What matters is keeping the Commandments of God

The crux of the matter is the 'judgment' of Revelation 14 did not BEGIN IN 1844.

The Gospel began and ended in Jesus Christ from that he was born until he resurrected from the dead --- and THEREIN THE JUDGMENT of the Saved.

Take away the GOSPEL and pull from the fires of the SDA-'judgment' ALL ITS FUEL. 'The investigative judgment' is the fire of a judgment God did never light nor devil or wicked ever fuelled; it burns the Gospel to keep on consuming souls.

All this bickering over righteousness by works or faith or Election or Grace is but this IJ-hell's smoke fanned up by its inmates to cast a trap-cover over the depths of its dark pit.

BUT NEVER FORGET, you holy free-willers-other-than-SDAs: The Investigative Judgment devilish design's mastermind is the autonomous heart of its 'free-agents'.

 

There is no example of any saved person in Romans 2:1-29 - nada! There is simply given the just criteria for one kind of person - the kind that comes before God to be judged by their own works and the just criteria and consequences God uses to judge works. That "one kind of person" is described for you in Romans 2:1-5 and Romans 2:17-3:18 - the kind that will not be justified by the law (Rom. 2:19-20).

Jesus denies that any Jew ever kept the the law and they had it written on their conscience and on stone or other materials and you think the Gentile who has nothing more then general revelation and the law written on conscience EXCEEDS the Jew???????????? Rom. 2:13-15 does not suggest that the Gentile does any better than the Jew but rather is without excuse as is the Jew.

Furthermore, you are making a big deal about how one becomes a Christian in contrast to how one lives a Christian life. Paul summed it up nicely when he said "AS ye have received the Lord Jesus Christ SO walk we ye in him" - Col. 2:6 but you claim that is circling back. We are justified by faith and we walk by faith. We have already been completely and perfectly justified and sanctified "in Christ" by grace alone through faith alone once for all (Heb. 10:10,14; 1 Cor. 1:3; Romans 5:2). We EXPERIENCE that position as we walk by faith in the Spirit and we EXPERIENCE death (separation from the EXPERIENCE of life in the Spirit) when we walk in the flesh but neither determine the outcome as Christ has already determined it by His own works and life FOR US.

Christ already knows "all" that the Father has given him (Jn. 10:28-30; Jn. 6:37-39) and already determined their salvation as though it were already finished in his sight (Rom. 8:28-39). There is no future investigative judgement where Christ has to figure out who are his and there is no future judgement in regard to etenal life and heaven as that has already been determined once for all at the point of regeneration/conversion/justification and so the beliver "shall not come into condmenation but is already passed from death to life" (Jn. 5:24).

You are teaching the same heresy taught among the Galatians that we begin by justification through faith without works but continue by our own works with God's help! That is the accursed gospel.

 

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

This is a declaration not a set of conditions as there are no conditional clauses in this verse in English or in Greek.

The declaration is that the believer "shall not come into condemnation" in regard to any decisision or judgement by God concerning spiritual life or spiritual death as they have already passed from life to death at the point of regeneration/conversion when they became a believer. Hence, their own life has nothing to do with this decision, this transfer from death to life, this declaration they "shall not come into condemnation" in regard to future judgement about life and death.

However, true children of God can come into condemnation here and now when they walk in the flesh rather than in the Spirit, when they fail to "put on" the new man and wear the "old man." However, since their own life has nothing to eternal justification and eternal life as that is a done deal with no future consideration by God for change, then, this life has only to do with how the "house" is built rather than the foundation upon which it is built and has to do with present EXPERIENCE of eternal life in the form of spiritual blessings and future rewards (1 Cor. 3:11-15).

The eternally justified child of God can EXPERIENCE death in this present life EVERY SINGLE TIME they walk in the flesh:

1Ti 5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

Roman 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

This has nothing to do with eternal justification but with the present WALK here and now and the EXPERIENCE of either life or death (separation from God's fellowship, blessings):

Gal. 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal. 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

 

GE:

Dr Walter, this has been the most difficult statement I have yet read of yours. I CAN not at this stage say I do not accept what I THINK you are saying here.

Kindly please elaborate on this? I think it of absolute importance --- feel it sort of. This isn't Kindergarten. If what you teach or want to teach is in harmony with ORDINARY Reformed Faith, help us (or me) out with other thinkers' explanations?

 

Most evangelical's think of "death" either as (1) physical - separation of material from immaterial; (2) spiritual - separation of the human spirit from the life of God or eternal - (3) Judicial - judgement that eventually ends with separation of the whole man from God in Gehenna.

