From Conscience to the Law to Grace to Redemption
From Conscience to the Law to Grace to Redemption
Introduction
Sin is disobedience to God. There are two aspects of sin that must be considered if we are to understand the Divine redemption.
First, there is the guilt of sin. Guilt is God's attitude toward us when we are disobedient.
For two thousand years the Christian salvation has been viewed as the forgiveness of our disobedience, our sin. It may be a while before Christian people understand that forgiveness will not accomplish God's purposes in mankind.
The real problem, and the purpose of redemption, is directed toward the removal from us of the forces that cause us to be disobedient. Christ came to earth not primarily to forgive our disobedience to God but to remove the disobedience itself.
True redemption includes our deliverance from the self-seeking of our adamic nature and the unclean, disobedient spirits that live in our flesh.
The purpose for the forgiveness of the guilt of our disobedient behavior is to free us from the condemnation that proceeds from our conscience and the Law of Moses. Once freed from condemnation we can approach Christ confidently when He is ready to work with us in the removal of the desires to disobey God that dwell in us.
We are without condemnation on two bases. First, our sins are forgiven by the atonement made on the cross. This satisfies our conscience. Second, the Law of Moses cannot condemn us because we have counted ourselves as dead with Christ. The Law of Moses has authority over us only as long as we are alive.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1–NIV)
Such is the reason for the Divine grace that comes to us through the Lord Jesus Christ—it is to free us from condemnation so we can happily and confidently follow Christ at all times.
The Day of Redemption has arrived, I believe. God is ready to take back to Himself what has been lost. This means we shall be delivered from all disobedience—from all that separates us from God.
Although we are Christians, our body is dead because of the disobedient spirits that live in our flesh. The coming Divine redemption will remove all of this spiritual darkness, and then we shall be eternally alive—spirit, soul, and body.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is physical death.
As I said, the Day of Redemption has arrived. As is true of all aspects of our salvation, when God's time comes for us to experience some aspect of redemption, we have to respond in faith in order to obtain the blessing.
This is true of anything we desire to receive from God, isn't it?
In the case of the removal of disobedience from our personality, including the casting out of the disobedient spirits from our flesh and the replacing of our adamic soul with the Nature and Person of Christ, we are to respond by confessing our disobedience and self-will as the Spirit points it out to us, and then turning away from it as Christ assists us.
Following are some of the many scriptural references that mention the redemption, the salvation that is to come at the end of the Church Age.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
The Spirit of God has put a seal on us that will keep us righteous in God's sight until the Day of Redemption arrives. At that time we shall be released from the bondages of sin and self-will. I think that Day has begun, and we are to confess our sins and turn away from them. Also, we are to learn strict obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (I Peter 1:5)
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11)
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:41,42)
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)
Sin is disobedience to God. Sin requires that God take two actions if He is to redeem us. First, that He forgives the sin. Second, that He removes the sinful desires.
Our disobedience proceeds from two main sources. First, from an uncrucified adamic nature as we seek our own will rather than God's will. Second, from unclean spirits that live in our flesh.
In order to address our sinning adamic nature, God must put us in situations that are grievous to us. Such are a cross to us, and must be borne patiently, although we always should pray that God will deliver the misery from us when we have been prepared fully for whatever destiny He has chosen for us.
In order to address the unclean spirits that live in our flesh, the Spirit of God points them out to us. We, through the Spirit, are to confess these indwelling spirits and renounce them vigorously.
The following are some of God's goals concerning us. They cannot be accomplished by forgiveness alone; only as all disobedience is driven from us, and Christ is formed in us and dwells in us.
The Christian people for so long have regarded the Christian salvation as being primarily the forgiveness of our sins that it may require many years before the understanding comes that redemption includes not only the forgiveness of our sins but also the removal of the sin itself.
If it were not for the removal of our disobedience to God, none of the following objectives could possibly be realized.
A House and Eternal Resting Place for Himself.
People in His Image.
A Kingdom in Which His Will Is Done.
A Family: a Wife for the Lamb; Sons for God.
Kings and Priests Who Can Govern the New World of Righteousness.
A Location for His Throne.
An Army along with the Army of Angels Who Can Drive Disobedience from the Creation.