Jesus purged your sins on Calvary. He didn’t just pay the penalty. That’s the two-fold message of the cross! The writer of Hebrews speaks of those who once purged would have no more consciousness of sins – because having been purged of their sins they aren’t committing them anymore. (See Hebrews 10:2). They are not like the dog returning to his vomit or the sow, having washed, wallowing once again in the mire. They don’t return to their sins.
“For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9). Jesus died in order to be your Lord, not just your Savior. “(Jesus) Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree that we, HAVING DIED TO SINS, might live for righteousness” (See I Peter 2:24). “Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate (outside the city of Jerusalem)” (See Hebrews 13:12).
Many professing Christians fail to see this most glorious aspect of the cross, that not only was the penalty for our sins paid on that cross but we were also freed from our sins by our Lord’s death on Calvary. It seems that aspect of the cross is rarely preached. In fact, many believers are told just the opposite from the pulpit. They are told they cannot break with sin in this life, while in this body of flesh. They are falsely informed, “We (yes, even we blood-washed believers) sin every day in thought, word or deed!” Well, that’s certainly true of some misinformed believers, but I assure you there are multitudes of faithful followers of the Lord who do NOT have to confess some sin at the close of each day.
Am I to believe that the righteousness which is by faith is a shoddy righteousness continually interspersed with flagrant disobedience and willful sin, one moment sinning, the next repenting. Am I to believe that by faith a 90 year old woman can give birth to a child, but every child of faith must continue to sin daily though commanded by the Author and Finisher of their faith to “Go, and sin no more?!!!” (See Hebrews 11:11 and John 5:14 and John 8:10-11).
Am I to believe that the best testimony to be had from the living faith imparted to me by Jesus Christ is that I definitely will sin every day in thought, word or deed? That’s the very best God has provided for us in Christ Jesus? Get real! Am I to believe that a faith that can raise the dead can’t keep me from sin?
“Therefore He is also able to SAVE TO THE UTTERMOST those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Saved to the uttermost does NOT mean one continues to sin day in and day out, friend. That’s the theology of the devil. The very heart of the New Covenant, the better covenant is that this ever living High Priest is able to extend strength to us in time of temptation so that we need not sin! This is the “better hope” mentioned in Hebrews 7:19, “For the law made nothing perfect, on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Notice that this better hope brings us closer to God, whom without holiness no man can see. (See Hebrews 12:14).
“He was manifested TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS” not merely to grant us forgiveness of our sins! (See I John 3:5). Christ’s precious shed blood has the power to prevent us from sinning. That’s what your Bible clearly and plainly says. Read it! “He appeared TO PUT AWAY SIN!” (Hebrews 9:26).
To deny the possibility of total continuous victory over sin is to rob Jesus Christ of the glory of His mission. He came to destroy the works of the devil. Those works are the works of sin. (See I John 3:8). Jesus stated that He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). That which was lost included a sinless character. Restoring the image of God in man is a very important part of the message of the cross. That work is to be done before Jesus returns and not as some magical after-thought. (See I Corinthians 1:3-9, 2 Corinthians 11:1-2; Ephesians 1:3-4; Ephesians 5:25-27 and Philippians 2:14-15).
Listen, there is not a habit or sin known to the human race that cannot be finally and forever conquered through faith once one is fully submitted to the LORDship of Jesus over their lives. Every descendant of Adam needs two things desperately – forgiveness for the past and power for the future. Redemption includes both of them, and the idea that full deliverance from the guilt of sin is included, but only partial deliverance from the power of sin is a perversion of the gospel. Salvation is not a negative thing, not just the absence of something. Jesus did not come just to take away something, our guilt and penalty, but to give us something – victory over sin. For God to forgive us and still leave us under the power of continued sin would make God an accomplice of sin!!! The inspired writers use almost fanatical language in describing the possibilities for victory over sin. (See Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 3:20 and Ephesians 3:19. And there are scores of similar texts). Read your Bible, folks.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley