If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything (1 John 3:20 – NIV2011)

Those steep in the overly grace or hyper grace doctrine, often use this 1 John 3:20 to support such other verses like Romans 8:1 in saying that there is just no more condemnation possible for a believer, and so, if one has it, felt it or otherwise, the condemnation, it has to be false and from the Devil, and purportedly, one should just dismiss it. 

Before I go on to expound on 1 John 3:20, I would like to quickly point out that the assertion that Romans 8:1 unqualifiedly said, “there is now no condemnation possible for the believers”, is NOT quite correct.  For understanding of this, read my separate article – Romans 8:1 is NOT unqualified!

Now, although commonly, for this text of 1 John 3:18-22, “condemn” is used, the Greek word for condemn here is NOT the same as the one in Romans 8:1.  The Greek word, here is the word, “kataginōskō” - G2607, and its meaning is “accuse against or find fault with or blaming”; whereas the Greek word for Romans 8:1’s condemn (or condemnation) is the word, “katakrima” – G2631, and its meaning is more of a judgment against.

On 1 John 3:20, we start by looking at the wordings of a couple Bible translations of this verse:

NIV1984 - whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

NIV2011 - If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

ESV - for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

KJV - For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

TLB -  But if we have bad consciences and feel that we have done wrong, the Lord will surely feel it even more, for he knows everything we do. [readers, please note that TLB (The Living Bible is a paraphrasing of a translation (ASV 1901))]

Amplified Bible - Whenever our hearts in [tormenting] self-accusation make us feel guilty and condemn us. [For we are in God’s hands.] For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows (perceives and understands) everything [nothing is hidden from Him]. [readers to note that Amplified Bible is amplified from ASV 1901]

We start the discourse by first saying that NIV2011 has materially changed how the verse can be interpreted! 

In its 1984 version, you will note that the verse (v20) begins with a small letter (i.e. NOT capitalised) for the first word of the verse, “whenever”.  What this means is that the first part of verse 20 is undisputedly a continuation of verse 19.  This is how verses 19-20a read in NIV1984:

1 John 3:19-20a (NIV1984) - 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence  20 whenever our hearts condemn {accuse}us.

Now, what the NIV 2011 did by having it, verse 20, starts as a new sentence, capitalizing the first letter of the word, “if” and joining the second part of verse 20 to it, instead of leaving it as a new sentence (as was the case of the 1984 version), makes verse 20 detached from verse 19, to stand on its own.  This rendering, in my view, is NOT that appropriate.

The ESV rendering makes verse 20, including the second part of verse 20 (the “For God is greater …”), a continuation of verse 19.

What about the KJV?  Now, although this version starts verse 20 capitalised (a new sentence), the customary understanding of “For” of a new sentence, in the King James Bible English, can (although, not always)  be that it is still a continuation of the previous sentence.  The equivalent of “For” can be our contemporary “A more fundamental/the fundamental truth is”. 

So, in my view, the KJV is still having verse 20 a continuation of verse 19, in actuality, only that the placing of the “For” is archaic.   It should have been placed just before “God”, as was in the case of the 1984 NIV.

Both the TLB and the Amplified Bible support the interpretation that verse 20 is a continuation of verse 19; only that TLB added that God would have felt the “sorrowful impact” more than your conscience/heart. 

The Amplified Bible rendering is a good rendering, and I will use it for the rest of the discourse here; and for the sake of letting us see the composite whole, I put down below, verses 18-22 of 1 John 3 of the Amplified Bible, striping off all the wordings enclosed in brackets (for ease of reading and seeing the composite whole):

1 John 3:18-22 (Amplified Bible [striped off, wordings in brackets]) - 18 Little children, let us not love in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall come to know that we are of the Truth, and can reassure our hearts in His presence, 20 Whenever our hearts in self-accusation make us feel guilty and condemn us. For He is above and greater than our consciences, and He knows everything. 21 And, beloved, if our consciences do not accuse us, we have confidence before God, 22 And we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we obey His orders and practice what is pleasing to Him.

There is a significant point to note still, and it is this: the word, “heart” in this 1 John 3:18-22 text is widely accepted among Bible scholars to refer to the conscience, and so, we do see it used as such (heart/conscience interchangeably) in the TLB and Amplified Bible, and even in common standard bible commentaries.

If I were to paraphrase (using the methodology of TLB) 1 John 3:18-22, it will look like this:

18 Little children, let us not love in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth. 19 By this [love in deed and in truth (v18)], we shall come to know we are of the Truth [as defined earlier], and can reassure our hearts or consciences [that we are indeed of the Truth] in His presence 20 whenever the [Iniquity in the] flesh accuses our consciences to make us feel guilty and condemned.  The fundamental truth is that God is above and greater than our consciences and He knows everything [Because God is greater than our consciences, He (by His Spirit, working through our spirit) is able to annul the enemy’s accusations or their pricking of our consciences; the accusations (against us) from our consciences being either from {the darts of} the enemy, or from God].  21 If our consciences do NOT accuse us [in other words, we are “in the clear”], we will have confidence before God, 22 and we will receive from Him whatever we may ask, because we obey His orders and practice what is pleasing to Him [which is we love in deed and in truth].

If I have the choice, I would have the verse no., “20” positioned before “The fundamental truth is that God is above…”, instead of it being placed just before “whenever our consciences make us ….”.

What is the Truth in verse 19 - “….. come to know we are of the Truth”?  This Truth is that we are counted as children of God.  It is given us in verse 1 [of 1 John 3] and repeated (conversely) in verse 10.

1 John 3:1a (Amplified Bible) – 1 See what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God!

1 John 3:10 (Amplified Bible) - 10 By this it is made clear who take their nature from God and are His children and who take their nature from the devil and are his children: no one who does not practice righteousness [who does not conform to God’s will in purpose, thought, and action] is of God; neither is anyone who does not love his brother (his fellow believer in Christ).

So how do we know we are [still] counted as children of God (in the context of 1 John 3:18-22 [1 John 3:10 – gave us 2 tests; 1 John 3:18-22 here is talking about one of the two])?  How?  We know, if we indeed love others in deed and in truth, and when we have done so, we can assure our consciences/hearts.

And it is indeed possible, if we have done so [loved others in deed and in truth], that we can assure our consciences/hearts that we are [still] counted as children of God, because God is greater than our consciences/hearts in that if the enemy wrongly accuses, God can annul the accusation.  How does it work? 

Simply put, it is in “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (from John 8:31-32).  Some exposition is needed to make sure we know how we apply it in our context.  John 8:31-32 (Amplified Bible) reads: “31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.”

You can see from the Amplified text, it is when one has held fast to a word from God/a teaching of God and lived in accordance with it, that he would know a certain truth, and the truth would set him free.  In other words, if you have NOT held fast to a word/teaching and have NOT lived in accordance with it, you may NOT know the truth, and if you do NOT know the truth, the truth (which you do NOT know) will NOT set you free. 

Now if you have indeed loved in deed and in truth (i.e. you have held fast to the requirement of God to love [a word/teaching], and lived in accordance with it), you will know the truth; meaning?  Meaning: the false accusation from the enemy, you know it to be false, and when you know it to be false, your heart or conscience will NOT be troubled or be accusing you. 

But how do you know the truth (or that the pricking of your conscience/heart is false, being from the enemy or the flesh [fallen flesh; the Iniquity in the flesh - the agency of Satan]), when you have held fast to a word/teaching and lived in accordance with it?  God, through His Holy Spirit (via your spirit), let your heart or conscience know; that’s how you know!  That’s how God annuls the [false] accusation.  That is how you NOT let your heart or conscience be troubled or be afraid.  The apostle John also explained these things in John 14.

In John 14, in the early part of John 14, John recorded how Jesus stressed that the disciples must abide in His words/teachings, meaning they must hold fast to His teachings and live in accordance with them.  Jesus, in John 14:15 said that if the disciples (and we, too) loved Him, they would keep (obey) His commands/His teachings; and then in v21 (John 14:21), added, it would be those who would keep (obey) His commands/teachings, who would be the ones who [really] loved Him, and such [persons], Jesus added that the Father God would love them, and He, Jesus, too, would love them, and He, Jesus, would reveal or manifest Himself to them.  And Jesus added further in v23 (John 14:23) that the Father God and Himself would come to live/dwell with such persons who are loving God, keeping His commandments/teachings.

