BELIEVING IN CHRIST JESUS & FORGIVENESS OF SINS
INTENTION:
Our sins of the flesh
were all forgiven at the Cross (long before we ever commit them). And when we
believe in Christ Jesus, our Sin of not believing in Him is forgiven.
When we understand
these two “sin / Sin” aspects, we can let go of so much of the confusion
revolving around the concept of sin. The Lord did the work of removing any
hindrance sin could have in keeping us from believing in Him; yet He could not
violate our free-will in not believing.
So let us let go of
the weight and power of sin in our lives and just believe on Him!
I.
TOPIC:
We want to look at Believing in
Christ Jesus and Forgiveness of Sins.
This is what the
Lord has strived to do from the beginning of Creation. His desire is for us to
have an eternal relationship with Him. However, He did not create us as
mindless, programmed robots; no, He created us with a free will to believe or
not believe (and to sin or not sin). We saw this transpire with Adam and Eve
(God not forcing them to eat of the wrong tree), and see it transpire in the
everyday lives of each and every human being. We all make choices that affect
our lives at every moment—our choices even affecting those around us and across
the globe.
To think that God
“controls” everything or everyone is to reject that notion of a person’s free
will. He has the ultimate power to control, but purposefully limits Himself to
His own Word to not control. God gave the world to humanity at creation, humanity
then gave it to Satan at the Fall, but it was reclaimed to humanity by the
human Christ Jesus. Everything that transpires on this earth is a result of
human decisions, not through an “Act of God”.
This freedom to
choose is His Love for us—for how can we Love Him back if it isn’t a choice?
Nor, can that Love be honest and true if we are just programmed like computers
to “Love” Him back.
Our ability to
choose is of utmost importance when it comes to believing in Christ Jesus! And
this choice determines our eternity. We are eternal beings in a temporary shell
(tabernacle) on this earth. Once we depart from our earthly shell, we continue
our eternal existence apart from it—either heading into eternity with the Lord
or separated from Him. “With Him” is first, on this earth now, then partly in
Heaven when we die, and then forever on a New Earth. “Separated from Him” is to
be locked away in agonising Hell (a place originally created for Satan and His
angels).
Once we leave this
earth, there is no making a separate choice; our choice must transpire here on
this earth before we die. And to help us make the choice, Christ took upon
Himself the entire fleshly sins of humanity once-and-for-all-time at the Cross.
No longer can our fleshly sins affect our eternity—keeping us out of Heaven or
sending us to Hell.
With all the sins of
the flesh forgiven, the only Sin left is that of not believing on Christ Jesus.
It is only this ‘Sin of not believing’ that sends a person to eternal Hell. But
when we make a choice to believe in Christ Jesus, that Sin is removed, and our
eternal destination is to be with the Lord! And it is the ongoing work of God
and the Holy Spirit to do all they can to convince you to believe (all without
violating your free will to not believe).
With God, we don’t
have to worry about the fleshly sins we commit affecting our relationship with
Him (as a believer or non-believer); but we must individually decide whether to
believe on Him or not to be Born-Again. Thus, when we read the Bible about sin,
we have to distinguish between it talking about the sins of the flesh (those
forgiven at the Cross) and the Sin of not Believing in Christ Jesus (the only Sin
that sends us to Hell). This too translates into what the Bible refers to “Good
Works” (to believe in Christ Jesus) and “Evil Works” (not believing in Christ
Jesus).
The following reading shares about the impact
Jesus had in His ministry and concludes with needing to believe on Him.
·
Refer also: https://cbadenhorst.blogspot.com/2019/06/forgiveness.html
Bible Study Lesson 040
– Final Judgement (WEB)
II.
READING: John
12:9-50 (GWT)
A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was in Bethany.
So they went there not only to see Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus
had brought back to life. 10 The chief priests planned to kill Lazarus too. 11
Lazarus was the reason why many people were leaving the Jews and believing in
Jesus.
12 On the next day the large crowd that had come to the
Passover festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took
palm branches and went to meet him. They were shouting,
“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who
comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel!”
14 Jesus obtained a donkey and sat on it, as Scripture says:
15 “Don’t be afraid, people of
Zion! Your king is coming. He is riding on a donkey’s colt.”
