“Our Daily Bread” http://odb.org/
Romans 8:1-2… There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (NKJV)
In my Q/T reading the other morning, I came upon the opening scripture, which I am led to now write about today… As it turns out, it coincides with my writing for last Wednesday and Friday… Many of you might have noticed that I am now only posting what I personally write on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays…
Last Friday, I wrote about justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ…emphasizing that Jesus’ finished work on the cross at Calvary, was all that a true child of God needs, to be freed “from the law of sin anddeath.”, that we see in the opening scripture… The Bible (Jesus Himself) teaches us that those who falsely believe that their good works done in the name of the Lord, are what God requires to have sins forgiven (Matthew 7:21-23)…will live as unredeemed sinners in God’s eyes, without the absolute God given peace that the redeemed sinner who has received God’s gift of grace will posses…
You can go back and read this days writing that is titled…”It is Finished”…by going to www.Godsmanforever.wordpress.com and typing in 10/11/2013 into the search window…
Earlier in the Book of Romans, the apostle Paul explains this God given peace, in…Romans 5:1-5… Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (NKJV)
This supernatural God given peace will only be found in a Christian who has been filled with the Holy Spirit at the moment God has graced them with salvation, through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ… Ephesians 2:8-9… For bygraceyou have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)
The apostle Paul penned the opening scripture, and continues on with this, in…Romans 8:3-4… For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (NKJV)
The apostle Paul goes on to explain what it means to walk “according to the Spirit“, in…Romans 8:9… But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (NKJV)
As I mentioned in my last writing…the redeemed Christian should have absolutely no doubt that they are a Christian in God’s eyes, because the Holy Spirit will confirm with their spirit that they are indeed a child of God…Romans 8:15-16… For the Christian, there should never be any doubt…or “I hope I am good enough” thoughts…or any other skepticism of knowing for sure one is indeed bound for heaven to be with the Lord upon their death…
Some religions teach that constant works done in the name of the Lord, must be done over and over until the time of one’s death; or they might not be received into heaven by God… Even then, it is believed that there is a second chance for those that didn’t live up to God’s standards, by going to Purgatory after one’s death for a time, before being allowed into heaven…
Friends, this false sense of security is just not found in the Bible… Jesus’ last words…”It is Finished”…declared that His shed blood on the cross would be sufficient, once and for all (Hebrews 10:9-10), to cover the sins of those who God has first drawn in (John 6:44), and who God has graced with salvation through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ…
The words…“no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus“, means that for the redeemed Christian, all sins before and after being graced with salvation (including future sins), have been forgiven by God… Not only this…scripture reveals that all sins of the redeemed sinner have been forgotten by God…Isaiah 43:25… This means that they are forgiven “positionally” by God, and not ever again held against the Christian… Does this mean they are free to sin after becoming a Christian ?? Absolutely not !! There is still what some call “relational forgiveness”, that can only be made complete by praying to God for forgiveness after sinning…1 John 1:9, as the apostle John pens…to be forgiven of any unconfessed sins, and brought back into sweet fellowship again with the Lord…
Here is a good link to explain more about the question of the Christian’s need to keep asking for God’s forgiveness of sins… http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-sin.html
Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word would urge us through the power and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, to see the that Jesus’ finished work on the cross is all that is needed for eternal life in heaven for those that have been graced by God with salvation… I pray Lord, that You would cut right to the very core like a two-edged sword, of the soul of those in need of seeing this truth…Hebrews 4:12-13… I pray Lord, that You would draw unredeemed sinners to Yourself (John 6:44), and that blind eyes would now see… I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…
Blessings in Christ, bruce r mills
P.S. Here is a link for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and submission to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, after first being drawn in by God…John 6:44… https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/gods-group-thoughts-for-7112013-the-truth-about-sin/
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