VITAL MESSAGE - MANY PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS IMPORTANT TRUTH - VICTORY OVER SIN IS TRUE JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

Matthew 8:2 ...'Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.'

Many people in the churches today have little understanding of what justification by faith truly means. Many think that all you need to do is simply 'believe' in Jesus, and that's 'job done!' When in reality, "even the demons BELIEVE and tremble!" (James 2:19). But are they justified? No! So what does it really mean to be "justified by faith"? Is 'believing' in Jesus and 'the faith OF Jesus' the same thing? Clearly not, because the demons 'believe', but they do NOT have THE FAITH! Can we be justified without faith? No. Can we be justified by works? No. The apostle Paul clearly said that we are "justified by faith" (Romans 5:1). So what does that mean for our lives? Let's take a look. But before we get into scripture, I want to share two quotes with you first from E.J.Waggoner and A.T.Jones:

"So we see that justification by faith is nothing else but bringing a person into perfect conformity to the law, Justification by faith does not make any provision for transgression of the law." (E.J.Waggoner, General Conference Daily Bulletin, March 19, 1891, Vol.4, No.12, pp.170-174 - source)

"Take justification by faith: what is the aim of that but 'that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us'? Rom. 8:3,4." (A.T.Jones, Signs of the Times, April 13, 1888, p.230-231)

Wow! Now that goes against many people's view of what justification by faith is. But is this quote Biblical? Oh yes! And this is the VITAL point that many are missing today regarding justification BY FAITH. There are many people in the churches today who believe we will continue to sin and cannot get victory over sin in this life - even as followers of Christ. This is even taught by many church leaders and pastors today. But can we be justified by faith, and still continue to live lives of sin? Look at what the apostle Paul said:

Galatians 2:16-18 ...'Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.'

Do you see what Paul is saying? Many of us today continue to live in KNOWN sin, but 'excuse' it by saying ... "Oh I am justified by faith, not works." And we completely miss what being justified by faith is all about! Just look at what Paul said above. He confirmed that while we cannot be justified by our OWN works of the law, we also CANNOT remain justified while continuing to live in KNOWN sin. Look at the verse again ... "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor." Is Christ the minister of sin? NO! What is He the minister of? RIGHTEOUSNESS. So what will He 'minister' IN US when we have FAITH in Him and surrender our lives to Him? RIGHTEOUSNESS. But if we continue to live for the world and in sin, then what do we make ourselves? Transgressors, and as Paul said, we CANNOT retain justification while continuing to be transgressors - living in wilful sin.

The following is the key part of what we must BELIEVE and have FAITH in. Look at what God promised:

Ezekiel 36:26-27 ...'A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and CAUSE YOU TO WALK in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.'

Jeremiah 31:33 ...'But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.'

Do you understand what God is saying above? He said that He would give us a new heart and put His Spirit within us, putting His law in our inward parts and cause us to walk according to His law. What does it mean for God to write His law upon our hearts? Does it simply mean that we will 'know' and 'remember' His law? No, because that would be the same as just learning it ourselves. It means that He will change our very lives from being unrighteous to RIGHTEOUS, and CAUSE us to walk according to His law. But what does it take to make that happen? FAITH! Do you understand? This is so vital to understand, because without faith we CANNOT be justified and if we do not believe God's Word, then we do NOT have faith! Do you see the importance if this?

Romans 1:17 ...'For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall LIVE BY FAITH.'

"A just man is one who acts in harmony with the law of God. Therefore a just man is an obedient man. So we may understand the text as saying that an obedient man shall live (a life of obedience) by his faith. The obedience springs from his faith, and therefore there is no chance for him to be lifted up, since the act of obedience is not his personal action, but is the action of his faith, and credited to him as his own." (E.J.Waggoner, Signs of the Times, Feb.14, 1889, p.71)

Are you beginning to see just what justification BY FAITH is? God doesn't just impute [credit] righteousness to us through Christ. He is also seeking to impart righteousness into our lives - making us holy, commandment keeping people. The act of God in putting His law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts is God changing our characters to be like Him - to be obedient keepers of His law, which is the very expression of His own character. But this can only be achieved one way - through faith in what God HAS done through His Son Jesus, and in what God WILL do through His Son for us. So do you believe? Do you have FAITH?

To believe we cannot cease from sin, even as a believer, and continue in wilful sin, is NOT faith, and is a REJECTION of justification by faith. This is a serious matter!

2 Peter 2:12-15 ...'But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that CANNOT CEASE FROM SIN; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.'

How many have "forsaken the right way and gone astray", turning the message of justification by faith into UNRIGHTEOUSNESS - using it as an EXCUSE to CONTINUE IN SIN?!

Did you see what Peter said? This is the ONLY verse in the whole of the Bible that talks about people who 'cannot cease from sin.' And who is it talking about? Those who are going to be destroyed. Oh friend! I pray that you will be stirred by the truth of this. Many professed Christians are heading down the 'wide road' to destruction because they have no desire to turn from their sins. Many are also heading for destruction because they don't have faith in the power of Christ to give them victory over all sin. This is why the world needs the TRUTH about justification by faith. Look at what Jesus said:

John 15:5-8 ...'I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, THAT YE BEAR MUCH FRUIT; so shall ye be my disciples.'

So if we abide in Christ BY FAITH, then what WILL happen? We WILL bring forth much fruit. And this is how the Father is glorified. THROUGH the fruit that we bear. But can we bring glory to the Father if we remain in our sins? NO, God forbid! Is Christ the minister of sin? NO! (Galatians 2:17). So what WILL happen if we abide in Christ by faith? He WILL "give us a NEW heart." He WILL "put His law in our inward parts." He WILL "cause us to walk" according to His law! Do you see? THIS is justification BY FAITH. DO YOU BELIEVE? This is why God's end time saints are described as the following:

Revelation 14:4-5 ...'These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.'

What do they have in their foreheads? The FATHER's NAME (Rev.14:1) - His character! But can we have the Father's character and seal when we are continuing to live in sin? NO, God forbid!

Revelation 14:12 ...'Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.'

Let us look at this verse the right way - [1. FAITH - 2. KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD - 3. PATIENCE] - FAITH is the root and keeping the commandments of God and having patience is the OUTWORKING of faith. This is the RESULT of being justified by faith. We BELIEVE in God's Word. We surrender our lives to Christ and He sanctifies us - He sets us apart from the world for holy use. The old man and body of sin becomes DEAD, and we live a NEW LIFE, walking in the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:24, Romans 8:1).

So let us look at that quote again we started with ... "So we see that justification by faith is nothing else but bringing a person into perfect conformity to the law, Justification by faith does not make any provision for transgression of the law." (E.J.Waggoner, General Conference Daily Bulletin, March 19, 1891, Vol.4, No.12, pp.170-174)

DO YOU HAVE FAITH? - "Without faith, it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6)

Now for those of you who are struggling in sin - please don't get discouraged. But stand back up, shake off the dust and re-surrender your life to Christ. There is POWER available to all who BELIEVE, to overcome every sin.

Hebrews 2:17-18 ...'Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.'

Jude 1:24 ...'Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.'

Romans 8:37 ...'In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.'

2 Peter 1:2-4 ...'Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.'

Proverbs 3:5-6 ...'Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and HE shall direct thy paths.'

For those who are struggling, please see our page 7 PRACTICAL STEPS FOR OVERCOMING SIN

"There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, 'These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' 1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, 'The Father Himself loveth you.' John 16:27. He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance. The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. This is evidence that Satan's delusions have lost their power; that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you." (Steps to Christ p. 70-71)

Psalm 37:5-6 ...'Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.'