So I've been encountering this position a lot lately, that Christ's once-for-all sacrifice at Calvary only covers the past sins of Christians. Such a position is held by a number of believers in Christ who seem to think that Christ's eternal sacrifice is in some way, shape or form, insufficient to cover the sins of a person throughout the duration of their lifetime, and fails to regenerate them for the life to come should they accidentally sin. I will now delve into why I think this argument fails to hold water and also why I believe it is borderline heresy in that it removes the focus of salvation off of Christ and places it upon the good, law abiding behavior of the person.
"The root of every heresy in history is adding something of our own to the work of Christ."
~ Charles Spurgeon
It is an axiomic assertion that every single human being on earth has, at one time or another, committed sin against God, whether intentionally or unintentionally. That's just a fact of life that the bible testifies for in Romans 3:22-24 (all have sinned an fallen short of the glory of God). Excluding Jesus Christ, of course, which is why His sacrifice for sin was acceptable to God. And so it follows that if Jesus' sacrifice on the cross does not get rid of our future sins, then I fail to see how anyone can be saved, because everyone falls short in their own way.
It is usually at this time that 1 John 3:6 is presented, which states: "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him."
And that's a fair rebuttal. But I believe it is talking about those who headstrongly persist in sin without feeling any remorse whatsoever. It is not talking about the sins we commit unintentionally, in the flair up of our thoughts and desires, of omission and under duress. If anyone thinks they are walking flawlessly before God, in that God is so pleased with him or her that He couldn't offer any word of improvement to that person... I'd conclude that that person is deluded by a self-righteous spirit. There is always room to improve on holiness in this life. Always.
James 2:10-11
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Now, in order to be saved by The Law, one is required to follow the law perfectly. Sinning before becoming a Christian therefore disqualifies any person from being sinless in God's sight. It's over before it begins. Not to mention that our savior took this one step further and told us that being angry with a brother or hating on a sister is the same as being a murderer in God's sight. With a glance we may commit adultery. With a single covetous thought we may steal. So can anyone reading this right now honestly and in good conscience tell me that they only have thoughts that are perfect and flawless before God? Forgive me for doubting you, but it seems unlikely. After all, if we could be so perfect before God, then why did Jesus even need to come at all?
Now, I take umbrage at the term "hyper-grace" (or worse) "greasy grace," that some people use when they talk about what Christ accomplished. It's borderline blasphemy as far as I'm concerned. It is irreverent. As if the grace of God presented in Jesus Christ's sacrifice was not the ultimate expression of love to His people and the world. As if Christ's infinitely majestic sacrifice was incapable of being regarded as the ultimate act of mercy throughout history that ever has and ever will occur. The crowning work of eternity. Yes it really is that good. It is beyond our ability to capture just how good it is. Please don't use these terms.
Galatians 3:10-12
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”
Let's say we have someone who doesn't think that Jesus could possibly take away all her sins and that she must maintain her status pre-glorification. Let's say she takes a walk to work, meets an individual at the bus loop, and fails to tell them about Jesus when she feels the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
She has now committed a sin of omission. Her slate is tarnished. She is immediately struck and killed by the bus. She believes in Jesus Christ as her Lord and savior, but she failed to confess and repent of the sin of omission she just committed at the bus stop. My question to those who think that Jesus only saves from past sins is this: "is she saved?" Because this position is pretty much legalism defined. I coin the phrase "revolving door salvationism"
Thank you for reading and may God bless you today. Hebrews 10:12-14
"The root of every heresy in history is adding something of our own to the work of Christ."
~ Charles Spurgeon
It is an axiomic assertion that every single human being on earth has, at one time or another, committed sin against God, whether intentionally or unintentionally. That's just a fact of life that the bible testifies for in Romans 3:22-24 (all have sinned an fallen short of the glory of God). Excluding Jesus Christ, of course, which is why His sacrifice for sin was acceptable to God. And so it follows that if Jesus' sacrifice on the cross does not get rid of our future sins, then I fail to see how anyone can be saved, because everyone falls short in their own way.
It is usually at this time that 1 John 3:6 is presented, which states: "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him."
And that's a fair rebuttal. But I believe it is talking about those who headstrongly persist in sin without feeling any remorse whatsoever. It is not talking about the sins we commit unintentionally, in the flair up of our thoughts and desires, of omission and under duress. If anyone thinks they are walking flawlessly before God, in that God is so pleased with him or her that He couldn't offer any word of improvement to that person... I'd conclude that that person is deluded by a self-righteous spirit. There is always room to improve on holiness in this life. Always.
James 2:10-11
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Now, in order to be saved by The Law, one is required to follow the law perfectly. Sinning before becoming a Christian therefore disqualifies any person from being sinless in God's sight. It's over before it begins. Not to mention that our savior took this one step further and told us that being angry with a brother or hating on a sister is the same as being a murderer in God's sight. With a glance we may commit adultery. With a single covetous thought we may steal. So can anyone reading this right now honestly and in good conscience tell me that they only have thoughts that are perfect and flawless before God? Forgive me for doubting you, but it seems unlikely. After all, if we could be so perfect before God, then why did Jesus even need to come at all?
Now, I take umbrage at the term "hyper-grace" (or worse) "greasy grace," that some people use when they talk about what Christ accomplished. It's borderline blasphemy as far as I'm concerned. It is irreverent. As if the grace of God presented in Jesus Christ's sacrifice was not the ultimate expression of love to His people and the world. As if Christ's infinitely majestic sacrifice was incapable of being regarded as the ultimate act of mercy throughout history that ever has and ever will occur. The crowning work of eternity. Yes it really is that good. It is beyond our ability to capture just how good it is. Please don't use these terms.
Galatians 3:10-12
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”
Let's say we have someone who doesn't think that Jesus could possibly take away all her sins and that she must maintain her status pre-glorification. Let's say she takes a walk to work, meets an individual at the bus loop, and fails to tell them about Jesus when she feels the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
She has now committed a sin of omission. Her slate is tarnished. She is immediately struck and killed by the bus. She believes in Jesus Christ as her Lord and savior, but she failed to confess and repent of the sin of omission she just committed at the bus stop. My question to those who think that Jesus only saves from past sins is this: "is she saved?" Because this position is pretty much legalism defined. I coin the phrase "revolving door salvationism"
Thank you for reading and may God bless you today. Hebrews 10:12-14
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