“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²²  even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; ²³  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵  whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, …. Romans 3:21-25 (NKJV)

What is revealed to you in this scripture?

Is it God’s righteousness as we see Jesus the expressed image of God, and believe in Him? (2Cor 4:4, Col 1:15, Heb 1:3) “to all and on all who believe.”

No, I think all who believe (and follow) know that and know also that He (Jesus) was a “propitiation by His blood; a satisfaction of the Mosaic Law, by His blood. “to demonstrate His (Jesus’) righteousness…” He was sinless (Heb 4:15) yet bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24) for our sake and to the glory of the Father.

Look at the last phrase in my quote. “because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed…”  Sins previously committed. Not all sins?

Peter says it this way, “For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 2 Peter 1:9 (NASB)

When we ask Jesus to be Lord, God does everything we have always understood. We are cleansed, washed, forgiven, made new, purified, adopted into His family; we are in simple terms born again. Our former sins are forgiven.

What about the sins we commit in the future, after coming to Christ as Lord? The Word says He died once for all. (Heb 7:27, 9:12, 10:10, 1 Peter 3:18) but as we read these verses “all” seems to reference people, souls. (Heb 7:27)

¹⁸  For Christ also died for sins once for all, [one Man for all men] the just [Jesus] for the unjust [us], so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; [and so able to stand before God literally as the transformed Christ our Mediator, Savior and soon coming King] 1 Peter 3:18 (NASB) [*] added to clarify

Again what about sins committed after asking Jesus to be Lord. We thought they were forgiven when we ask God to forgive us in Jesus name. Under certain conditions they are.

^“ This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;  but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, [He and us] and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸  If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10 (NASB)

I said, “Under certain conditions they are.” So what conditions do I refer to?

1. How are we walking? Have we violated the commands of Christ? Is there someone we have offended or caused to stumble, making them angry? Is there someone we need to forgive? Are we loving our neighbor as ourselves? I ask this not to cause you to doubt your salvation but instead to bolster your confidence in the precious work He has done in you; so that you might help others in the imperatives of Christ. This portion of scripture above [1 John 1:6] refers to those WITH a relationship to God; the “saved” as we have called ourselves even though we all know true salvation comes with our death or His return. Are we, according to what He taught and showed, us ready for either [death or His return] through the confidence of our consciously and purposely walking WITH Him, in His Ways? We can. We have been give all things pertaining to life and Godliness.

2. The apparent continuous cleansing of the Blood of Jesus depends on our continuous “right relationship” with the Father and Christ. Then is when His blood continues to have its effect over our lives, unto eternal life. Jesus is the Truth (the Way and the Life.) If truth is not in us then neither is He. If we walk in the truth confessing our sins, [it is not about sins it is about truth in the inner most man, where Jesus and the Spirit of God dwell. He knows our flesh wrestles against our spirit,] “He is faithful and righteous [just or justified in some translations] to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” How is God justified except that in Christ and by that which He taught us, we have qualified for His justification? He made the rules and rules by them. He does not violate His Word.

What is my point?  After our initial reconciling to God, we must then obediently walk in the Ways of Christ to remain “saved.” We must obediently maintain what was given to us freely, the Way He taught us and showed us to maintain it.

Paul refers to this necessity and Peter confirms it this way.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge [that which He taught us] of God and of Jesus our Lord; ³  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge [that which He taught us] of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence [that which He taught and showed us] ⁴  For by these [things which He taught us and showed us] He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them [that which He taught and showed us] you may become partakers of the divine nature [that which He taught and showed us], having escaped [by that which He taught and showed us] the corruption that is in the world by lust .
⁵  Now for this very reason also, [because you have been taught] applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, ⁶  and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, ⁷  and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. ⁸  For if these qualities [that which He taught and showed us] are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, [that which He taught and showed us.]
⁹  For he who lacks these qualities [which He taught and showed us] is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
¹⁰  Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things [that which He taught and showed us] , you will never stumble; ¹¹  for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. [Future tense] 2 Peter 1:2-11 (NASB) [*] added for clarity. 

“… you will never stumble”  does not mean you will never sin. It means you have a means of escape that you can implement unto eternal life; that which He taught and showed us!

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: ¹⁵  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV)

Jesus implemented the truth on the cross. “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” The truth and the grace within set Him free and in His doing so He made our freedom possible in this life and the next. That is, “as we practice these things,” that which He taught and showed us!

Our own “…entrance into the eternal kingdom…” [2 Peter 1:11] depends on how we walk now “… seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge [that which He taught and showed us] of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3 [*] added for clarity

Walking now, in that which He taught and showed us, in preparation for then, we can have joy or distress. In light of these scriptures I believe Peter and Paul would say Amen, choose joy.

The coming times will demand our understanding. Preparing now is paramount.

The Lord has instructed me to lower the price of my book to $2.99. The message is more important than the margin. Always has been.

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

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