A balanced perspective

Good morning Friend.

About a couple of weeks ago, we considered the theme “One Cross, three dispensations”. We explained how the death of Jesus on the Cross had an impact on three dispensations; Before the Foundation of The World, in actual chronological time over 2,000 years ago and at the end of the Age according to scriptures. We also examined the common question that arises from such teachings; Wouldn’t people take this comprehensive redemptive package for granted and begin to live careless unrighteous lives? Since all their sins have been forgiven; past, present and future? A reader of Divine Perspective reminded me that I do a follow up on that post like I promised, so here is the follow up to that. First of all I will like us to understand a few things about this teaching. It has been preached to a certain degree that begins to suggest to hearers that God really doesn’t care about what you do or don’t do, since sin is no longer a problem, such teachers stretch the truth of the eternal security of the believer to a certain extent that it becomes misleading and poisonous. The Grace of God is not lasciviousness… Jude 3. Notice I said the truth of the eternal security of a believer, because the fact that a believer is eternally secure is the truth, that is what the Bible itself calls our salvation… Eternal salvation! This however doesn’t automatically mean that the believer can never lose his/her salvation. At least twice in scriptures we find certain stringent conditions upon which if met, salvation can be lost. Quite frankly however, those conditions are very difficult to fulfil in order to lose one’s salvation. In all of Brother Kenenth Hagin’s over 60 years of active ministry, He said he only knew 2 folks who he believed lost it, and one for sure.

The scripture is not loud on the conditions for losing salvation because that is never God’s priority. Just like a Father will not capture in a frame the conditions upon which if met, his son will lose his sonship. A Father may never even verbalise such conditions. One thing he would emphasise however is the unconditional love he has for his son. I also believe there is something significantly wrong with a son whose main aim is to know the extent to which he can test the insurance of his father’s love for him, or begins to ask “what can I do to lose your fatherhood Daddy?”. A good father may never even make the son aware of such a condition even though they exist. God isn’t loud about how to lose salvation, and so shouldn’t we. If an earthly father will do that, won’t God act better? Truth must be taught in the context of other balanced doctrines for that truth to retain its verity.

Jesus did not die only for those who had lived before him, he died for the sins of the world, that’s the only reason why we in this age could even get saved in the first place. Else He would have had to die every time someone needed to be saved. So yes, Jesus has settled your sins forever! There will never be an issue about it again in God’s record! According to scriptures.

Isaiah 54:9-10 (KJV) For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

So if sin will never be a problem between me and God, then why should I even bother to live a holy life? I’m glad you asked. These are the reasons why you MUST live a holy life.

1. It’s completely unwise for a Christian to willfully continue to sin: Whenever you sin, you give over the control and charge of your body and mind to lust, flesh and the devil. To whom you yield yourselves to obey, servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness. Romans 6:16. When you sow into the flesh, you WILL of the flesh reap corruption but if you sow into the spirit, you will of the spirit reap life everlasting. Gal 6:8. Living a holy life limits the inroads of the devil in your life to the barest minimum.

2. To be a good witness of the Kingdom you represent: You can’t go on living like you’re from hell and expect people to be attracted to heaven. There is a lifestyle that follows a change of heart. When they SAW the boldness of Peter and John, they observed that they were ignorant but took knowledge that they must have been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 Emphasis on SAW. There is a visible dimension of Christianity and people are yearning to see it. Your Character and Holiness are the best pictures of your Christianity.

3. Because your true nature doesn’t want to sin: Every time Apostle Paul addressed the issue of carnality in the body of Christ, He NEVER addressed the believers as sinners, He only addressed their deficiency in the knowledge of their true nature. Romans 6 is a very comprehensive address on this issue. More than three times we see The Apostle Paul use this phrase; “Know ye not?” What a carnal believer needs isn’t condemnation but sound teaching and knowledge. It is not appealing to a believer to sin, it is repulsive because the nature of God in him doesn’t want to sin… 1 John 3:9. A cat naturally doesn’t like dirt like the pig does, if only the believer KNEW what his true nature is according to the Word, his taste for the things of the flesh will wane significantly.

4. Because sin will harden your heart against the voice of the Holy Spirit and may lead to reprobacy: Nobody denies God in a heart beat, it takes a gradual downward decline. The more you sin and deny the nature and voice of your spirit man, the less likely you are aware and conscious of that voice. Sin and lust deceive their host! Their aim is to make sure that if they were to eventually make an eternal choice between a perpetual life of sin and a glorious life of holiness and sanctification, they will choose the former. The more you sin deliberately, the less sensitive to the voice of the Spirit you are… Don’t continue to sin and expect Grace to abound! Romans 6:1

These are the reasons why a believer should not sin. This is to a very large degree a balanced perspective on the concept of the security of the believer, it doesn’t stress that one can NEVER lose his salvation no matter what, neither does it give the believer the notion that he loses his salvation every time he sins, because there is a provision for forgiveness… 1 John 2:1-2. Notice also that none of those reasons include things like “to make God love you more, to be able to use your believer’s authority or in order not to lose your relationship with God”. Because the Bible doesn’t teach those as the reasons to live holy lives. We must seek balance from scriptures. Brother Hagin always said “Let’s desire to stay in the middle of the road, that’s usually the safest place to be”.

Next week, I may just follow this teaching up with some common misconceptions about sin, the Holy Spirit and our righteousness.

Have a great week ahead.