November 12, 2024
You may recall a TV program years ago that was a sting operation to catch pedophiles attempting to lure young people into their arms using social media. On one occasion, the TV investigative reporter asked the man who came to the residence if he considered himself a Christian. The ‘son of god’ pedophile responded that he did consider himself a Christian, even though he was doing something illegal and very immoral. But mind you, he is not a perfect Christian, as there is no such thing as a perfect Christian according to this child molester. Shocking indeed, yet this is the theology of the vast majority of American Christians, I suspect. Christians have been taught, and have bought the lie, hook, line, and sinker, that they are simply a ‘saved sinner’. Most Christians seem to believe that they will not stop sinning habitually until the day they die and go to heaven. Is that really the good news of the gospel? Yes, it is the good news of the false gospel being taught and embraced today. That false gospel states that Christians who die as unrepentant sinners all go to heaven. As ‘sinning saints’, they may lose some rewards or position in heaven, but heaven is where they go, no matter how wicked they remain in this life. But that is not the gospel of truth and Jesus Christ. That is the gospel of the god of this world, Satan. That speaks to its popularity.
Let me ask you a question or two, “Does a person, in the VERY ACT of sinning, need to stop sinning to be justified, saved, and forgiven by Jesus Christ?” It appears that most Christians believe that they can’t stop sinning and that they are eternally secure, no matter how many sins they continue to commit. Therefore, the answer to the question is, “No, a person does not need to stop sinning to get saved, or remain saved, forgiven, and pardoned by Jesus Christ.” The pedophile mentioned above was a Christian pedophile on his way to the glories of paradise. And on his way to heaven, he would of course still practice the wickedness of pedophilia. Is it not shocking and disgusting that Christians believe such wicked ideas?
My next question is, “Is this sinful Christian already forgiven by God, even while they engage in the actual sin against a minor child?” The answer by many Christians is ‘yes’. The sinner Christian is already forgiven even in the very act of sinning. The Christian pedophile is saved and forgiven even while he or she is sexually abusing a child. God has already forgiven that person, even if the law will not forgive. Now apply that logic to abortion. The murdering ‘Christian’ doctor, nurse, and politician is forgiven while he or she is slicing apart the infant in the womb. Can any serious Christian actually believe this is true? What about the rapist? Is the ‘Christian’ rapist, forgiven of his sin, while involved in the very act of rape? If that is what you really believe, then I am not sure your salvation is possible. Your deception is so deep that you may not be redeemable. I pray that God will open your blind eyes. The truth has fallen in the streets, as seen in Isaiah 59:14-15.
I repeat the question, “Does a person, in the VERY ACT of sinning, need to stop sinning to be justified, saved, and forgiven by Jesus Christ?” This is the fundamental issue facing the professing Church world today. The resounding answer from the vast majority of Pastors and regular Christians is: ‘NO’. You do not need to stop sinning to be saved!’ In fact, even Christians continue to sin in thought, word, and deed every day. That false gospel proclaims that all one must do to be saved is to trust in Jesus, accept Jesus, or receive Jesus. Repentance from sin is not a condition of salvation nor the fruit of salvation, according to these blind leaders.
Some of these false teachers actually declare that if you could stop sinning, you wouldn’t need Jesus to save you! What gross ignorance of the Word of God and of the truth passes for light in many “Christian” churches. It seems never to cross their mind that Jesus actually came to save us from, not in, our sins (Matthew 1:21). Christ came to set sinners free from the slavery of sin and to become children (slaves) of righteousness. Jesus Christ came to save the guilty from the damnable consequences of sinning based on the conditions of repentance from all sin and faith in Him. But they much prefer the gospel of the god of this world, which declares that Christ saves us from the guilt of our ongoing sin, even if we never repent of any sins.
These many false teachers would probably tell you that no person can say definitively that scripture affirms that sin must stop before God will pardon you. As a result of this gross misunderstanding of Scripture, the churches are full of false converts who have never repented of their sins. They have never come to terms with their sins and never will, because they have been told that it is neither necessary nor possible. Christians are told that they can have their cake and eat it too. They are told that God understands their weaknesses (come as you are and leave as you are) and will cover them with the perfect white robe of righteousness that Christ imputes to them to cover their filthy rags of sin. They, these false converts, are told that all Christians live in habitual sin just like the non-Christian. Sin is a way of life for them, and progress in stopping sin is a slow and gradual one. Moreover, they are told never to expect to be utterly free from sinning until they die and go to heaven. God will somehow magically change them into actual saints when they die. If the blind follow the blind, both fall into the pit.