16 At first Jesus’ disciples didn’t know what these
prophecies meant. However, when Jesus was glorified, the disciples remembered
that these prophecies had been written about him. The disciples remembered that
they had taken part in fulfilling the prophecies.
17 The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus
from the tomb and brought him back to life reported what they had seen. 18
Because the crowd heard that Jesus had performed this miracle, they came to
meet him.
19 The Pharisees said to each other, “This is getting us
nowhere. Look! The whole world is following him!”
20 Some Greeks were among
those who came to worship during the Passover festival. 21 They went to Philip
(who was from Bethsaida in Galilee) and told him, “Sir, we would like to meet
Jesus.” 22 Philip told Andrew, and they told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied to them, “The time has come for the Son of
Man to be glorified. 24 I can guarantee this truth: A single grain of wheat
doesn’t produce anything unless it is planted in the ground and dies. If it
dies, it will produce a lot of grain. 25 Those who love their lives will
destroy them, and those who hate their lives in this world will guard them for
everlasting life. 26 Those who serve me must follow me. My servants will be
with me wherever I will be. If people serve me, the Father will honour them.
27 “I am too deeply troubled now to know how to express my
feelings. Should I say, ‘Father, save me from this time of suffering’? No! I came for this time of suffering. 28 Father, give glory
to your name.”
A voice from heaven said, “I have given it glory, and I will
give it glory again.”
29 The crowd standing there heard the voice and said that it
had thundered. Others in the crowd said that an angel had talked to him. 30
Jesus replied, “That voice wasn’t for my benefit but for yours.
31 “This world is being judged now. The ruler of this world
will be thrown out now. 32 When I have been lifted up from the earth, I will
draw all people toward me.” 33 By saying this, he indicated how he was going to
die.
34 The crowd responded to him, “We have heard from the
Scriptures that the Messiah will remain here forever. So how can you say, ‘The
Son of Man must be lifted up from the earth’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
35 Jesus answered the crowd, “The light will still be with
you for a little while. Walk while you have light so that darkness won’t defeat
you. Those who walk in the dark don’t know where they’re going. 36 While you
have the light, believe in the light so that you will become people whose lives
show the light.”
After Jesus had said this, he was concealed as he left. 37
Although they had seen Jesus perform so many miracles, they wouldn’t believe in
him. 38 In this way the words of the prophet Isaiah came true:
“Lord, who has believed our
message? To whom has the Lord’s power been revealed?”
39 So the people couldn’t believe because, as Isaiah also
said,
40 {“Their eyes are blinded and
their hearts are hardened, that they do not perceive what they see with their
eyes, nor understand with their hearts; for if they returned to me, I would
heal them.” (Isaiah
6:10)}
41 Isaiah said this because he had seen Jesus’ glory and had
spoken about him.
42 Many rulers believed in Jesus. However, they wouldn’t
admit it publicly because the Pharisees would have thrown them out of the
synagogue. 43 They were more concerned about what people thought of them than
about what God thought of them.
44 Then Jesus said loudly, “Whoever believes in me believes
not only in me but also in the one who sent me. 45 Whoever sees me sees the one
who sent me. 46 I am the light that has come into the world so that everyone
who believes in me will not live in the dark. 47 If anyone hears my words and
doesn’t follow them, I don’t condemn them. I didn’t come to condemn the world
but to save the world. 48 Those who reject me by not accepting what I say have
a judge appointed for them. The words that I have spoken will judge them on the
last day. 49 I have not spoken on my own. Instead, the Father who sent me told
me what I should say and how I should say it. 50 I know that what he commands
is eternal life. Whatever I say is what the Father told me to say.”
III.
RELATED VERSES AND QUESTIONS:
A.
Hebrews
10:11-18 (GWT)
Every day each priest
performed his religious duty. He offered the same type of sacrifice again and
again. Yet, these sacrifices could never take away sins. 12 However, this chief
priest made one sacrifice for sins, and this sacrifice lasts forever. Now he
holds the honoured position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly
throne. 13 Since that time, he has been waiting for his enemies to be made his
footstool. 14 With one sacrifice he accomplished the work of setting them apart
for God forever.
