Before delving into this extremely important topic we need to define the Biblical terms with which we will be dealing. JUSTIFICATION: the removal from the individual of all PAST sins (Rom. 3:25). SIN: the transgression/breaking of God’s Ten Commandment Law (1 Jn. 2:6). RIGHTEOUSNESS: the absence of sin due to justification by God’s grace (Rom. 3:24). GRACE: unearned favor from God (1 Pet. 5:6). CONVERSION: the total reversal of life (2 Cor. 5:17). SALVATION: the award given to those who have been justified (made righteous) and remain so until the end of their lives (Mat. 10:22). For those who believe that converted people cannot lose their status with God, read Hebrews 6:4-6. Read Second Thessalonians 2:3. The “falling away” Paul is referring to is the church’s “great falling away” from God before the return of Jesus Christ. This is what is called the church’s “apostasy.” Read the series using the word Apostasy. All errors discussed in this series have two root causes–Satan and man’s desire to serve him. As in the Garden of Eden, man’s downfall begins by embracing Satan’s way and rejecting God’s way which He has preserved in writing in the Holy Bible. In Exodus 19:5 God–the Word Who became Jesus of Nazareth–required the Israelites to obey His way which He then wrote in stone. His requirements for being His people have not changed. But man has other ideas.

One of the most deadly mistakes made by all but a very few believers (God’s true saints-His church) is the failure to distinguish between JUSTIFICATION/RIGHTEOUSNESS and SALVATION. Second on the mistake list is the church’s failure to distinguish between the RIGHTEOUSNESS that results from the grace-based act of JUSTIFICATION (Rom. 3:24) and the RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT MUST BE MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT LIFE THAT WILL RESULT IN SALVATION. Third on the list of errors is the failure to distinguish between CONVERSION and SALVATION/REBIRTH.

ERROR NUMBER ONE is universally embraced as “thus says the Lord.” The problem is that the Lord says the exact opposite relative to JUSTIFICATION and SALVATION. The serpent of Eden deceived Adam and Eve into believing that, because they were created by God, knew Him and talked with Him face-to-face, that they did not need to obey His Law (Gen. 2:16,17; 3:2,3). Therefore they sinned–broke His Law. Their descendants, with rare exception, have followed in their spiritual footsteps, and for the same reason: THEY OBEYED THE WILL OF SATAN AND REJECTED THE WILL OF GOD. Following the death of Christ and the establishment of the New Testament Church, it did not take Satan long to infiltrate her as the letters of the apostles to the churches confirm.

The most deadly error embraced by the church involves the JUSTIFICATION VERSUS SALVATION DECEPTION. Justification takes place when God, solely by His grace, forgives all of the repentant sinner’s PAST sins (Rom. 3:24,15), thereby rendering him/her RIGHTEOUSNESS. The problem arises when justified people believe that they have been saved and born again. The Biblical Truth of the matter is that justification renders one righteous, meaning FREE FROM ALL PAST SINS. Justification does not make one free TO sin in the FUTURE and get away with it due to God’s grace and Christ’s death. Though nothing could be further from the truth relative to the justification=salvation ruse, nothing is more adamantly believed within the church community.

ERROR NUMBER TWO occurs at two DIFFERENT TIMES and RESULTS in two DIFFERENT OUTCOMES. Both, however, involve God’s eternal Ten Commandment Law which, if not obeyed, creates sin, which in turn creates the need for justification (the forgiveness of all PAST sins–Rom. 3:24,25) which results in righteousness–the absence of sin. This is the FIRST TYPE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which is received at the point of justification. Through God’s grace all of our past sins are removed from us and cast as far from us as “east is from west.” The righteousness that is generated in us is in no way related to obedience to God’s Law. It is the gift of God based on His grace–unmerited favor. This act on God’s part prepares us to for righteousness number two. This righteousness is manifested as we obey the Law throughout the remainder of our lives. We can do this only by the power of the Holy Spirit, which brings us to the next church error.

ERROR NUMBER THREE involves CONVERSION–the total reversal of life from living as a slave of Satan to living as a slave of the Lord. The receiving of justification and righteousness via God’s grace is the easy part. As this series will reveal, it is one thing to be MADE RIGHTEOUS by the grace of God through justification, but quite another thing to REMAIN JUSTIFIED/RIGHTEOUS by obeying the Law because there is another god who does everything in his power to prevent us from obeying the Biblical God. His name is Satan/the serpent.

Adam and Eve were made righteous by God’s grace. However, they failed to remain righteous by obeying Him. God does not change. What He required of them He requires of us. They were given the opportunity to partake of the TREE OF LIFE which would have given them the Holy Spirit. Instead, they choose to eat the forbidden fruit. The rest is history.

Like Adam and Eve, we have the option of which “fruit” to “eat.” Contrary to the beliefs of so-called “sinners saved by grace,” we cannot dine at both the Lord’s table and at Satan’s table. Jesus says to those in the modern-day (Laodicean) Church that they are not what they believe themselves to be. Read His letter to them in Revelation 3:14-20 where He describes today’s Christianity perfectly. The act of CONVERSION provides the Holy Spirit for the convert. Through the Spirit one reverses life’s “walk” and goes in the opposite spiritual direction. Old ways are put to death; we become new creations of God (Rom. 6:6/ 2 Cor. 5:17). It is only through the power of the Spirit that we can overcome Satan’s temptations to sin. True conversion must follow true justification to have the power to obey the Law throughout the remainder of our lives. Only those who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, overcome Satan and obey God’s Law (Rev. 3:21) will rise to meet Jesus upon His return to earth to establish His Father’s kingdom where He, His Son and their loyal saints will spend eternity. Read The Three Resurrections and The Kingdom of God. Key words–Three and Kingdom respectively.

It is at the time of our resurrection that we will be saved and born again. Until that time we have the HOPE OF SALVATION. Read Hope and Salvation and Born Again. Key words–Hope and Born. L.J.