Although very few professing Christians care what’s going on in the churches or in what manner the Gospel is being communicated to the world, it’s difficult to ignore the consequences of their compromised message. They have created a massive spiritual vacuum devoid of truth! Those of you inside this ‘Church System’ are in the greatest danger of your lives, whether you know it or not. Everything may appear harmless, even spiritual, and inoffensive on the surface. But just beneath the surface of this thin veneer of faith lurks something more sinister than you could ever imagine!
If the eyes of your understanding could open for just one moment to this deception, you would grab your precious family and flee out the door like a person running from a wind-swept fire. But the simple fact is that most professing Christians haven’t got the slightest clue what’s happening. In addition, you are pretty sure that those of us who warn you of the danger, like me, are crazy heretics, legalists, or Pelagians. Might all this testify to your destitute condition?
I am always amazed at how blind I have been over the years. I have been easily deceived way too many times in my life. Now that my eyes have been opened in many respects, I seek to warn others, realizing that most who profess to be Christian are actually unteachable, and even that is virtuous. They have little love of the truth, as a true child of God has. They mistakenly believe that what they were first taught when becoming a Christian was the whole truth. Therefore, they refuse even to consider that much of what they were initially taught was false. I have had to reject many vital doctrines that I was initially taught when I first got right with God.
Wake up from your deep sleep! Are you sitting in a religious system that believes and teaches that ‘Child Molesters’ can be saved or are saved in the VERY ACT of their heinous sin? If you don’t think it’s true that many churches teach this error, ask your typical Pastor. Ask your Pastor if stopping sinning is required when coming to Jesus for forgiveness, pardon, and justification. Most pastors will not be able to definitively say that any sin at all must stop before Jesus can grant pardon and forgiveness to the sinner. Isn’t that something? Do you think that the spouse of an adulterer would not know the correct answer? Isn’t it evident that the condition of being forgiven must be based on stopping the adultery? Would any just and righteous judge allow the impenitent to go free?
It doesn’t really matter which sin we’re talking about. All presumptuous and deliberate sin must cease, and that alone is the definition of repentance according to the Bible and common sense.
Many of these compromised pastors or teachers will use language such as:
- ‘The Christian convert must WANT to stop sinning,’
- ‘He or she must be WILLING to stop sinning,’
- ‘He or she must even HATE their sin and be willing to forsake it.’
I trust you see that wanting to sin no more, and being willing to sin no more, and even hating your sin, is not repentance. Repentance is actually stopping the sin in your life. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and desires.
Many pastors will say something similar, ‘Until the Christian convert is saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, they have no power to stop sinning. And even when the new convert is filled with the Holy Ghost, they will still live in habitual sin. Many claim that Christians sin in thought, word, and deed every day.’ That means even spirit-filled Christians will undoubtedly be guilty of ongoing sin, which includes the sin of child molestation, rape, adultery, homosexuality, and murder. What do you think? Does that sound like true Christianity to you? Is that the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ? May it never be.
The idea of inability raises its ugly head when many Christians attempt to explain sin in our lives. The false doctrine of Total Inability (Total Depravity) is the foundation for this ‘sin-filled Christianity’. May I suggest to you that no right-thinking person believes that a non-Christian rapist is unable to stop raping? If they were really unable to stop raping and molesting children, there would be no sin and no guilt, for all sin must be voluntary. If the non-Christian can stop molesting children and raping women, how is it possible that Christians are so deceived into believing that a Spirit-filled Christian does not have the power to stop sinning?
Do you not see that all of these lies have nothing to do with genuine repentance? Real repentance is the actual turning from sinning (sinning no more). Genuine repentance is the beginning of living a righteous life. All of this false teaching amounts to this. ‘AS A CHRISTIAN, YOU ARE SAVED & PARDONED OF YOUR SINS!’ What happens afterward is really of no consequence to the outcome of your salvation because God saved you “in” your sins. It’s now His responsibility to clean you up in His own good time. And don’t worry, because God is very patient and does not expect or demand that you actually stop sinning until you are dead and in heaven. But the question you should be asking at this point is, ‘Does the Bible promise forgiveness in the present commission of sin?’