Then in vv26-27 of John 14, Jesus revealed how God and Himself would come to make abode with those who are God lovers).  How? By the Holy Spirit who is the spirit of the Father God and is the Spirit of Christ Jesus.  Jesus explained the role of the Holy Spirit, and it included being our Helper, Teacher, and the Truth-bearer (He is Spirit of Truth), by being the one who would bring to remembrance the teachings of the Lord, including His Word, and being our Peace.

There are 2 dimensions to how the Spirit of Truth or the Holy Spirit operates or works:  One, you are off the light (so to speak), and He tries to convict you of your sins/wrongdoing, because He cannot agree with what you are doing or have done; and two, you are in the light, He abides with you, letting you know the truth, because He cannot agree with the dark (evil or the fallen flesh).  The Holy Spirit is always having a position, the position of truth, and when He abides in you (because you are in the light; and you are in the light when you hold fast the Lord’s teachings/commands and live in accordance with them), His truth is revealed to you (to your spirit, and then to your soul or heart or conscience); in this way, God (through the Holy Spirit) annuals the [false] accusation of the flesh or enemy.

Please, how do we counsel believers who are troubled of heart or conscience? Some overly grace or hyper grace preachers preached hard along this line: “I told you NOT be let your heart be troubled or be afraid-what; why you don’t listen; You just have to NOT let your heart be troubled or be afraid.  You are NOT listening; you just have to do that!” 

Please, don’t teach people to psycho themselves, without giving the basis!  In any case, it looks to me, this counsel is NOT true to their own grace teaching; insisting the believer to use full self-effort to accomplish something he obviously is NOT able to overcome, by self-effort.  The root cause is NOT even considered (Holy Spirit convicting sins or flesh/enemy falsely accusing)! 

Coming back to 1 John 3:18-22, back to v21; When we are free from accusation of the heart or conscience, we will have confidence before God (v21).  Verse 20b and 21 are together. If we do NOT interpret 20b as what I have suggested – “The fundamental truth is that God is above and greater than our consciences and He knows everything; and because He is greater [than our consciences], He [by His Spirit, working through our spirit] is able to annul the enemy’s accusations or their pricking of our consciences; the accusations (against us) from our consciences being either from the enemy or from God]”, verse 21 is superfluous or even irrelevant.  Since God is greater than our hearts or consciences, why still does it matter, our consciences accuse or NOT?  Verse 21 is NOT superfluous or irrelevant (despite some overly grace preachers seem to suggest by suggesting ignoring our consciences), because there are times our consciences rightly accuse us, because the pricking (of the conscience) is from God.

When we see v22 as a continuation from v21, we get the picture of under what circumstance we are in the clear to receive from God.  We are in the clear to receive from God when our consciences do NOT accuse us.

Now, there are overly grace or hyper grace preachers who teach their followers to ignore their consciences (i.e. telling them that once they have become believers, they are to ignore their consciences).  That is NOT what v21 and v22 are jointly saying.  V21 said, “If our consciences do NOT accuse us,”; it is NOT saying we should ignore our consciences.  It says, instead, if our consciences do NOT accuse us, i.e. we are “in the clear”, we will have confidence before God.

The point is that our heart or conscience serves a purpose and works to accuse or NOT accuse us; it accuses us when accusing things are put in it, whether it is put there by God or the enemy.  The only difference is that, that from God, it leads to godly sorrow (2 Cor 7:10), which leads to repentance; that from the enemy does NOT (instead, worketh misery to the soul)(2 Cor 7:10).

Under what circumstance are we in the clear to receive from God?  When our consciences do NOT accuse us (NOT we ignore our consciences-please).  Then, can the enemy prevent us from receiving from God?  No, if you have held fast to the Lord’s words/Word and lived in accordance with them, because if you have been doing so, you would know the truth (because the Spirit of Truth/Holy Spirit let you know), and false accusation of the fallen flesh or the world/evil, cannot prevail in your heart or prick your conscience.  So, what it means is that every believer must live life this way – hold fast to the Lord’s words/Word and lived in accordance with them, for in this way, our consciences would NOT accuse us, and we will have confidence before God.  V22 further adds that our confidence has come from obeying His orders/Word and practising what is pleasing to God.  Actually, the conditions of v22 for receiving what we may ask, is amounting to the very same thing that I have explained how our conscience can be in the clear, which is to hold fast to God’s teachings and live in accordance with them.

