Law-Breaking

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In the Shadow of Sin

Q: If a person has violated government laws in the past, but didn't get punished for it, they broke a law but were not caught, how should they deal with this issue? Is this good evidence of false faith or false salvation? Glen

A: First, a word on rebellion. If the law does not contradict God's Word (but many do) then the law should be obeyed (Ro. 13:1-7, 1 Pe. 2:13-14). Where the law causes a person to go against God's Word, the law should be broken, and God's Word obeyed.

Christ exemplified this in His dealing with the Roman and Jewish ruling authorities. The Holy Spirit, confirmed the principle through Peter and John when they stood before the same Jews who condemned Christ to death. (Ac. 5:29, 1 Th. 4:1)

It is important to realise that the European, Scottish, and English Reformations would not have happened, unless the valiant Reformers had broken man's laws. For more on Godly rebellion read the writings of John Knox. Rebellion is becoming essential as ungodly antiChristian laws are enacted around the world in the Final Days.

Proclaiming the Gospel, and truly following Christ is already illegal in much of the world; so who should we obey, God or man?

If the Holy Spirit is convicting you because you have broken a legitimate law, then confess your sin to God, repent of it, and make restitution as far as possible.

In the case of criminal offence against national law, such as theft or murder, own up, turn yourself in, and face the required punishment. (Here's a similar example of God dealing with a rapist.) Honour and obey the Lord, and He will stand with you even to the point of death.

There's more on making restitution here.

There are no sins hidden from God, people who harbour secret sins cripple their walk with Him, and will be exposed at the Judgment. (Mtt. 10:26, 12:36, 2 Co. 5:10, Rev. 20:11-15)

Come out of the shadow of sin, get right with Him today, and you will receive His peace.

Clean and pure

Q: What does it mean to be "pure of heart"?

A: Thank you for a wonderful question.

I suspect you are thinking of Mtt. 5:8 where Christ tells us that the pure in heart will see God. A similar expression is also used in 1 Tim. 1:5, and alluded to in 2 Tim. 2:22 and 1 Pe. 1:22.

When the Bible speaks of the heart, it refers to your spirit, not your blood pump.

Your spirit is the real you, also described as the "inner man" (Ro. 7:22, 2 Co. 4:16) Since we are all born with a fallen, sinful, and corrupt spirit (Ro. 3:10,23, 5:12 ), the only way to obtain a pure heart is to be born of God; born again, by receiving Christ as Saviour (Jn. 3). This is the pure in heart that Christ meant in Mtt. 5:8. Isn't it wonderful to be saved, righteous, and know God intimately?

The other usage of the phrase refers more to wholehearted sincerity and motivation. There are plenty of Christians doing the right things for the wrong reasons. For example, have you noticed the crowd preaching the Gospel to get rich?

A more subtle impurity of heart is to obey God in order to 'earn'; salvation, approval, or a spiritual reward.

The pure in heart obey Him because they love Him, and it is simply the right thing to do, they are not looking for any reward.

A word of caution: Learn to become righteousness conscious, not sin-conscious (forever digging around in your heart for sins to confess). It's a religious snare many fall into, shake it off, and start confessing what God's Word declares you are; Saved, righteous, holy, accepted in the beloved, redeemed, strong, and that you have overcome the evil one.

If you can't shout those basic facts, study until you can, and then keep shouting.

What do Christians believe?

Q: What are the beliefs concerning being born again? Majaruth

A: That's explained in detail here: How to be born again, and here, What is salvation, and here, What Christians believe.

Faith and works, or faith alone?

Q: Is a Christian justified by faith alone, or by faith plus works? (James Ch.2) Being a weak person, I don't have too many good works.

A: Salvation and justification come only one way (Jn. 14:6): By faith alone, in Christ alone, and by Grace alone. (Ro. 5:1, Gal. 3:24, Ac. 4:12, Eph. 2:8-9)

It is impossible to improve the salvation Christ offers; it is perfect, finished, and sufficient to save the worst of sinners.

Once saved, the good works James wrote of, spring naturally from genuine faith, that is the point he made. Living faith has corresponding actions, dead faith doesn't. Your works don't improve your salvation one iota, they simply confirm your faith is genuine and alive.

The First letter of John emphasises this same teaching. 1 Jn. 2:3-6 makes the point that if the person's confession is not backed up with loving obedience, they are liars, merely deceiving themselves.

This is covered more fully in, How to be sure you are saved.

Godly sorrow

Q: What is the difference between Godly and worldly sorrow in 2 Co. 7:10?

A: Godly sorrow is sincere spiritual contrition; you are truly sorry in your heart to have sinned against God, and it inevitably results in you repenting from sin. That means, you change your attitude to it, and then stop doing it. Please take note; the repentance is the change of mind, the change of action results from the repentance. Genuine repentance always shows in outward behaviour. (Lk. 19:8, Ac. 26:20)

Worldly sorrow is mental, emotional, soulful, and not of the spirit (heart), therefore does not produce repentance; the person continues to sin, and draw sin's salary. (Ro. 6:23)