If the Bible doesn’t CLEARLY explain that God pardons sinners in their sin, then many so-called Christians are standing on the edge of the pit of hell. You may be blind to this now, but ONE DAY, it will become your eternal destination. In other words, this is something you CANNOT afford to be WRONG about. What does the Bible teach concerning repentance and faith?
What is Repentance, and is it a condition of salvation?
Many Christian pastors today do not believe that repentance from sin is a prerequisite for salvation. Are you shocked? The late Charles Stanley did not believe that repentance from sin is a condition of salvation or even the fruit of salvation. He taught that true Christians may not have any fruit in their lives at all. There are many more examples of this false teaching.
Repentance is a turning from all sin to God. It is the start of a life of righteousness. It is a change of mind about sin, righteousness, holiness, and God. Repentance includes a godly sorrow for the sins you are guilty of and a determination to make things right with those you have hurt to the best of your ability. It includes making amends, which provides restitution to those you have wronged. Repentance is a determination to stop all sinning immediately and to start doing those things which please God immediately. Repentance is a new purpose in life, a new end for which you dedicate the rest of your life. It is a turning away from self-gratification as the ultimate end or purpose of your existence, to pleasing and obeying God as the ultimate end or purpose of your life.
If this definition of repentance is true, then it is easy to see why the organized local church is full of non-repentant or fake Christians (CINOs-Christians in name only).
“Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:7. Let the wicked forsake his way and turn to the LORD. Not the slightest hint of the inability/total depravity of the sinner to forsake his way. If and only if the wicked forsake his way and return to God in righteousness, will the LORD God have mercy on him and abundantly pardon. Does it get any clearer than that?
“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?” Jonah 3:8-9. Sounds like the passage just quoted above. Let no one think that God will relent from your damnation until you stop your sinful rebellion against Him and His laws.
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. I use this verse very often because it is so clear and concise. To receive the mercy of God, two conditions must be kept: confess and forsake sin. All these verses tell us that the sinning Christianity so popular today is from the pit of hell.
“Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19. Many Christians teachers and ordinary Christians today tell others that “no one who names the name of Christ can or will depart from iniquity”. Open your eyes and believe the Word of God for your sake and the sake of those you love.
What repentance is not
- Repentance is not sorrow for sin. It is not regret, despair, or remorse for your sin and its consequences to yourself or others. Repentance does not consist of any emotions or feelings, which are passive and involuntary states. Many people feel bad about their wickedness, for a time, but they continue it notwithstanding these feelings of sorrow, remorse, guilt, and regret.
- Repentance is not just another word for faith. It is not simply believing specific facts about Jesus Christ and the gospel, as some ‘false grace’ teachers affirm. Repentance is not just accepting the truth that Jesus Christ is the Messiah who rose from the dead and that He died to wipe away the guilt of your sins, even if you never forsake your sins.
- Repentance is not wanting, wishing, hoping, or desiring to stop sinning someday.
- Repentance is not the mental conviction of sin and its deserved guilt. These, too, are passive and involuntary states.
- Repentance is not the turning from a few sins and holding on to other sins. Holiness and repentance are a unit. They flow out of a heart that is totally dedicated to God or to self-pleasure. You can’t be partly holy and partly sinful at the same time. We are either holy or sinful. We can’t be both at the same time. We can be holy one day and then backslide, becoming unholy the next day.
- Repentance is not a false imputation, such as the fictional imputation of the obedience of Jesus Christ to compensate for our disobedience.
Summary of True Biblical Repentance
Without question, in the Bible, repentance means forsaking (immediately stopping) all known sin. The process is simple:
- ‘Forsake your evil ways’,
- ‘Cleanse your heart and mind,’
- ‘Amend your ways and your doings’
- ‘Seek the mercy of God.’
You cannot be forgiven of sin while you remain in bondage to sin and while you refuse to stop sinning. Can you imagine an adulterer expecting his or her spouse to forgive them of their adultery while they refuse to stop committing adultery? Can you imagine a judge pardoning or forgiving a thief when the judge knows the thief will continue stealing? What about a judge extending a pardon/forgiving a pedophile, knowing that person is going to return to the sexual abuse of children?
“Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:21-22. Genuine followers of Jesus Christ lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness.” They are doers of the word, not self-deluded hearers of the word of God only. Most churches are filled with Christians who hear the Word of God, but at the same time, they are not doers of the Word, for they live in sin and are convinced by their pastors that they are eternally secure.
