Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The Blood of Christ: "Ransom" NOT "Penal Substitution"

Jesus came to redeem us from ALL iniquity and make us pure.

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Being redeemed means being ransomed.

G3084 - Redeem -lutroō
From G3083; to ransom (literally or figuratively): - redeem.

The Bible teaches that a Christian is both redeemed and forgiven. Redemption and forgiveness are two different aspects of salvation.

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

G629 - Redemption - apolutrōsis
From a compound of G575 and G3083; (the act) ransom in full, that is, (figuratively) riddance, or (specifically) Christian salvation: - deliverance, redemption.

Jesus bought us with His blood. His blood was the price He paid to ransom us from all iniquity.

1Co 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
1Co 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

A sinner is a slave to sin because they yield to sin.

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Sinners have sold themselves into this state of bondage and their redemption is without money.

Isa_52:3 For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

The price paid was the blood of Jesus Christ.

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

H1350 - Redeemed - gâ'al
A primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship), that is, to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative’s property, marry his widow, etc.): - X in any wise, X at all, avenger, deliver, (do, perform the part of near, next) kinsfolk (-man), purchase, ransom, redeem (-er), revenger.

It is Jesus Christ that makes us free indeed.

Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Set free by the blood and by the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

This is why someone who has been TRULY redeemed does not sin. The bondage has been broken. They no longer yield to the passions and desires of their flesh and are thus no longer drawn into sin. They are the Lord's freemen...

1Co 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
1Co 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Previously being a servant of sin, now (having obeyed from the heart) a servant of righteousness.

Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

How does all this actually work?

It works through repentance and faith. One must first be broken on the rock of Christ (Mat 21:44) in order that the old master (Satan) be thrown off through the death of the old man (Rom 6:6) that we may go across to our new master whom is Jesus Christ. Thus we die (our old rebellious self serving man) with Christ that we may live unto God (Rom 14:8).

God sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Jesus did not come to save us in our sins. There is no salvation in sin, there is salvation from sin.

Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Redemption from all iniquity and being made pure is the purpose. This is to happen NOW, in this life.

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

It is the pure in heart that will see God.

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

It is through the purging of rebellion in repentance, by which we have put to death our former life of rebellion having crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24), that we can approach God boldly in a new and living way with a true heart in full assurance of faith and have our hearts sprinkled by the blood of Christ.

Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

The blood of Jesus Christ purges our consciences of dead works that we may serve God acceptably. Our conscience will no longer bear witness against us for we have been washed and made clean.

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Ti 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:


THE PURPOSE IS PURITY OF HEART




Heart purity is all but denied in the church system today. A false gospel that leaves one in iniquity has supplanted the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Satan is a master theologian and is very cunning indeed. Leaven has been introduced into the very foundations of Christian orthodoxy which has in turn corrupted practically everything which has been established on top of the faulty foundation.

A common error in the church system is the teaching that one is only set free from condemnation but that the bondage to sin still continues. It is a false message taught by a multitude of false teachers.

The basis of this freedom from condemnation is rooted in that of a fictional legal exchange propery termed Penal Substitution. Salvation is taught as purely forensic in nature. The doctrine of Penal Substitution basically teaches that Jesus swapped track records with the believer. God then punishes Jesus in the stead of the believer and God counts the believer righteous on account of the virtue of Christ.

If being accounted righteous by God was really due to a forensic transfer of the righteousness of Christ to the believer then John would not have written this...

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

The reason for this is because a DOING would have absolutely nothing to do with it.

The early Church did not teach anything remotely close to Penal Substitution nor did they teach or even remotely conceive that the righteousness of Jesus is credited to a believers account. These are doctrines of men borne out of the Protestant Reformation.

These false doctrines completely negate being set free from the actual bondage of sin whereby one is able to actually go and sin no more.

True salvation has been subverted by a false notion of a forensic salvation. Hence the false teachers will state that you have an "identity in Christ" whilst you still actually remain a "slave to sin." It is actually not salvation at all but a Satanic deception which keeps people in bondage in order that they will eventually lose their souls.

Don't be deceived! Jesus warned of massive deception and taught that MANY would be deceived by a MULTITUDE of false teachers (Mat 7:15, Mat 24:11-12). Paul warned with tears of the wolves who would come in to deceive the flock (Act 20:29-31). These wolves would appear as ministers of righteousness (2 Cor 11:15). Yet they preach a gospel of death because they deny heart purity and being truly set free from bondage, thus they deny true redemption.

Peter also warned of those who would twist the writings of Paul to their own destruction and lead people away with the error of the wicked (2Pet 3:16-17).

And I am warning you!

Those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ have also been purified. Thus they no longer have iniquity within the heart. That does not mean they won't fall short due to ignorance. What it does mean is that the all willful sin, which is sin that is rooted in iniquity, has ceased.

We no longer walk after the lusts of the flesh, we are instead led by the Spirit.

Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

4 comments:

  1. This was one of the best articles I've ever read, God(YHWH: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit) has Surely Blessed you.

    I am tired of false teachers adding things to The Word of God(False teachings such as Penal Substitution, Faith Alone, Homosexuality being a "sin", Premarital Sex being a "sin", sex being only for procreation, T.U.L.I.P., Lust being a "Sin", Following Jesus Christ being a "burden"(when He came to take away suffering and burden)

    All those false teachings are in my view and especially calvinism are just as evil as "atheism" and satanism.

    Check out my blog, I too fight "atheism", penal Substitution and false teachings, I also disproved The Problem of Suffering.(Thanks to The Holy Spirit)

    http://savedbychrist94.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Both homosexuality and premarital sex are sins. God has ordained sex within the confines of marriage.

      Lust is also a sin is engaged via willingness in the mind. The natural desire or temptation to lust is not sin. Refusing to bring a wayward thought into subjection and thus yielding to lust in the mind is the committal of adultery in the heart.

      Lust is to be overcome through abiding in Jesus Christ.

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  2. You had commented on one of my posts and I have responded. I think we agree on the issue of sin. I do not believe that Christians will live in sinless perfection, but I also do not believe that we remain hopeless sinners. I also believe that faith without works is dead. If something is dead that doesn't mean it doesn't exists, just that it is pointless or useless. I believe true Christians will desire to be obedient and that we will know the true believers by their actions. Anyway, if you want to read my response and let me know if you believe we still disagree let me know! Thank you and God bless you!

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    1. Katie,

      I am not sure which post you are referring to but I would be more than happy to read and consider it.

      This term or charge of "sinless perfection" is one I have heard a number of times and I would love to see someone clarify what it means. What is sinless perfection? Is it a reference to the flagrant rebellion ceasing or is it a reference to never falling short of the grace of God?

      The Bible makes a clear distinction between "sin unto death" and "sin not unto death." Does this charge of sinless perfection take that distinction into account?

      I find many people throw terms like "sinless perfection" around or ask questions like "do you sin" without actually specifically defining what they actually mean by "sin." Conversation is really only possible when people are clear in defining the terms they use. This is why in law specific definitions of the words used are clearly outlined.

      My perspective of the Scripture and the terms found within are not in accord with the how Reformed Theology defines the very same terms. Thus when I use the term "faith" or "grace" my definition is not the same as that of John Calvin as set forth in his Institutes of the Christian Religion. Nor are my definitions of terms like "salvation," "sin," "repentance," "regeneration."

      Thus when an individual who has been schooled in Reformed thinking (either through seminary, studying Reformed writings, or simply sitting under a Reformed pastor) reads something I write it will necessarily be interpreted through an intellectual filter pertaining to the Reformed paradigm.

      This is important to consider.

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