Our Position In Christ
By William Handschumacher
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The Scripture above provides insight into one of the most powerful truths in the Bible. Most of us read these words and think, "Yes, that's a great perspective concerning salvation". We tend to think that the phrase "in Christ" is only one viewpoint among many others--and that God is providing a variety of examples to help us better understand what His Son accomplished. However, when we carefully read the New Testament, a different story emerges. Our position "in Christ" is not just one perspective among many. It is our Heavenly Father's ONLY perspective.
Jesus said that the goal of His sacrifice is to join Himself, the believer and His Father as ONE. Yet, most churches teach their members to view themselves separate from God. Isn’t that strange? Most of us view salvation as something we possess, because Christ died on the cross to make it available -- and He did. Yet, many times spiritual truth works differently than we think. The New Testament teaches that salvation belongs exclusively to the Lord (Revelation 7:10). Therefore, the only way to possess salvation is to be "in Christ", who is Lord. There is no other way to be saved. If you aren’t “in Christ” you can’t have salvation. When we live in this new covenant position, God considers us "dead", yet alive "in Christ". This allows us to automatically possess everything Christ has and is because we are "in Him". Romans 8:17 describes this position by calling us “joint-heirs” WITH CHRIST. From God's perspective, there's no way to be "in Christ" and fail to be everything Christ is. Jesus makes us everything we are. We freely possess eternal life because Christ, as the Lord, has eternal life. We are freely given the very righteousness of God because Christ is perfectly righteous. We enjoy victory over death, because Christ was raised (with us inside) from the grave. Concerning New Testament salvation, our trust in Christ's glorious life and substitutionary death, is the only thing that our Heavenly Father looks at. God considers us "dead". Dead people have nothing to contribute to Christ's salvation. It is all Jesus and none of us.
Before His crucifixion, Jesus referred to this future position as the believer's "oneness" with both Him and His Father (read John 17:20). When people are joined in “oneness” they share all things in common. At the time Jesus made this statement, it was obvious that His disciples didn't understand the meaning of His words. It was a truth that was "way over their heads". Over 120 times, the apostle Paul used phrases like "In Christ", "with Christ" and "In Him" to describe this blessed "oneness" of Christ and the believer. Very few Christians understand this truth today. False religious teaching has cheated a majority of the Church. It is a totally unique new covenant provision that was not available under the Old Testament religious system. These blessings only became available following Christ's crucifixion.
[Note: The “Oneness” we are discussing in this commentary is not the doctrine of “Oneness Pentecostalism”]
The Bible teaches that the Law carries authority only while we are alive. When we die, the Law (and the sin that draws its authority from the Law) no longer applies to us.
"Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another -- to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7:1-6)
"The sting of death is sin, AND THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:56-57)
Under the new covenant, our Heavenly Father considers all believers to be "crucified WITH CHRIST" (Galatians 2:20). This is the way God views the believer during the present "age of Grace". When God looks at the believer, he doesn't see a sinful person -- He sees only the righteousness of Christ. The new covenant teaches, "FOR YE ARE DEAD, and your life is hid WITH CHRIST in God" (Colossians 3:3). When Jesus was hanging on the cross, God placed us (and all future generations of believers) "in Christ" and crucified us "with Him". When Jesus was judged on the cross, our sinful life (past, present AND FUTURE) was also judged, "IN HIM". When Christ died in this condition, we died WITH HIM. When that moment arrived, Jesus cried out in agony "It is finished!" Sin's power was forever broken. Sin could no longer be imputed (charged) to our account because we have been "legally" executed for our sin and on the other side of death as far as God is concerned. It is a violation of God's justice for anyone to be punished more than once for the same crime. This is why our death in Christ FOREVER put an end to God's condemnation of the believer (Romans 8:1).
