In Romans 3:25 we learned that upon the realization, confession and true repentance of one’s sins the Almighty forgives all of one’s PAST (previously committed–NKJV) sins. At that point one is justified–cleansed of all sins committed up to that point in one’s life. It is here that billions of Bible readers, having been told that they now know all they need to know about sin and forgiveness, leave God and join Satan who convinces them that they need not study any more on the subject. As a result they fail to follow God’s rules for Bible study as recorded in Isaiah 28:9,10. First He characterizes those who are able to learn His Truth (Word–Jn. 17:17) as: “They who are weaned from milk and taken from the breast”–mature, earnest Truth seekers. Then He describes His method of learning His Truth: “for precept (a Truth) must be studied after precept, precept after precept, line (a Truth) after line, line after line, here a little (message), there a little.” The precepts/lines/messages that must be studied and understood relative to sin and forgiveness are found in Romans 6:10/ Hebrews 7:27; 10:10/ 1 Peter 3:18 where we are told that Jesus of Nazareth died ONE TIME FOR ALL SINS OF THE PAST (Rom. 3:25). Notice that God does not mention the forgiveness of future sins. Why? Because we are commanded to do what Jesus commanded the forgiven prostitute to do: “SIN NO MORE.” Which is the same thing He told the man whom He healed at the pool at Bethesda. He is telling us the same thing–He is no respecter of persons; what He commands one He commands all. Why did He tell us that, once justified, we must quit sin totally in order to inherit salvation? The answer is found in Hebrews 6:6 where He warns us that, following justification (forgiveness of all past sins), every time we sin we CRUCIFY HIM AGAIN. This is yet another precept/line that is ignored by professing Christendom. Churchites are shocked to learn that this statement (precept/line) is in the Bible. However, they are not shocked enough to believe it and react accordingly. And why should they? Are they not all saved, born again and rapture ready? And Satan smiles.

The prevailing attitude toward sin following justification was expressed by a pillar of the church: “God doesn’t like sin, but He won’t do anything about it.” According to this churchite, all one need do is repent following each sin. Once freshly cleansed, one is free to “sin some more.” A college friend said that he didn’t bother to repent following each sin, but that he “saved them up” and repented all of them at once. These two glory-bound believers were members of the same Protestant denomination which, by the way, is “the only one that is going to heaven.” Then there was the Catholic who boasted upon leaving mass, “Well, I’m good for another week,” meaning that she was free to sin at will for seven more days when she would then repent, get cleansed, etc.  All three of these people, along with a few billion more, claim to be “saved and born again.” This proves that Jesus was right: “Satan has deceived the whole world.” This brings us to 1 John 2:1 where “the disciple whom Jesus loved” destroys a major stone upon which Catholicism/Protestantism is built.

In 1 John 2:1 we find the apostle laying waste to Satan’s “Adam-made-me-sin;” “Jesus-died-for-my-sins;” “I’m-just-a-sinner-saved-by-grace” false beliefs that permeate professing Christendom. Here John said that he was writing to the church “SO THAT YOU WILL NOT SIN.” Jesus had John to write to the church the exact same thing He Himself spoke to the prostitute and the man healed at the pool–that, their PAST sins having been forgiven, they were to “SIN NO MORE.” 

Then John drives another nail into Satan’s “You were born a sinner, are infected with Adam’s sin gene and therefore have no choice but to sin” mind-set. His nail consists of two letters: IF. Note in 2:1 that he says “And IF anyone sins ….” The word “if” denotes choice. The decision as to whether one sins or not is in the hands of the individual. Jesus was no exception, as the following will reveal.

As I prove in the series titled Jesus of Nazareth: God, Man or God-man? Jesus was 100% human. Being born of a human mother, He inherited the same spiritual and physical characteristics as do all human beings. As a normal man He was tempted and tested exactly as are all men, “yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Not one time did He fail His Father. We are told that at times he cried out to the Father for help with loud wailings and tears (Heb. 5:7). Why? Because He was being tempted and tested like we cannot imagine–YET WITHOUT SIN. Jesus was saved (from failing) by the Father BECAUSE HE FEARED HIM. If He had failed He would have died just like any other man, in which case God would have had to live throughout eternity alone. Verse 8 tells us that Jesus had to LEARN TO OBEY THE FATHER just like any other man. So, does He expect us to bear up under tremendous testing and to resist, even unto death if necessary? Yes. Listen to His Words to us as written by John: “If we call ourselves by His name we must WALK (LIVE) AS HE WALKED” (1 Jn. 2:6). He tells us in Revelation 3:21 that if we are to sit with Him on His throne in the kingdom of God we must “… overcome (Satan) even as I overcame and (therefore) have set down by My Father Who sits on His throne.”

WE HAVE BEEN LIED TO BY SATAN’S FALSE PROPHETS. The so-called Christian world hears the same lies repeated ad nauseum day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year. If we are to have any chance for eternal life we must reject the lies; turn from sin; come out of the false church system; embrace God; enter His strait gate and walk His narrow way that leads to His kingdom. All other “ways” are of Satan. L.J.