John 1:12: But as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (JESUS/YAHUSHUA):
Last week, I received a Rhema Word from the Lord that went “You are MY CHILDREN”. The Word was not just for me, but for all those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ’s FREE gift of GRACE. I later heard the Holy Spirit say, “I LONG to FORGIVE them like I FORGAVE you.” This is a beautiful Word because God (YHWH) is sharing His heart with us. 💖 God longs to forgive humanity, but sadly MANY just will not have it.
“Matthew 23:37: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
Over the past couple of weeks the Lord Jesus Christ has placed Romans 7 on my heart. Romans 7, written by the apostle Paul during his 3rd missionary journey in about 57AD, is one of the most difficult passages in the Bible to understand, and yet once understood it is incredibly POWERFUL.
Romans 7:1: Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?
In Romans 7, the apostle Paul is telling us that “The Law” (Torah as given to Moses in the first 5 books of the Bible) has DOMINION over all of humanity as long as he lives on this earth. What does that mean? Paul is telling us that THE LAW (Torah) is God’s standard of Righteousness by which every human being who has ever lived will be judged. ⚖️
This means that the law (TORAH) has the power to condemn us to ETERNAL death 💀. This is not something that most of humanity knows, believes, or has ever considered, and yet it is the truth. Most of humanity seems to think that every human being has an automatic ticket into Heaven. However, the Bible tells us the opposite, that the path is BROAD that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). It is the NARROW PATH that leads to life, and few are on that path. The Bible tells us the TRUTH about the “bad news” so that we can appreciate and receive THE GOOD NEWS (GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST). ✝️
The truth is that people who have died WITHOUT a RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST, thinking they lived life as a “pretty good person” (good enough to get into Heaven) are in for a very rude awakening when they get to the pearly gates.
I shared a dream that I had in the year 2018 on another post that definitely illustrated what it would be like to be judged by THE LAW OF MOSES. It is a dream that has stuck with me because it was so real and so shocking.
My dream 😴 from 2018…
Picture a courtroom scene. At the front of the room was the judge sitting behind a long table with other well-respected people. Then across from the judge were the seats where all the people were sitting, kind of like the attendees and spectators of an important trial. There was a young, handsome man on trial. He was very handsome with dark hair and an engaging smile. He acted as though he had no care in the world. He was very confident that he would be found innocent of the crimes for which he was being accused. He was talking and laughing with the people around him as he waited for the court to come into session. After all, he had lived a “pretty good life”. He had no worries. He was so confident, that he had no need for a lawyer.
Then, I saw the courtroom proceedings begin and all got quiet. The man on trial got up with HIS LIST OF GOOD WORKS AND BEGAN TO TELL THEM TO THE JUDGE. It did not take long before the gavel came down with a loud THUD that broke the silence of the room….GUILTY AS CHARGED! The man was shocked!!😲. He thought he had this “in the bag”.
Suddenly I noticed on the left side of the room, towards the back, HUGE, BLACK iron doors. The doors suddenly opened. Behind those doors, in that other “room”, I COULD HEAR SCREAMS, AND SAW HANDS REACHING OUTSIDE OF THE DOORS AS PEOPLE TRIED DESPERATELY TO ESCAPE. Yet it seemed as if something was holding them back, some unseen force, because nobody was able to escape from “that room”. I then saw a huge hand reach out from “that room” and grab hold of the man who had been on trial. He was YANKED out of his seat and into “the room” with all of the hands and all of the screams. Then the doors SLAMMED shut and there was SILENCE. This all happened VERY QUICKLY! I could no longer hear the screams. I’ll never forget the shocked look on the man’s face. It all happened so quickly. We all sat there in shock. The man was gone.
God’s standard of righteousness is NOT our standard of righteousness. Remember the Word that I heard this morning…“God LONGS to forgive people as He forgave me (tfj)” (John 3:16). This is God’s heart. 💖This is what God (YHWH) PASSIONATELY desires. However, the problem is that most people do not think that they NEED to be forgiven! Most people have this idea that “man is basically good”. I hear this all the time, “Oh, I think most people are good”… and when I contradict them based on Scripture, they tell me I’m a “negative person”.