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:21-22, KJV. Christian churches are full of members who are nothing but deluded hearers and not doers of the word. They believe that if they sit in church or attend a Bible study and listen to the Word of God, it must mean they are children of God. Nothing is further from the truth. Only those who confess and forsake their sins find mercy. Only those who are doers of the Word of God, which tells them to confess and forsake their sins, find mercy. Hearing or listening to the preaching and teaching of the Word of God will save no one until it is combined with the obedience of faith to that very word.
Strong Delusion
The word of God states that He sends “strong delusion” on those who receive not the love of the truth that will save them. God sends strong delusion that these people might believe a lie. They take pleasure in wickedness and sin and refuse to repent. See 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12. Is it not “strong delusion” that allows multitudes of professing Christians to sit and listen to the Word of God Sunday after Sunday and not become doers of that word but remain only hearers of the word? How else can it be explained?
Make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree and its fruit bad.
“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Matthew 12:33-35, KJV. A tree can’t be both bad and good at the same time, according to Jesus. But according to our modern Christian churches, a good tree (an honest born-again Christian) can have evil fruit continuously. Impossible. This is another example of strong delusion: most churches are filled with “good trees” that produce evil fruit most of the time.
Cleaning up our lives happens in repentance and is the door to salvation (along with faith in Christ). A person can’t be saved unless they walk through the door of repentance and faith. Today, we are constantly told that the clean-up process of sanctification (getting sin out of your life) happens after we become Christians, and it may take months or even years to make progress. That gradual process of purging sin will never bring the Christian to the point where sin is the exception in their life, rather than the rule. You will search in vain to find any passage in the Bible that tells the repentant sinner to give up sin slowly and gradually over time. Jesus demanded the immediate cessation of all sin. “Go and sin no more.” The process is explained in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11,
“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things, you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”
“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10-11, KJV. Godly sorrow always leads to repentance and salvation.
Steps of genuine repentance:
- Crisis of conviction of our sins and our just guilt. No excuses and no blaming others for our sins.
- A season of godly sorrow for our sins. Understanding the depth of our depravity and guilt.
- A diligent zeal to be clear and clean of all wrongdoing, which includes making amends whenever possible.
- A desire, along with a heartfelt commitment, to please God in all things, not just some things.
- Purity of heart. Dethroning self and enthroning God as Lord in your life. A new purpose in life is the strongest and most crucial end for which you live.
- The result of this is justification, which is the forgiveness and pardon of sin.
What do other ‘Christians’ say about sin and repentance?
The now deceased website creator, Mike DeSario, of Holding Firmly, surveyed what American church Pastors say about sin, salvation, and repentance. We will go over his findings. Additionally, I conducted a simple Google search and found some shocking comments as well.
- One website posed this question. “Do you have to give up everything to be a Christian?” The answer is ‘yes’. You have to give up all of your self-righteousness. You have to hand over anything and everything that you think might make you worthy in the eyes of God”.
I must say this is a pathetic response, even though there is an element of truth in it. Overall, it is deceptive and woefully inadequate. It falls very short of the actual truth. Not one word about giving up sin or repentance from sin is mentioned. According to this website, all one needs to give up is their self-righteousness. While that is true, it is a woefully incomplete response. The more truthful answer is that a person wanting to become a Christian must give up not only their self-righteousness but also surrender all that they own to God. They must give up all sinful behaviors and must take up their cross to follow Christ. The person who loses their life for Christ will find it. But the one who saves their own life will lose it. To become a Christian, a person must deny themselves and take up their cross daily. They must acknowledge that they are no longer their own and have been bought with a price. They must make the will of God their primary purpose for living, not their self-gratification. The end for which they live must be radically different. They must be born again and become a new creature in Jesus Christ. Sinful practices must be replaced with righteousness.
- The exact web search produced this question: “What are the rules to become a Christian?” And the following is the answer. “Becoming a Christian is about accepting God’s gift of love. Recognize that we do things that separate us from God’s love and seek forgiveness. Have faith that Jesus has overcome anything that can separate us from God’s love. Trust the Holy Spirit to make us more like Christ. Commit our lives to loving God and loving others.”
