God’s decision to save us eternally is a very serious decision, and it isn’t done lightly as some may seem to make it, for when once the decision is made by Christ, it becomes permanently irreversible. Thus, the utmost care, and most thorough investigation is done, before reaching such a conclusion. Heaven will not be placed in jeopardy anymore, by any who obey today and sin tomorrow, as an ongoing habit.
Thus, it becomes necessary for us to understand the blotting out of sins, for very many Christians may be found living with a false sense of security. There are many persons who were once forgiven, but who will be lost, because forgiveness of itself does not do much for a person, unless the necessary follow up procedure of cleansing from all unrighteousness is put into place, on a continuing basis. Let’s read:
Psalms 78:37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.
38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
A president may grant pardon to a known criminal, but without a change of heart, the person remains just that, a pardoned felon. Former president, Bill Clinton pardoned very many criminals, but whether there was a change of heart is an entirely different question. Thus, it is through John, that The Holy Spirit reveals to us that the plan to rescue humanity is twofold in nature, as it pertains to our side of the equation.
Beginning with confession of sin, with genuine godly repentance, and then the work of cleansing us from all unrighteousness, the twofold work constitutes the original purpose for the plan of salvation. But to merely forgive us does not really accomplish much, and leaves us in the same condition as before. That is why when Jesus came to earth, His mission was clearly stated up front. Let’s read:
Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
1st John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Therefore, in harmony with God’s original purpose, the work of blotting out our sins through the blood of Christ will take place, but only after it has been verified through the investigative judgment, that all who will be saved, have by their continual choices, accepted the atonement, and the life that must be commensurate with the life and teachings of Christ.
The teachings of cheap grace, without obedience, through freedom of choice, sells the plan of God’s salvation short, and will ultimately result in utter disappointment, to those who have subscribed to any such doctrine. Disobedience is what caused our first parents to fall, and therefore, it is by obedience to God that we demonstrate our loyalty.
Christ’s righteousness is a free gift, but it does not demonstrate one’s loyalty. It’s only through willing obedience that our loyalty is confirmed. Hence the reason why the doctrine which states that God’s law was nailed to the cross, strikes not only at the foundation of God’s government, but it effectively removes the means whereby loyalty is verified. Let’s read:
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into
the city.
James 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Romans 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.
The previous passage is a qualified statement, for it is only those who do not walk after the flesh, that are covered by the blood of the Lamb, and whose sins will finally be blotted out. Thus, it behooves us to discover what walking after the flesh means. To walk after the flesh means to be governed by those impulses of fallen human nature that drive us in an
opposite direction to Christ.
Christians whose names are currently written in The Lamb’s book of life, but who continue to “walk after the flesh”, will have their names removed, because the blood of Jesus does not blot out cherished sin. In fact, sins are only blotted out when the work of the investigative judgment ends, not before. Sins are now covered, but not blotted out. Let’s read:
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.
The blood of Christ will cleanse persons from all unrighteousness, only as we allow this necessary work to proceed. Hence the reason why our sins are only covered, until such time that our names are called in heaven, and the determination is made to make us eternally secure. Then it is that our sins are slated to be blotted out permanently, when Christ finishes His work of mediation in the sanctuary. Let’s read:
Leviticus 16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness.
22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
G.C pp 485] The work of the investigative Judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be accomplished before the second advent of the Lord. Since the dead are to be judged out of the things written in the books, it is impossible that the sins of men should be blotted out until after the Judgment at which their cases are to be investigated.
As was stated previously on several occasions, it is quite easy to know if our sins are blotted out, for if we can remember any sin, it means that it has not been blotted out as yet. It’s that simple. The work of blotting out sins takes place in heaven, it is a deliberate act on God’s part, and has literal effects on earth, for if The Lord does not remember them, then we will not remember them either. Let’s read:
Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Hebrews 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
[G.C pp 620] Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God would not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life. So, in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance.
But while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins have gone beforehand to judgment and have been blotted out; and they cannot bring them to remembrance.
Psalms 103:10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
This leads us to an important question pertaining to the investigative judgment, for we should be aware of how the blood of Jesus is applied to our account. For an answer we turn to the experience of the king of ancient Babylon, who had for years, set Himself up against the King of heaven.
He ordained counterfeit worship and punished any who did not subscribe to his dictates. But later on, after eating much grass, he sincerely repented by acknowledging the God of heaven, and that he had done wrong. By so doing, his name was recorded in the book of life, his sins were forgiven and covered, and if his choice remained permanent, then his sins would be blotted out permanently when Christ ends the investigative judgment. Let’s read:
Daniel 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar answered and said;
24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king.
25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
However, if after some time the king of Babylon had returned to his old ways, if he returned to his pride, to his boasting, and to his oppression; the grace of Christ which forgave him when he acknowledged his sin and confessed to God, and the blood of Jesus which covered him would then be removed, and his name, his confessions, and all his good deeds would be erased permanently, because God only blots out the sins of those who remain forgiven. Let’s read:
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
2nd Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Ezekiel 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Everyone who has ever named the name of Christ has had their names entered into the Lamb’s book of life, without exception. This applies equally to the sincere, and the insincere Christian. It is a standard procedure which takes place when one enters by faith into a covenant relationship with The Lord Jesus.
This includes such persons as the thief on the cross, and Judas Iscariot, both of whom were formerly registered in the book of life. In addition, the grace of God which brings salvation to all men, is given to every believer in the most literal sense. It is the gift of Christ’s righteousness, the robe that is not of human devising. What we do with that robe from the point of surrender onwards is what determines our eternal destiny.
It is often the case, that even after accepting the robe of Christ’s righteousness, and being covered by His blood, that there are spots and wrinkles in our lives which need to be addressed. This is done via sanctification, whereby God takes us through some experiences, or trials to show us where change is needed, and if we were to stay the course with Him every defect will be removed.
Often when clothes have been washed and dried, they come out looking and smelling clean, but alas some wrinkles remain. Whenever this is the case, there is one, and only one way to get rid of those wrinkles, and that’s to iron them out! Let’s read:
Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
[TBLJ 246] The furnace fires are not to destroy, but to refine, ennoble, sanctify. Without trial we would not feel so much our need of God and His help; and we would become proud and self-sufficient. In the trials that come to us we should see the evidences that the Lord's eye is upon us, and that He means to draw us to Himself.
God Bless!