Child Molesters Who Come to Christ

Abusers are human beings. Yahweh God can forgive them. We can, too. Convicted child molesters can come to Christ Jesus the same as any other sinner. That does not mean they should get off scot-free. We are to love them ("Love one another, just as I have loved you," "Love your neighbour as yourself," and "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you"), but the Law is to serve their due punishment. Any criminal who comes to Jesus and thinks they should be released from the consequences of their crimes is delusional and quite obviously not repentant. If you truly came to Jesus in repentance, you would demand that the Law fulfill the consequences of your actions. There is no sin for which Jesus did not die and for which we cannot forgive. Christians should never pray just for the victim, but also for the perpetrator! If you cannot think of any reason to pray for an offender, then your faith is stunted at best and non-existent at worst.

RULES FOR CHILD MOLESTERS IN WORSHIP
(Borrowed from Wade Burleson)

1. We have to be informed when they are coming.
2. Once they step foot on the property, they have to be escorted.
3. They can never be around children or walk through the children’s wing – for life.
4. A photo of the sexual offender with their background and the specificity of the crimes is passed around to all church leaders and children workers.
5. The photo is hung on the wall in our print room for all staff to see.
6. If any child sexual offender ever violates these guidelines, the police are called.
7. These guidelines are the proper consequences of their crime of child sexual molestation.

The same thing can be said of rapists, and a similar type of rules should be adopted for them, too. There is no sin for which Jesus did not die and for which Yahweh does not forgive and that we cannot forgive. But there are consequences, and truly repentant believers will accept such consequences without feeling "offended."

SUMMARY:

• Forgiveness: Full in Christ (Col. 2:13).
• Justice: Consequences remain (Rom. 13:4).
• Love: For both victim and offender (Luke 6:27–28).
• Protection: Non-negotiable (Matt. 18:6).

Repentant offenders accept boundaries.
Church guards the flock.
Grace never cancels wisdom.

Violence: To Commit or Not to Commit

Looking at professing American "Christianity" today, you would think Jesus and the apostles never opened their mouths regarding this topic. However, from the very beginning, Christians had always renounced violence, war, and killing of every sort.

If you are a professing Christian serving in the American military (or any military for that matter), you are in direct defiance, disobedience, and rebellion to the teachings of Jesus and the practices of the early Christians of the first three centuries! Your only allegiance is to King Jesus and the Kingdom of God!!! You are commanded to conduct yourself according to the Royal Law: "Love one another, just as I have loved you." You owe no allegiance whatsoever to America (or any other country), and should not be patriotic or nationalistic toward such!

You may have been born in America, or immigrated to America, and have citizenship, but it is not your home! You are an alien, a foreigner, a pilgrim, a sojourner. You can appreciate the country you live in, but it is not yours. Your loyalty, commitment, citizenship, and ultimate allegiance are to Jesus' Kingdom. When you crown Jesus as Lord of your life, you must relinquish allegiance to all other kingdoms. Observe this early letter to Diognetus that describes the followers of Jesus:

"They live in their own countries, but only as non-residents; they participate in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, and every fatherland is foreign."

Are you calling yourself a follower of Jesus without actually following Him? Then you are a HYPOCRITE at best and a LIAR at worst! Repent!!!

Maximilian (AD 296) was just twenty-one years old, but when recruited by the Roman army, he knew how followers of Jesus should respond. Standing before the proconsul, he boldly announced, “I cannot enlist; I cannot serve; I cannot do evil. I am a Christian!” The proconsul said, “You must serve or die!” “You can cut off my head,” Maximilian calmly replied, “but I will not be a soldier of this world. I am a soldier of Jesus Christ!” Maximilian was beheaded for his faith.

Marcellus, a converted Roman centurion stationed in Spain, was arrested in AD 298 for throwing down his sword in front of the flag during a military parade. When challenged in court, Marcellus declared, “It is not fitting that a Christian, who fights for Christ his Lord, should be a soldier according to the brutalities of this world.” Marcellus was executed by the sword.

From the fourth century onward, and especially within American "Christianity," men have opposed the teachings of Jesus and attempted to use Scripture to justify their defiant, disobedient, rebellious, and godless thinking, actions, behaviour, and conduct. American "Christianity" has much to learn. If you are a genuine biblical follower of Jesus, then you CANNOT serve in the American military (or any other military)!