I’m sorry to say that mankind is NOT “basically good”. The Bible tells us that our flesh is at ENMITY with God. This means that when God says “DO SOMETHING”, our innate response is “NO”. When He says “DON’T DO SOMETHING”, we immediately want to do that very thing. Mankind has a REBELLIOUS NATURE. We were born with it.
Romans 3:10: As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
1 John 1:8: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Romans 8:7: Because the carnal (natural) mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
The fact of the sin nature is taught in many places in Scripture, such as David’s declaration, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). David does not mean he was the product of an adulterous affair, but that his parents passed along a sin nature to him.
God did create mankind with a conscience which is why most people understand that literal murder and stealing is wrong. However, our conscience is not enough to always point us in the right direction because it can be easily ignored or even seared.
1 Timothy 4:1: But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,
The natural (carnal) human-being has a DECEITFUL and “desperately wicked heart”.🖤
Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart🖤 is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it.
Mankind is self-DECEIEVED into thinking “We got this. No worries”. This is the natural state of the unregenerated/CARNAL man (one who is not yet born again with God’s Holy Spirit). ALL mankind needs to be forgiven by God ✝️ because ALL mankind has been born with A SIN NATURE. You may have heard this called “ORIGINAL SIN”; however, it is also possible that you have not heard about “original sin” or the “sin nature” at all because many churches are no longer teaching on this topic. Teaching about sin and the sin nature (original sin) is supposedly “bad for business”, meaning that it will not fill church pews.
Pastor Mark Bubek defines the flesh this way: “The flesh is a built-in law of failure, making it impossible for natural man to please or serve God. It is a compulsive inner force inherited from man’s fall, which expresses itself in general and specific rebellion against God and His righteousness. The flesh can never be reformed or improved.
The only hope for escape from the law of the flesh is its total execution and replacement by a new life in the Lord Jesus Christ.” ✝️
If we cannot admit that we were born with a sin nature, that we have broken God’s commandments and not kept His Laws...then we are doomed. Whether we know it or not, THE LAW will CONDEMN us (send us to hell/lake of fire) at the time of God’s judgment. How can we be FORGIVEN by God if we do not even know that we NEED FORGIVENESS? God does not just brush off sin, He does not just “look the other way” or wink His eye. The word for sin is an archery term meaning “missed the mark”. We’ve all “missed the mark”. 🎯
Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
In Romans 7:14, even though Paul says that he is carnal (physical, sinful), it does not mean that he is not a Christian. His awareness of his own carnality shows that God did a work in Paul. A black spider is a lot more noticeable on a white shirt than it is on a black shirt. 🕷️
Martin Luther on but “I am carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14):
“That is the proof of the spiritual and wise man. He knows that he is carnal, and he is displeased with himself; indeed, he hates himself (his sin nature) and praises the Law of God, which he recognizes because he is spiritual. But the proof of a foolish, carnal man is this, that he regards himself as spiritual and is pleased with himself.”
Martin Luther
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death 💀 through sin, and so death 💀 spread to all mankind, because all sinned—
Paul tells us that ALL HUMANITY “participated” in Adam’s sin and is condemned to death 💀 even before they themselves deliberately chose to sin. ALL of mankind is born with the fallen sin nature. We were originally created in YHWH (God’s) image, but we are “fallen“.
Note: Although ALL OF HUMANITY is born with a sin nature (original sin) which carries with it an automatic “death sentence”, God DOES give GRACE to babies, children, and the mentally infirmed. Do not fear for a loved one who has passed under the age of accountability or who was UNABLE to understand the Gospel because of mental illness or some other condition. God is Love and He is Graceful and kind. 💕✝️.
Genesis 5:3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his (Adam’s) image, and named him Seth.
Paul explains that because of Adam’s sin, the sin nature, and therefore the “death sentence” 💀 has come upon the entire human race. You’ve heard of “born that way”…yes, we were ALL “born THAT way” (with a sin nature – rebellious against God).
Psalm 58:3: The wicked have turned away from the womb;
These who speak lies go astray from birth.
