To teachers of the Gospel
1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.
A mixed gospel, or mixed grace message is a message that teaches faith in Jesus plus something else, either for salvation or for your daily walk after salvation. It is not Jesus plus your sincere apologies that causes your forgiveness, or keeps you in God’s good standing.
Some teach believers that God has forgiven your sins past, present and future. Yet, then they say you must confess sins daily for forgiveness. They believe that this confession produces forgiveness, and must be repeated at the commission of each new sin to stay in fellowship with God in some degree.
Notice the Hebrew passage above. If the animal sacrifices had worked, then the worshiper would not have had consciousness of sins. This does not mean he/she would not know when they sin, but it means they would not have consciousness of any sins that still need to be forgiven. But each year on the Day of Atonement the high priest had to take an offering for sins for the people, and also himself, into the Holy of Holies. This was repeated over and over for hundreds of years, always reminding the worshipper that they were still in need of forgiveness. Forgiveness was temporary, it was not complete.
12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.
The Hebrew writer’s point is that the blood of bulls and goats could only cover sins (atonetment) for one year, but could never take away sins. But the spotless blood of the Son of God is sufficient not only to atone for sins but to remove them from us as far as the east is from the west. If the worshipper (believer) understands this, then they are now aware that there is no sin that is still in need of further forgiveness. It is finished. The conscience is clear.
It appears that the general consensus is that past sins before salvation are forgiven once and for all, but it just those pesky new sins that have crawled out from under the blood that need further attention.
According to Hebrews, all sin has been removed from the believer. So to teach a believer that they are required to remember and confess sins to God to remedy any relationship problem with Him, is to proclaim another gospel. The temple sacrifices reminded the worshipper of sins. Now, the Holy Spirit’s job is to remind us that sin has been removed. There is not any scripture which says the Holy Spirit convicts a believer of sin. It is just a false doctrine contrived by foolish men who do not understand that it is finished.
We should teach believers that by nature their inner self is now holy, righteous, a new creation, joined in marital union with God Himself. The Holy Spirit’s job is to remind a believer of these things, not to remind them of their daily sins of the flesh. This the truth of the gospel. This is the gospel that Paul preached. This is the gospel that the enemy tries to silence. This is the gospel that I tried to silence for many years as a modern day Pharisee.
Believe me, I get all the points that many try to make to try to prove that some forgiveness is still future, that sanctification is an on going process and not a done deal. I get it, because I use to preach it all the more. But I did it out of ignorance. But no longer will I accept anything less than faith in Jesus plus nothing in every facet of life.
To add anything to the finished work is to corrupt it and weaken it’s power.
Please notice that at no time did I say that behavior does not matter. If I cheat on my wife there will be severe consequences. Beside the fact I would be a eunuch when she got through with me, it would destroy my witness and ruin my marriage. My point is that behavior would not change my oneness with God. He is not going to “spit me out of His mouth” or turn away from me. There would not be any further cleansing or forgiveness needed to restore my relationship with God, since it was never broken.
Titus 2:11-12
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.
Notice it is the Grace of God that teaches you not to sin, not a mixed law/Grace message of Jesus plus daily forgiveness.
My identity with God is not based on what I do (works), but what Jesus did and who He is. If you are not getting questions like “shall we sin that grace may abound?” when you teach, then you are not preaching the gospel that Paul preached. This question will never come up in a law based teaching.
Come, let us reason together.
Jim
“It is Finished” 