A Very Great Misunderstanding
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ, who walk not in the appetites of the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
The new covenant is superior to the old covenant. Under the old covenant, God forgave the sins of people when they performed the appropriate animal sacrifice.
And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him. (Leviticus 5:10) And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein. (Leviticus 6:7)
However, the presence of sin in the Israelites was recognized on a regular basis by the daily sacrifices and by the annual Day of Atonement.
It was not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to remove the presence of sin from the worshiper. Through the Lord Jesus Christ the presence of sin can be removed from us. Through Christ the guilt, the coercive power, and the effects of sin can all be removed from us.
The marvel of the new covenant is that once we truly receive Christ, repenting of our sins, we find that the guilt of all the sins we ever have committed or ever will commit has been cast behind God’s back. By one offering Christ has perfected forever those who are sanctified—those who are abiding in His Presence and will (Hebrews 10:14).
We now are without condemnation in the sight of God. The purpose of the grand pardon is that we may be able to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He begins to remove the presence of sin from us and to heal the effects of Satan’s influence and presence. The Holy Spirit desires to cast out of us the lusts of our flesh and to remove King Self from the throne of our heart, installing Christ in his place.
If we did not possess the assurance of total forgiveness we could not endure the transforming processes of the new covenant as the Holy Spirit brings into existence the new creation, making all aspects of our personality new, conforming us to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We always must keep in mind that this pardon is in effect only as long as we are following the Spirit of God in the program of sanctification, of transformation. The moment we go back to living in the flesh, according to the desires of our soul, flesh, and human mind, we come under the condemnation of the Law of Moses (Romans 7:1).
God never permits any creature to exist without law. Either we have been crucified with Christ and are being governed by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ or else we are being governed by the Law of Moses. We have not been set free from the Law of Moses so we may behave as we please but so we may be married to Christ. There is a total difference between these two positions.
There is a misunderstanding in current Christian theology. How explicit this incorrect teaching has been made we do not know but it is apparent it is implicit among the believers. The misunderstanding is that people can walk in the flesh, not seeking to abide in the Person and way of Christ, and still remain under the pardon of Calvary by virtue of their profession of belief in Christ, in His atoning death and triumphant resurrection.
The Apostle Paul, whose teaching concerning "grace" is the basis for this misunderstanding, spoke clearly to the saints in Rome: "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die" (Romans 8:13).
The Scriptures are eternal: if we live according to the lusts of our flesh, and according to the dictates of our self-love, self-will, and self-centeredness, not forsaking our life and following the Lord Jesus, we will die spiritually ; we will slay our resurrection unto life.
The person who teaches or who believes he can walk in the flesh and still remain without condemnation on the basis of his profession of belief in Christ, is bringing spiritual death on himself and on those who are following his teaching and example.
If any man, Christian or not, practices sin and rebellion against God’s will, he shall come under the judgment of God.
If any believer in Christ puts to death through the Holy Spirit the lusts of his flesh, he shall enter eternal life (Romans 8:13).
The purpose of the eternal pardon is that we may be able to enter the transformation into righteous behaviour that is the new covenant (Hebrews 8:10). To walk in sin is to choose death (Romans 6:21).
To walk in the Presence and will of Christ is to choose eternal life (Romans 6:22).
Let us choose to abide in Christ, laying hold on eternal life, so we may save ourselves and those who hear us (I Timothy 6:12;4:16).
("A Very Great Misunderstanding" is taken from: Fulfilling the Vision , Copyright © 2002 by Trumpet Ministries, Inc.)