15 The Holy Spirit tells
us the same thing: 16 “This is the promise that I will make to them after those
days, says the Lord: ‘I will put my teachings in their hearts and write them in
their minds.’ ”
17 Then he adds, “I will
no longer hold their sins and their disobedience against them.”
18 When sins are forgiven,
there is no longer any need to sacrifice for sins.
Question: Did you do anything 2000 years ago to
be forgiven? Do you understand that any sin of the flesh you commit (from a
simple lie to genocide) is forever forgiven you and never remembered by God; and
done so even before you committed it?
B. Our
only goal is to believe in Christ Jesus:
Mark
16:15-16 (GWT)
Then Jesus said to them,
“So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News. 16 Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be
condemned.
John
3:16-18 (GWT)
God loved the world this
way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but
will have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the
world, but to save the world. 18 Those who believe in him won’t be condemned.
But those who don’t believe are already condemned because they don’t believe in
God’s only Son.
Romans
10:9-11 (GWT) {PoG}
If you declare that Jesus
is Lord, and believe that God brought him back to life, you will be saved. 10
By believing you receive God’s approval {made righteous}, and by declaring {it
unto salvation}. 11 Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be
ashamed.”
Question: What is the goal of the Lord for you
personally; and the instructions He gave?
C. God
is not convicting us of our fleshly sins; the Holy Spirit only tries to
convince us to believe in Him (convicting us of the Sin of not believing on
Him):
John
8:23-24 (GWT) {PoG}
Jesus said to them,
“You’re from below. I’m from above. You’re from this world. I’m not from this
world. 24 For this reason I told you that you’ll die because of your {Sin}. If
you don’t believe that I am the one, you’ll die because of your {Sin}.”
John
15:26-27, 16:7-15 (GWT) {PoG]
“The helper whom I will
send to you from the Father will come. This helper, the Spirit of Truth who
comes from the Father, will declare the truth about me. 27 You will declare the
truth, too, because you have been with me from the beginning.”
However, I am telling you
the truth: It’s good for you that I’m going away. If I don’t go away, the
helper won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
{8-11 And when He has come, He will convict the world of:
·
Sin, because they do not believe in Me;
·
Righteousness, because I go to My Father and you
see Me no more;
·
Judgment, because the ruler of this world is
judged.}
12 “I have a lot more to
tell you, but that would be too much for you now. 13 When the Spirit of Truth
comes, he will guide you into the full truth. He won’t speak on his own. He
will speak what he hears and will tell you about things to come. 14 He will
give me glory, because he will tell you what I say. 15 Everything the Father
says is also what I say. That is why I said, ‘He will take what I say and tell
it to you.’
Mark
3:28-29 (GWT)
“I can guarantee this
truth: People will be forgiven for any sin or curse. 29 But whoever curses the
Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. He is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
Question: How can God convict you of your
fleshly sins if He took them away at the Cross?
D. 1
John 5:1-13 (GWT)
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born from God.
Everyone who loves the Father also loves his children. 2 We know that we love
God’s children when we love God by obeying his commandments. 3 To love God
means that we obey his commandments. Obeying his commandments isn’t difficult 4
because everyone who has been born from God has won the victory over the world.
Our faith is what wins the victory over the world. 5 Who wins the victory over
the world? Isn’t it the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This Son of God is Jesus
Christ, who came by water and blood. He didn’t come with water only, but with
water and with blood. The Spirit is the one who verifies this, because the
Spirit is the truth. 7 There are three witnesses: 8 the Spirit, the water, and
the blood. These three witnesses agree.
9 We accept human
testimony. God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony that he has
given about his Son. 10 Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony
of God in them. Those who don’t believe God have made God a liar. They haven’t believed
the testimony that God has given about his Son.
11 This is the testimony:
God has given us eternal life, and this life is found in his Son. 12 The person
who has the Son has this life. The person who doesn’t have the Son of God
doesn’t have this life.
13 I’ve written this to
those who believe in the Son of God so that they will know that they have
eternal life.
Question: There is no fear of Final Judgement by
God for believers. As a believer, do you still fear God and Judgement from Him?