Justice was served by giving us the death sentence for our sins, which was carried out "through the crucifixion of Christ". Many Christians are taught to ignore this important truth. God, as "the righteous Judge of all the earth" will respect His Son's sacrifice that takes away our sins for all eternity. Anyone who disagrees with this Divine decision is unknowingly in "contempt of God's court". The removal of our sins is not a blessing that ends, like many preachers suggest, the next time we sin. God says that our sins are gone FOREVER and are no longer imputed to us. The following Scriptures will give us boldness that God will not change His mind.
"For the wages of sin is death, but THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD." (Romans 6:23)
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"FOR GOD'S GIFTS AND HIS CALL ARE IRREVOCABLE. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]" (Romans 11:29 Amplified Bible)
"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES TO THEM, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM." (2 Cor. 5:18-21)
It's important for all students of the Bible to understand that God follows some important spiritual rules, whether we agree with them or not. First, the Bible tells us "the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29 Amplified Bible). The King James Version of the Bible uses the phrase "without repentance", which is the "old English" way of saying "irrevocable". This means that God doesn't take back the gifts and callings that He gives to us. Second, eternal life under the new covenant is given as "the gift of God" (Rom. 6:23 & Eph. 2:8). Very few Christians and the churches they attend believe this "irrevocable" aspect of eternal life. Many religious people in the church secretly dislike the fact that God's Word clearly says that eternal life is "God's gift" to us. This Scripture is so clear that it's hard to refute. However, many work furiously to disprove or somehow discredit this blessing. If you'll meditate on these four Scriptures, it will expose one of the most popular false teachings in the modern Christian church--a doctrine that the apostle Paul condemned using offensive and insulting words.
As a result of Christ's Divine act, God can now freely declare us "righteous" because Jesus Christ is righteous and we are "IN HIM" and "one" WITH HIM. In other words, the righteousness we possess under the new covenant does not come from our devoted works and religious performance. Dead people have no performance to offer. It is Christ's very own perfect righteousness that comes on us because of our position IN HIM. Since Jesus rose from the dead, He (along with all believers that are in Him) is alive from the dead, but our old self (Paul calls this person "the old man") REMAINS DEAD AND IN THE GRAVE. This is why the new covenant assigns Christ's perfect righteousness TO ALL BELIEVERS as "a free gift", even though the Bible tells us that nobody can actually live in a way that satisfies God's standards for a perfectly righteous and sinless life here on earth. If we insist on obtaining Christ's perfect righteousness by our own efforts, then we must keep God's laws perfectly, all the time, with no mistakes, for our entire life. Commit one insignificant sin and you are disqualified with no place of repentance. Since you refuse to choose Christ's perfection -- you must be perfect instead. You will fail -- and God will not "give you a pass". Yet, for those who trust Christ, being "righteous" is their current standing before God as a new covenant believer who is "in Christ", regardless of how deficient they are in good works.
Tragically, many professing Christians are taught by their church to reject this liberating new covenant truth. These people believe, with all their heart, that they're the only "true Christians". At the judgment, many will be shocked to discover that they were wrong. Keep in mind that we're not talking about some "fringe" movement or group. A vast majority of the Christian Church falsely believes that their efforts to achieve a sinless life, rather than trusting only in Christ's blood sacrifice (also known as a “blood covenant”), satisfy God's perfect standard for righteousness. This type of counterfeit faith will end in disaster for many.
An overwhelming number of professing Christians make the same mistake that Israel made. The apostle Paul sounds a sober warning about attempting to obtain righteousness in the wrong way:
"Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, AND SEEKING TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10:1-4)
What does the New Testament say about the correct right way to understand righteousness?
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned -- (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But THE FREE GIFT is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and THE GIFT BY THE GRACE of the one Man, Jesus Christ, ABOUNDED TO MANY. And THE GIFT is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but THE FREE GIFT which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, MUCH MORE THOSE WHO RECEIVE ABUNDANCE OF GRACE AND OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so THROUGH ONE MAN'S (JESUS) RIGHTEOUS ACT THE FREE GIFT CAME TO ALL MEN, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, SO ALSO BY ONE MAN'S OBEDIENCE MANY WILL BE MADE RIGHTEOUS." (Romans 5:12-19)
Within seven verses God uses the words "free gift" or "gift" six times when referring to our righteousness. Do you think maybe He wants us to see an important truth?
