To The Lost Sinner

If you are a human, then you are a sinner. All of us have at one point in our lives done things that we knew was wrong and violated our own moral standard. We tend to use the fact that all are sinners as an excuse for our own sin, but it is no excuse at all. Why? For the reason that our universal sinfulness does not diminish the strict requirements that God has, because He is holy. His character is such that he cannot tolerate anything that is unclean and completely blameless and pure. Sin is so contrary to God's character, that as the moral ruler of the universe, He must reveal wrath on that person, or being, who perpetrated the sin. The penalty for sin is death, and ultimately eternal torment in a literal lake of fire which is in the heart of the earth.

We hear a lot about the love of God, and it is true, He is loving. Foremost though, He is the Judge and Supreme Lawgiver of the universe, and as such, He is and must be completely just in all His dealings. Transgression of the law cannot go unpunished. Each individual sin, stores up more of God's wrath upon the sinner.

So what is sin? Sin is the transgression of the law. What law is that? The law of our minds (ex. The law of the jungle), or our personal knowledge of right and wrong. When we do something that violates our own moral standard, then we have sinned. To go further; when we don't do something we know we ought to do, then we have also sinned. Sin goes even deeper then that though. Sin is basically rooted in the intentions. Selfishness is the root of all sin. Anything done for personal gratification while ignoring the needs of others, against the law of our minds, is sin. Something that seems to be a righteous act, but if it is rooted purely in selfish motives, then it is a transgression and must ultimately be punished. Furthermore, we get a perfect image of our own moral standard, from the very measurement we use to judge others. In simpler terms, it is easy to cast blame and judge others, but to judge ourselves and be honest with ourselves about who we are, we find extremely difficult. That's why our conscious or subconscious measurement of others is a perfect image of our own moral standard. Ultimately God will use each individual's own personal standard, to judge and condemn them.

So what is the big picture? Here is God's perspective...

Every person capable of rational thought since the beginning of time, has an innate knowledge that there is a God. Every person has at some point looked up at a starry night in awe at the perfection that makes up our universe. Perhaps you have at some point laid outside and gazed up at the sky and thought about how earth simply a big ball floating around in the middle of a big dark universe. Maybe you have seen pictures of the earth from outer space and marveled at the beauty of it. Perhaps you have at some point thought about how the earth and all the planets have a set course and never run into each other. Maybe how the sun is a burning ball of gas and never runs out of fuel. Have you ever seen a rainbow? Or a sunset? We don't need to have religion or a book to tell us that there is a Creator to all that we see from nature. All a rational person has to do is sit down and think, to know that Someone created all this. This universe practically shouts of the glory of God.

We also know that God requires us to do right. We know that because He has given every normal person knowledge of right and wrong. We don't need a bible to tell us that. We know that we shouldn't steal, commit adultery, murder, or rape our fellow human beings. Everyone knows that and doesn't have to be taught it by religion. We also have knowledge that if we see someone that needs help, then we should help them. When we violate this knowledge or moral standard that we hold, we experience guilt and enter into a state the bible calls, “Dead in trespasses and sins”. This guilt we experience is universal throughout the human race. Whether priest, pope, pastor, president, or prime minister, all people experience guilt when they violate their own moral standard of right and wrong, and all are “dead in trespasses and sins”. People who have sinned even once, have come up short and are sinners in a damnable blameworthy state, already condemned by their own conscience in full view of a just God who must bring His wrath to bear.

What despair the human race is in! All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. God looks down at the people He created and sees that there is not one righteous one among them. The whole human race has become unprofitable, depraved, and given over to fulfilling the lusts of their own bodies. They have degenerated to little more than animals, basically living to breed and eat. All have succumb to the natural drives of their bodies, which have run away with them against the better knowledge of their minds. None prefer to retain God in their knowledge. They love their sins and wallow in them apparently unashamed... Adultery, fornication, covetousness, idolatry, lasciviousness, extortion, murder, full of envy, without understanding, backbiters, haters of God, proud, boasters, disobedient to parents (Rom 1). They all live only for the purpose of fulfilling their next selfish desires. All these having known the judgement of God, and that people who do such things are worthy of death, are without excuse will suffer eternal torment in the lake of fire without mercy and without excuse.