Another pathetic and misleading response. Notice how the author of this goes out of his way to make the entrance into the kingdom of God as simple and pain-free as possible. While it is true that becoming a Christian involves recognizing the love of God in redemption, that is only part of the needed answer. Again, not a word about the absolute necessity of repentance from all sin and a new life purpose to please God and live as He wills. The author says nothing about what it means to love God and our neighbor. Very few Christians today can rightly define Biblical love, so it is very doubtful someone coming to the Christian faith has any idea about what “love” actually means. Today, many Christians even believe that ‘love’ between homosexual couples is what it means to love God and your neighbor. For them, love is simply affection. In Romans chapter one, God calls this love a vile affection. But that is not the love that God requires of us. In addition, the New Testament makes it clear that no one who is an unrighteous person, including, but not limited to, the homosexual, will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
- Another question from this web search. “Can I sin all I want and still go to heaven?” Website response is, “Sin in your life as a Christian won’t keep you out of heaven, but it hurts your friendship with God. To make things right again, the Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify (clean) us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9”.
This is another example of a radically deficient answer. “Sin in the life of a genuine Christian won’t keep you out of heaven, but it hurts your friendship with God.” I regard that as a false and deceptive answer. To make things right again with God, all we need to do is confess our sin according to this blind guide. Again, not a word about forsaking our sins, only confessing them. Repentance is missing. Their answer to their question is that, ‘yes,’ you can sin all you want and still go to heaven! That answer is as wicked as it is false. Sinning Christians can hurt their ‘friendship’ with God and still go to heaven. How pathetic. Scripture and common sense tell us that only those who confess and forsake their sins will find mercy, and no one else. However, none of that is mentioned, leaving the impression that God saves us in, rather than from, our sins. The devil couldn’t have said it any better.
The person I mentioned above, Mike DeSario, reported the following when he asked evangelical pastors to weigh in on the question. What does it take to become a Christian? Below are some of the responses.
- “We believe and confess. God does take us as we are; we come dirty, sinful people, and he forgives us.”
This pastor responded by saying that all one needs to do to become a Christian is to believe in Jesus Christ and confess one’s sins. You will notice that this pastor mentioned nothing about genuine repentance and forsaking sin. His answer to the sinner is, “Come as you are, and even if you don’t stop sinning, God forgives you. Come as you are and leave as you are, in your sins but forgiven”. This is just precisely what Satan wants us to believe. The truth is that God bids us to come as we are to Him in repentance and faith to become a new creature in Jesus Christ. We leave not as we were but as those born again to new life in Christ. If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things (sinful practices) have passed away, and all things have become new (righteous practices).
- “We come to God covered in our sin and He forgives us.”
This is what a different pastor said. You will notice not a word about confessing and forsaking sin to find mercy, as the Bible clearly teaches. Satan has many of his prophets reaching the masses with this false message. Do you really believe that God automatically forgives sins if we refuse to stop sinning? If you do, you may never be saved. You must break out of this strong delusion.
- “Being saved does not depend on a person stopping all willful sin.”
In other words, according to this pastor, God forgives the child molester, rapist, thief, homosexual, and adulterer even if they don’t stop their sins and crimes against God and humanity. That answer is beyond pathetic. It is an abomination. This kind of Christianity will not save the world but will damn it.
- “God does not expect us to stop sinning first, and then seek salvation.”
There is some truth to this, but it is not the whole truth. To get right with God, we must cease from everything displeasing to God, which is our sins. This happens at the same time. Would God forgive us if we never intended to stop our crimes against Him and others? Many Christians believe God does forgive us even if we don’t stop sinning. Will God really forgive the child molester when the molester refuses to stop molesting children? If you believe that, you may be beyond hope.
- “Our salvation does not depend on anything we do or don’t do”.
Only the five-point Calvinist believes this is true. They do not think we have the ability to respond to God’s offer of pardon. God alone chooses who He will save and damn. Partial Calvinists and non-Calvinists believe that people must repent and believe to be saved. Salvation does depend on what we do or don’t do. Salvation is like most of God’s promises in the Bible. The promises of God are conditional.
- “God doesn’t expect us to stop sinning after we are saved.”
According to this pastor, God doesn’t require us to repent of our sins when we become a Christian. The ugly truth of American evangelicalism raises its head. This pastor believes God saves us in our sins, not from our sins. See Matthew 1:21 where the angel announced the coming birth of Jesus, who will save His people “from their sins”, not in their sins. No wonder the members of the local church are very often as wicked as the godless unbeliever who doesn’t attend church. These false converts have been taught that God saves them as sinners who do not need to repent of any sins.
