We read in Hebrews 9:26 that “(Jesus)  has appeared … to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Then in 10:1 the Apostle Paul tells us that by Christ’s sacrifice He has made perfect those who are BEING MADE HOLY.” Jesus did not do away with sin in the world. He did, however, make it possible for men to keep sin out of their lives by being “made holy” as Hebrews 10:1 tells us. “Holy” means without sin. Holiness and sin do not mix (2 Cor. 6:14). Relative to holiness, it is all or nothing. There are no percentages relative to holiness; there is only 100% or 0%–one either is or is not holy. Christ’s death made it possible for man to have rest from sin and the curse that sin brings upon the sinner. Contrary to popular (Satanic) theology, Jesus does not do this for us. He did His job on the cross. The rest is up to us. To be “made holy” requires the holiness seeker to be “made holy” by submitting to God’s Word in absolute obedience. As stated in a previous posting, even our submission is dependent on Him. Without His Holy Spirit power we cannot submit or surrender. In and of ourselves we are helpless. TOTAL SURRENDER REVEALS TOTAL DEPENDENCE.

If, as we are told repeatedly, holiness on man’s part is impossible, then Christ died in vain as we are told in Hebrews 5:11-6:6. Here Paul chastises the Hebrew Christians for allowing sin back into their lives, telling them that in so doing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh (repeatedly), and in doing so put Him to an open shame (6:6). Each time a person sins he spiritually nails Jesus Christ to the cross one more time (“afresh”), which nullifies the effects of His physical crucifixion in the sinner’s life. If a professing Christian continues to sin he rejects the death of Christ and its designed effect–he rejects the “rest” from sin and its deadly effects the Lord’s death provided. In order to make this deadly theological error acceptable within the church, Satan has convinced her that sin is an unavoidable consequence of Adam’s fall. I prove in the postings titled Human Nature that THIS IS A SATANIC LIE. MAN SINS BY PERSONAL CHOICE, NOT BY NATURAL CONCEPTION.

The death of Jesus enables His saints to use His Holy Spirit power that provides “rest” (protection) from Satan’s “fiery darts” of temptation (Eph. 6:16). That “rest” is presented as “the whole armor of God” with which His holy saints can stand against the devil’s wiles every day (Eph. 6:11,13). Absolute, unconditional surrender to the Lord–belief of and obedience to His Word–gives the Truth seeker the spiritual power to overcome the spiritual devil. There is no true rest without victory over him. Victory over Satan is necessary as Jesus said in Revelation 3:21. Only those who overcome him as Jesus did will sit with Him on His throne in the Kingdom of God. In the next verse He notes that only those with ears to hear what He says will do so and sit with Him in the kingdom. God’s “rest” and total surrender to Him are synonymous. Here we are referring to the moment-by-moment rest that only a truly obedient saint can experience. Billions have been deceived into believing that the “rest” they experience while practicing their heathenistic religion is of God. Just as there are false prophets, false ministries, false religions, false miracles, etc., there is also a false rest. Satan, the great deceiver, is expert in the art of deception (Rev. 12:9). The entire religious world is proof of his expertise. Beginning with the next posting we will study God’s weekly rest. L.J.