"And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. FOR SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU, FOR YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE." (Romans 6:13-14)
"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
The Few vs. The Many
Jesus taught a parable to His audience in Matthew 22:11-14 about a man at a King's wedding feast that wasn't wearing a wedding garment. He was bound hand and foot and thrown into outer darkness for his error. Concerning this incident, Jesus made the statement, "many are called, but few are chosen". Countless numbers of professing Christians are taught to believe that our Heavenly Father is directing this parable at the New Testament believer. Yet earlier, Jesus indicated that it was directed at an entirely different group of people. In other words, there is a context in this story that must be observed, or we arrive at a wrong conclusion that will take us astray in our faith. In addition to this parable, there are two other Scriptures that are commonly quoted:
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)
The key phrases to observe in these passages are "counted worthy", "few there be that find it" and "few are chosen". Most Christian’s think that God has limited eternal life to only a few that can achieve an acceptable level of good works and religious performance that makes them worthy enough to be included in "the chosen few" or, to escape the coming tribulation that Jesus spoke about in Luke chapter 21. They use these Scriptures (and others) to support their beliefs. They never stop to think about the context of God’s Word and the contradiction in this popular belief. If eternal life is limited to a “chosen few” that attain to some benchmark of religious performance, which somehow makes them “worthy” -- then eternal life can never be called the “gift of God”. If eternal life is limited to a “chosen few” that attain to some benchmark of religious performance, which somehow makes them “worthy” -- then we can never be “saved by the Grace of Christ”. This “performance-based worthiness” that so many think is correct actually contradicts Christ’s new covenant.
Ignoring the context of the Bible is now an almost universal problem in the Christian Church. Most of us fail to understand that when you remove a Scripture from the context where God placed it -- and reinsert it into a context of your own design -- what used to be God’s Word is now a false teaching that “appears” to be supported by the Bible. Under Old Testament religion, righteousness (or worthiness) is achieved by how well you keep God’s laws. Diligently keep the rules and you will be considered “worthy”. Fail to keep the rules and you will be considered “less worthy or even unworthy”. This kind of performance-based righteousness continued from the Old Testament, through the Gospels and into the book of Acts. The Gospel of Matthew probably has the highest concentration, because it was primarily written to Jewish people under the Law.
The cross of Christ "divides" between these two different religious systems. This is why the apostle Paul told his disciple Timothy that the Word of truth must be "rightly (or correctly) divided" if he was to teach it properly. However, most churches today mix it all together into one message. By refusing to respect this "divide" that exists in God's Word, horrible Scriptural misinterpretations occur that carry unintended eternal consequences. Jesus literally changed all the rules. He changed the way “worthiness” is acquired and made it available as a free gift. He cleared the way so that MANY can now receive eternal life, rather than “the few” who were restricted to a performance-based righteousness under Old Testament religion. The first Adam, through disobedience, placed the entire human race under the condemnation and dominion of sin. Jesus (also called the last Adam by the new covenant) restored what the first Adam lost. (read 1 Corinthians 15:45-49) This is why you must ask some important questions when reading the New Testament. Much of what Jesus taught before the cross was correctly aligned with the Old Testament -- because, at the time, He hadn’t died to pay the price required to end the authority of the old system. What Jesus called His “new covenant in blood” (Luke 22:20) couldn’t start until His blood was shed. Yet, everything changed following Christ’s crucifixion. A totally new system the book of Hebrews calls, “a new and living way”, began. (Hebrews 10:19-20) Professing Christians that fail to observe this important rule of context will always misinterpret the Scriptures -- and there are many. Preachers that ignore context will enthusiastically give false teachings, while believing with all their heart that they’re preaching the truth of God’s Word. This is a mainstream problem in the modern worldwide Christian Church.