So, today, stop ignoring [on a regardless basis] your conscience or heart’s accusing you.  Yes, God is greater than your heart or conscience, and He knows everything, but it is NOT you are to ignore your conscience or your heart’s accusation.  Bring it before the Lord; be very honest before the Lord.  Let Him, by His Spirit, show you if the accusation is of any validity.  If the pricking is from the Spirit, you have to accept it that you have been wrong, and repent, confess and ask for forgiveness from God.  If the accusation is NOT valid, the Spirit will reveal that to you, too. 

Rare would be the case, that the accusation is of no validity, and you feel accused or troubled or “condemned”.  The reason why I say that, is because if you have been holding fast to the Lord’s teachings/Word and living in accordance with them, chances are that you would have known the accusation is of no validity and accordingly you should NOT be feeling accused or troubled or condemned.  Sometimes, it is an isolated incident or an aberration, which still points to some matter you have overlooked or have slackened, contributing to your less than “perfect” alignment with the Spirit of Truth. 

When you are really living according to the Spirit, there will be no conviction by the Spirit of sin/wrong on your part; and He is fully abiding in you, and you will know the truth; false accusation cannot prevail or linger against you.  But this is NOT the same as simply saying “If our hearts condemn/accuse us, we should ignore it because we know God is greater than our hearts (and knows everything about us)”, for the truth is our hearts can be accusing us, when the Holy Spirit is convicting us of sins or wrongdoings.

Anthony Chia, high.expressions

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Romans 8:1 is NOT unqualified!

“There is now no condemnation [possible] for the believers” - this is so very often on the mouth of believers.  Preachers and pastors said that, often too.  It is one thing to say it, within context (within specific life contexts), this good news, but it is another, to preach Romans 8:1 as totally unqualified. To assert that Romans 8:1 unqualifiedly said, “there is now no condemnation possible for the believers”, is NOT quite correct.

The Greek word in this Romans 8:1’s condemn (or condemnation) is the word, katakrima – G2631, and its meaning is “a judgment against” or God’s judgment against.  “krima” is a judgment, “kata” is against, and katakrima is “a judgment against”.  Does it necessarily mean, in this Romans 8:1 that the judgment is referring to condemnation to Hell? I believe it is NOT necessarily, although, many just simply assumed that.

If you take katakrima as a God’s judgment against a believer, then, the opening sentence of this article may read, “There is now no God’s judgment [possible] against the believer”.  If you still take katakrima as condemnation to Hell, then the opening sentence will read, “There is now no condemnation to Hell possible for the believers”.  As you go through the exposition I give below, you will quite easily come to conclude with me that Romans 8:1 cannot be unqualifiedly saying “There is now no God’s judgment possible against the believers”.  I will show you that Scripture does talk about “fearful expectation of judgment” possible.

I am inclined to believe that even if katakrima here is taken as condemnation to Hell, Romans 8:1 still CANNOT be unqualifiedly saying “There is now no [God’s] condemnation to Hell possible against a believer” (remembering that when one is condemned to Hell, {like in the case of a non-believer}, there can be nothing whatsoever that is apparent in the mortal or physical realm).

A superficial look at the Word, even in a few translations, appears to support the skewed “unqualified saying” interpretation.

For example, the NIV reads: “… there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”; ESV: “… now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

But if we look at older translations, like KJV, you will see that it is NOT unqualifiedly.  KJV’s Romans 8:1 reads: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Now, this I believe, is the proper understanding:

1.   When one enters into salvation, he is forgiven of all his sins (all sins up to that moment), and with that forgiveness, therefore, is no more condemnation for this new believer, at the point in time - the point of salvation entry.

2.   Moving forward, it is the believer has to walk [habitually] NOT after the flesh, but after the Spirit, to continue to be of “no more condemnation”.

