The second point relative to Christ’s commission from the Father involved two equally important acts, one of which was to enable holiness-seeking man to receive forgiveness of his sins.  This act is called “justification” and involves only one type of sin.  The Apostle Paul speaks to this miraculous, grace-based removal of transgressions in his letter to the church at Rome: “For all (of us) HAVE (in the past) sinned and (HAVE in the past) come short of the glory of God, being (now) JUSTIFIED freely by His GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Whom God sent to be the propitiation through faith for the FORGIVENESS of (our) PAST sins ….” (3:23-25).

JUSTIFICATION–FORGIVENESS OF ALL PAST SINS–IS A ONE-TIME OCCURANCE.  CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ONE TIME, at which time He forgives all sins committed before our justification and conversion (complete, 180 degree reversal of our life’s direction).  The church world does not understand this concept.  Rather, she “knows” that His death guarantees that, following her so-called “salvation experience,” she need only repent of each inevitable sin in order to maintain her father-child relationship with God.  There is no expectation of holiness on man’s part in that Christ died so as be become holy for us.  But is this what He said in His Holy Bible?

Let us do what Paul commanded Timothy to do: “Study (the Scriptures) to show yourself approved by God” (2 Tim. 3:14-17).  Note that the young evangelist had be approved by GOD, not man.  Also, note that Timothy the evangelist had to study God’s Word and obey it in order to please God so that he could BE SAVED.  If we are approved by church people we are not approved by God.  Church people despise God’s people.  Jesus sets the example for this Truth.  Jesus blessed thousands in many ways, but was accepted by only about 120.  The apostles did nothing but good for people.  All but John were martyred for their efforts.  And he was imprisoned “for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9).  And who was it that had all of them killed?  The religious leaders.  As went the priesthood, so went the people.  I can assure you that nothing has changed.  The church masses despise God’s Word, and therefore God Himself, Christ and anyone who speaks their Words (Lk. 10:16).  If Christ were on the earth today He would be rejected by professing Christendom for the same reason He was rejected 2000 years ago.  He spoke the Truth.  I have written a number of articles in the local newspaper and have spoken on a local radio station a number of times using only God’s Word.  Yet not once have I been asked to speak to a local congregation.  Why?  Because I tell people what God wrote in His Holy Scriptures.  I call it the Stephen Reaction Affliction.  The Jews stoned him for telling them what was written in their Scriptures.

Justification is a one-time action.  This does not mean that sins committed following conversion cannot be forgiven.  It does mean that they are viewed quite differently by the Almighty.  Paul explains the difference in his letters to the churches.  Question: if you developed lung cancer from smoking and were given two new lungs, would you go back to smoking?  Of course not, and for obvious reasons.  True conversion gives one a new “heart”–the Biblical word for “mind.”  Paul made this clear in Philippians 2:5 and 1 Corinthians 2:16 where he tells true converts that they “have the mind of Christ.”  He tells those who, though religious, continue to sin to “have the mind of Christ.”  True conversion entails the EXchange of mind, not merely a change of mind.  False conversion produces only a change of one’s mind which means that one knows the Truth about sin but refuses to turn away from it.  An EXchange of mind means that one resolves to stop sinning and  has received the mind of Christ which does not think about sin, but rather “flees from sin … and thereby will gain eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:11,12).  All words and acts–good and bad–begin in the mind as we are told in James 1:14,15: “A man is (self) tempted when he submits to his own lust and is (self) enticed.  And when (his) lust has conceived (embraced by him), it produces sin, which results in death.”  The apostle was writing these important words to Israelite Christians (vs 1,2) who were God’s “first-fruits” (first converts) (vs 18) who worshiped and served Jesus Christ as their Lord (2:1).

What happens when one who has received justification, has been converted and has received the Holy Spirit continues to sin?  Paul tells us that such a one “crucifies Christ afresh” with each sin (Heb. 6:6).  Peter compared such a one to a healed dog that laps up its own vomit and a cleansed sow that returns to wallowing in the mire (2 Pet. 2:22).  Recall what happened to Lot’s wife when she merely looked back at Sodom (with a longing for that life of sin).  In God’s eyes, she had returned to Sodom.  We know His reaction.  Recall what Jesus said about sexual lusting–a mental act.  In His eyes, the act happens and guilt is assessed.  What must He think about self-proclaimed “Sinners Saved By Grace” who don’t merely think about sinning, but proudly carry out the acts, all the while believing the “smooth things, lies and deceits” (Isa. 30:10) their hirelings tell them.  I heard one such hireling tell his congregation not to even think about obeying God, “you’ll just make yourself sick.”  This “minister of righteousness” runs one of those “come as your are, stay as you are: just love Jesus and perform the prescribed rituals and salvation is guaranteed” churches.  I am well aware of that theology.  I grew up in one of them.

In Hebrews 5:12-6:6 Paul states that one must know, believe and act on God’s Word in order to qualify for salvation.  Recall that he is writing to converted Israelites.  Paul chastises them, telling them that by that time in their lives they should be teachers of God’s Word, but that they were so immature that they needed to be taught “the first (elementary) principles of the oracles of God,” Scripturally known as “milk.”  They were not ready for the Lord’s “strong meat” that they should have already embraced.  As a result of their immaturity, they could not handle the “Word of righteousness.”  He goes on to tell them that “strong meat” belongs to those who are mature, who can discern good and evil and become righteous.  Because of their immaturity they must grow up and walk as holy men.  They must leave the “principles of the doctrine of Christ” such as “repentance of sin, faith in God, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment” (5:12-14).  Note that in 6:1,2 Paul told the Hebrew Christians that they should no longer need to be taught THE VERY THINGS CHURCH PEOPLE HEAR EVERY SUNDAY, SUNDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN THESE END TIMES.  By continuing to sin these baptized believers were “CRUCIFYING CHRIST AFRESH” and “PUTTING HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME” with each sin (6:6).  Nothing has changed.  Satan’s self-serving messages are broadcast around the world 24/7/365 and are proclaimed to be “God’s Word for His people.”  What the world is hearing is not the Lord’s Word, and those who believe what they hear are not His people.  Read All That Glitters.  Key word–Glitters.  The vast majority (99.99%) of those who claim to belong to God are counterfeit Christians.  Peter spoke to this Truth when he noted that God is judging the church now, and that only the righteous within the church will be saved (1 Pet. 4:17,18).  We can rest assured that all others in the church, like the five foolish virgins, were careful to repent after each sin.  The fact that with each sin they spiritually nailed Christ to the stake again, and again, and again …. ad infinitum is rarely known and never believed.  Next: part B of point 2 in which we will learn about the second thing Christ accomplished with His death.  Warning: church people despise this message.  L.J.