The whole of Catholicism/Protestantism (Sinners Saved By Grace–SSBG) claims that, thanks to Romans 6:23, the only difference between their pre-salvation lives and their post-salvation lives is that they now their sins are turned into righteousness upon repentance.  Having been forgiven for their most recent sin, they are cleared for the next sin.  Over time this creates a sin-repent-sin-repent cycle that lasts until their final breath, at which time Jesus gives them one final cleaning as they are whisked up to heaven.  This series will reveal God’s attitude toward this theology.  It will highlight what He said through the apostles about the SSBG’s pre-salvation lives.  Then we will compare that with what He says about true Christians’ post-conversion lives.  We will begin by examining what the Lord, through the Apostle Paul, said leading up to Romans 6:23.  Note how many times Paul refers to church members lives before conversion.  Later we will highlight the total change that takes place upon conversion.  SSBG claim that one’s life does not changed after being “saved,” that sin continues to play an important part in the Christian’s “walk” and that the only difference is that now they are immune from punishment for their sins.  This perverted version of the gospel proves that Satan is in absolute control of professing Christendom.

The deception surrounding Romans 6:23 begins in Romans 4:24,25 with the word “imputed” as it applied to the patriarch Abraham.  We are told that Abraham believed–had faith in–what God told him, and that because of his faith, God forgave all of his past sins (justified him), which rendered him sinless–righteous.  Abraham’s justification was “imputed” (granted) to him based solely on his faith–belief in God’s Words.  But, as the Scriptures reveal, faith alone is not enough to convert the soul.  Notice that, following the forgiveness of his sin, ABRAHAM OBEYED GOD AND THEREBY REMAINED JUSTIFIED.   Nothing has changed, “For it is not the hearers of the Law who are justified before God, but the DOERS OF THE LAW SHALL (CONTINUE TO) BE JUSTIFIED” (Rom. 2:13).  Concerning justification, it is not a “one time for all time” situation.  Salvation is a process that requires a continuous “walk” that is characterized by obedience to God.

Prior to meeting God, Abraham was a heathen who worshiped several gods.  Upon meeting the Lord Abraham believed His Words and was converted–he changed from obeying Satan to obeying God.  He stopped sinning.  Today, true converts “walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham” (Rom. 4:12).  Like him, they STOP SINNING.  Nothing changed when Abraham’s God came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth.  Recall that He told the man at Bethesda and the prostitute to “SIN NO MORE” (Jn. 5:14; 8:11).  This was not a play on words.  Through His Word He issues the same command to modern day converts.  To stop sinning we must know what sin is and how to avoid it.  For this reason we obey God’s command to study His Word in order to show ourselves approved by Him ( 2 Tim. 2:15).  To be one with Him He must approve of us.  We can gain His approval only by obeying Him–His Word.  To obey His Word we must know His Word.  This requires study on an individual basis.  Such study of His Word reveals the holiness He requires of us.  God commands holiness, not sin.  SSBG disagree.  As one bastion of the church said: “God doesn’t like sin, but He won’t do anything about it.”  Why did this person believe such an anti-Biblical doctrine? Because her false prophets had taught her that, because she was part of a religious group, Jesus automatically made her sins go away.  Her only responsibility was to believed in Him and repent.  However,  Judas believed in Jesus.  Annanias and Sapphira believed in Him.  Satan and his demons believe in Him.  However, their faith was not accompanied by good works. Faith without works (obedience) is dead faith (Jam. 2:14,17,18,20,26).  Dead faith produces dead people.  SSBG are spiritually dead.

In Romans 5:6,8,10,12 we are told that Christ died for the UNGODLY … that we WERE SINNERS … that we WERE GOD’S ENEMIES in the days when we SINNED.  Notice that those statements all referred to the time BEFORE OUR CONVERSION.  Romans 3:25 tells us that Christ died for the remission of the sins we committed in the PAST.  SSBG tell us that, due to Adam’s sin, the saved must continue to sin just as they did before they were saved, that salvation does not change their moral life.  If this is so, why did Paul say that we WERE sinners, that we WERE God’s enemies, that we HAVE (in the past) sinned?  If SSBG are right, he would have said that true Christians ARE sinners, that they ARE God’s enemies and that they do SIN now, but that Jesus makes their inevitable sins go away.  Paul said the opposite, as did the prophets, Jesus and the other apostles.

Let us take God’s Word at face value.  Let us not, as do SSBG, filter out the parts that do not exalt our moral failures.  Let us not formulate our theology based on our experiences.  Let us learn why we sin, what to do to fix the problem, and DO IT.  Let us not follow the church into deeper and deeper sin as we see her doing.  Let us understand God’s Word, believe it and obey it.  His formula for a holy “walk” is this: We believe God’s Word (have faith), which, due to His grace, prompts Him to forgive our past sins (justify us).  This enables us to be converted and to receive the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit empowers us to overcome Satan’s call to sin, which enables us to keep sin out of our lives.  Scripturally this is referred to as being “dead to sin.”  Just as a corpse is dead to a disease attack, one who is “dead to sin” is not affected by Satan’s siren call.  Does this allow us to sin?  Romans 6:2,11 Paul asks and answers the question: “Shall we continue to sin because of God’s grace?  God forbid.  How can we who are dead to sin continue to sin?”  SSBG reject this Law, citing the Romans 6:23 mistranslation as the “proof” that God lied.  L.J.