Furthermore, God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all people that hold truth in unrighteousness. His wrath is on people who knew through nature, that there is a God, knew what He required, and of the judgment to come. His righteous indignation and wrath are on those that go through their lives ignoring, and living as though He didn't exist despite all the evidence to the contrary. His wrath is against all those that do not glory in Him, who is glorious, and against those who are not thankful despite all the good they have. While taking full advantage of all of God's goodness, they fail to be thankful but live as though they deserve more!

Opposing False Doctrine and Stating The Truth (Overview)

There are many commonly held truths that are held by the majority of Christians that I oppose, but none, I believe, that leads more people from Christ then this one.

Before I get around to doing that, I would ask that you not believe me but instead turn to the word of God (found in the Authorized KJV), and search for yourself. If you use a modern bible translation, you will not find the truth in this respect. Also, in the pursuit of truth we must not let anything, including preconceived doctrines of men, get in the way. The holy bible must be our final authority, or else we are easy prey to those who would deceive us.

What this note concerns is living the Christian life, and overcoming sin. I would begin by stating that psychology has crept into large portions of Christian doctrine and has no basis in the word of God. This concept that I will confront is found in many of the eastern religions and is merely repackaged and retooled for the Christian faith.

It states that man is a multifaceted human being and that we are made up of a dual nature. It says that we have two men in one body, an old man and a new man, a good nature and bad nature, or if you will, a black dog and a white dog. One nature can do nothing but sin, and the other, can do nothing but good. It says that these opposing forces, dual natures or alter egos are at war with one another and that in order to be victorious over sin, we must feed the one and starve the other. This encompasses a life of brokeness and emptiness, dying to our self will, and overcoming our sinful nature through prayer, fasting, and meditation, and bible reading. What it boils down to, is that the answer to a successful overcoming life is found inside each one of us instead of in Jesus. This method is nothing more then modern psychology, and will work as good for a Buddhist or an atheist as it will for a Christian. If God's method of living an overcoming life, is not a miracle and does not rise higher then our will can take us, then what good is it? The main essence of this heresy if you'll notice, is that Jesus has no part in it. The whole process is one, that never rises higher then your own self will and is no more the word of God, then is witchcraft.

To most professing believers, salvation is merely theological. Most professing Christians believe that there is really no difference in the experience between a believer and an unbeliever and that Romans 7 is the nominal Christian experience. That the Christian life is one of struggling and striving to fight against the world, the flesh and the devil with no resources other then self effort. I would add that the whole point to all false doctrine, is to lead men to trust in themselves rather then Christ. It is NOT of faith. If I thought that this was all the Christian life was, one of struggling to overcome sin, dying to self and being broken and empty enough so that God could fill me, I would just throw away my bible. If God's method of living an overcoming life did not rise higher then what my self effort could produce, then it would cease to be of God. God's workings are miracles. They are outside of all human capability.

Where the world does a "clean up, fix up" job on the old car (the Adam self, the old man), God's method is destruction. He simply takes the old car out back and destroys it. Then Jesus's limo pulls up and you climb in the back seat and ride with Him from that moment on. You don't ride in the old car anymore. You are a brand new creature in Christ Jesus. The "old self" is dead. You are no longer you, and I am no longer me. We are no longer Jew, Gentile, male or female, bond or free, but ONE new man in Christ Jesus.

This is NOT a second work of grace. This happens the moment a sinner gets saved, and is not even dependent on the believers holding the correct doctrine. God's truths don't rely on our understanding to make them true or effectual. God's methods ride higher then our understanding and even our reality. He gives us an alternative reality that we don't see, and challenges us to believe it simply because He said it.

Now that I've stated my views on what biblical sanctification is not, I will state what God's method is. It will seem just as foolish to most professing believers, as salvation through faith in Christ does, but here goes... Justification and sanctification are ONE work of Christ on the cross. One in which Christ died for our sins, and one in which we died with Him, too our sins.

If we see ourselves apart from Jesus, we have nothing. Our whole identity is found in Him. We have ceased to be "us" and are now ONE body, which is the body of Jesus Christ (literally). His history is our history. God now states that us living an overcoming life free from sin, is now entirely based on this fact. He basis our freedom from sin, on the fact that we were baptized into Christ and therefore crucified with Him. This co-crucifixion delivered us from the flesh (is our material self) wherein sin dwelt.

