Following the Lord’s initial act of grace known Biblically as “Justification”–the forgiveness of one’s past sins and the awarding of righteousness–the next step is CONVERSION, meaning to “turn around.”  Having been justified/made righteous, one must totally abandon one’s former “walk”–thoughts, words and deeds–and “walk as He (Jesus) walked” (1 Jn. 2:6) while purifying oneself as He (Jesus) is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3).  This is done by the “washing by the water by the Word/Law” (Eph. 5:26).  For justification to be of benefit one must be converted.  This is brought out by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. as he spoke to a gathering of people who had asked him what they must do to get right with God.  He said: “Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out ….: (Acts 3:19).  Repentance is followed by justification, which is followed by conversion, which is followed by the “walk” of Christ in obedience to God’s Word which washes the saint as he continually dines on its Truths and obeys them as more and deeper revelation comes from on high.  This takes place as the saint goes deeper into the Lord’s “fine print,” viewing it with ever increasing faith.”  It is in the fine print that we find His numerous commands to obey His Law in order to receive salvation.  This is perfectly brought out in Romans 7:1; 8:1-8; 6:1,2,6-22.  These few verses have caused the vast majority of professing Christians to enter Satan’s wide gate and walk his broad way to destruction (Mat. 7:13,14), all the while “knowing” that they are walking with the Lord.  The reason for their deadly error is their failure to study the fine print at all.  They are encouraged to focus only on the “headlines” by their leaders who teach them “smooth things, lies and deceits” in order to scratch their “itching ears.”  Ironically, this is the message (gospel) the people demand that their hirelings teach.  The Apostle Paul addressed this problem in his letter to the Churches in Galatia (l:6-9) who were believing their prophets “perverted” gospel.  This is not a New Testament problem.  The prophets of old were pressured by the Israelites and Jews who wanted to hear only “smooth things, lies and deceits” which made them feel good about themselves (Isa. 10:30).  Because they refused to do so, the prophets were persecuted and treated with distain.

The apostles faced the same attacks from Satan relative to the gospel message.  In all but a minutely few cases, Satan won, and is still winning.  But God’s true ministers fight on, speaking and writing His Truth, knowing that only a minutely few people will believe them.  But we are in good company.  Of the multiplied thousands of people Jesus ministered to, only about 120 believed and obeyed Him. I am one of the few within professing Christendom who believed, live and teach His gospel.  I will teach the Truth of God until He stops me.  Anyone who hears me or reads me will hear or read His Truth.  The reason for almost universal rejection of what I say and write is because God’s Word will contradict most, if not all, of what church people are told is “the word of the Lord.”  Due to “headline hunting” and “fine print avoidance” over two billion are walking in darkness today, Bibles on coffee tables, crosses on walls, smiles on faces while knowingly living in sin.

Because most people believe that justification and salvation are one in the same, and that the Law has nothing to do with the receiving of eternal life, let us begin our Law–salvation confusion discussion at Romans 7:1 where Paul tells the Rome church, and all churches then and now: “the Law has dominion over a man as long as he lives.”  In 8:2 he tells those same people that he (Paul) is free from the “Law of sin and death.”  These “headlines” are confusing contradictions unless one understands the purpose and work of the Law.  The Law reveals/identifies/defines sin and righteousness–sin leading to death if one breaks it (1 Jn. 3:4), righteousness leading to life if one obeys it (Lk. 25-28).  While living in the flesh–were sinners–the people had lived “under the Law of sin and death.”  Not having the Holy Spirit, they lacked the spiritual power to resist Satan’s siren call to defy God.  With the death of Jesus, they were empowered by the Spirit to resist the temptations of Satan and to live in righteousness–“to walk after the Spirit.”  “They who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).  The Holy Spirit does not lead us to sin–to live after the flesh.  Sinners, including those supposedly “saved by grace,” are not led by God’s Spirit and are therefore not His sons (children).  Paul told the Galatians, and us, that having been justified and converted they were “walking in (led by) the Spirit” (obeying God’s Law) that they (and we) are no longer “under the Law of sin and death” (8:2).

Through His grace God justifies the true seekers of righteousness, converts them, then gives them His Spirit which empowers them to walk in (be led by) that Spirit, making them His children.  In 8:3 Paul notes that the Law–Ten Commandments–was “weak through the FLESH” before the giving of the Holy Spirit and was therefore unable to empower the people to obey the Law.  In Paul’s unique speaking and writing style he was saying that it was the flesh of men that made the Law weak.  We would use the word “weakened” instead of weak.  The death of animals was insufficient to empower men to resist Satan.  They had no inner power to do so, therefore they had to sacrifice animals to be cleansed from their sins.  However, Jesus, by coming in the flesh and dying, made available the Holy Spirit whose power enables men to walk after (be led by–obey) the Spirit and therefore refrain from sinning.  Now notice how the Law plays into this scenario.

Recall that after speaking to His disciples for 40 days following His resurrection, He commanded them to return to Jerusalem and to wait there for “THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER.”  “John baptized with water,” He told them, “but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4,5).  The omnipotent Holy Spirit would replace the weakness of their flesh which had prevented them from obeying God’s Law.  Following their being baptized in the Spirit would infuse into them the power needed to obey God’s Law.

By obeying the Law the “RIGHEOUSNESS OF THE LAW” is fulfilled (manifested) in Law-keepers, enabling them to            “walk not after the flesh, but AFTER THE SPIRIT.”  THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS US TO OBEY THE LAW.  Those who follow the Spirit’s lead (obey the Law) manifest the “RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW” (Rom. 8:4).  The spiritual formula for salvation is as follows: JUSTIFICATION REMOVES ALL PAST SINS.  CONVERSION TURNS THE BELIEVER AROUND AND GIVES HIM THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH ENABLES HIM TO OBEY THE LAW WHICH, IF OBEBED UNTIL THE END, WILL RESULT IN SALVATION.  “They who are after (obey) the Spirit obey the things of the Spirit (unto salvation).  To be carnally minded (obey the flesh/Satan) is to seek death, for the carnal (sinful) mind is EMNITY (ANTAGONISTIC) AGAINST GOD because it (one’s mind) IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD … AND CANNOT PLEASE HIM” (Rom. 8: 5-8).  Note it: WE CAN PLEASE GOD ONLY BY OBEYING HIS LAW.

God commands that we receive justification which, as Paul tells us in the Book of Romans, is awarded solely on the basis of God’s grace without the works of (obedience to) the Law, Abraham being our example.  However, as Paul and the other apostles tell us, from that point on one must obey God’s Law in order to be converted, then later saved.  One cannot disobey the Law and belong to the Lord.  Having been made righteous by justification, one must remain righteous to the end of his life in order to be saved at the return of Jesus Christ.  See Hope and Salvation.  Forgiveness is available IF, NOT WHEN a saint sins (1 Jn. 2:1).  Sin is an absurdity, a choice to obey (serve) Satan and to reject the Almighty Lord God of the universe who holds mankind’s fate in the palm of His hand.  He tells us this repeatedly in His Word.  By disobeying His Law one sins.  SIN IS TELLING GOD TO SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP.  In the next posting we will learn what God says about sin in His church. L.J.