One)  The Gospel of Christ’s objective is to bring people back under God’s authority.

Mankind fell through refusal to be subject to God’s authority.  Since all have sinned, we need both an atonement for our sins and we need to turn from sin to be subject to God’s authority through Christ.  Christ’s grace is mocked when anyone presumes a saving interest in Him while continuing to go their own way in sin.

Revelation 14:6-7: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

Two)  Free does not mean unconditional.

God’s mercy in Christ is freely offered on a conditional basis.  A school may graciously offer a free education to a potential student at the school’s expense- but that does not mean the potential beneficiary of the free offer does not have to meet the rules and expectations of the school.  

Christian baptism as it is taught in the Bible is supposed to be a true declaration that one has renounced their sinful ways and has turned to be led and taught by Christ- the Great King, the Great Physician, the Ultimate Teacher, etc.  He calls people back under His authority so they can be His disciples who are molded into fitting products for His kingdom.  Real faith in Him is submitted to His righteous ways and is diligent to better understand what is pleasing to Him.  His true grace actually demands this and empowers those who receive it to be transformed as they continue as His disciples.  This describes the narrow way to eternal life in Christ.

See: John 8:31-32, Titus 2:11-14, etc.

Three)  There is free-will after a genuine conversion to Christ as well as beforehand.

Those who think that Christian works of righteousness are a by-product of conversion which just automatically happen are greatly in error.  The warnings given in the Bible to Christians about their danger of departing from the Lord by becoming hardened in sin, and the certain damnation of those who do so, are straightforward and manifold.

See: Hebrews 3:12-15, Hebrews 12:7-17, etc.  Also implied in James 5:19-20.

Four)  The doctrine of the righteousness of Christ being imputed to the Christian is a lie from the pit of hell. 

The doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ is a lie and implies that this narrow way in Christ is impossible to walk in or is optional to walk in.  It is a subtle open door for the dissemination of the ancient lie of the serpent “ye shall not surely die.”  The serpent said those words in the context of claiming that Adam and Eve did not need to heed God’s authority; and he said it in giving them a false license to partake of what God has forbidden.  

When the Bible speaks about imputed righteousness, it is not talking about Jesus’ personal righteousness being credited to the Christian.  

Look at what Jesus says to the Christian churches in Revelation 2:20-23: “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”  

The imputed righteousness of Christ teachers say that the Christian is wearing Jesus’ own garment which can never be defiled.  Yet look at what Jesus told Christians in the Bible- especially when He addresses the Seven Churches of Asia directly in Revelation chapters 2-3.  These things would be vain sayings if the Christian’s garment was Jesus’ own personal righteousness covering them.

Revelation 3:4-6: “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments (my note- the rest had obviously done so); and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

Revelation 16:15 (Jesus says directly here): “Behold, I come as a thief.  Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”

When the Bible speaks about God imputing righteousness to someone, it is speaking about Christ’s blood atonement being applied to an individual to forgive and cleanse them of their sins.  

The atonement being applied is not Jesus’ own personal righteousness.  

It was Jesus’ own personal righteousness which made Him eligible to die an atoning death for mankind so that atonement through His blood could be offered to the world.  That atonement is only applied to individuals who exercise a living faith in Him. 

If God sought to emphasize that the imputed righteousness of Christ is what we need to save us near the very end of the Bible, then He did a really, really bad job of that.

Revelation 19:6-8: “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”

Revelation 21:27: “And there shall in no wise enter into it (the New Jerusalem; Christ’s eternal kingdom) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Five)  Ultimate salvation is at the end of the narrow way to life; not at the beginning.  

No one is ultimately saved already while they still live in this body.  Some indeed are saved in the sense of having fled from God’s wrath and obtained a refuge for their soul in Jesus Christ.  Those who have done so, and have not departed from the Lord, are currently in God’s grace and on track to be saved.  Yet they still have a race to finish on the narrow way in Christ.  Enduring to the end in this way, and inheriting salvation at the end, will yet involve much striving against the powers of darkness and denying their own carnality.  To think that anyone’s salvation is already certain in that sense is a denial of Jesus Christ’s Lordship and also a denial of His High Priesthood.  The Christian needs to relate to the Father through Christ’s High Priesthood in order to have their record kept clean before God.  

Hebrews 7:24-25: “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Matthew 24:9-13: “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  And because iniquity (anomia- lawlessness) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Six)  Christians are under God’s moral law as their required guide to acceptable faith in Christ.

Though Christians have been released from the ceremonies of Judaism, and though those who seek justification by the law are under a curse since the law works wrath in and of itself (since it condemns all who have sinned), it is also the case that the grace of Christ, which the Law of Moses itself bares witness to, does not do away with law.  One cannot cannot come to Jesus acceptably nor abide in Him properly who is not in agreement with the law and submitted to its moral requirements as a guide to their faith.

Jesus upholds the righteousness of God’s law and hates transgression of it.

Hebrews 1:8-9: “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity (anomia- lawlessness); therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

To come to Him and abide in Him we must be in agreement with Him.

Amos 3:3: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

Any who would receive Christ’s true grace must look to Him to save them from the guilt and power of sin.  Sin is the transgression of God’s law (see 1 John 3:4).

Seven)  Those who practice lawlessness in God’s eyes are enemies of Christ- no matter if they honor Him with their lips or whatever else they do.

Just look at what Jesus proceeded to speak of after He spoke about the narrow gate and the narrow way to life; and spoke of the broad gate and the broad way to destruction.

Matthew 7:13-23: “Enter ye in at the strait (narrow or constricted) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait (narrow or constricted) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit (my note- good fruit and bad fruit are about to be defined).  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (my note- we’re about to see that those who don’t do His will are workers of lawlessness).  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  and in thy name have cast out devils?  and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (and that word in the original text is indeed “anomia”- lawlessness).

We see likewise in Matthew chapter 13 in the parable which Jesus told of the wheat and the tares, and in how He explained the parable, that the wheat and the tares were the products of the good seed from God and the bad seed from the devil which were cast into the field of the world.  The tares correspond to those who work lawlessness in God’s eyes.  These will be into a furnace of fire at the end of this world.  The wheat corresponds to the righteous who will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  

Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

Aaron’s email is: gospeltruth768@yahoo.com

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