Most evangelicals thing of life as (1) Biological life; (2) spiritual union with God here and now - regeneration; (3) Judicial - justification of life that eventually ends in bringing of the whole person into heaven with God forever.

However, there is a fourth aspect of life and death peculiar only to the child of God here and now. The child of God is the only creature in God's universe wherein both indwelling sin (Rom. 7:17,20) and a new inward man (Rom. 7:22) are both united in one person so that "with the flesh" they serve the law of sin but with the mind they serve the Law of God (Rom. 7:25).

To say this another way, the child of God here and now is the only creature who can "put on" and "put off" both the "new" and the "old"man.

To say this another way, the child of God here and now is the only creature who can "walk in the flesh" or "walk in the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16;25).

Hence, there is another aspect of life and death peculiar to the child of God here and now. It is the TEMPORAL EXPERIENCE of life and death. As the child of God puts on the new man he EXPERIENCE the benefits of eternal life here and now. As the child of God "walks in the flesh" he walks in the ways of death here an now.

Every time a child of God walks in the flesh he reaps EXPERIENTIAL death and that aspect of his life is lost/separated from the cause of Christ, for the glory of God and from experiential blessings. When he walks in the Spirit that time is "redeemed" (Eph. 5:16) for the glory of God and for rewards and EXPERIENCES the blessings of eternal life.

In Romans 6 Paul argues that justification by grace does not promote sin because where there is justification there is regeneration and this is clearly manifest in the symbolism of baptism as there is a death inferred by the burial in water but it does not end there. In baptism there is also a likeness of the resurrection. We obtain both judicially in regard to our position (dead to sin and alive to God) by faith. However, how do we obtain them EXPERIENTIALLY?? There is no such thing as a person who has been freed from being a servant of sin who is not thereby made a servant of righteousness but it is not due to the law or to self - that is the thesis of chapter six.
Therefore, the question of chapter seven and eight deals with HOW does this become the EXPERIENCE in the life of a child of God. Romans 7:1-5 claims we are "dead" to the law through Christ and that the righteousness of the law is not imparted by the Law to the lost (Rom. 7:7-13) and neither can the law impart its righteousness to the saved even though the saved is willing (Rom. 7:14-25) to obey the Law. Romans 7:14-25 considers the problem of indwelling sin and the powerlessness of both the Law and the renewed will of the believer to overcome it. Romans 7:14-25 is the experience of the saved as well as Romans 8. Paul tells believers to "put off" the old man (Rom. 7:14-25) and "put on" the new man (Rom. 8). He tells them not to "walk in the flesh" (Rom. 7:14-25) but "walk in the Spirit" (Rom. 8).

When we walk in the Spirit, put on the new man - there is no EXPERIENTIAL CONDEMNATION (Rom. 7:14-25) which Paul describes as the body of "THIS DEATH" but there is EXPERIENTIAL "life and peace."

There is our JUDICIAL POSITION "in Christ" where there is no condemnation and where we shall never come into condemantion (Jn. 5:24) in regard to ETERNAL life or ETERNAL death. However, there is also the EXPERIENTIAL or our "walk" and as we walk "in Christ" there is no TEMPORAL EXPERIENTIAL death but TEMPORAL "life and peace."

Romans 3:20-5:20 deals with our LEGAL POSITION in Christ by faith. Romans 6 deals with the TRANSITION from LEGAL to EXPERIENTIAL. Romans 7 denies that the Law or will power is the means for EXPERIENTIAL in either the lost or saved man. Romans 8 teaches that the EXPERIENTIAL is obtained by faith just as the LEGAL is obtained by faith (Rom. 7:24a). However, we do not always "walk in the Spirit" and we do not always live by faith and we do not always put on the Spirit (Rom. 8) but at times we walk in the flesh (Rom. 7) and when we do we EXPERIENCE "this body OF DEATH." When we do we are SEPARATED from the blessings of eternal life during that time of walking in the flesh. We are SEPARATED from joy and peace and consciousness of God's presence and any tangible assurance of salvation.

 

Rom. 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Allow me to attempt to explain this text in its context that may be somewhat different than you have view it before. In Romans 7 Paul has proved that the Christian is legally and positionally "dead" to the Law (Rom. 7:1-6). He further proves that the law is incapable of producing righteousness in a lost person, not because the law is sin but because of the flesh (Rom. 7:17-13). Furthermore, he proves that the law is incapable of producing righteousness in the saved person (Rom. 7:14-25) even though the redeemed man is willing to do righteousness. Neither the law or the redeemed human will has power to overcome indwelling sin.