From generation to generation, the sin nature has been passed down to all of humanity: “Sin entered the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). This verse also presents the unsettling truth that the sin nature leads inexorably to death.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death💀, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 2:1: And you were dead💀 in your offenses and sins,
Other consequences of the sin nature are hostility toward God and ignorance of His truth. “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God”.
Romans 8:7: because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
The person who does NOT believe in Jesus Christ (“the natural man”) does NOT have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. Without the Holy Spirit, THAT PERSON does not (and cannot) accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit”
1 Corinthians 2:14: But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
God cannot forgive those who do not think they need forgiveness. The sin nature deceives the unbeliever into thinking he does not NEED forgiveness, that he is a “pretty good person”.
Mankind thinks his own works, his own righteousness, is enough to get him into Heaven. 😲
No they are not! Our works cannot get us into Heaven.
This is why the Law (TORAH), which is Good and Holy, is a curse for us. God’s HOLY LAW is His standard of Righteousness and NO HUMAN CAN KEEP IT PERFECTLY! If truth be told, we can’t even get close! And what’s worse is that when THE LAW is placed before an unregenerated person (who is NOT born again), then the rebellious SIN NATURE that is at enmity with God will get “stirred up”, and cause that person to desire the sin all the more.
What is the purpose of THE LAW? THE LAW EXPOSES SIN. The Law is a mirror that helps us SEE our sin and our NEED for a Savior. The law is also a teacher, helping us to understand more clearly God’s standards of righteousness and our UNrighteousness. THE LAW, if properly understood, should DRIVE us to CHRIST. ✝️
Romans 7:7: What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law (I would have had no idea that coveting was a sin) . For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin (the sin nature), taking opportunity by the commandment (sin nature in me rebelled against God’s commandment NOT to covet), produced in me all manner of evil desire (the Commandment “Thou shalt not covet” actually caused me to covet/desire other people’s stuff ALL THE MORE😲).
For apart from the law sin was dead (Without the law, my recognition of sin was inactive). 9 I was alive once without the law (in my mind I was deceived into thinking that I was FULLY ALIVE because I was totally clueless that I was going to be JUDGED by THE LETTER OF THE LAW), but when the commandment came (when I finally SAW THE LAW), sin revived (my understanding of sin came into being) and I died (I finally recognized that my sin brings death TO ME).
10 And the commandment, which was to bring life (THE LAW was originally meant to bring life), I found to bring death (Because I am a sinner and cannot keep God’s LAW to HIS STANDARDS). 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment (to express itself) deceived me (into believing I had no sin), and by it (the commandment) killed me (I had sin whether I knew it or not, and sin ALWAYS leads to ETERNAL DEATH).
12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. (The law is GOOD, it shows me my sin so I can cry out for a SAVIOR)
Romans 7 is telling us that every living human being (Jew or Gentile) will be judged by the Law of God (TORAH) as given to Moses and the Jewish people, whether they KNOW IT or NOT. But Jesus actually went even further and explained to us during His earthly ministry that God JUDGES the adherence to HIS LAWS even more strictly than we realize. He judges THE LAW more strictly than Moses realized. For instance, if you just once lusted over someone then you’ve committed adultery in your heart. If you’ve looked at pornography – just once, then you are considered a “fornicator”. The same with murder. If you get seriously ANGRY with another, it is the same as murder to God. God looks at RAGE with another as murder and that alone can condemn a sinner to hell. You see, Jesus did not come to relax God’s laws, He came to FULFILL THE LAW and at the same time, showed us just how impossible it is for man to KEEP God’s perfect standards. This is why the LAW, which is Holy and Righteous, is a CURSE to mankind.
Romans 7 uses the analogy of a bride and groom. This would have meant a lot more to the Jewish people in Biblical times, but the analogy works for all people. In those days, a married Israelite was not permitted to just up and divorce their spouse for no reason. If they left their spouse and remarried (except for some very specific issues), they were considered an adulterer. The only way that it would be okay for a person to remarry without breaking God’s commandments is if their PREVIOUS SPOUSE HAD DIED. Otherwise, they were bound by law to the first spouse. In those days, adulterers were stoned to death. This seems barbaric to us now, but God used it to show mankind that DEATH awaits all LAW (TORAH) BREAKERS.
The marriage contract can only be dissolved by death. 💀Once a spouse died, THEN the person was FREE to REMARRY without breaking God’s laws and without being subject to the DEATH PENALTY.
In similar fashion, ALL mankind is BOUND to the SIN NATURE and subject to GOD’S LAWS (TORAH) for ultimate judgment. The ONLY WAY that ANYONE can circumvent this judgment is through DEATH. The Sin nature MUST be put to death. This is the ONLY WAY to circumvent God’s judgment at the end of the age. 😲
There is only ONE WAY the SIN NATURE can be put to death…and that is through BELIEF in Jesus Christ’s FINISHED WORK on the CROSS. ✝️ Jesus, the perfect LAMB OF GOD, was NOT born with the sin nature. Jesus was born of a virgin WITHOUT ORIGINAL SIN. Jesus lived His entire life without a single sin (impossible for the natural man in the sin nature). How do we KNOW that Jesus had NO SIN, including NO ORIGINAL SIN? He ROSE from the DEAD 3 days after He was crucified.
No man BESIDES JESUS CHRIST (MESSIAH) has EVER risen from the dead to IMMORTAL LIFE. Moses’ bones are still in the ground. The Patriarch’s bones are still in the ground. And if you follow a manmade “religion”, Muhammed’s bones are still in the ground, as are Buddha and Confucius. All men have sinned. Jesus Christ IS GOD who came in the likeness of human flesh to BE THE SACRIFICE FOR ALL MANKIND.
Jesus Christ, the PERFECT LAMB OF GOD ✝️(sacrifice), came to EARTH to NAIL the SIN NATURE that has ENSLAVED ALL OF HUMANITY…to the CROSS. When we receive Jesus Christ’s FINISHED WORK OF GRACE, asking HIM to pay the debt that we owe, then HE TAKES OUR SIN NATURE and NAILS IT TO THE CROSS. It is FINISHED (Tetelestai).
Water Baptism is a SYMBOL or PICTURE of this act of Grace. (Water Baptism is NOT necessary for salvation, but it is a PICTURE of our SALVATION). When we are baptized (not water baptism, but baptism with the HOLY SPIRIT) into Christ, our sin nature is hung on the Cross of Christ. This is pictured by us going into a “watery grave”…and then ARISING A COMPLETLY NEW CREATION IN CHRIST. Because we put to death the sin nature by BELIEF on JESUS CHRIST, we are FREE to MARRY ANOTHER – JESUS CHRIST BECOMES OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, our BRIDEGROOM (metaphorically speaking). We are then no longer BOUND to the SIN NATURE (the sin nature no longer has DOMINION over us) that makes us subject to THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH 💀, but we are BOUND to JESUS CHRIST✝️.who brings us NEW LIFE through HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
Romans 8: Therefore there is now no condemnation (no death penalty💀) at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death
The LAW was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. All those who recognize their own sin nature through the lens of THE LAW will CRY OUT for a SAVIOR. “JESUS PLEASE FORGIVE ME!”. When we believe on Christ’s finished work on the Cross we will be RELEASED from the CURSE of the LAW, that old “husband” who was going to absolutely CONDEMN US TO DEATH as law breakers. We receive God’s Holy Spirit who sets up residence within our Spirit, breaking the power of the sin nature over us. This means that the SIN NATURE no longer has DOMINION over us! Hallelujah! We are now FREE to follow Jesus Christ and obey HIS TEACHINGS through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Legally, we (BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS IN CHRIST✝️) are freed from the LAW OF SIN AND DEATH💀. This is VERY GOOD NEWS! When a born-again believer stands before the Throne of God on Judgment Day, we will be PRONOUNCED “NOT GUILTY” because our DEBT HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL!
Now, we must walk out our NEW LIFE (NEW NATURE) in CHRIST by listening to the Holy Spirit within us as He directs our paths AWAY from sin and towards the laws and precepts of God as outlined in His Word. Will we still sin? Yes…but our DESIRE to sin and rebel is now broken, and it will become easier for us to walk with Christ.
Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
God LONGS to FORGIVE YOU! ✝️ Will you let HIM?
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