So what was Jesus' stance on violence?

Jesus said that Christians are to be peacemakers. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matt. 5:9) But He does not stop there. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kings of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:10-12). How were the prophets persecuted? They were violently assaulted and/or put to death! Followers of Jesus are to be peacemakers, following the path of peace (Rom. 12:18; Heb. 12:14; cf. 2 Cor. 13:11; Gal. 5:22; James 3:17).

Jesus' position on non-violence was made abundantly clear in His Teaching on the Mount. "You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you" (Matt. 5:38-42). This was not just about one's honour being assaulted. Paul explained this further when he said, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone" (Rom. 12:17), and then quoted from the Old Testament: "But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head" (Rom. 12:20).

Jesus went even further: "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:43-48).

Why were you commanded to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"? The answer is crystal clear: "So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." Scripture reveals that Jesus did not just teach these things, but practiced them (Matthew 10:23; 26:51-53; Luke 4:28-30; John 8:49; 10:39). This operates on the principle found in Romans 13:10: "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

Jesus also said, "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell" (Matt. 5:21-22). Jesus expanded the meaning of this command by revealing the spirit of the law against taking human life. He showed that it is not just the physical act of murder that breaks the command, but inner anger and hostility toward others also breaks it. The apostle John made clear this teaching: "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15; cf. 1 John 2:9-11).

When Jesus was going to travel through Samaria on His way to Jerusalem, a route that would typically be avoided by Jews, the Samaritans refused to receive Him. "When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." And they went on to another village." (Luke 9:54-56). Jesus rebuked His disciples because violence was to have no place in their practice or in their hearts.

On the night of His arrest, "Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave's name was Malchus" (John 18:10). What was Jesus response? "Put the sword into the sheath" (v.11). "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword" (Matt. 26:52). He then healed the man's ear. All violence was repudiated: "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone" (Rom. 12:17).

Jesus taught how to prevent violence and cut it off at its origins by teaching His followers to love their enemies (Matt. 5:43-45). By refusing to see anyone as an enemy, the violence that begins in the heart is stopped before it can fester. If and when violence should break out, Jesus taught how to use practical transforming initiatives that intervene and stop the escalation of violence (Matt. 5:38-42). Jesus taught how to attack and overcome the causes of violence through civil resistance—non-violent direct action. Jesus taught and modeled the way to reconcile a community after it has been ravaged by violence and division in order to bring the community back together again (Matt. 18:15-17, 20; 18:21; Luke 23:14). Jesus demonstrated how to defend both the innocent and guilty with non-violent action instead of violence (John 8:4-10). Jesus taught how to build a community and culture of non-violence as an antithesis to regimes of domination through violence. He taught and modeled how to live a life of non-violence to the full, and to the end. If you love your neighbour and your enemy, you will do nothing but good to him. No matter what he might do to you, you are commanded to love him.

The early Christians took Jesus’ command to love others very seriously. Let us review what the early Christians had to say on the issue, shall we:

"Christians … love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life. They are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred." —Letter to Diognetus

"We who formerly murdered one another now refrain from making war even upon our enemies" —Justin Martyr

"For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" [Is. 2:3]. And that this did come to pass, we can convince you. For from Jerusalem men went out into the world, twelve in number and these illiterate, of no ability in speaking; but by the power of God they proclaimed to every race of men that they were sent by Christ to teach to all the word of God. Now we who used to murder one another do not only refrain from making war upon our enemies, but also, that we may not lie nor deceive our examiners, willingly die confessing Christ. For that saying, "The tongue has sworn but the mind is unsworn" [a justification for lying used in Justin's time], might be imitated by us in this matter. But if the soldiers nrolled by you, who have taken the military oath, prefer their allegiance to their own life, parents, country, and all kindred, though you can offer them nothing incorruptible, it would be truly ridiculous if we, who earnestly long for incorruption, should not endure all things in order to obtain what we desire from him who is able to grant it." —Justin Martyr

"We who were filled with war, mutual slaughter, and every wickedness have each, through the whole earth, changed our warlike weapons—our swords into ploughshares and our spears into implements of tillage. In their place, we cultivate godliness, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and hope, which we have from the Father himself through the One who was crucified." —Justin Martyr

