to reign (rule Satan) in this life. He wants to be ruled by Satan (to sin), then have Jesus or Mary make the sins disappear. Being spiritually liberal, churchman “knows” that this is the way the salvation system works. I read about a youth pastor who is ahead of his contemporaries on the “fun” situation. He maintains that Jesus wants His people to “have fun.” Fornication is fun. Therefore, his parishioners are free to fornicate all they want, that God is happy when they are happy. Look for this to become the religious wave of the future. But Paul tells us that we are to REIGN (RULE) IN THIS LIFE.

The question now is: REIGN/RULE OVER WHAT? The answer is provided by Jesus Himself in Revelation 3:21: TO ACHIEVE SALVATION MAN MUST REIGN/RULE OVER (“OVERCOME”) SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS. Here Jesus states that only those who OVERCOME (REIGN/RULE OVER SATAN) IN THIS LIFE WILL JOIN HIM (JESUS) IN THE NEXT LIFE. This Truth is confirmed in First John 2:6 where the apostle states that if we call ourselves Christ’s spiritual brethren, we must “walk even as He walked” during His time on earth. Romans 5:21 establishes the “WE MUST REIGN OVER THE DEVIL IN ORDER TO BE SAVED” Truth. He states that, just as sin reigned over us unto death when we were sinners, now, having been justified (made righteous), we must REIGN OVER SIN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS LIFE THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WILL RESULT IN ETERNAL LIFE. In other words, to be saved, WE MUST WALK THROUGH THIS LIFE AS JESUS WALKED THROUGH THIS LIFE. Read Romans 5:21 and 6:22. Notice that SALVATION IS THE END RESULT OF A LIFE LIVED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS AS JESUS LIVED HIS LIFE.

That is what Paul meant by the statement: “WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE.” WE WILL BE SAVED BY LIVING AS JESUS LIVED—IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAW FOLLOWING OUR JUSTIFICATION. READ JOHN 14:15 AND 15:10 VERY CAREFULLY. Notice that We must prove our love for Jesus by obeying God’s Law, just as He, as a man, had to prove His love for God by obeying His Law. WE WILL BE SAVED ONLY IF WE MANIFEST THE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST IN THIS LIFE BY MAKING HIM OUR LORD AND MASTER. IF WE DO THAT HE WILL BECOME OUR SAVIOR UPON HIS RETURN TO EARTH.

Making Him our Savior in this life is wishful thinking. This is like a little leaguer day-dreaming about being a big leaguer. He will become a big leaguer only IF HE DOES what is necessary to make his dream come true. Only a small percentage of little leaguers make it to the “bigs.” Jesus said the same thing about entering the Kingdom of God. Read The Three Resurrections and The Kingdom of God. Key words–Three and Kingdom respectively. Let us obey the Law so as to be involved in the First Resurrection. Only those who rise to meet Him in the air at that time will descend with Him to the Mount of Olives, then enter Jerusalem where He will create the Kingdom of God from which He and they will spend eternity.

Read Forgiveness: Bible Truth Versus Church Truth. Key word–Forgiveness.

One of the passages used by the church to “prove” that man is saved in this life is Romans 5:18,19 where Paul states that because of one man’s sin, God’s judgement came upon all of mankind, meaning that sin came upon the earth and was made available to all of its inhabitants (vs 18). This does not mean that all men must sin and be judged for doing so. Remember Adam and Eve’s son Abel whom Jesus called “righteous” (Mat. 23:35). Because of Adam’s sin, all of mankind has access to sin. In verse 19 he says that by one man’s (Adam’s) sin, many were “made sinners.” This is where the “sin is natural to man because of Adam” group get their “born sinners” theory. That statement APPEARS to confirm that theory. But notice the rest of the verse which states that because of Christ’s death, the FREE GIFT OF JUSTIFICATION was made available to all who chose to sin. Paul says the same thing in verse 19. In the first part he states that Adam’s sin makes many into sinners (because they choose to sin). Notice that Satan could not force Adam and Eve to sin. SIN WAS THEIR CHOICE. In the second part of verse 19 Paul states that Christ’s death makes many righteous (because they do not choose to sin following justification). Contrary to popular opinion, Paul is not saying that, because of Adam’s sin, every human being inherits Adam’s sin. If that were so, then Christ’s death automatically made every human being righteous (vs 19). Read “Why is the Bible so Confusing?” #1 Original Sin. Key word–Original. Also read Sin Is a Choice. Key word–Choice.

In summary: Justification (removal of all past sins) is awarded by God’s grace and man’s faith, thereby making man sinless–righteous. Following justification, true conversion (total reversal of life) is the next step on the path to an eternal paradise. We will arrive there IF we retain our justified (righteous) “walk” (life-style) until death. Then, upon Christ’s return to earth, we will be saved and born again. In First John 2:1 the apostle is instructing his disciples SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SIN. But IF someone happens to sin, Jesus, having been tempted, will advocate for him. We all have sinned as we grew in faith and righteousness. However, just as a child stumbles often as he is learning to walk, there comes a time when stumbling must end. Sin should be so rare that, IF a saint happens to sin, it will stun him/her and drive him/her to his/her knees. Read First John 2:27-3:10 and 2:3-5. Let us be about obeying God in this life so that we can join Him and His Son in the next life. L.J.