Here is my main point... In God's reality he no longer sees 'us' as 'us'. He sees Jesus. Jesus is no longer subject to the law of sin. Sin has no dominion or power over Him. He is not even tempted by it. Why? Because He was crucified and put to death. That body that was subject to the lusts and affections of his flesh are dead. It was nailed to the cross. Now, seated at the right hand of God; the world, the flesh and the devil are of no consequence to Him. They don't worry him in the least. You think Jesus is worried about falling to temptation or the snares of the devil?! Then why would we? Our life is hid with Christ in God! We are crucified, buried and risen with Him through the operation of God, and seated at His right hand! Jesus is our life! Why in the world would we continue in sin when we have been freed from it! We HAVE overcome. We have no confidence in ourselves (our flesh), but our rejoicing is in CHRIST JESUS!

This is the gospel of sanctification. It is NOT one of striving and struggling to attain victory over sin through self effort, but one of living in the present, having already overcome, believing God's reality over our own. It is not one of working it out in our experience, but rather accepting that our overcoming life has already been accomplished for us, IN CHRIST. This is living by faith. Not having faith that we, through our inner resources can somehow manage, but having faith that it's already done in Christ. This way we can't take credit for anything. Jesus get's all the credit and all the glory which is the way it should be.

(As this is merely an overview, I will be doing another note in the future using scripture to prove what I've written is the truth)

Concerning Final Authority and Truth

You know what I love? Truth. Just the plain, raw truth. Personally, I don't need big words and lots of adjectives. Just give me truth. So where do I go to find truth and what is my final authority? The word of God found in the King James Bible (AV) is where I go, and I have complete confidence in my bible, that it is the truth of God... Exactly... Every single word and letter, breathed by God Himself to the English speaking people.

2Timothy 3:16 All scripture IS given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Much of modern Christianity is filled with feigned spiritualism, tradition, someone's opinion, will worship, rudiments of the world, and "allegorizing". When did this probably start? About A. D. 250, when Origen, one of the Church Fathers, conceived the idea that the words of scripture were but the "husk" in which was hid the "kernel" of scripture truth. At once he began to "Allegorize" and "Spiritualize" the Scriptures, and thus founded that school of "Allegorizing" and "Spiritualizing" interpreters of Scripture, from which the institutional church and the Bible have suffered so much. This is the primary cause of so much heretical teachings that have invaded the institutional church.

Instead of asking what does the Holy Bible say, and letting that be our guide, the common view is not to believe what it says but rather, what does the author really mean. The modern concept now is don't read what it says and believe it, but rather find the hidden "gem" in the "husk" of the text. This modern method elevates those that are "learned" (the clergy) and displays their wisdom (sarcasm intended) in scripture knowledge. The idea is that the common man is not able to grasp the doctrines of the bible without help. I am glad that God chooses to reveal his word to those that simply read and believe what The Book says. I am glad that I have a perfect Book that leads "dumb" people to truth. It is the wise... The "Allegorizors" and "Spiritualizers" and those that believe them, over the word of God, who are at the end of the day, left in the dark.

That being said, I love good bible teachers. When I say "good bible teachers", I mean those that read and believe the bible exactly as it is written. If they say, "What the author really meant here...", (inferring that the author apparently didn't mean what he said) then I have no use for them. I don't want someone's opinion. I don't want to know how they feel. When I am in pursuit of truth I don't care how you feel or how I feel. Feelings have nothing to do with truth. That is effeminate. I want the raw truth and that comes only from the true word of God.

Conclusion... Throw away your feelings and your preconceived opinions and doctrines of men when in pursuit of truth! Let the Holy Bible be your final authority every time. Test everything you know, think you know, or what the preacher says, against what the Book says. Don't believe someone because of who they are or what they have achieved. Be a Berean!

Acts 17:10 ¶ And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, IN THAT THEY RECEIVED THE WORD WITH ALL READINESS OF MIND, SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY, WHETHER THOSE THINGS WERE SO.

The people at Berea did not even believe the Apostles! Where was their final authority? The SCRIPTURES.