Now, if you are asking why some Bible translators dropped the “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”, I can suggest these could be what they took into account:

1.   The “in Christ Jesus”, perhaps, was taken to have already implied the people would have to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2.   Because they left the “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” intact, in verse 4.  Perhaps, they consider it superfluous to have it also written in, in verse 1, since verse 1 already has “in Christ Jesus”.

Just so that you are convinced, I will put down the Romans 8:1-4 for both KJV and NIV below, for you to see.

Romans 8:1-4 (KJV) – 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4 (NIV) – 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

What then does this mean?  It means we CANNOT say there just cannot be any condemnation for a believer, regardless!  It is NOT regardless; the believer has to walk NOT after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Is there another Bible author implying the same – that we are NOT to live according to the flesh?  Yes, the author of the Book of Hebrews; Heb 10:26-31 reads: 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [This definitely is referring to believers]

Now, the Apostle Paul, in this Romans 8, went on further to state this:

Romans 8:12-14 (KJV) - 12 Therefore {that the Spirit is indwelling}, 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 {to put to death} the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Now, can we argue that there is only fearful expectation of judgment, and NOT God has judged?  My answer is this: How do you see Romans 8:13 above?  A pronouncement, a judgment already, or expectation of judgment?  To me, there is already a judgment, even though that judgment can be changed depending on what happens afterwards in the life of the person, like he repents or NOT; the same way we look at the non-believer, that he is condemned to Hell already (a judgment), unless and until he enters into salvation. 

Also, there was the example of the Holy Communion being cited in Scripture, which we will look at, in a little more details, further down this article, where believers did get judged, leading to some being weak, sick or even died (1 Cor 11:28-34 (KJV)).

Now, if you are thinking of how then do I reconcile the common saying that “[the moment] when we accept Jesus Christ we become a child of God”, I adopt this as what happens:

John 1:12 (KJV) - But as many as received him {Jesus}, to them gave he {Jesus} power {exousia – G1849} to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Now, when we look up the Strong’s Lexicon, on this Greek word for power (or authority, as in other some Bible translations), “exousia” (G1849), the very first meaning given, and is the most appropriate definition to be adopted, is this:

“I. power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases

A.   leave or permission”

I will explain:  Those who enter into salvation (convert or accept Jesus Christ), the Lord gives him the power of choice, the liberty to be a child of God; or the Lord grants him the permission (even be lawful for him to choose) to be a child of God. 

The important understanding here is that one has to choose to live out his life as a child of God, even as he enters or has entered into salvation (convert/converted).  If you have NOT entered into salvation or converted, you do NOT have this power of choice; you just cannot say you are a child of God or lay claim to any powers or authority associated with being a child of God.  That you have entered into salvation or converted, it is as you choose {hold fast to} and live, as a child of God, that you are indeed the child of God and can lay claim to any powers or authority (and benefits even) associated with being a child of God.

In other words, entering into salvation is just the starting point; you and I need to live out our lives as a child of God.  Scripture, in 1 John 3:10 gives us 2 tests to check if we are indeed sons of God.  This 1 John 3:10 implies a very important thing, that it gives us the 2 tests, and that is, it is NOT the moment you entered into salvation or converted, it is cast in stone, so to speak, that you are a son of God, ultimately (This is also the reason, it is NOT uncommon to find salvation being discussed as the hope of salvation {Romans 8:24-25 – definition of what is hope; thus saying salvation is a hope;1 Th 5:8 – hope of salvation as the helmet;1 Pet 1:13 – we are birthed into a living hope}; it is a hope for there is a possibility [regardless, minute] of us NOT coming to the expected end).

What are the 2 tests?  One of them, which is NOT the subject of this article is that you and I have to love our brothers (neighbours, even).  The other is that we have to practise what is right.  What is “what is right”? I give us 1 John 3:9-10.