"We have learned not to return blow for blow, nor to go to law with those who plunder and rob us. Instead, even to those who strike us on one side of the face, we offer the other side also." —Athenagoras

"For when they know that we cannot endure even to see a man put to death, though justly; who of them can accuse us of murder or cannibalism? Who does not reckon among the things of greatest interest the contests of gladiators and wild beasts, especially those which are given by you? But we, deeming that to see a man put to death is much the same as killing him, have abjured such spectacles. How, then, when we do not even watch, lest we should contract guilt and pollution, can we put people to death? And when we say that those women who use drugs to bring on abortion commit murder and will have to give an account to God for the abortion, on what principle should we commit murder?" —Athenagoras

"For we are not to delineate the faces of idols, we who are prohibited to cleave to them; nor a sword, nor a bow, since we follow peace." —Clement of Alexandria

"Christians are not allowed to correct with violence the delinquencies of sins." —Clement of Alexandria

"The Christian does no harm even to his enemy." —Tertullian

"God puts His prohibition on every sort of man-killing by that one inclusive commandment: 'You shall not kill.' " —Tertullian

"They will inquire concerning the works and occupations of those who are brought forward for instruction. If someone is a pimp who supports prostitutes, he shall cease or shall be rejected. If someone is a sculptor or a painter, let them be taught not to make idols. Either let them cease or let them be rejected. If someone is an actor or does shows in the theater, either he shall cease or he shall be rejected. If someone teaches children (worldly knowledge), it is good that he cease. But if he has no (other) trade, let him be permitted. A charioteer, likewise, or one who takes part in the games, or one who goes to the games, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. If someone is a gladiator, or one who teaches those among the gladiators how to fight, or a hunter who is in the wild beast shows in the arena, or a public official who is concerned with gladiator shows, either he shall cease, or he shall be rejected. If someone is a priest of idols, or an attendant of idols, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. A military man in authority must not execute men. If he is ordered, he must not carry it out. Nor must he take military oath. If he refuses, he shall be rejected. If someone is a military governor, or the ruler of a city who wears the purple, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. The catechumen or faithful who wants to become a soldier is to be rejected, for he has despised God. The prostitute, the wanton man, the one who castrates himself, or one who does that which may not be mentioned, are to be rejected, for they are impure. A magus shall not even be brought forward for consideration. An enchanter, or astrologer, or diviner, or interpreter of dreams, or a charlatan, or one who makes amulets, either they shall cease or they shall be rejected. If someone's concubine is a slave, as long as she has raised her children and has clung only to him, let her hear. Otherwise, she shall be rejected. The man who has a concubine must cease and take a wife according to the law. If he will not, he shall be rejected." —Hippolytus

"To those who inquire of us from where we come, or who is our founder, we reply that we have come agreeably to the counsels of Jesus. We have cut down our hostile, insolent, and wearisome swords into plowshares. We have converted into pruning hooks the spears that were formerly used in war. For we no longer take up 'sword against nation,' nor do we 'learn war anymore.' That is because we have become children of peace for the sake of Jesus, who is our Leader." —Origen

"Who among the believers does not know the words in Isaiah? "In the last days the mountain of the Lord shall be revealed, and the house of the Lord on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills. All nations shall come to it. Many people shall go and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his way, and we will walk in it." For out of Zion shall go forth a law, and a word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more [Isa. 1:2-5]." —Origen
[The early Christians used Isaiah 1:2-5 so regularly that every Christian was familiar with it, believing this passage to be fulfilled by Jesus and His apostles who brought the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem to the entire world, creating a kingdom that lived in peace and refused warfare.]

"Christians do not attack their assailants in return, for it is not lawful for the innocent to kill even the guilty." —Cyprian

"The whole world is wet with mutual blood, and murder, which in the case of an individual is admitted to be a crime, yet is called a virtue when it is committed wholesale. Impunity is claimed for the wicked deeds, not on the plea that they are guiltless, but because the cruelty is perpetrated on a grand scale." —Cyprian

Today's Christianity is famous for saying great things and promoting beautiful concepts. Many Christians today are saying great things but not living them. Early Christianity was exactly the opposite!!!

