Grace, the Forbidden Gospel - Online Christian Library
Grace, the Forbidden Gospel - Online Christian Library
Grace, the Forbidden Gospel - Online Christian Library
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving<br />
spirit. (1 Cor 15:45 NKJV)<br />
A.W. Tozer wrote <strong>the</strong> following: “What we need to restore power to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> testimony is not soft talk<br />
about bro<strong>the</strong>rhood, but an honest recognition that two human races occupy <strong>the</strong> earth simultaneously: a fallen<br />
race that sprang from <strong>the</strong> loins of Adam and a regenerate race that is born of <strong>the</strong> Spirit through <strong>the</strong><br />
redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”<br />
Now carefully consider <strong>the</strong> following two statements:<br />
1) No amount of holy living or law keeping could move us out of our fallen state in first Adam. We were<br />
stuck <strong>the</strong>re and <strong>the</strong> only way to be saved was to put our faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10).<br />
2) Likewise, <strong>the</strong> moment we come into last Adam (Jesus Christ), no amount of bad behavior or “unholy”<br />
living can move us out of this position of perfect righteousness.<br />
Although most <strong>Christian</strong>s believe <strong>the</strong> first statement to be true, <strong>the</strong>y have somewhat of a problem believing<br />
<strong>the</strong> second. The first thought that comes into many people’s minds when reading <strong>the</strong> second statement is<br />
this: “This guy is saying that I can just go out and do whatever I want!” This is mainly due to <strong>the</strong> fact that<br />
people don’t understand <strong>the</strong> power of <strong>the</strong> New Creation yet and don’t have a revelation of what a person is<br />
actually turned into when <strong>the</strong>y are born again. When <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit lives inside a person, such a person does<br />
not want to sin – <strong>the</strong>y actually want to serve God, to live an upright life as an example to o<strong>the</strong>rs and to love<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir neighbor, because this is <strong>the</strong> desire of <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit within <strong>the</strong>m. So in essence we can actually go out<br />
and do whatever we want, because if <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit is really living inside us we will want to do good!<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r reason why most people find <strong>the</strong> second statement (above) so hard to believe is because we forget<br />
that God does not relate to us based on our own level of obedience anymore. God is a spirit and since we<br />
are also spiritual beings He relates to us (blesses us, loves us, provides for us) based on our spiritual status,<br />
not according to our physical behavior. And since our spirits have been for ever made righteous, God is for<br />
ever pleased with us regardless of our behavior. God sees <strong>the</strong> perfect obedience of His beloved Son<br />
whenever He looks at us and remembers how He fully defeated sin through Jesus’ death on <strong>the</strong> cross.<br />
God does not count any of our sins (past, present or future) against us. He is not surprised when we sin. He<br />
is not shocked by <strong>the</strong> ungodliness going on in <strong>the</strong> world today. God is perfectly content, at rest and at peace,<br />
all <strong>the</strong> time enveloped in <strong>the</strong> amazing love of <strong>the</strong> Trinity (imagine <strong>the</strong> amazing love between <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r, Son<br />
and Holy Spirit!). God is secure in Himself, secure in His bride and secure in us, His children. He does not<br />
count our sin against us – He already had <strong>the</strong> rod of His punishment broken on <strong>the</strong> back of Jesus. God<br />
established everlasting peace between Himself and mankind:<br />
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
(Rom 5:1 NKJV)<br />
Why <strong>the</strong>n do we still try to justify ourselves by working so hard to gain God’s acceptance?<br />
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies <strong>the</strong> ungodly, his faith is accounted for<br />
righteousness, just as David also describes <strong>the</strong> blessedness of <strong>the</strong> man to whom God imputes<br />
righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose<br />
sins are covered; Blessed is <strong>the</strong> man to whom <strong>the</strong> LORD shall not impute sin”. (Rom 4:5-8 NKJV)<br />
Our sin was imputed (accounted) to Jesus, so we can rest in our Fa<strong>the</strong>r’s love, knowing that God will never<br />
count our sins (past, present and future) against us anymore!<br />
46