“For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, MUCH MORE THOSE WHO RECEIVE ABUNDANCE OF GRACE AND OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so THROUGH ONE MAN'S (JESUS) RIGHTEOUS ACT THE FREE GIFT CAME TO ALL MEN, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, SO ALSO BY ONE MAN'S OBEDIENCE MANY WILL BE MADE RIGHTEOUS." (Romans 5:17-19)
A Wrong View Of Sin
Most of the Christian Church deals with the sin problem using old covenant principles. It is a direct result of wrongly merging the old covenant and Christ's new covenant into "one covenant and one message". Instead of teaching that our sin is permanently dealt with by Christ's blood, churches and preachers shift the sin burden back on the shoulders of the believer. The false theology behind this popular teaching is that Jesus Christ didn't provide a complete salvation and the believer has to finish the work in order to possess and keep eternal life. This is old covenant theology being used to pervert the Gospel of Christ. It's a doctrine that has been floating around the Christian church since the first century. Some preachers tell us that God is going to judge us because of our failures, lack of religious performance, worldliness, and our continual sin. They say that Christ's blood didn't finish the work and that we need more purification. Under the new covenant, Christ bore our total judgment Himself and eternally set us free. The freedom we enjoy through our position "in Christ" was not available under the old covenant. Once again, this false theology, which shifts our sin away from Christ and places it back on the believer, results from the failure to observe Scriptural context. The popular practice of ignoring the context of God's Word is what deceives a majority of Christians. Both the old and new covenants are recorded in our Bible. Yet, only one is binding on the Church Age believer.
Our New Covenant Position "In Christ" Exposes
The Error Of The "License To Sin" Argument
Like it or not, Christians are in a fierce spiritual war. During times like this an enemy focuses on "high value targets". The truth concerning God's Grace under the new covenant is at the top of the list. Whenever the subject of our freedom in Christ is discussed, there are always those that attempt to cast doubt by asking cleverly designed "loaded questions". The Pharisees took this same approach with Jesus when they tried to ensnare him with His own words (Mark 12:13-17). Matthew 22:15 says, "Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk." This is one tactic that our opponents use in this war. In every situation, Jesus refused to play the game according to their rules. As any experienced politician knows, attempting to answer a "loaded question" is a bad decision in any debate. You almost always lose unless you can skillfully expose the deception within the question, while giving your answer. Christian leaders and theologians skilled in the art of persuasion know these tactics well. Those within the mainstream Christian Church attempt to discredit God's Grace by asking questions like: "So, you're saying that grace gives Christians a license to sin?" or "You believe someone can call themselves a Christian and continue to sin because of God's Grace?" These same questions can be asked in various "loaded" ways. Yet, the underlying goal of "ensnaring us with our own words" remains the same. These kinds of tactics angered the Lord Jesus Christ -- and it does the same thing today.
In order to properly answer these questions, we must expose the false premise (and the hidden mainstream religious agenda) on which it is based. As we previously stated, most Christians today are taught to look at sin from an Old Testament Mosaic Law perspective, simply because it is found within the pages of the Bible. Most of the worldwide Christian Church holds to this same view. However, since Christ's crucifixion, the new covenant teaches that we're not living under the principles of Old Testament Law -- because the Law can only be applied while you live -- God says that we're "crucified with Christ". The crucifixion of Christ in the New Testament and the "new covenant" that His blood initiated changed all the previous rules about how God deals with our sin. We will always have people around that abuse benefits and privileges. Our news programs are filled with these things. It doesn't matter whether it's religion, social programs, taxes, laws or finances. One thing is sure: Some people believe that the rules apply to everyone, except them. Christianity is not exempt from this destructive human tendency.
