Topics 6 through 9
( page 5 of 7 )
Continuing with our comparison of the three gospels, we will look at this next set of topics:
|
6) The reason of our sinning: |
|
|
|
Gospel #1 The reason of sinning, is from a decided action of the individual.... Rom 3 (v. 13) ....With their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; (v. 14) Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. (v. 15) Their feet are swift to shed blood; (v. 16) Destruction and misery are in their ways; (v. 18) There is no fear of God before their eyes. |
Gospel #2 Sinful acts only prove what we are by nature. Even when we resist with all the power from our "will." Rom 7 (v. 15) For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. (v. 19) For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. |
Gospel #3 You know we are saved by grace and not by what we do. Eph 2 (v. 8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (v. 9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. Your sinning doesn’t matter anymore, once you accept Christ! |
|
Rom 6 (v. 16) ....you are servants to whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. The good people have stopped sinning! I Jn 3 (v. 9) Whoever has been born of God does not sin....and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. |
I Jn 1 (v. 8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Is there anybody who is not sinning? Psm 14 (v. 2) The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who....seek God. (v. 3) They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no not one. |
|
The Apostle Paul is not saying that justification is the forgiveness of past sins. When we step under the umbrella of justification by faith, God no longer looks at us as we are, but as we are in His Son Jesus Christ.[1]
There we stand perfect; we stand complete; we stand whole in spite of the fact that our christian life is an up and down struggle. So the first blessing that we receive through justification by faith is peace with God.[1]
|
***7) When does the “Sin” problem |
affect you? |
|
|
Gospel #1 Jam 1 (v. 14) But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. (v. 15) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. You are born with a clean slate, until you commit your first sin, which then makes you a sinner. (after the age of accountability of course!) Rom 3 (v. 24) Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; (v. 25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; |
Gospel #2 Gen 8 (v. 21) ....Then the Lord said in His heart....although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. All of those people are sinful from their youth, but does that mean infants are? Or only those who are old enough to make moral decisions? Rom 5 (v. 12) Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world....and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. (v. 14) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam.... Since infants die, they must be born in sin and are not really innocent. |
Gospel #3 The “sin” problem affected us before we came to Christ. But now we have a savior who is able to take away the effects of the “sin” problem. I Jn 3 (v. 5) And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. |
We read in the second half of verse 18: "Even so through one ...." This means we are already qualified for heaven the moment we believe in Christ. It is not that now we have a clean slate and that now God expects us to do our best before He takes us to heaven. We already have a ticket to heaven on the basis of the doing and dying of Christ. We are justified to life.[2]
Rom 5 (v. 18) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
The question is what comes first? Am I born innocent and my sins make me a sinner or am I born a sinner and my sins are only the fruits of what I am. The Bible says I am born a sinner and what I do is simply revealing what I am.[2]
|
8) Their view on the Judgment: |
|
|
|
Gospel #1 Since the wicked are already lost, the judgment is for the believers. Rev 21 (v. 7) He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. (v. 8) But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. |
Gospel #2 The judgment is in favor of the believers, it vindicates those who have faith in Christ. Dan 7 (v. 22) until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. |
Gospel #3 There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. John 3 (v. 17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. |
|
The judgment compares the life of those who claim to be christians, against the Law to see if their confession was genuine. Isa 4 (v. 1) And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. |
The judgment will shut the mouth of the accuser. Rev 12 (v. 10) Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and....the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” |
The judgment is only for the “unbelievers” who have rejected Christ. John 3 (v. 18) He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already.... |
Matt 10 (v. 18) And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. (v. 19) But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; (v. 20) for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (v. 21) Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. (v. 22) And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Jesus told the disciples that, because they had accepted Him, the devil would use the world to persecute them and to make their lives miserable. "He that endures unto the end will be saved." While you are a believer, you have full assurance of salvation and that assurance does not go every time you fall....[2]
....we are righteous in Christ. Sanctification does not make us righteous. Sanctification proves, reveals that we are already righteous in Christ....it is the fruits of justification by faith.[2]
|
9) Salvation is obtained by: |
|
|
|
Gospel #1 By how well you reflect Christ's character in performance. |
Gospel #2 By faith, the way Christ overcame, by depending on his Father. |
Gospel #3 By having enough faith to profess Christ outwardly. |
|
God looks at the results, are you overcoming in the flesh, or just talking about it? Rev 3 (v. 21) To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Rev 22 (v. 14) Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of Life. |
God looks at the heart, the motives behind your actions. I Sam 16 (v. 7) ....the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. I Cor 4 (v. 5) Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will....reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. Rom 8 (v. 27) Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is.... |
Rom 10 (v. 9) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (v. 10) For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. Matt 10 (v. 32) Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. (v. 33) But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. |
|
Salvation is about proving that we know him: I Jn 2 (v. 3) Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. (v. 4) He who says, “I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” |
Salvation is about knowing Him: John 17 (v. 3) And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. |
Salvation cannot be taken away: John 10 (v. 28) And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. |
|
Salvation is about believing in His mission: Matt 1 (v. 21) And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. "....not in their sins...." |
Salvation is about believing in Him: John 5 (v. 24) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. |
|
We are lost not because of our personal sins, but because of the fall. Yes, our personal sins add to the problem but Paul tells us the good news is that God redeemed all men in one man, Jesus Christ. That's why Jesus is called the last Adam.[2]
Rom 5 (v. 18) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation; even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
In faith the woman of Phoenicia flung herself against the barriers that had been piled up between Jew and Gentile. Against discouragement, regardless of appearances that might have led her to doubt, she trusted the Saviour’s love. It is thus that Christ desires us to trust in Him. The blessings of salvation are for every soul. Nothing but his own choice can prevent any man from becoming a partaker of the promise in Christ by the gospel.[3]
I Cor 15 (v. 45) And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (v. 47) The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.
....What about the flood?....Read 1 Peter 3 where Peter tells that the reason they were destroyed was not because they were breaking the Ten Commandments but because they were disobedient to the call of God who said, "Come into the ark and be safe."[2]
I Pet 3 (v. 20) who formerly were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight souls, were saved through water.
They refused to come. They refused to believe there would be a flood. The reason they were destroyed was because of ungodliness. They had turned their backs to God.[2]
When Adam sinned he actually broke a law that he knew, a commandment that God gave him and so Adam transgressed. People were not dying for their personal sins. They were dying because they were implicated in Adam's transgression.[2]
References:
1. Vineyard Ministries. “Justification by Faith” Tape 2. The Gospel in a Nutshell, Audiocassette.
2. Vineyard Ministries. “The Two Adams” Tape 3. The Gospel in a Nutshell, Audiocassette.
3. E.G. White, The Desire of Ages, “Barriers Broken Down” p.403, par.2
Print 