In addition, Paul has pointed out that the source of sin in the Christian is not the whole person (vv. 17-18, 20). Even though he is not denying responsibility for sin as a whole person he is denying that sin originates with the whole person but has it origin with indwelling sin "in the flesh."

He concludes Romans 7 by declaring that the present state of a child of God is a split into two opposing servitudes. "With the flesh" Paul now serves the law of sin but with the mind he serves the Law of God.

Please consider Romans 7:14-24 as equal to the state of a Christian who needs to "walk in the Spirit" but is walking "in the flesh." Please consider Romans 7:14-24 as equal to the state of a Christian who needs to "put on the new" but has on "the old man."

The child of God is the only creature who can either "walk in the flesh" (Rom. 7:14-24) or "walk in the Spirit" (Rom. 8). He is the only creature who can "put off the old man" (Rom. 7:14-24) or "put on the new man" (Rom. 8).

This state of walking after the flesh or living after the "old man" (Rom. 7:14-24) is summarized in the analogy of the practice of the Roman soldiers who would fasten a dead corpse to a living prisoner. They would fasten them together face to face, shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm, waist to waist, led to leg and Paul calls that condition "THIS DEATH."

May I suggest that when you walk after the flesh or at any time the "old man" is not put off that you are EXPERIENCING that condition of "DEATH." Death is "separation." Physical death is separation of body from the spirit. Spiritual death is separation of the human spirit from the Spirit of God. Eternal death is separation of the whole man from God in Gehenna.

However, the saved man here and now is the only creature who can experience "now" a fourth kind of life and death - EXPERIENTIAL life and death.

When you walk in the flesh and whenever the old man is in charge you are TEMPORALLY SEPARATED from EXPERIENCING eternal life in Christ. You are separated from EXPERIENCING the peace of God, the blessings of God and fellowship with God. As you walk in the Spirit and put on the new man you EXPERIENCE the life of God here and now. You experience peace, joy, fellowship, blessings.

Whatever period of time you are walking in the Spirit you REDEEM THE TIME or make it count for the glory of God, obtain rewards in heaven and EXPERIENCE life in the Spirit. Whatever period of time you walk in the flesh you are SEPARATED forever from that time, it is lost, it does not count for the glory of God, it does not gain rewards and you are SEPARATED from the experiential blessings of eternal life.

Now, Romans 7:14-25 describes that period of time when you are living in the face of DEATH - that old corpse - defeat, frustration, loss of time, loss of rewards, loss of blessing, thus SEPARATED from eternal life EXPERIENTIALLY. That is the "CONDEMNATION" that Romans 8:1 refers to rather than the condemnation John 5:24 refers to in reference to future judgement before God that concerns eternal life and eternal death.

There is no condemnation "NOW" for those who are "in Christ Jesus" in regard to their EXPERIENTIAL LIFE. That means when they are walking in the Spirit (Rom. 8:10-13) rather than walking in the flesh (Rom. 8:1,4).

The secret of overcoming the law of sin and death (Rom. 7:14-25) is not found in obedience by the flesh to the law but is found in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:2). Like the lost man who is "in the flesh" when a saved man chooses to walk "after" the flesh will experience only death (Rom. 8:5-8). However, unlike the lost man who is "in the flesh" we are not "in the flesh" but "in the Spirit" if we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us (Rom. 8:9). Therefore the Spirit of God that is in us was also in Christ and gave him power over death by raising his dead body from the grave. Likewise, we are not debtors to live after the flesh for when we do, we shall experience death. We can put to death the power of indwelling sin by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God (Rom. 8:10-13).

Gal. 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Gal. 5:25 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

When we walk in sin (Gal. 5:19-21) these are the WAYS OF DEATH.

Christians can walk in these ways or in the flesh (I Cor. 5:11, 3:1-3). The widow sister at the church of Ephesus is "dead" while living in pleasure (1 Tim. 5:6). This is the "brother" you can save from "death" in James 5:19-20.

I believe understanding these truths are the keys to spiritual growth as spiritual growth is nothing more than progressing in your daily battle against indwelling sin. We lose many skirmishes with indwelling sin but the war has been already won by the life of Christ in the flesh and the consequences of our sins has already been fully paid in the death of Christ in the flesh. Remember our life is not lived to gain or lose heaven but to glorify God, experience life in Christ and gain eternal rewards in heaven.