“Absolutely not,” according to 2.5 billion Bible owners.  As one popular preacher proclaimed concerning all those Sinners Saved By Grace, “God is not mad at you” because of their inevitable sins which they have no choice but to commit thanks to Adam’s sin transferal miracle.  That false prophet, along with his religious compatriots, have 1) totally missed the point, 2) are totally ignorant of God’s Word 3) and have totally embraced Satan’s lies.  To get to the Lord’s Truth concerning His attitude toward those who break His Law–His definition of sin–let us consult the most purchased, most stolen, least understood book in the history of printing, which is the source of ALL spiritual Truth–GOD’S HOLY BIBLE.

First we need to understand the purposes of Christ’s death on the cross.  In reality, Christ died for three distinct reasons, each of which is necessary in order for His death to have any effect on a believer’s eternity.  First, He died so that our PAST sins could be forgiven, erased and viewed by God as never having been committed.  Second, He died so as to make available to true God seekers His Holy Spirit of power.  Third, He died so that true believers could put their old lives (“man”) to death and be created a “new man” that can walk through this life as did Jesus of Nazareth.

Let us study the first reason for Christ’s death.  The Apostle Paul identified this reason in Romans 3:25 where he says that Jesus died to erase (justify-vss 24,26) the believer’s PAST sins.  Keep the word “PAST” firmly in mind as we go forward in this ultimately important study, for Satan has caused the entire church world to miss God’s point concerning the forgiveness of sin.  As he did to Adam and Eve, Satan has convinced church people that God is a forgiveness machine Who, as one preacher said: “… can’t see through the (Christ’s) blood.”  Adam and Eve set the standard for false Christian theology when they thought they could sin and still inherit eternal life.  Too late, they realized that they had missed God’s point, that being that if they sinned they would die.

Paul pointed out in Romans 3:26: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life.”  The problem is that church people do not understand the “free gift” part of that double Truth.  Satan has them focused only on the free gift “headline” while directing them away from the “fine print” which instructs the believer on how to receive the gift.  Only believing in Jesus and His sacrifice is not enough.  Satan believes that.  God’s promised gift is meaningless unless we know, believe and obey His commands (Law–Genesis to Revelation).  See Ephesians 2:20.  No obedience–no salvation.  Faith (believing God’s Word–Rom. 10:19) without works (obedience of His Word) is dead faith (Jam. 2:14,17,18,20,24,26).  Faith is spiritual.  Those who have been justified (had PAST sins forgiven) live by their faith (Rom. 1:17) in “every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mat. 4:4).  Faith + sin = dead faith.  Dead faith = dead people.  Spiritually dead people (sinners saved by grace) will not receive eternal life unless they repent, convert and obey God’s Law until the end of their lives (Mat. 10:22).

By the above statements, along with many more found in the Scriptures, we know that in order to receive eternal life upon the return of Jesus Christ one must realize that faith alone cannot save one’s soul (Jam. 2:14).  Read Hope and Salvation.  Key word–Hope.  Paul notes that in this life one has only the HOPE OF SALVATION.  He then asks why one would hope for what he already has (Rom. 8:24).  Read Hebrews 11:1.  Until the return of Christ, one is only an heir of eternal life, not the possessor of eternal life.  Like a newborn child, the heir of the family business has no power, no authority, can make no decisions relative to the business, and must learn the ins and outs of the family business until he/she can run it like his/her father or mother.  One must work in the business until the parent steps aside and turns it over to him or her.  Only at that point does he/she officially receive the promise–the inheritance–and becomes the inheritor.  Until then he/she is only the “heir apparent.”  However, the promised inheritance is not guaranteed by virtue of birth.  The heir will receive the inheritance IF, AND ONLY IF he/she has proven him/herself worthy of the inheritance by following the father’s orders.

As stated, the first purpose of Christ’s death was to justify believers, to erase all of the PAST sins of those who truly repent and are determined to obey the Father until their death or Christ’s return, whichever comes first.  The question is, following repentance and justification, what next?  Contrary to universal church opinion, it is only by strict obedience to God’s Word/Truth/Law/Gospel following justification that the repentant convert can qualify for eventual salvation.  Until then one is an heir, not an inheritor.  An heir only has the promise of salvation; an inheritor already has that which was promised.

The Lord’s promised inheritance (eternal life) will be awarded to those who, throughout their converted lives, have proven themselves worthy of it through strict obedience to His Law.  Those who are obedient are “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17).  Along with Jesus, Who obeyed the Father while on earth, obedient believers will inherit first the earth, then the entire universe, along with Him.  Like Jesus, we must qualify in order to receive the inheritance.  Jesus was allowed to be mankind’s Savior and inherit the earth and the universe ONLY because He obeyed the Father.  His prayers were heard BECAUSE HE FEARED GOD (Heb. 5:7).  He feared that, as a man, He might fail.  He was victorious over Satan’s temptations ONLY because of the power of the Holy Spirit within Him.  He promises eternal life only to those who “… overcome (Satan) AS I OVERCAME (him) ….” (Rev. 3:21).  Jesus was a man and had to qualify as does any other man.   As a man like all other men (Heb. 4:15), He overcame Satan’s temptations ONLY because He possessed the power of the Holy Spirit.  He said: “I can do nothing of Myself” (by His own power)–Jn. 5:30.  Note that His ministry began ONLY AFTER HE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT (Mat. 3:16) at the time of His baptism.  Which brings us to reason #2 for Christ’s death on the cross.  L.J.