by David J. Stewart
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God Forbid: Yea, We Establish the Law." -Romans 3:31
I frequently receive e-mails from people who are upset at the idea that
a person can be saved simply by trusting Jesus Christ as one's personal
Saviour. In particular, they are upset at the idea that someone can
profess faith in Christ and still continue to live in sin, in effect... A
LICENSE TO SIN!
One man who e-mailed me was very sarcastic and thanked me for opening his eyes. He said that he was extremely happy now that he knew he could live in wild sin and still be saved. He said that my teachings on salvation had given him a license to sin.
I would like to just share a few thoughts with you on this matter and clear up any misunderstandings. I think the problem that quite a few people have is a lack of understanding about Biblical "repentance." They confuse the "root" of the believer's faith (Romans 4:3-5) with the "fruit" of the believer's faith (James 2:18-21). The word "repentance" in the Bible means "a change of mind." The Bible clearly teaches that repentance is necessary for salvation (Acts 2:38). It is impossible for anyone to be saved without repentance. But what exactly is repentance in the Bible? Repentance is when we make a U-turn in our mind concerning Christ and our sins.
To be saved my friend, you MUST come to Christ as a SINNER (1st John 1:8-10). If you are not a sinner, then why would you need a Savior? It would not make any sense at all for a self-righteous person to ask Christ for forgiveness. This is exactly why Jesus said that He did not come to save the righteous; but to call sinners to repentance. My point is that you must turn from your "good" image of yourself and confess to God your "sinful" condition. The unsaved and unrepentant man does not want anything to do with God or His Word (John 3:20). When a person repents, whereas they were living in the pleasures of sin away from God, now they are in agreement with God that their sins are woefully wicked and they turn to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of those sins. This is Biblical repentance.
Most people reject Jesus as their personal Savior and continue their downward spiral into hellfire and damnation. But a FEW people, and only a few (Matthew 7:13-14), decide to come to Christ. It is at the very moment that they decide to turn to Jesus Christ that repentance has taken place. They "turned" towards the Savior to be forgiven of their sins.
False Believers
I was watching the news one day and heard something disturbing to me as a Christian. A woman who makes a living as a porn model professed to be a Christian. She said that Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden and she didn't see anything wrong with being naked. You see, she was seeking to justifying her evil deeds. We'll Adam and Eve were the only two people in the world back then also. Do you see how mankind seeks to rationalize evil into good. Jesus foretold of the time when the unsaved will murder Christians, thinking they are doing God a favor (John 16:2). It is a dangerous thing to attempt to decide right from wrong apart from God's Word.
I am convinced she is a liar, and no believer at all. Why? Because there is no evidence of salvation. This is what James meant when he said in James 2:18: "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." James was speaking about being justified in the eyes of men. With God we are justified by faith alone; but with men we can only be justified by our works because men cannot see our heart (1st Samuel 16:7). You see, a changed life is the FRUIT of genuine repentance; but not a part of saving faith. I wouldn't give you a dime for any believer's testimony who attempts to justify abortion, homosexuality or other sins. Does this mean they are not saved? Only God knows for certain. They certainly could be, as evidenced by believers in the Bible such as David, Jacob, Noah, Samson, Jonah and Solomon. They all sinned horribly at times; yet they were saved. The Bible instructs us as believers to judge "righteous judgment" (John 7:24). We are to separate from carnal believers who indulge in sinful living and from those who attempt to justify sin (1st Corinthians 5:11). Certainly, we are not wrong to doubt or question their salvation. In 2nd Corinthians 13:5 the Apostle Paul questioned the salvation of certain of the professed believers at Corinth.
It is important to discern between the "root" of a believer's faith; and the "fruit" of a believer's faith. The FRUIT should be present in the life of a genuine believer, but that believer will still falter at times (Proverb 24:16: "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief"). There should be some type of evidence of a changed life to validate a person claim of being a true Christian. This is NOT a part of saving faith; It is the result of genuine repentance. In other words, a person should live right because they are a believer; not live right as a prerequisite in order to be saved. If someone claims to be a Christian, but their life denies their words, then I certainly am going to doubt their testimony. This is Biblical.
However, I am not going to
fabricate a false doctrine, as the
Lordship Salvation crowd has, to require sinners to cease from
sinning in order to qualify for salvation. Such damnable heresies
corrupt the simple plan of salvation (2nd Corinthians 11:3).
Eternal life is a free gift (Romans 5:15;6:23), paid for by Jesus'
precious redeeming blood (1st Peter 1:18,19). We have no part in
salvation except to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 16:31).
Do Sins Have to Be Forsaken to Be Saved?
Does an individual need to stop living in sin to be saved? We know that a person must realize their guilt of sin (Romans 3:19), and believe on Jesus Christ to forgive those sins (Acts 16:31); but does a person actually have to forsake those sins to be saved? No!
True Biblical repentance means turning to Jesus Christ by faith to be forgiven of one's sins. The "turning" is not from the act of sin itself; but rather, TURNING TO THE LORD to be forgiven from the condemnation which sin has brought upon all mankind (Romans 3:19-23; 5:12). Lordship Salvationists have perverted the Gospel. They teach that repentance and faith are two separate steps to salvation, and that faith alone in Christ is insufficient to save anyone unless they've turned from their sinful lifestyle. Salvation is receiving; not giving. Salvation is turning to Jesus to be forgiven of one's sins; NOT turning from one's sins in order to be forgiven by Jesus.