IV.
FURTHER THOUGHT:
A. Works
(Good and Evil) – Judged by our works at the Judgement Seat.
John
6:26-29 (GWT) {PoG}
Jesus replied to them, “I
can guarantee this truth: You’re not looking for me because you saw miracles.
You are looking for me because you ate as much of those loaves as you wanted.
27 Don’t work {G2038}
for food that spoils. Instead, work for the food that lasts into eternal life.
This is the food the Son of Man will give you. After all, the Father has placed
his seal of approval on him.”
28 The people asked Jesus,
“What does God want us to do {that we can work the works (G2038)
of God}?”
29 Jesus replied to them,
“God wants to do something for you so that you believe in the one whom he has
sent.” {i.e. This is the work (G2041)
of God: that you believe in Him whom He sent}.
John
3:16-21 (GWT) {PoG}
God loved the world this
way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but
will have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the
world, but to save the world. 18 Those who believe in him won’t be condemned.
But those who don’t believe are already condemned because they don’t believe in
God’s only Son.
19 This is why people are
condemned: The light came into the world. Yet, people loved the dark rather
than the light because their actions {works (G2041)}
were evil. 20 People who do what is wrong hate the light and don’t come to the
light. They don’t want their actions {works (G2041)}
to be exposed. 21 But people who do {works (G2041)}
what is true come to the light so that the things they do {works (G2038)}
for God may be clearly seen.
Romans 2:4b-11 (GWT) {PoG}
Don’t you realize that it
is God’s kindness that is trying to lead you to him and change the way you
think and act?
5 Since you are stubborn
and don’t want to change the way you think and act, you are adding to the anger
that God will have against you on that day when God vents his anger. At that
time God will reveal that his decisions are fair. 6 He will pay all people back
for what they have done {works (G2041)}.
7 He will give everlasting life to those who search for glory, honour, and
immortality by persisting in doing {work (G2041)}
what is good. But he will bring 8 anger and fury on those who, in selfish
pride, refuse to believe the truth and who follow what is wrong. 9 There will
be suffering and distress for every person who does {works (G2716)}
evil, for Jews first and Greeks as well. 10 But there will be glory, honour,
and peace for every person who does {works (G2038)}
what is good, for Jews first and Greeks as well. 11 God does not play
favourites.
1
Peter 1:17-20 (GWT) {PoG}
So if you call God your
Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth in fear. He is the God
who judges all people by what they have done {work (G2041)},
and he doesn’t play favourites. 18 Realize that you weren’t set free from the
worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or
gold which can be destroyed. 19 Rather, the payment that freed you was the
precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections. 20 He is
the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he
became publicly known in the last period of time.
Revelations
20:11-15 (GWT) {PoG}
I saw a large, white
throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his
presence, but no place was found for them. 12 I saw the dead, both important
and unimportant people, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened, including
the Book of Life. The dead were judged on the basis of what they had done {their
works (G2041)},
as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead. Death and hell gave up
their dead. People were judged based on what they had done {their works (G2041)}.
14 Death and hell were thrown into the fiery lake. (The fiery lake is the
second death.) 15 Those whose names were not found in the Book of Life were
thrown into the fiery lake.
Thoughts: If our works were everything we did
on this earth, then it matters not that we believe on Christ Jesus, but just
that we led some form of ‘moral’ life. And then moreso, that Jesus Christ was
sacrificed on the Cross for the removal of everyone’s ‘sins of the flesh’ has
no relevance. Because, if the “work” being spoken of, is that we are judged
only by the work of “believing in Christ Jesus” or “not believing in Christ
Jesus” for that eternal salvation, then this takes out the notion that we have
to strive and do things to earn merit for “Heaven”. For everything Christ Jesus
did was to remove the Law and the inability for any human being to earn
salvation through their own merits. So do the work of “believing in Christ
Jesus” for Salvation and to become Born-Again into the family of God the Loving
Father!
Do you believe in Christ Jesus?
You can believe now!
A thank you to Kelly and Joshua who are inspirational in this life-journey. And to all the family, friends, sponsors, and donors who have fed into this ministry and outreach.
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