Our main theme is, "Our liberty in Christ" and the truth of the Gospel that secures it. Yet, it is a fact that there are some Christians in the Church that continue to live a sinful lifestyle and use the message of God's Grace to excuse their practices. I do not want to focus our attention on this group, since they exist in every area of human endeavor. Instead, I want to focus on a much more serious problem. I have discovered that true believers in Christ look for a way to stop sinning. Yet, the Bible tells us that we will never successfully reach this goal in this life. God will eventually deal severely with those who use His Grace as an excuse to sin. Our "Heavenly Father" knows how to discipline His children. Yet, He will never change the liberating truth of the new covenant to stop those who abuse the blessing.
A common characteristic of the many forms of "false theology" found in the Christian Church is that of "people control". Some Bible scholars refer to this as "authoritarianism". It is currently running rampant throughout the Christian Church. Twisting and misapplying the Holy Scriptures in order to control your audience through fear and guilt is an incredibly destructive spiritual practice. Jesus warned that His leaders are to use spiritual authority to serve -- not to dominate the lives of His children (Mark 10:42-45, 1 Peter 5:2-4). Yet, over and over we see God's cardinal rule that governs authority in the Church violated. Many Christian ministries (especially those based on reformed theology) misapply and reinterpret the Scriptures in an attempt to "control" the people who abuse God's Grace. In other words, they redefine the gospel in a way that disqualifies those who are caught in the trap of habitual sin from possessing eternal life. They use this "modified gospel" as a fear-based motivational tool against those that abuse grace. They use the abuse problem to mask their real agenda, which is to change (redefine) the new covenant gospel message for everyone else. Don't misunderstand; I agree that the Christian should avoid all sin. The apostle Paul said, "are we to sin that grace may abound? God forbid." (Rom. 6:1-2)
Exposing The Popular Anti-Grace
Agenda Within The Church
The argument against the abuse of Grace is valid and appeals to many of us that seek spiritual truth. We desire to see practices and lifestyles that dishonor the Gospel come to an end. Yet, the Bible also tells us that achieving a perfectly sinless life isn't possible (Romans 3:23). No matter how hard we try, or how well intentioned -- we can never become perfectly sinless by our own self-discipline and determination. What does all of this mean? It means that some sin ALWAYS remains, regardless of our efforts to live sinlessly. If you think about it, this popular debate exposes the real agenda of those who oppose the Grace of Christ. If it's true that you can't sin and go to heaven -- and you can't achieve a sinless life on earth -- then the logical end of this kind of thinking is.....eternal life can never be God's gift. That's the hidden agenda in their argument. It's an attack on the Scriptural truth that eternal life is God's unmerited gift. It's a sneaky and dishonest way of telling you that God is a liar, without actually saying it.
This false theology also appears in another form. Many evangelize (we call it "witnessing for Christ) by telling people that they have to "clean up their life" before they can become a Christian. The phrase, "cleaning up your life" is another way of saying "you must repent from all sin in your life". They evangelize this way because they believe that a person can't be saved if they are a "sinner". Their intentions are noble, yet wrong -- here's why. It's impossible to remember every sin you've committed. What if you miss one or two? Also, how can you have any assurance that you are truly saved if you can't know that you previously repented of every sin? Millions of Christians quietly struggle with having assurance of salvation because of these wrong beliefs. The goal of those who oppose God's Grace is to place us under this kind of spiritual torment and bondage that they sincerely believe is "Biblical Christian living". The church is filled with these kinds of teachings that cause us to go astray in our faith.
God gives us the correct answer to all of this. "But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). This means that once we learn about Christ's salvation, we accept His gift of eternal life immediately -- while we are "sinners". We make this decision with the willingness to repent of our sins as the Holy Spirit later reveals them to us. We can only be successful at "cleaning up our life" when we have the Holy Spirit's help -- not before. Remember that the Holy Spirit comes to live in us AFTER we receive salvation. This Divine act is referred to as "sealing".
