Good Afternoon Brothers in Christ,
When I speak to and teach Believers, one-on-one, and in group settings, there are some common questions you receive from individual-to-individual and group-to-group. Then, there is always the off-the-wall question that is asked. In any event, the Holy Spirit, through Peter, instructed us to always be ready with an answer for the reason of hope in you.
I Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Actually, we’re commanded to be ready to always give an answer for the hope in us. It isn’t a request. But, that is another discussion for another day. Before I let it go, my question is “can you give an informed, inerrant answer for the hope in you?”
One question I’m asked, often, is do the promises of God from the Old Testament apply to the New Covenant Believer? Many, many Believers have been taught or have formed an unlearned opinion that if God doesn’t specifically call the promise(s) out in the New Testament or New Covenant (there is a difference) then it doesn’t apply today. The simple, straightforward answer is yes, every Believer upon accepting Christ as their Savior is given every promise God has made to the Believer – Old and New Testament – and none of the curses.
II Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him [Christ] are yea [yes], and in Him [Christ] Amen [so be it; it is established], unto the glory of God by us.
The Holy Spirit is making it very clear to us that ALL the promises of God, Old Testament and New Testament, Old Covenant and New Covenant, belong to Believers – and NONE of the curses. The Bible is thematic – meaning that themes are introduced in the Bible and the themes are woven throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. And, the themes never change. God doesn’t give a promise and then take it back. He can’t. What part of “all” can we not understand?
Psalm 89:34
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips.
If God has said it, it is so and it never changes.
Isaiah 55:11
So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: It shall not return unto Me void [empty], but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
God is not wishy-washy and changes from day-to-day or year-to-year. So, when God speaks, whatever passes His lips is established forever.
Malachi 3:6
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
Once a Believer grasps he has all the promises, the next doubt, belief, or question he has is, “do my sins prevent God from blessing me?” This is what he believes – God cannot bless him because of his sin. The answer to this is usually really hard for many Believers to accept. No, your sin does NOT prevent God from blessing you. It might prevent you from receiving the blessing from God, but it DOES NOT PREVENT GOD FROM BLESSING YOU. This is another deception Satan has planted in the church to put up boundaries to keep Believers penned in the spirit of bondage.
First, you have no sin in the eyes of God if you are a Believer.
Psalm 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions [sins] from us.
Hebrews 10:17
And their sins and iniquities will I [God] remember no more.
I John 3:9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His Seed remaineth in him: and he [you] cannot sin, because he is born of God.
So, as you can see, once you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, all of your sins, past, present, and future are forgiven, forever, and God remembers them no more. It is important you get this – GOD REMEMBERS THEM NO MORE! Once God says something, it is established. HE REMEMBERS YOUR SIN NO MORE.
Stop and think about it. If Christ only paid for the sins you committed up until the time you accepted Jesus as your Savior, He would constantly have to climb back on the cross daily to cover the daily sins of Believers. Because, yes, we do sin daily. BUT GOD REMEMBERS THEM NO MORE.
Romans 6:10
For in that He [Christ] died, He [Christ] died unto sin once: but in that He [Christ] liveth, He liveth unto God.
Hebrews 9:12
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His [Christ’s] own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
We have “eternal redemption” through Jesus Christ. “Redemption” = “the ransom or deliverance of sinners from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God’s violated law by the atonement of Christ.” Notice it says “eternal redemption,” not “partial redemption,” “redemption through the day of accepting Christ,” “dispensational redemption,” or anything of the like. IT IS ETERNAL, ONCE AND FOR ALL, DONE, NEVER TO HAVE TO DO AGAIN, FOREVER REDEMPTION.
Hebrews 9:12 also blows up the favorite argument of the legalists: I John 1:8-10. Let’s look at this quickly and put it to bed.
I John 1:8-10
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.
First, these verses are written to unsaved persons – NOT TO THE BELIEVER. Second, John is writing to his Jewish brethren – his physical brethren. Remember, the Jews have been under the Law and now Grace has been introduced to them. The Law says you, the individual, must perform to obtain God’s approval. Grace, which is the new covenant, says you, the individual, are to allow God to perform for you and you receive. The Jews had been sacrificing animals for hundreds of years to atone (cover) their sins. Grace was a foreign concept to them and one that Paul, Peter, James, and John, leaders of the Gentile (Paul) and Jewish ministries had to preach and teach to them over and over again until they received and believed it. Grace is Jesus Christ became the once and for all perfect blood sacrifice for all sins of the whole world. They that come to Christ as their Savior are forgiven ALL their sins for all eternity.
We can see in Chapter 2 that John makes clear the context of Chapter 1:8-10 in verses 2 and 12.
I John 2:2, 12
2And He [Christ] is the propitiation [atoning sacrifice] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
There is more scripture to blow this heretical position and teaching out of the water. But, this is enough for this teaching.
I’ll give you one man and two examples that God does NOT withhold blessings because of our sin. He withholds blessings because of our faith:
Abram (later becomes Abraham) on two occasions told his wife Sarah to lie and tell the Pharaoh of Egypt and King Abimelech of Gerar that she was his sister – not his wife. Because Sarah was so beautiful, Abram was afraid the Pharaoh and King Abimelech would kill him to have Sarah unto themselves. In both cases, because of Sarah’s beauty, the Pharaoh and King Abimelech took Sarah to be a part of their harems. However, God intervened and in dreams warned both Pharaoh and King Abimelech that if they didn’t return Sarah to her husband, Abram, God would kill them. Both men returned Sarah and chided Abram for not being truthful with them. But, look what also happened:
Genesis 12:16
And he [Pharaoh] entreated Abram well for her [Sarah] sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
Abram was given all of this livestock, and a lot of it, as well as men and women servants.
Genesis 13:1-2
And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
Genesis 20:14, 16
14And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
16And unto Sarah he [Abimelech] said, Behold I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
Notice, in both cases, where Abraham was terribly wrong in what he did, he came out of the situations incredibly blessed. Why? One word and one word only – GRACE. Grace is the unearned, unmerited, undeserved favor of God. We have Grace because of Jesus Christ’s redemptive act of death and resurrection for us. And, why did Abraham receive the blessings – because he believed God and this was imputed to him for faith. God could see his heart. Abraham understood that his standing with God was NOT based on his performance, but rather his faith in God himself to perform for Abraham. Remember, Abraham was under Grace, not the Law.
So, your sin DOES NOT stop God from blessing you. If it did, then it would be based on your works and not the finished work of Jesus Christ. Now, if you habitually sin, it will create condemnation, shame, and insecurity for you weakening your faith. Not to mention sin has natural, physical consequences to it. That’s another lesson. Habitual sin opens the door for Satan to camp in your life and kick your butt on a daily basis. All of these things weaken your stand on God’s Word and weaken your ability to believe God’s Word. When this happens, then no matter how hard God tries to get blessings to you, He can’t because of your unbelief in His Word.
Sorry to get so longwinded. I literally could write several pages on this topic, one of the most misunderstood in the Church today. I pray this multiples Grace and Peace to you through the knowledge of God and of His Son Jesus, our Lord.
Blessings,
Larry