Without Prejudice

13And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.  16So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Colossions 2: 13 - 17 NKJV 

We've been talking a lot lately about our salvation.  Or better yet, is it possible to lose our own through salvation which was provided to us by Christ Jesus at the cross.  Not only that, but is it at all possible that despite Jesus wiping away all of our iniquities by becoming sin on our behalf, that maybe, just maybe, there remains that requirement that we should continue to seek our Lords forgiveness for our own sins?  Indeed, this has become quite a contentious conversation in the company of some of our brothers.  Yes, there are those among our own group of christian soldiers who hold steadfastly to that belief that we are but sinners saved by the grace of our Lord.  I get it.  After all, haven't we all sinned {Romans 3:23}?  Granted, my first response to someone who seems to be chained to those requirements of their old life is, did Jesus miss some sins while He was on that cross?  Was He somehow distracted enough in His own agony that, despite our assurances in scripture, He somehow forgot to cleanse us of all of our sins?  Even if this is true, would that not make God a liar to us all?  I'm sure even the most new born christian can see the slippery slope which this belief opens up.  Yet, there are those who continue to live in the bondage of those chains.  That bondage in which we once lived before Christ set us free from those requirements which were against us {Colossions 2:14}.  Those chains of our own sins in which we all once lived...before Christ Jesus {Romans 6:6}.  You will notice that the context I wrote of these former things are of those chains we USED to endure.  For it is through Christ that we, as those who believe and trust in His truth, rejoice in the freedom that we are no longer deifned by what once was.  It is Jesus Himself who lives through us today {Galations 2:20}.  

4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

Hebrews 6: 4 - 5 NKJV 

Is it at all possible for Christ Jesus to be crucified again?  Can that Spirit of Christ be once again nailed to yet another cross to suffer the sacrafice for a new generation of believers?  Did Jesus, as the writer of Hebrews tells us, give His life once for all believers {Hebrews 10:10}?  For me, there is but one Jesus...and one death for all.  Those iniquities which He wiped away at the cross were...final.  What good would it do for Jesus to give Himself for those sins up to a certain point?  For in the end there would need be more and more sacrafices because in the end, we are imperfect.  Yet we are told that Jesus gave Himself and rose from the dead once...for all believers.  The chains of our former life can still be seen today.  Somehow there remains the belief that we need to continue asking for Gods forgiveness.  Yet, the same christians who lay claim to this belief also will agree that Jesus indeed gave Himself but once.  So, christian, you agree with me that the death of jesus was final yet you still heed a requirement that we need to seek our Lords forgiveness?  For what?  Didn't Jesus nail those requirements to the cross with Him?  Believe me, I have lived this teaching in the church.  I have listened as one pastor after another assured me of the forgiveness of Christ yet pleaded with me to seek His forgiveness daily.  What??  

There is a point in any criminal trial where the presiding judge informs he who has been accused of a crime that he is to be released "without prejudice."   A case that is dismissed without prejudice is over and done with, once and for all, and cannot be brought back to court.  I liken the sacrafice of Christ Jesus as we who trust in Him being released without prejudice.  It is over with, one sacrafice for all.  That which we were once convicted can never be brought before the Lord for our own condemnation...ever!  

10By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10: 10 NKJV 

~Scott~