1 John 3:9-10 - 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed {Spirit of Christ/Holy Spirit} remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.  10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

Verse 9 gives us the clue.  The Spirit of Christ/Holy Spirit is the key.  Who is the holy one and so, too, is the righteous one or know what is right?  Yes, the Holy Spirit.  When you and I are led by the Spirit, we will end up doing what is right; and we have seen above, in Romans 8:12-14, it is either we are led by our flesh or we are led by the Spirit, the former leads to death, the latter, life (v13); and when we are being led by the Spirit we are [true] sons of God (v14).  1 John 3:9-10 agrees – either one practises what is right (led by the Spirit – Romans 8:13) and is a child of God, or he does NOT and is a child of the Devil; there is no two-way about it.  It is how you live/walk out your life that determines, ultimately, if you are indeed a son of God; and there is no condemnation for you who walk NOT after the flesh but after the Spirit – Romans 8:1!

If you want another verse where we can see the “non-cast in stone sonship” concept I have highlighted above, you can take a look at 1 John 3:1 where the word, “called” (Greek word, “kaleō” – G2564), as in the “that we should be called the sons of God”, can be referring to “invited” (from the Strong’s Lexicon); making the phrase in 1 John 3:1, of “that we should be called the sons of God” can be reworded as “that we should be invited as the sons of God”.  In fact, the second sentence of this verse 1, “And so we are!”, its very presence there, helps to explain the meaning of “being invited” could well be the most appropriate one to use, and it is also the very first meaning listed in the Strong Lexicon for the Greek word, “kaleō” – G2564.  I quote below, 1 John 3:1, for you to see.

1 John 3:1 (Amplified Bible) - See what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him.

So if I were to paraphrase the relevant part of the verse, we can get this – “See what an incredible quality of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be invited as the children of God!  And so we are!”  The Bible translators for the Amplified Bible did NOT use the word, “invited”, but the use of the equivalent of “be permitted to be named and called and counted the children of God”, is saying along the same line; especially, the use of the word, “counted” – “we should be … counted the children of God! And so we are!” 

To be counted means to be presumed; and so, when we say a non-believer is counted with Satan, it means he is presumed to be with Satan, aligned to his camp or included with him, Satan; and the person is presumed so, until there is a switch or turning.  When we are counted as a child of God, we are prima facie a child of God; meaning, after close scrutiny and investigation over time, what is prima facie, may turn out to be true or untrue; even though initially, the benefit of doubt is given to the person.  An apt proverb to describe this is: The proof of the pudding is in the eating.  And I believe God applies this to us, ultimately!

While it is NOT for us, another man, to condemn another, the believer who deliberately keep on sinning, is marked for the Lord’s judgment, even if we want NOT to believe he is already under judgment.

If you sin as a believer, you ask for forgiveness from God; and Scripture said in 1 John 1:9, that when you confess your sin, God is just and faithful to forgive you and cleanse you of all unrighteousness; and when you have been forgiven, you will not be condemned/judged against.  This is the way to “unmark” yourself from the impending judgment of God or get yourself out from under the judgment of God.

It works the same manner you done it (ask for forgiveness for your sins), the first time; and that first time was when you entered into salvation, at which time your forgiveness was wrought from “your sins being imputed onto Jesus” who as a result, took your condemnation, by the crucifixion.  The wages of sins is condemnation (is death – Romans 6:23a); and so, you who sinned is NOT condemned, only by virtue of “Jesus’ agreement” that He was condemned for this fresh sin (sin subsequent to your salvation entry), too.  When you confess your sin, and He agrees; the result is you are forgiven, and you are cleansed of all your unrighteousness (from the sin).  You are forgiven now, at the time of your confession, although the virtue for that, has flowed from the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus more than 2,000 years ago.

It does NOT work in this manner that is purported by the overly grace preacher: that your FUTURE sins were also all forgiven you at the time you entered into salvation.  When you entered into salvation, and that could be a long time ago, and at which time, your FUTURE sins were NOT fixed, contrary to what was implied by the preacher. 

If at that point in time, God did look into your future, and could see you would be committing a sin in a time in the future relative to that point in time (the time you entered into salvation), He (God) wouldn’t be forgiving that, at the time of your entry into salvation, because if He had to take that in, He would have to take every other specific future sins. 