Proof Texts
Does Scripture affirm anything these teachers and pastors are saying? Some passages are used to justify every ungodly and damnable falsehood imaginable. And yes, these teachers of carnal Christianity have their proof texts. I am convinced that the Bible declares just the opposite. In my estimation, they have it backward! They see forgiveness as one-sided, based only on the grounds of justification, which is grace and mercy, without the conditions of repentance and faith. By meeting the conditions of justification/salvation outlined in Scripture, God can grant pardon to the sinner and secure a faithful return to obedience in the process. If God were merely to grant pardon unconditionally (as many seem to believe), lawlessness would ensue, and grace would become a license for immorality. And this is precisely what we see today in most evangelical churches.
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 3-4, KJV.
Faith is the obedience that purifies the heart, and repentance is the ‘circumcision’ that writes God’s laws into our minds and hearts. God can freely forgive sins through grace because the sinner’s record is now cleared or washed clean of his wrongdoing. The repentant sinner is now zealous to do what is right, holy, and pure within. Thus, the Law is upheld and righteousness prevails, through faith working by Love.
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey: whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you.” Romans 6:16-17, KJV. They were, not are, servants of sin. Most evangelical Pastors teach the exact opposite of this truth, as this article clearly indicates.
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” 1 Peter 1:22-23, KJV. Peter declares that they have purified themselves and have been born again. Is it not evident that they have repented of their sins?
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:11-12, KJV. Another of the many passages in the Bible that convey the same fundamental truth. Sinners who confess and forsake their sins will find mercy, and only those who meet the conditions. These saints have and are “putting off the body of sin of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.”
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not OBEY the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36, NASB, emphasis added. The KJV uses the word ‘believe’ instead of ‘obey’ as in the case in the NASB. Saving faith and saving belief are the same, and both refer to a state of being saved, characterized by a commitment to obedience. Faith without obedience is dead. Faith demands faithfulness or obedience. If that is not true, then we are talking about a ‘faithless faith’ which is a contradiction in terms.
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36, KJV. In our day of carnal “Christianity” being normal, it seems necessary to explain that saving faith or saving belief is always an obedient faith or obedient belief. Those whose faith doesn’t yield obedience to the Son of God are under the wrath of God. This is precisely the kind of belief or faith in God that the devil has.
The Holy Ghost (Spirit of Truth) can’t and won’t abide in a vessel or a person that remains unclean, impure, or unfit. Repentance is the process that scrubs, cleans, purifies, and casts out all defilement, ignorance, and lust, making the heart clean and pure for the Spirit to indwell. The Holy Ghost WILL NOT come into or abide in a divided house (person) which is still attempting to serve two masters. Lusting after the flesh and the things of the world must cease immediately. The Holy Ghost DOES NOT gradually purge these things out of you by degree over time. Do one in 10,000 Christians actually believe that? I wonder, but I am not optimistic. Unfortunately, almost every Christian believes that the process of sanctification involves the gradual casting off of some, but not all, sin over time, even many years into the future. Moreover, almost every Christian believes that, subsequent to salvation, sin remains the rule in their life, not the exception. They have been repeatedly told not to expect victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Sin must be expected to remain prominent in their lives as they never cease being servants of sin throughout their lives. That is precisely what the devil wants you to believe.
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:20-21). We are told that we can cleanse ourselves and become a vessel for honor. That happens in repentance.
“Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters.” Says the LORD Almighty.” 2 Cor. 6:17-18. Who are we to come out of? Those who are unclean in impenitence and sin. That includes ‘churches’ that teach salvation in but not from sin.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon”. Matthew 6:24. Almost all Christians will say amen to that. At the same time, they will serve God on Sunday (at least Sunday morning), and the rest of the week, they will serve their idols and other gods.
Salvation in sin, not from sin
It really doesn’t matter what the Pastors would say in addition to their salvation message; the bottom line is that you come to God in your sins with no mandate to sin no more. You will not be told to stop your sins, as Scripture clearly indicates. Therefore, the use of words like ‘repent,’ ‘forsake,’ and ‘obey’ does not have the impact the Bible intended, nor can they stimulate the proper response. To understand why these Pastors insist that God saves people in their sins, and not from their sins, you must move beyond the translation of words and look into what they believe, by how they live.