"We do not speak great things, but we live them." —Mark Felix (~AD 200)

Today's Christianity would be laughed at for making that kind of claim. In fact, today's Christianity would be laughed at if they attempted to make any of the claims that the early Christians made. But the Romans were not laughing. They knew it was true.

You CANNOT be a Christian and serve in the military!!! You are doing the very things Jesus and the early Christians of the first three centuries opposed. History is replete with their stories, from both the mouths of Christians and of their antagonists. If they became Christians while in the military, they sought to leave the military or to do something else that did not violate their conscience. If they became Christians outside of the military, they never sought to join the military. Many professing American Christians are confused and have divided allegiance. They are serving America unbiblically, doing the very things Jesus was against, while trying to claim they belong to Jesus' Kingdom of peace. The American military asks you to use force upon and/or violence against others. Jesus commands you to "Love one another, just as I have loved you," to "Love your neighbour as yourself," and to "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." You cannot serve two masters, Christian! Choose this day whom you will serve!

Christians also CANNOT be police officers! At some point, you know that you are going to be faced with the decision to take another person's life, which Jesus and the early Christians of the first three centuries were absolutely opposed to.

If you have no problem taking the life of another person, regardless of the circumstances, then you have no idea what it means to be a Christian!

What Christians Should REFUSE to Do

Christians have NO PLACE in political office!!!

Jesus and the early Christians of the first three (3) centuries refused political protest, to become alarmed by current political events, and/or to utilize political power. American “Christianity” has much to learn here.

"It is not for the purpose of escaping public duties that Christians decline public offices, but that they may reserve themselves for a diviner and more necessary service in the Congregation of God—for the salvation of men." —Origen (AD 185-253)

"We have no pressing inducement to take part in your public meetings; nor is there anything more entirely foreign to us than affairs of state." —Tertullian (AD 155-220)

An early letter to Diognetus describes the early followers of Jesus:

"They live in their own countries, but only as non-residents; they participate in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, and every fatherland is foreign."

Jesus had said, "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world," and the early Christians believed Him! They were not alarmed by the political events of their day because they were focused on another Kingdom. American Christians have yet to figure this truth of reality out.

Study early Christian history and take note of all the political upheaval that was occurring in the first century. Why do we read nothing of these events in the New Testament writings? Acts is very detailed in its account, yet it mentions nothing of the political happenings of their day. Paul and the other apostles never see fit to mention any of the political happenings of their day. The believers are never told to protest, or rebel, or anything of the sort, and we see the same in the writings of the Christians of the next two centuries. We have lost sight of their focus.

Genuine biblical Christians of any country should never be patriotic! Your only allegiance is to King Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Your Royal Law of conduct is to "love one another, just as I have loved you." You are to love your enemies and do good to them, regardless of how they treat you. Period. End of debate.

What did Jesus refuse to do?

1. He refused political protest.
2. He refused to discredit the authority of earthly leaders.
3. He refused to utilize heavenly forces.
4. He refused to take timing into His own hands.
5. He refused to utilize popularity or political power.

What did the Congregation refuse to do?
(At least the Congregation of the first 3 centuries.)

1. They refused to seek political office.
2. They refused public protests.
3. They refused to use violence or military force.
4. They refused to become alarmed about current political events.

What have we forgotten?

1. We have forgotten the Jesus way.
2. We have forgotten we cannot be followers without following.
3. We have forgotten the beauty of the Kingdom.
4. We have forgotten the lesson of Constantine.

What is The Lesson of Constantine? Mixing Church and State may have improved Constantine’s government, but it contaminated, corrupted, and weakened the Congregation. He rolled out the red carpet for them and they fell for the bait. We have never recovered from this!

Anyone who knows history knows that the Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists, etc., did not behave this way. They were ignorant of the Scriptures and lived according to the flesh, pursuing fleshly things. The Reformers were not any better than the Catholics. Martin Luther and John Calvin created their own State religions and set themselves up as the Popes of their own sects. They warred with the Catholics and each other, including the passive Anabaptists. Emperor Constantine and the Catholics behaved and conducted themselves in ways that were contrary to the words of Jesus and how the early Christians acted. When I say that Emperor Constantine and the subsequent Catholic Church turned Christianity upside down and that we have NEVER recovered from those errors introduced, I am not exaggerating or understating it. The early Christians knew what it was to "love your enemies" compared to your typical Western (especially North American) "Christian" who wants to fight everybody. From Constantine onward, war and violence became acceptable to professing Christians, whereas for the first three centuries is was absolutely opposed.