"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were SEALED with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
This incredible blessing occurs immediately AFTER we hear the Gospel and are saved. It means the salvation that Christ's death provides can only be applied "while we are still sinners". If we can clean ourselves up from sin", then we have no need of Christ's salvation. Jesus said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (Mark 2:17) The apostle Paul said something very similar; "....Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." (1 Timothy 1:15)
Is it true that sin nullifies God's gift of eternal life, like so many churches teach? If it truly has this power, then God's gift to us cannot be defined as a gift at all. The fact that humans continue to sin, both before and after they become a Christian is the reason Jesus went to the cross. Sin is like a disease that can only be cured by the sacrifice of Christ. He paid the price for all human sin....past, present and future. When John said (concerning Jesus), "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" he meant exactly what he said. This does not mean (as many preachers subtly suggest) that Jesus took our sin away only until the next time we sin. Again, millions of professing Christians all over the world live under the torment of this false teaching. As a professing Christian, if you believe that Christ's sacrifice, as the "Lamb of God" didn't permanently take away all your sin -- then your faith has serious flaws. A sober self-evaluation concerning what you believe is certainly in order.
Why do we ask believers to perform a self-evaluation? Actually, it is the apostle Paul that made the request (2 Cor. 13:5). We're just repeating his words. The crucifixion of Christ started a "new covenant". This covenant treats sin in a totally different way than the previous "old covenant". Yet, both of these covenants are recorded in the Bible and most Christians are still living under the old system. As we previously stated, under the new covenant, God reckons the believer to be "in Christ". The previous old covenant (recorded in the Old Testament) had no such provision. When Christ died on the cross, we (as believers) also died because God now reckons us to be "in Him" (or "In Christ"). God treats our death "in Christ" as if we were the ones who died (or the ones executed as punishment for our sins). Christ's new covenant says, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. 3:3) The power of the Law, which gives sin its authority over us, is only valid while we are alive -- it terminates upon our death in Christ. This is the core principle behind the new covenant. It is rarely taught in a church service. God will never ignore or change His mind concerning this legal act that His righteous and innocent Son performed on our behalf. It stands in God's heavenly court FOREVER. He considers the horrible death that Jesus suffered at the crucifixion as an overwhelmingly sufficient payment for my sin and yours. The fact that Christ paid the price for us does not minimize, in any way, the power of God's judicial decision. That's why our Heavenly Father can now give the benefits to us freely as "a prepaid gift" (Romans 6:23). Most theologians, denominations and churches work to undermine this new covenant truth. Isn't that strange?
"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES TO THEM, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM." (2 Cor. 5:18-21)
What does this tell us? It suggests, yes, Christians can and do sin. Some Christians can even get ensnared in willful and habitual sin. The apostle Paul called these believers "carnal Christians", but never said that their "carnality" cancelled out God's gift of eternal life. Paul did command them to stop being carnal because it disrespects Christ our head and causes the truth to be evil spoken of. If you need more proof, read the story of the young man who had habitual sexual relations with his mother in 1 Corinthians 5:1-6. This was a gross and horrible sin in those days -- and remains so today. Paul condemned the whole sinful practice and rebuked the Church for not dealing with it. It was one of the most extreme examples of overt sin and church discipline in the New Testament. Despite all of this, Paul said that this man's spirit "would be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus". Yet, when you read the account, Paul never indicated anywhere that the young man repented. Endless debates will continue over what really happened.