First of all, they believe the fallacy that all people are BORN SINNERS. Meaning they have somehow inherited a fallen, sinful nature from Adam (because of his disobedience in the Garden) and have therefore lost their ability to turn to God on their own. There is a variety of teachings underlying this fallacy, but for simplicity, we will examine the common thread that holds the doctrine together. Man is born a sinner, lost and dead in his sins, and apart from God’s irresistible grace, he can’t and will not turn from his sins, believe the Gospel, and be saved.
From this foundational position, man is, by nature, a sinner, inept, and morally incapable of doing anything good, including turning to God. Whether or not the Pastor argues for or against free will under this belief, it makes no difference whatsoever since the choice and decision ultimately DO NOT originate with the individual but God alone. Way too often, we end up playing word games, trying to understand what he means by ‘free will’ because we lack the insight into the foundation of his belief.
The real question at this point is: ‘If man cannot turn to God and repent on his own, how does it happen?’
Obviously, it must happen by necessity, determined by Divine decree, that they are constrained to say, ‘You come to God as you are, in your sins!’ Since it’s His Grace that makes/forces you to come. Call it whatever you like; most of them call it Irresistible Grace (The I in TULIP). Some other terms, such as common grace or prevenient grace, are also used to soften the blow of Original Sin. Man’s regeneration, repentance, and faith are in RESPONSE to the Irresistible Grace of His Divine decree. This is what makes a sinner ‘willing’ to come even though they are not willing to come. Sinners are also given a willingness to stop sinning, but the grace of God and the blood of Christ are actually insufficient for any of us to live a holy life. God, by His decree, has determined that none of us will ever live without habitual sin in our lives. Does that sound like something a holy God would decree?
Thus, we have salvation and faith under their terms. Sinners are entirely passive and ineffective in securing a faithful return to obedience to the Creator. Everything depends on God initiating the response and then altering man’s desires by degrees so he will want to serve Jesus more and himself less. It’s not up to anyone else, including the pastor, to criticize any lack of progress or even chastise further sinning. God accepted you in your sins. Continuing in them is a foregone conclusion for the convert based on the instruction they receive.
The entire salvation message in the Church today is based on this fallacy that man is born a sinner. Do away with that, and everything in the Bible suddenly makes perfect sense. The wicked are able to forsake their sinful ways, and the unrighteous are able to turn from their sins. We can lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted Word that is able to save our souls. The sinner is perfectly capable of obeying the laws of God from the heart. And they are able to keep God’s Commands by faith. Most of all, the repentant sinner is wholly able to clear himself of all wrongdoing with zeal and godly fear. He is also able to seek God’s mercy.
Now the Question remains: ‘Will you allow yourself and your family to be subjected to a FALSE Message of Salvation, based on an obvious fallacy of Original Sin, thinking that you can make some kind of difference staying in a compromised church and not be influenced by it?’ Before you decide, please consider the following answers received from pastors. (And remember, these are prevalent responses.)
“Can a Child Molester get saved or remain saved and justified, in the very act of his sin?
According to a pastor, “Yes, He can. All things are possible with GOD. Salvation is also available for unrepentant child molesters.” Most Christians do rightly believe that repentant child molesters can be saved. But can a non-repentant child molester be saved? Of course not.
Another pastor wrote, “I suppose everyone can get saved during the act of sin.”
A different pastor responded, “God accepts us as we are.”
“Perhaps you agree with these Pastors and have yourself ‘come’ to God in your sins. If so, you see nothing wrong with the churches or the manner in which they put forth the Gospel. But if you find yourself disturbed by the deplorable standards all around, maybe it’s well past time for you to admit the truth. You will NEVER Change them! They have ALREADY Changed you.” According to Mike DeSario.
Could Satan himself come up with any better responses?
In closing
Today, we are told that there are Christian homosexuals, Christian thieves, Christian liars, Christian adulterers, Christian fornicators, Christian slanderers, Christian child molesters, Christian murderers, and Christian sinners of every sort. The doctrine of imputed obedience and eternal security declares that real born-again Christians live in sin, all kinds of sins, and are going to heaven. They are saved and remain saved in the very act of child sexual rape, sodomy, adultery, and so on.
They may have even learned that repentance from sin was a condition of their initial salvation. But repentance from all sin turns out to be non-repentance from any sin because of the false doctrines of imputed obedience and eternal security.
Note: Some of this information is sourced from the YouTube channel “Standing Firm” by Mike DeSario.