The Christian's Standing

The Law was never really for the gentiles. So why are we still debating law and grace? Paul clearly states the Law is not for believers (the righteous):

"We know that the Law is good if one uses it properly... the Law is made not for the righteous." 1 Timothy 1:8-11

Are you clinging to the Law as your "moral compass"? Then expect a storm of sin, guilt, and confusion:

"Sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. But apart from the Law, sin is dead." Romans 7:8

Break free and live!

The Law is not a multiple-choice quiz; it is an all-or-nothing proposition. Either keep the whole thing or opt for grace instead:

"Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Galatians 3:18

Ever since the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70, there are only 369 of the 613 laws available. So even if it were possible, which history has proven it is not, you still could not keep the whole Law!

What laws were written on a believer's heart (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10)? The laws written on a believer's heart are not the Ten Commandments (of which ignorant Christians who do not understand the Gospel only obey 9 of the 10), because we are no longer under the Law (Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:6-7; Romans 6:14). Believers have the NEW commands of Jesus written on our hearts: believe in Him and love one another just as He has loved us (John 13:34; 1 John 3:23; 5:3).

It is not about the stone tablets (which Paul informed us in 1 Corinthians 3 were a ministry of condemnation and death); embrace the beautiful newness of the Spirit:

"But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." Romans 7:6

There is no condemnation left, no sin left unpaid. It is finished!!! Live in confidence, knowing you are at perfect peace with Yahweh:

"Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 [see also John 3:18]

Jesus' tough teachings were for those who were under the Law:

"God sent forth His Son, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law." Galatians 4:4-5

New Covenant glasses change everything!

Salvation is not about your organized religious institution attendance, baptism, or deeds. It is about Christ Jesus living in you. That is the test:

"Examine yourself... Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in youunless, of course, you fail the test." 2 Corinthians 13:5

The cross of Calvary brought perfect forgiveness, but without the resurrection we would still be dead in Adam. Jesus' resurrection is what saves us:

"…having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!" Romans 5:10

Rest in the perfect completed work of Christ Jesus! He did everything on your behalf in your stead; there is nothing left to do. You benefit from what He earned by His perfect obedience. Amen!

FREE Indeed!

““All things are lawful for me,” you say—but not all things are beneficial for you. Even though “All things are lawful for me,” I will not be dominated or mastered by anything because not everything is beneficial or edifying.” 1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23

The Christian is absolutely FREE to do whatever he/she wants, but because he/she has a NEW nature, a NEW heart, and NEW desires, he/she WILL NOT do that which is contrary to “sound doctrine” (your conduct, your behaviour—i.e., “healthy living”; Titus 2:1-10).

Christian liberty has limitations. We may be free from any legal requirements, because we are "no longer under the Law but under grace" (Gal. 5:1; 2 Cor. 3:6-7; Rom. 6:14), but there are still certain practices that are at odds with the Christian life, and no amount of Christian liberty can excuse them. The Christian walks by and after the Spirit—NOT the flesh!

According to these two passages (1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23), Christian liberty is limited by at least two considerations: (1.) What is the effect of this action upon one's self? (2.) What influence will this action have on "Jews, Greeks or the Congregation of God" as a whole (10:32)? Our goal is to seek "the good of others" (10:24), and NOT just our own good (10:33).

Christian liberty is a major theme in Galatians, Paul's first written letter. Given the Corinthian's mantra, "All things are lawful for me," it is quite possible that this was Paul's original teaching to this congregation and that they took it too far and were ignoring the limitations that love for others and holiness before Yahweh place on liberty. The Christian CANNOT live in sin, and when confronted, shrug and say, "All things are lawful for me." Christian liberty ceases to be "Christian" when we engage in acts of immorality and/or fail to truly love one another! First Corinthians 10:31 sums the matter up perfectly: "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

“Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:13-14

How Do I Say “No” to Sin?

from Andrew Farley

Quick Answer: How do I say “no” to sin? We believers say “no” to sin by recognizing sinful thoughts do not come from us and that sin has no power over us (Romans 6:11-12). When sinful thoughts or temptations come our way, we can make the conscious decision to count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. In this way, we express our genuine self (the new self) and we express Jesus at the same time.