In a sense, every believer DOES have a license
to sin, i.e., one's salvation is not conditioned upon works.
Romans 4:5 plainly states this: "But to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
counted for righteousness."
You need HIS righteousness!!!
God Does Not Approve of A Believer Who Sins
Romans 3:31 states: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God Forbid: Yea, We Establish the Law." Just because a born-again person is free from under the condemnation of the Law, it does NOT give him or her permission to sin; rather, we must establish the law and keep it. Does a believer have a license to sin? ... "Yes!" A believer can sin without fear of going to Hell. If this is not true, then the Bible is lying in Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8,9 and Titus 3:5—which plainly state that salvation is NOT by works! Get mad at God because He said it. However, no believer has God's permission to sin, nor to make light of evil. God hates sin and commands every believer to hate sin (Psalm 97:10).
The Bible clearly warns all believers in Hebrews 12:5 that God WILL chastise His own children. Listen friend, no one is going to get away with anything. I think oftentimes that many people get frustrated with the simple plan of salvation because they think being saved gives believers a ticket to hurt and abuse others — IT DOES NOT! Romans 12:19 clearly teaches that God will "repay" (Greek: punish) those who defraud and hurt others. This includes believers (2nd Corinthians 5:10). 1st Thessalonians 4:6 is a warning to all believers not to defraud each other because God will "avenge." Why would God have to say something like like that? Why would God have to assure us that justice will eventually be executed? Simply because sometimes we cannot obtain justice in this world. God is more fair than any human judge could ever be. We will receive justice and restitution at some point (or else the Bible is a fraud and God is not Holy). God's Judgment Seat and Laws supercede any of man's courts or laws. The Supreme Court may say that abortion is legal and acceptable, but God says it is cold-blooded murder. If someone wrongs you, whether there is a law against it or not, God WILL avenge you if it was wrong. A man desperately tried to stop his separated wife from aborting their child, she did it anyway with the backing force of the courts and law enforcement. That wife will stand trial before God for murder and her husband and child will receive justice.
So don't think
that Christians have permission to sin. On the contrary, believers will be
held more accountable to God if they are deliberately sinning in the knowledge of the
truth. They have been enlightened. They know better.
No one has God's permission to live in sin; nevertheless, the Bible does teach that God only requires simple child-like faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved and eternally secure. To those false prophets who would add holy living and works as requirements to receive the gift of God... you are in league with the Devil. No person can be saved by good works, and no man can be lost by bad works. The Bible declares that it is through a person's FAITH by God's GRACE that they are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). Titus 3:5 proclaims, "Not by works of righteousness..." No person is saved by works. When the Apostle James speaks of "works," he clearly says to show "me" your faith without your works. You see friend, we are justified with mankind by works because he cannot see into our heart, but with God we are justified by faith Who can see into our heart. If you add "works" to your faith in Christ, then it is no faith at all and you are still bound for Hell in your self-righteousness.
Conclusion
Please don't allow anyone to deceive you on this matter, you do NOT have to live above sin to be saved. Can any believer live above sin? Of course not! I don't care how close you get to God, you will always sin as long as you are in the flesh. I am not condoning sin, not one bit. I am just saying that human beings cannot escape the "body of this death" as the Apostle Paul called it. We are flesh, we are inherently greedy, lustful and envious. It's in our blood. The ONLY escape is through the Lord Jesus Christ and only when we are walking in the Spirit of God can we live righteously. Unfortunately, no Christian walks in the Spirit ALL the time. We are still cursed by the flesh. We shouldn't sin, but as long as we are in the flesh we will sin at times. It is a dangerous thing to teach (as the Pentecostals and Seventh-Day Adventists do) that a person needs to maintain good works to keep their salvation. It is a lie of the Devil. To go to Heaven, God only requires a simple child-like faith in THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Howbeit, no Christian has God's permission to sin. Just because we are saved and can live in sin without fear of going to Hell doesn't give us permission to do so. 2nd Corinthians 5:10 plainly warns that every believer will stand trial at the Judgment Seat of Christ, to be judged according to his works (the good and the bad). This will be a civil court, not a criminal court. The condemnation of the believer's sin is taken away by the blood of Jesus; but the consequences of the sins themselves must be given account for. 1st Corinthians 3:15 tells us that some believers will have no rewards in Heaven. Tears will flow. There will be sorrow and remorse for the sins and failures of this life.
Do believers have a license to sin? ... "Yes," if you are foolish enough to do so. However, no believer has God's permission to sin, and Hebrews 12:8 promises that God will chasten (i.e., discipline) his children who do choose to live in sin. No genuine believer can choose to live in sin and truly be happy, because the Holy Spirit of God will convict them day and night. Nevertheless, our salvation is not conditioned upon our works, good or bad. Salvation is the gift of God, paid for by Jesus' precious redeeming blood.
The Curse of Lordship Salvation!