The Bible clearly tells us that under the new covenant God "does not impute sin to us". Why? Jesus as "The Lamb of God" paid the price to permanently end the Old Testament process where sin is charged (imputed) to our account. That's what John meant when he said that Jesus is the Lamb of God that "takes away the sin of the world". If He truly "takes sin away" then it can never be imputed to us again, even if we foolishly abuse the blessing. If sin can be put back on us -- God lied about "taking it away" and the sacrifice of the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world becomes nothing but nonsense. Today, many preachers and churches are unknowingly calling God a liar, while claiming to preach God's Word. This act sows confusion and unbelief throughout the Church. Some know what they're doing, and do it anyway. This is why both Paul and Peter assigned the horrific act of redefining the new covenant gospel to our enemy, Satan. Jesus established a new covenant based on His blood that does not impute our sin and trespasses to us. This is the very foundation of the freedom we now enjoy in Christ. God wanted the threat of the eternal consequences of sin removed so that we could be free and unhindered to serve Him and to bear fruit (Rom. 7:4-6). This is the new covenant truth that many preachers ignorantly attempt to discredit by labeling it a "license to sin". It is not some kind of "fringe" or "minority" effort. It is a mainstream effort in the Christian Church.
There is one reason new covenant grace is so viciously attacked. Jesus took away the sin (and the punishment that goes with it) that many preachers use to manipulate and control their congregations. That's why they redefine the gospel in a way that places the sin that Christ took away -- back on the shoulders of the Christian. Our sin, and the punishment it carries, gives them a very powerful "fear manipulation tool" that they can't afford to lose. Catholics, Protestants, Pentecostals, Charismatics, Independents and even Messianic Judaism are all guilty of this practice. It's been going on for hundreds, even thousands of years. Can some Christians live in a way that abuses God's Grace? Yes they can....but God will only let this behavior continue for a little while. God never extended His Grace to us as a way to willfully continue in sin (Rom. 6:1-4). At some point our Heavenly Father will discipline them for their choices. God will do it His way and not our way. One thing is sure: He will never change the principles that guarantee our freedom in Christ because some Christians abuse His blessing of Grace. Every new covenant Christian can take comfort in this fact. God never gives a gift, and then changes His mind.
There are countless good sounding reasons offered to justify the act of redefining the new covenant gospel. Appearing to confront Christians who wrongly use God's Grace to excuse sin is the most popular. This approach is popular because it works well against those who reverence the Bible; yet do not understand the rules of context found within its pages. When you go fishing, bait is used on a hook to catch a fish. False theology always uses some "truth" as bait. Yet, most people can't see the hidden "hook". In the case of "the truth of the gospel", the end never justifies the means. The practice of modifying (redefining) Christ's Gospel creates something Saint Paul referred to as "a different gospel". Paul said that anyone who taught a "different gospel" was cursed (read Gal. 1:6-9). By using the word "cursed", Paul is directly associating these "ministers of the gospel", who preach this "different gospel", to Satan -- our enemy. Think about that. Paul's words were not necessarily restricted to the popular cults that occasionally show up at our front door. He was talking about an influence that comes from "trusted sources" inside the Christian Church.
The apostle Peter used strong and insulting words to warn believers about what he called "damnable heresies". Very few Christians can detect these practices that could be occurring in their own "Bible believing" fellowship under the banner of "preaching the Word of God". It is a blatant and direct attack on "the truth of the Gospel" by subtly changing the underlying principles that define it. Yet, the modern Christian Church commonly accommodates these beliefs as just a "different interpretation of Scripture" or a need to "walk in love" or to be "seeker sensitive" to avoid offending anyone. If Paul and Peter were in charge of the Church today, I have no doubt that they would shut down many church organizations that claim to operate in the name of Christ. The guiding principle behind their decision would be this: Peace when possible, truth at any cost. Yet, the modern Church operates by the principle, "Truth, when it doesn't impact our numbers, peace at any cost.
Peter obviously doesn't agree with our modern methods of compromise to avoid offending people. He warned:
"But there were false prophets also among the people, EVEN AS THERE SHALL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2 Peter 2:1-2)
Along these same lines, Paul also warned....
"Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. FOR THOSE WHO ARE SUCH DO NOT SERVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple." (Romans 16:17-18)
I find Peter's words to be very informative. He warned about "the false teachers AMONG YOU" that teach "damnable heresies". Our series of teachings on "The Stealth War" is designed to expose those within the Christian Church that work to undermine "the truth of the gospel". By stealth, they use persuasive arguments from our own Bible against us. Peter said that these "damnable heresies" would cause "the way of truth to be evil spoken of". Today it's popular to attack and discredit those that correctly preach the freedom found in Christ's new covenant and the believer's position "in Christ". Strangely, many professing Christians actively oppose this message. Those that use the "license to sin" argument tend to also use phrases such as "the grace cult", "easy believism" and "greasy grace" to attack those that preach the message. Peter's warning goes to the very heart of the problem. It's another way of saying that a counterfeit gospel (or what he calls "damnable heresies") can easily replace the real Gospel of Christ in a way that few church members can discern. It's "damnable" because these "counterfeit gospels" use Scripture from the Bible out of context, yet claim it's God's Word. They can easily deceive inexperienced Christians -- or Christians who were taught wrong doctrine by their church. The next time you hear anyone use the term "license to sin" to argue against Christ's Grace Gospel, know that their concern about the issue of abusing God's Grace is valid -- but, any attempt to redefine or cast doubt on the Gospel of Christ as a way to deal with this problem is strongly condemned by our Heavenly Father. Obviously, we condemn it too.
A Warning From Church History
Some people tell us that we should concentrate more on the positive aspects of the Bible, rather than the negative. I agree that sometimes we are overwhelmed with concern and get too "heavy" in our comments and need some balance. Yet, when I read how Jesus conducted His earthly ministry, I've noticed something that few practice today. The preaching of the Gospel has two important responsibilities. First, we tell others about the great salvation Jesus provided for us on the cross. Second, we expose the spiritual counterfeits so that new believers can avoid the enemy's cleverly designed traps. We're very good with the first responsibility; yet totally ignore the second one because it causes anger and division. Jesus and the early apostles understood and practiced both, regardless of the consequences.
I've noticed that some popular preachers from Church history took this same approach. We occasionally quote Martin Luther, a former Catholic priest and German evangelist from the 1500's. The reader should not interpret our use of his comments as agreement with everything he taught. Yet, Luther did possess a clear understanding of the believer's position "in Christ", which was rare among preachers in his generation. Luther had a gift for condensing complex problems into simple quotes and comments. Here's one such quotation that adds some clarity to this whole discussion.
"Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want."
Some Christians wonder what Paul was talking about when he used the phrases "another Jesus" and a "different gospel" in his epistles. Most churches teach that he was only talking about the various religious cults that exist. Yet, upon closer examination, we learn that Paul was actually warning us about a popular stealth influence in the main stream Christian Church that led believers astray in their faith. Many Churches preach "another Jesus" and a "different gospel" that places sin back on the believer's life, after Jesus died to permanently take it away. On the other side, there are a few churches that preach the true Jesus and His new covenant Gospel that permanently removes our sin and places it entirely on Christ -- so that we are set free. There is a serious warning in Luther's words for those professing Christians who teach that God continues to assign sin to the believer. This popular theology actually denies Christ and everything He died to accomplish. Luther suggested that their salvation is in question. If this is true, it’s a frightening thought because many professing Christians today hold this belief.
Does Your Jesus Pass The Test?
I frequently see Christian bumper stickers while driving. A popular one is, "I Have Decided To Follow Jesus". Don't get me wrong, that's a great message to put on your car. However, in this current crisis for truth in the Church, I find myself asking some important questions. Is the Jesus you're following the right one? How do you know? Are you sure?
The bottom line is this: If you're someone who professes to be a Christian and believes that God continues to charge sin to your life, or the lives of other believers -- you have unknowingly put your faith in another Jesus and a different gospel, regardless of the good intentions of your pastor or church fellowship. However, if you believe that God charges all your sin (past, present and future) to Christ -- you are free from condemnation and are trusting in the true Jesus of the new covenant -- all your sin is gone.
I have decided to allow all my sin to rest on Christ. We encourage everyone to make the same decision.
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