Sin vs Sin, This Is Not A Play On Words Part-3

Adam is the one who started all of this.  When Adam sinned, sin entered the world and affected the entire human race.  With the sin, death entered the world and it too affected the entire human race.  Therefore, through the one man sin entered into the world and death caught a ride, both affecting the entire human race.  Adam’s sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die (for sin entered into the world and death followed sin into the world).

We know that it was Adam’s sin that caused this because according to the scriptures, people were sinning from the time of Adam until Moses and God did not judge them guilty of death for breaking his laws, because he had not yet given his laws to them, nor had he told them what he wanted them to do.  We also know from the scriptures that when their bodies died it was not for their own sins since they themselves had never disobeyed God’s special law against eating the forbidden fruit, as Adam had.

Sin vs Sin, This Is Not A Play On Words Part-2

After defining the word all, to mean all-inclusive or everyone, the group was asked another set of questions:  How does that definition apply to this scripture, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin?

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (II Corinthians 5:21).

For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins.  Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us (him who knew no sin, he made sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him).

Sin vs Sin, This Is Not A Play On Words

In a recent discussion among fellow believers, one of the believers posed several questions to the group.  The first set of questions posed to the group was:  Define the word all in the scripture; For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)?  Does all mean all inclusive?  The initial response by all who were asked these questions was one of two responses; All means all-inclusive or All means everyone.  The group of believers was then asked the following question; Does that mean everyone without exception?  The response from the group was collectively; Yes, all means all-inclusive without exception.

A Third Class – Part III

According to our earlier examination of Romans 8:1, we saw that there was therefore no condemnation for anyone who is in or belongs to Christ Jesus.  We determined that there were two groups, those who where in Christ Jesus, them being the believers, the saved, or the Christians and those who were not in Christ Jesus, them being the non-believers or the unsaved.  We also found that many translations omitted this part of the passage, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  Up on further examination, we discovered this omitted text to be vital in the understanding and interpretation of this passage.  We can see from the omitted text that there be a qualifier for them which are in Christ Jesus.  A qualifier is something that has the ability to restrict, limit, alter, or modify the meaning of something else.  Imagine that, something in the word of God that actually restricts, limits, alters, or modifies the meaning of them who be in Christ Jesus.  It appears that there just might be another group amongst those that are in Christ Jesus.

A Third Class – Part II

Let us quickly summarize what we have discovered thus far.  In our initial examination of Romans 8:1, we determined that there appeared to be two groups, those who where in Christ Jesus (the believers) and those who were not in Christ Jesus (the non-believers), even though the passage only mentions one group.  We also placed these two groups or classifications on a finite line with two extreme endpoints, with those in Christ Jesus to the extreme far right and those not in Christ Jesus to the extreme far left.  We placed everyone else somewhere in between, depending on their association to the two extremes.  We also determined that Satan would go after those toward the extreme far right; them who be in Christ Jesus, the believers because them toward the extreme far left had already committed themselves to him.

We re-examined Romans 8:1 to discover that there are some who are in Christ Jesus that believe there is nothing they can do to lose their salvation and be plucked from the hand of Christ.  They live a lifestyle of their choosing and regardless of what they do; they believe they will always be forgiven as long as they get on their knees and confess their sins.  The phrase, carnal Christian was coined to define the believer who confesses and believes in Christ Jesus, but lives a lifestyle that does not appear to glorify God while claiming the forgiveness and acceptance of God.  Could this be that other group, that third classification we discussed earlier?

A Third Class

Many years ago, we read a passage that forever changed how we viewed and accepted those facts surrounding the one everyone claims to know and worship.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect (Matthew 24:24).

According to what we have just read, we see that false Christs will rise up and the false prophets will rise up as well.  We see that these false Christs and false prophets will show great signs and do wonderful miracles.  In doing these great signs and wonderful miracles, which will be so realistic that if it were possible, they, the false Christs and the false prophets would deceived, tricked, or even seduced the very elect.  This means that whatever these great signs and wonderful miracles be, they be good enough to fool the very elect, if that were possible.  And since that is not possible, then what is possible is for these great signs and wonderful miracles to deceived, tricked, or even seduced everyone who is not one of the very elect.

So the question that you have to ask yourself is; Are you, by definition, one of the very elect?  We suggest that you think very carefully before you answer this question, because this could be a matter of life and death.

A Contract

Have you ever entered into a contract? Did you thoroughly read the contract before you signed it? Did you understand all the conditions, terms, and provisions of the contract? Did you read through all the fine print of the contract? It seems that everything you try to do involves some type of contract. Whether it is verbal and written, you enter daily into some type of contract. There is a contract every time you make a purchase or a trade of any kind. There is a contract whenever you have something built or repaired. Almost any time there is money involved; there is a contract that is attached.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a contract is defined as a formal or legally binding agreement, e.g. one for the sale of property, or one setting out terms of employment; a document that records a formal or legally binding agreement; to make a formal or legally binding agreement with somebody to do something, especially work; an agreement or arrangement, either written or verbal and sometimes enforceable by law; and a situation in which everyone accepts the same terms or has the same opinion.