Now He said, also, to some that have confidence in themselves that they are just, and are scorning the rest, this parable: "Two men went up into the sanctuary to pray, the one a pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing, prayed this to himself, 'God, I am thanking you that I am not even as the rest of these men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tribute collector. I am fasting twice of a sabbath. I am taking tithes from all whatever I am acquiring.' Now the tribute collector, standing afar off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his chest, saying, 'God, make a propitiatory shelter for me, the sinner!' I am saying to you, this man descended to his home justified, rather than that one, for everyone who is exalting himself shall be humbled, yet he who is humbling himself shall be exalted."
Lukes Account 18: 9-14, Concordant New Testament
A good friend of mine sent an article to me the other day written by a man speaking to the "One thing separating most people from God." Now, before even reading the article, I knew what his spin would be. As I have written before, the mainstream church has made a business out of preaching the separation theology which claims that we have been separated from God somehow. To back up their absurd claim, they often turn to the prophet Isaiah who speaks to the sins of God have caused the Lord to "Hide My face from you" {Isaiah 59:2}. Nothing could be further from the truth. Notice that one of the scriptures that those within the church use to illustrate the false theology is taken from the Old Testament. When I see this I often ask, well, what about Jesus? For we know that it is Jesus Whom the Father dispatched to deal with that sin issue through His own death on the cross {Johns Account 3:16-17}. So, how is it that you can continue to claim the judgements of the Old Testament while ignoring the saving sacrifice of Christ? Can anyone besides me see the absurdity in this? I am constantly talking with so called believers who adhere to the practice of stressing themselves in prayers for the forgiveness of their sins. Well, what about Jesus? Have you ever heard of Him? Better yet, have you ever known Him? For if you had known the truth spoken by the apostle Paul in his evangel, you would more than likely think twice about your own views of sin. It is Paul who proclaims that Christ has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}. I have had the unique perspective in my own life to have seen both sides of that fence. I have sat through countless Sunday sermons which spoke to my separation from God. I have even feared for the loss of my own salvation as a result of these false teachings. When I read articles like the one in question, I can see that the author is steeped in the separation theology of the mainstream church because I've been there myself. But here's the kicker, I found the truth. Through the help of that same good friend who sent me the article, I have been able to separate the truth from the false theology spoken from the church.
In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you
Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament
While the mainstream church speaks to sin separating us from God, the evangel of Christ Jesus proclaims that it is He who has given Himself willingly out of His love for us {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}. Make no mistake, Jesus IS that sin offering. Jesus IS our propitiatory shelter {Lukes Account 9:13}. I find it interesting that the same organization which claims to believe in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross will so boldly deny that sacrifice through their own teachings. Think I'm off base? Has not Jesus come to perish on the cross for the forgiveness of sin, yes or no? If you believe that Jesus indeed has given Himself for the forgiveness of sin, then you may just be on your way to knowing the truth of the evangel. I say might because there are plenty of followers in the church who believe in the sacrifice of Jesus yet continue to adhere to the separation theology. You might be saying to yourself, "But what about my past?" Well, Paul speaks to this in Colossians. Paul speaks to the Father 'vivifying us together with Him, dealing graciously with all our offenses' {Paul to the Colossians 2:13}. If Jesus has given Himself to sin "Once for all time" as Paul proclaims, we can trust that He has defeated our sin past, present and future. How many times will you send Jesus to that cross over some sin which has already been forgiven? We should be in prayer graciously thanking God for His deliverance from our former state. Yes, all have sinned {Paul to the Romans 3:23}. But Paul also speaks to our being justified through the deliverance that we find in Christ Jesus {Paul to the Romans 3:24}. Therefore, I hold to the truth of the evangel that I have never been separated from my creator.
~Scott~
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