Part I
Romans 1:5,7; 3:24; 4:16; 5:2, 15, 17, 20-21
Through CHRIST JESUS, GOD gave to HIS beloved children HIS grace to assist others in their faith through obedience as we continue the work of making disciples as it has been done before. I feel as though this must be written and made clear, those of us who believe in JESUS must stop referring to ourselves as sinners. We are no longer a sinner but saints, designated to live out our consecrated life given to us by the washing and renewal received in the blood of JESUS. We have GOD’s unmerited favor which is HIS Grace, spiritual blessings, peace, and an abundance of other promises given to us. These things were not given to us totally or in abundance through our one-time father satan. We received these things from our heavenly FATHER through CHRIST JESUS, so why do we keep reminding ourselves of who we once were (sinners) rather than who we are today (saints) in JESUS?
Throughout the Bible it is recorded that we cannot live the life GOD had predestined for us, this is why HE gave, in the beginning, HIS only begotten SON. It is out of HIS generosity that we who believe in JESUS have been put into right standing with the FATHER. Only pure LOVE would look out for its own and take care of its own. JESUS is our Pure Gift. Look whether we want to admit it or not, we were in a pickle of a mess before we believed in our hearts and changed our mind about CHRIST JESUS being exactly who HE is. And did exactly what HE did. Without JESUS restoration does not exist in our life, to be restored to the FATHER we must be restored through JESUS The CHRIST. Redemption in JESUS gives to us the life of being declared righteous and justified, not still a sinner.
During the time before Moses being given the Law, there was no written law, morality was known in the heart and taught from generation to generation. This is why Abraham who lied twice about Sarah being his sister and not his wife was not held against him. He was not made aware of his sin by written law. This is why Lot knew that the community where he lived was sinful and went against everything GOD wanted for humans. Much like how it is today, we do not know that we are speeding in our cars if there are no posted signs to inform us if we are going too fast. We would not make such a show of gaining equal rights with heterosexuals if homosexuality were natural. Written laws are there for lawbreakers, criminals, the disobedient, and such. However, when GOD gave Moses the Ten Commandments the Israelites made life as we know it extremely difficult by proclaiming that they could do all that was required, basically they were saying that it was no problem to live as GOD desires for us to live and that they did not need to lean on HIM for HIS help. This is called being independent/self-sufficient and the most dangerous spirit of all prideful. Though GOD never left them by themselves what HE did do was allowed them to suffer. HE waited until all of them had died that were over the age of twenty and above except for Moses, Caleb, and Joshua before Caleb and Joshua entered into the promised land given to them by GOD. Does this sound familiar? We either blame or question GOD in disbelief that HE loves us because HE is allowing great hardships to occur in our lives but we never consider the fact that this is of our own doing. The law was written to cause sin to become worse than what it already is. But as sin grew worse so did GOD’s grace grow in abundance. Every promise that GOD has provided is based on faith. Our guarantee that GOD the Promise Keeper is that HIS promises are still going on in all of Abraham’s descendants because we are the seed of Abraham. So, if you live by the law you must obey successfully the entire law so that you can bask in the glow of GOD’s promises. If you do not live by the law but rather you live in the rest of JESUS as I do then we are basking in the promises of GOD because I admit to you though I try not to I am certain that I am breaking the law either one out of seven days of the week or seven out of seven days in the week. But my rest is in JESUS who through HIM I can obey the law because in HIM I do not fail.
Our faith has nothing at all to do with our performance but rather in our belief, our reliance, and our trusting in the finished works of CHRIST JESUS, not the on-going failing works of what we do. So, rejoice and make your boasting in what JESUS has done and is doing in our lives.
Cease comparing what the free-gift has to offer versus what the trespass penalty is that is offered. There is no comparison it’s like trying to compare water to sand in the effort to quench thirst. Many people have died and are dying because of the sin we inherited through Adam. But the Grace of GOD is far greater and many people live continually because of HIS Grace. By the grace provided in the death of JESUS many have been saved (everyone who will believe).
All because our forefather Adam gave away resting in, relying on, leaning on, dependence on, and trusting in GOD did we lose our eternal life. We die because we are all born in sin. Death is the final punishment and there was a time when death ruled and reigned over humans. Today, death no longer can rule or reign unless we in our ignorance give death the ability to do so. From the microsecond we began to believe in our hearts about JESUS death no longer has a right to us any longer. Yes, some of us will experience an earthly death but even GOD does not label this death but rather sleep. The sleep as JESUS said about Lazarus. Because we died an earthly death, we will just like JESUS rise from the grave and we will meet JESUS in the air when HE calls us to come forward all at once and everyone who is everywhere will see this miracle. As believers in JESUS, we rule over death because JESUS has the keys to death.
AMFBeM ™