Diving Deeper: Saying “no” to sin begins with a solid understanding of who we are in Christ and identifying the true source of sinful desires.

Scripture is clear that anyone who has died spiritually has been freed from sin’s power (Romans 6:7). This death doesn’t occur through rigorous Bible study and the keeping of various spiritual disciplines. This death already occurred when we believed in Jesus.

At salvation, a spiritual surgery took place. God crucified your old sinful self with Jesus, buried it, and raised you up through the resurrection of Jesus (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4). Because you are now dead to sin, you are not dominated by its power (Romans 6:2). You are no longer enslaved to sin. You have been enslaved to righteousness (Romans 6:18). Think of it this way: You are allergic to sin and addicted to Jesus!

Paul encourages believers to consider, or reckon, or count themselves dead to sin so that they don’t submit to its lusts (Romans 6:12). Note that the lusts belong to the power of sin, not to the believer. That’s right: Sin has its own desires that are different from your new, righteous desires.

So, the next time you find yourself facing temptation, you can remember those desires are not your own. They are ideas that actually war against you (1 Peter 2:11). You can then make the conscious decision to say “no” to sin and say “yes” to who you truly are!

Was Jesus Punished for Our Sins?

Christians,

If you committed some sin earlier in the day or sometime during the week and things do not seem to be going your way, do you think that God is punishing you because of it? If you are desperately praying and seeking for a job or whatever the issue may be, and it does not seem that God is answering you, do you think He is punishing you because of some sin you have committed?

Let me ask you a question, Christian.

Did God punish Jesus for our sins? Yes or no?

How many of our sins did God punish Jesus for? One? Ten? One hundred? If we sin, does Yahweh punish us for those sins? If so, then what was the point in punishing Jesus for them? Was the punishment of Jesus not enough?

Either God's punishment of Jesus for our sins was enough or it was not. If you believe that when you sin God punishes you, then you also believe that Jesus' punishment was not enough; that God has to exact punishment from us, too. You basically believe that every time you sin, Jesus has to be re-crucified.

Jesus died once for all sin for all time! Period. If you are in Christ, if you trust and believe in His person and work, then when you sin it is not held against you. It has already been forgiven and it has already been forgotten. When Jesus was crucified, all your sins were future.

"Whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." John 3:18

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

None of your sins are held against you, Christian! Past, present, or future. They were all put on Jesus, they were all forgiven, and they were all forgotten. Jesus accomplished everything on our behalf and in our stead. It is time you correctly understood the Gospel.

Many a preacher behind the pulpit has been LYING to you. They are ignorant of Scripture. They teach that which they have been programmed, conditioned, and brainwashed to by the schools that have put their marks upon them. It is time you break free from their control and start reading and studying the Bible for yourself apart from their influence. When you are reading and you have that "gut feeling" or "instinct" that something is not right, but you ignore it because what you have been TOLD to believe opposes this "feeling," that is the still small voice of the Holy Spirit trying to get your attention so that He can guide you into the truth, just as Jesus said He would do. When you ignore this "feeling," you are quenching the Holy Spirit. You are choosing to listen to the LIES rather than to become vulnerable and admit that you have believed wrongly for so long. Unless you start listening for the Spirit (and I am not talking about you falsely attributing your thoughts to being the Spirit), and having a willingness to reform yourself and your beliefs and conform them to the truths of Scripture, you will forever be enveloped with lies and false interpretations.

Torah Observance is Anti-Christ!

Hebrews 8:13 stands unequivocally and irrefutably against so-called 'Torah Observant' "Christians"—that is, modern-day Judaizers.

"In speaking of a new covenant, He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear."

According to Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32, no commandments shall be added to or taken away from the Law of Moses. Huh... Well, is that not a precarious predicament. Jesus gave us new commandments not found in the Law (Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 13:34). Seems the "Torah Observant" cult have a problem on their hands. Are they going to attempt to say that Jesus sinned and/or is not the Messiah?

Torah observance undermines both the Gospel of Jesus and the sufficiency of His work in making us right with Yahweh. It also undermines the accomplishments of Jesus through His life, death, and resurrection.

