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Do those ‘in Christ’ still sin?

How do those who still yet sin in this flesh, reconcile their faith in Christ for Salvation? Do we just quit sinning after receiving Christ, as some are taught?

Turn to Ephesians 2:13:

Eph 2:13-18
13   But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14   For He is our peace, Who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15   Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16   And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17   And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18   For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (KJV)

     If we ‘study’ each subject in the verses above, it says this:

1. Verse 13 – Both Jew and Gentile are offered Salvation through Christ’s Blood. The subject is sacrifice of Christ on the cross for us.
2. Verse 14 – the ‘middle wall of partition between us’ means the Holy of Holies (first veil which was ‘rent’). We no longer need a Levitical priest as mediator; each believer on Christ has ‘direct’ access to The Father through Christ Jesus. Those priest and animal sacrifices were ‘dogma’ ritual. This means we may pass through the ‘first veil’ to Christ Jesus, our Mediator to The Father. None but Christ may pass through the ‘second veil’. See Hebrews 9; 1 Timothy 2:5.
3. Verse 15 – Christ ‘abolished’ Death, that is, defeating the devil, and the flesh (also see Heb.2). That’s how He can offer us Salvation, as He Himself was born through woman’s womb as us, but He was Perfect without sin. The word ‘ordinances’ in the Greek is ‘dogma’. That was the ‘old way’ of atonement, and is ‘fulfilled’ on the cross. Notice I said ‘fulfilled’ and not done away with. There’s a difference. Christ Jesus became those ‘ordinances’, alleviating man of playing religion. The ‘ordinances’ included the Temple worship and animal sacrifices, and all ‘blood’ ordinances, such as circumcision, etc. God’s Commandments (Ten Commandments), Statutes, and Judgments still stand. Our U.S. Constitution and Justice system ‘was’ based upon God’s Law. I say ‘was’ because the Kenites have crept in so much and changed It. England, I believe, still holds execution by hanging, which came from God’s Law (Deut.21:22-23).
4. Verse 16 – Slain the ‘enmity’ means defeating Satan, and his ‘flesh order’. We are reconciled to God by The Spirit of Christ, not by the flesh.
5. Verse 17 – Salvation through Christ is to Jew and Gentile.
6. Verse 18 – Jesus Christ is our access to Jehovah. Ritual sacrifice is no longer needed. Christ became our Passover Lamb sacrificed for us (I Cor.5:7). Christ also is our Sabbath (Rest; Heb.4).

Col 2:12-17
12   Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who hath raised Him from the dead.
13   And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14   Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross;
15   And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16   Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17   Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (KJV)

     There are some Christian denominations today who teach to hold to the original Sabbath day for going to Church. That’s an example of still trying to hold to ‘ordinances’ (religious dogma) for Salvation. Paul discusses fully in Romans and Galatians many differences of God’s Law, and how It still applies today. Romans is also the foundation of Christian Doctrine based on God’s Law. The Law cannot save anyone, only Christ can. But does that mean God’s Law is bad? No. For as written, if we didn’t have God’s Law, we wouldn’t know when we sin (Romans 7:7). And sin is the transgression of The Law:

I John 3:4
4   Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (KJV)

      Notice all these verses are New Testament? If one does not transgress God’s Law, then they have no sin, and are ‘dead’ to sin. Likewise, our ‘inner man’ in Christ, which is the ‘real’ person, being in Christ, is not guilty of sin. But the flesh will always sin (see all of Rom.7). If this was not so, then Christ would not be a Perfect Sacrifice for us.
Romans Chapter 1 given by Paul, should be an eye-opener that much of God’s Law ‘is not’ merely done away with. Paul even states those who do such things covered there are ‘worthy of death’. He’s basing it on God’s Law.
The reference to Acts 11, about God telling Peter what He hath cleansed, don’t call common, is spiritual, not literal. Some teach and think it means we can now just eat anything and stay healthy. If we live on buzzards and pork, what can we expect? We ain’t gonna be healthy. Isn’t it futile to think God will somehow physically ‘cleanse’ those unclean meats, which He put here as scavengers to clean the earth? God expects us to use common sense. The vision of those unclean animals to Peter was a ‘spiritual Message’ concerning the Gentiles receiving the gift of Salvation also. That’s what studying the whole Chapter of Acts 11 will show. We simply are not to be judged, nor judge others, if and when we do eat unclean meats. We really don’t have to judge, because our flesh body is the judge; we’ll get sick. God’s health Law which is setup in the flesh nature can’t be fooled. It’s as simple as that.
If our Salvation through Christ depended on not eating such things, where would we be? That’s the Heart of the Message Paul teaches concerning sin and The Law. None are justified in Christ by following God’s Law, as we cannot be perfect in It. We are justified by faith in Christ. But that doesn’t mean God just threw out His Law which governs everything He setup in creation? God forbid. Did Christ do away with His Commandments against murder and stealing, on the cross? Of course not.

Matt 5:18-20
18   For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19   Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20   For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (KJV)

     Those in Christ who break God’s Law, and teach others to do so, will be ashamed, and visa versa. The false righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was that they continually broke God’s Law, and sorely condemned the people for doing the same things they themselves were guilty of. That’s a holier than thou hypocrite. Is that happening in many Church systems of men today? How can those in Christ rebuke others in a sin they themselves are guilty of? Kind of humbling isn’t it?
Stay in Christ and His Word, and always try to improve on controlling the flesh thinking and its desires, even though we all fall short.

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