In Mark 14:22-24 we find Jesus of Nazareth symbolically referring to what He had said in Jeremiah 31:31 when He prophesied about a New Covenant that He would provide for His Very Elect saints in the future. In Mark 24 He is having His final meal with the disciples (soon to be apostles–“sent ones”) whom the Father had given Him. These were the men (less one) whom He would send throughout the world to tell Truth seekers about that New Covenant. During their final meal He uses wine to symbolically represent His blood–“the blood of the New Covenant”–that would be shed for the sins of those who would obey Him until His return to earth to establish His Father’s kingdom in which His Very Elect would live forever with Him and their Father. He then used unleavened bread to represent His body (His Words/Law/Gospel) which the saints would “eat” (believe and obey), thereby empowering them to qualify for salvation and rebirth (be born again). His physical body would have an additional benefit for true believers. Having been beaten unlike any man had ever suffered, it would provide for their physical healing (Isa. 53:5).

In First John 2:1 the apostle is writing to the church about another benefit of “eating” Christ’s flesh (His Holy Words) which he (John) has been preaching and writing to the newly-founded church. Note that he instructs believers in the ways of God “SO THAT YOU DO NOT SIN” (break God’s Law–1 Jn. 3:4). Then he adds a short, but extremely important statement: “IF SOMEONE HAPPENS TO SIN,” Jesus would be his/her Advocate with the Father. Note that John used the word “IF” not “when” in reference to sinning. Read Sin Is A Choice. Key word–Choice. Satan cannot force us to do what we do not want to do.

Recall that the two primary problems mentioned relative to the New Covenant were (are): 1) What the covenant contained (God’s Law) which the Institutional Church proclaims was “nailed to the cross” and is therefore not part of the Christian “walk” (lifestyle), and 2) when did (will) the New Covenant come into effect for the church. Those in professing Christendom claim that it will not be in effect until Christ returns during the First Resurrection–the Resurrection of God’s HOLY ONES which the church calls a “rapture. I contend that God’s Very Elect saints are living under the New Covenant now. Read The Rapture. Key word–Rapture.

The conflict involving WHEN the New Covenant came (will come) into effect revolves around a statement made by the Apostle John in his first epistle, third chapter, verse nine where he writes: “WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD DOES NOT SIN for His (God’s) seed (Words) abides in him and HE CANNOT SIN because he is BORN OF GOD.” That statement involves two vitally important subjects: 1) being UNABLE TO SIN and 2) being BORN OF GOD. I believe that those within professing Christendom are wrong relative to both of those subjects, along with many other subjects as this website is dedicated to proving. We will now “fine print” those two subjects in order to find God’s Truth using His study method as recorded in Isaiah 28:9-13.

Such a search will involve the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit, both of which God gives to His truly converted children (Acts 1:8/ Rom. 8:14)–His Very Elect saints. Recall that Jesus of Nazareth neither preached a sermon nor performed a miracle until He received the Holy Spirit at the time of His baptism at the age of 29 (Jn. 1:32). Only then did He enter into his assigned ministry which consisted of preaching the Kingdom of God message (Mk. 1:14) and performing miracles. Not even the Son of God could minister effectively without the Holy Spirit’s power which enabled Him to prove that He was indeed the Son of God. It is through that same power, coupled with their obedience to God’s Word, that His modern-day ministers prove that they are also sons of God (Rom. 8:14/ Acts 1:8). Now we will focus on First John 3:9,10.

Relative to those operating under the New Covenant being UNABLE TO (“CANNOT”) SIN we must understand exactly what the English word “cannot” means in the original Greek language–the language in which the New Covenant/Testament was written. This is also true when studying the Old Testament which was written in Hebrew. In the Greek language, as in the English language, the word “CANNOT” consists of two words: “dynamai” (can) and “ou” (not). Dynamai is the word from which we get the English word “dynamite.” The Greek word dynamai literally means can/ have the power to. No problem there. However, the Greek word “ou” is much more powerful than the English word “not.” “Ou” in Greek literally means no/ not/ never/ absolutely not/ under no circumstances. Now the meaning becomes clear: THE TRULY CONVERTED SAINT CAN SIN BUT ABSOLUTELY REFUSES TO DO SO–AS DID THE SAINT’S LORD WHO, UPON HIS RETURN TO EARTH, WILL BECOME THE SAINT’S SAVIOR. If Jesus is not our LORD in this life He will not be our SAVIOR upon His return to the earth, at which point the Very Elect saints, both living and dead, will be saved and born again. Read Born Again. Key word–Born.

In the following posting we will look into the difference between being BORN OF GOD and being BORN AGAIN, which is the core error the church makes relative to the “cannot sin” question. We will also turn to the Book of Acts to determine the time at which the New Covenant came (will come) into effect for those in God’s church. L.J.