If you are going to attempt to observe the Torah, then that would have to include circumcision. However, what does Paul say? "If you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you" (Gal. 5:2). He continues, "Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love" (Gal. 5:6).

If you are going to attempt to observe the Torah, then that would also have to include the eating of kosher foods (Lev. 11:44-45). However, Jesus and the apostles taught us that all foods are clean (Mark 7:1-23; Acts 10:9-16; Rom 11:11-24; 14:1-15:13).

From AD 70 until today, it has been impossible for anyone to live a truly "Torah Observant" lifestyle. According to traditional Judaism, there are 613 commandments. However, after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, only 369 of the 613 commandments are able to be observed. As I have said before, if you want to attempt to live by the Law, you are required to live by all of it—all 613 commandments!!! There is no cherry picking! If you fail in even one point of the Law, you are guilty of breaking all of it!!!

The Law was given to Moses as a ministry of condemnation and death (2 Cor. 3:7-11). It was given to Israel only (Ex. 19:3). Gentiles were never under the Law and never had a part in the Law (Eph. 2:11-12), including the Sabbath requirements. No other nation or people group was part of the Mosaic covenant.

The New Covenant Scriptures reveal that under Jesus and the New Covenant, everything changed! The New Covenant is radically different from the previous Covenant. Under the former covenant, the people of God were designated through ethnicity and lineage. Under the new covenant, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:28-29). Believers in Jesus are considered Abraham's offspring.

How many times does it have to be said for the so-called 'Torah Observant' cult member to grasp the truth? The Jewish era, the Old Covenant, the Law, has been made obsolete. It is null and void. It has been abolished. Jesus fulfilled the Law perfectly. Moses and the Prophets were shadows of the real thing, which is found in Christ Jesus. These modern-day Judaizers are spitting directly in the face of Jesus while rejecting the work He came to accomplish on our behalf and in our stead. These scripturally illiterate and ignorant clowns should answer Paul's rhetorical question to the Galatians: "Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"

The NEW Israel—Christ Jesus!

The “church” has not replaced Israel; Jesus is the NEW Israel!

“When Israel was a child, I loved Him and called Him out of Egypt.” Hosea 11:1

Matthew says this was fulfilled in the life of Jesus (2:15)! The “Israel of God” is Jesus!!! "National Israel" is nothing!

Have you ever noticed how the life of Jesus parallels the life of Old Covenant Israel?

1. The King of kings was born in Bethlehem, the very place where David was crowned king of Israel. The magi following the star were looking for the baby who was born King of kings.
2. After Jesus was born, He went to Egypt, just as Israel fled to Egypt to avoid death during a famine.
3. Both national Israel and the NEW Israel (Christ Jesus) were "called out of Egypt."
4. Jesus was baptized at the very location national Israel crossed the Jordan to enter Canaan.
5. Before Jesus entered into His public ministry, He spent forty days in the wilderness, and before national Israel entered Canaan, they spent forty years in the wilderness.
6. God gave the Old Covenant Law on a mountain (Sinai) through Moses, and He gave the new Law on a mountain through His Son (i.e.: "the Sermon on the Mount").
7. National Israel has a history of disobedience to Yahweh and failure to meet the conditions of the Old Covenant Law, while the NEW Israel (Jesus) fulfilled every "jot and tittle" of the Law.
8. The Law promised "blessings" from Yahweh for full obedience and punishment for disobedience to the Law. National Israel experienced constant punishments from Yahweh throughout the duration of the Old Covenant (ending in AD 70), but Jesus experienced and felt the full pleasure of His Father because of His perfect obedience.
9. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law's festivals: born on the Feast of Tabernacles ("He tabernacled among us"), died on Passover, in the tomb during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, raised on the Feast of First Fruits, and sending the Comforter on Pentecost.
   

I have said it before, and I will say it again: not only is Jesus the second Adam, as Paul refers to Him, but He is also the second Israel. He succeeded on every point where they failed!

Jesus is the NEW Israel in the eternal New Covenant that Yahweh God has made with the world. Yahweh is now only concerned with whether or not people everywhere—Jew and gentile—embrace His Son.

When you promote "national Israel" over the NEW Israel (Christ Jesus), you are no different in your religion than any other anti-Christ religion. Faith that saves is Christo-centric (Christ-centered) and not Israel-centric (Israel-centered).

To support “national Israel” because of an ignorant belief (in a bankrupt theology) that God desires to re-establish the Old Covenant agreement with Israel is to spit in the face of Jesus, the Messiah of Yahweh. This belief is the epitome of ignorance and stupidity. "National Israel" is nothing to God anymore!

On Mount Tabor, the lawgiver of Israel (Moses) and the prophet of Israel (Elijah) appeared beside Jesus. “A cloud came, overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son; LISTEN TO HIM!”” (Luke 9:35). When the cloud disappeared, there was nobody but Jesus! Both the law and the prophets pointed to the person and work of Jesus. Yahweh told Peter, James, and John to ignore Moses and Elijah and to listen to Jesus: "This is My Son, My Chosen One; HEAR HIM! (akoute auton)" This event was symbolic of the coming reality. The Old Covenant was becoming obsolete and was fading away, to be replaced by a New Covenant. Today, there is nobody but Jesus! We are to listen to Jesus alone! "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world" (Heb. 1:1-2).

If you support "national Israel," you don’t get it. You’ve missed it. You have no understanding. Your ignorance of Scripture is astounding and tragic. Why would you support Jews in their delusion of re-instituting the very rituals that Scripture says were merely shadows that pointed to Christ Jesus? The Jewish era, the Old Covenant, the Law was made obsolete and has been abolished. Please go read the book of Hebrews and get educated. Stop propagating Jewish myths!

Dispensationalists are enemies of Jesus. They are propagating a system fulfilled in and by Jesus that was made obsolete and has faded away and been abolished. They are spitting directly in Jesus' face by claiming a future restoration of this failed system of condemnation and death (2 Cor. 3:7-11). We are the temple of Yahweh, and He indwells us; there will be no rebuilt Jewish temple. Jesus was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices; there will be no return to sacrifices ("memorial" or otherwise). Paul makes all of this crystal clear in his letters, yet Dispenstationalists miss it.

God's New Deal!

"For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the Law as well." Hebrews 7:12

How have so many preachers missed this? How are so many Christians ignorant to this fact? Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, not the order of Aaron. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Levi.

"In speaking of a New Covenant, He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." Hebrews 8:13

Hebrews was written around AD 65. Jesus and His apostles had been predicting the end of the Jewish era, the end of the Old Covenant, the end of the Law, and in AD 70 it would become a complete reality. The Law has no place in the life of the Christian! The Kingdom of God has one Royal Law that governs every facet of life for the believer in Christ Jesus:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

This is further confirmed by Paul and John:

"[The Law is] summed up in this word, ‘You shall love your neighbour [just] as [you love] yourself.’” Romans 13:9

“For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word: ‘Love your neighbour [just] as [you love] yourself.’” Galatians 5:14

[For the ignorant who do not know who their "neighbour" is, like rapper Bryson Gray, I suggest you go and read Luke 10:25-37. Every other human being on the planet is your neighbour!]

"For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. ... We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. ... By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. ... And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Christ Jesus and love one another, just as He has commanded us." 1 John 3:11-24

Yahweh has done everything for us in the New Covenant through Jesus! We need only to accept the person and work of Jesus by faith and to rest in His finished work. There is nothing for us to do! When speaking of the New Covenant (the word does not mean "brand new," but rather "fresh" or "renewed"), Yahweh stated five "I will's":

1. I will establish a New Covenant.
2. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. (This is not the Ten Commandments, or any part of the Old Covenant Law, but the Royal Law of the Kingdom of God: Love!)
3. I will be their God.
4. I will forgive all their sins, including their intentional sins.
5. I will remember their sins no more.

Yahweh God established the New Covenant with Himself! You and I have no part in its establishment. Yahweh bound Himself by it. We get to benefit from it. This is why Paul says that all the promises of God are "Yes!" in Christ Jesus. This is GREAT news!!! Our performance has nothing to do with the covenant or the outcome. Jesus did it all for you! Accept this truth, feel the weight lifted from your shoulders (because His yoke is easy and His burden is light), and rest in His completed work. He did what we could not and we get to reap His rewards. What could be better than that?