If He had treated them as inevitable, so that He could forgive you of them, then it would have implied you would never grow as a believer to any level that would have you no longer be committing any of the then-seen future sins.  No, your future and my future are NOT fixed like that; otherwise that would make our lives like completed movies, (already directed) now being screened, where nothing can be changed anymore; we know it is NOT the case.  This is clearly contrary to the Word.  We are to grow, NOT we are instantly perfected; neither is it everything of our lives is already fixed.

It is more along the line (metaphor only) of the works of Jesus on the Cross (some 2000 years ago) had wrought such a gigantic pool of “credits”, that whatever sins you commit subsequent to your entry into salvation, He is still able to say, “I am applying the credit against this sin or that sin of his”.  This pool is so great that it will be good even for generations to come, until He (Jesus) comes back again.

Don’t listen to preacher who tells you that Scripture is referring to asking us to ask for forgiveness for dead works/religious works but NOT for sins.  No, you and I have to repent and confess our sins (NOT just dead works) to God and ask for His forgiveness.

A believer who does NOT endeavour to live right, is living NOT according to the Spirit; and if he is NOT living according to the Spirit, he can only be living according to the flesh.  There is still no condemnation/judgment against him, possible, regardless???

You can even consider the warning concerning the Holy Communion to be reflective of the need to be watchful of how we live; it may NOT be a case of condemnation to Hell, but it mentioned judgment from God can result from partaking of the Communion unworthily.

1 Cor 11:28-34 (KJV) - 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation {judgment from God} to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep {died}. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned {condemned to Hell} with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation {judgment of God}. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

In case, I get labelled as an extremist, I am NOT necessarily saying the moment a believer sins, the New Covenant he entered into, on entry into salvation, becomes void (immediate); I am NOT saying that.  I am saying that you and I have entered into that Covenant (and by grace, too), we are NOT to profane the grace of God; ultimately He judges.  The Hebrews 10 text we have just read above is very clear – the Lord judges, ultimately. 

Now, I am NOT also necessarily saying that God writes you off the moment you sin, but if you (a believer) are, as a matter of lifestyle, living according to the flesh, and NOT according to the Spirit, you are at risk of chastisement from God, and in the worst case scenario, face the wrath of God presently (or God lifting His hands of protection from you).  God can be expected to be reluctant to write you off, rather wanting you to repent, but if you are stubbornly wicked or evil, it is possible that you are leaving God no choice, so to speak, ultimately.

Also, I am NOT saying God does NOT love you anymore when you have sinned and have NOT repented and confessed your sin before Him.  God loves you still, alright, but you have to know that God’s love for men is love unto righteousness (‘ahab love), and ultimately, His love must still be subject to His holiness (His most fundamental nature-attribute), and there would come a time, Judgement Day, where final reckoning is inevitable.

Anthony Chia, high.expressions

PS: I am also aware that there are those who claim that the phrase, “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”, was NOT found in the “original text” of the verse, Romans 8:1.  On the other hand, it has also been pointed out that many early manuscripts supported the presence of that phrase in Romans 8:1 & 4.  I remain supportive of the view that not only that many early manuscripts pointed to it, the overall counsel of Scripture supported it.  If you want read about the support of many early manuscripts on the phrase, read this - http://av1611.com/kjbp/faq/holland_ro8_1.html [where it contains the excerpt from Dr. Thomas Holland's Crowned With Glory, ©2000].

If you go deeper into this, you will come to the discussion on the Critical Text and the Received Text.  The KJV was translated from the Received Text.  Many of the more modern translations were based on the Critical Text.  The Critical Text was a collection of older manuscripts (older than the collections of the Received Text) which was more localized (found in particular locality - Alexandria, Egypt) when compared with the Received Text which had many manuscripts from many locations.  Also to be noted is that there are many discrepancies within the Critical Text collection.  Also to be noted is that because the Critical Text was discovered much later, there was a period of some 1,500 years where God's Word was translated from the Received Text; for this, there is often, the question of "if the Received Text was that off, would God has just made do with that?"  So, Romans 8:1 is NOT the only verse where some modern translations have the verse truncated or omitted; there are more.  For example, from the Critical Text, there will be no Mark 16:9-20, which is from the Received Text!  What Bible translators should have done, and in some cases, they did (as in the case of Mark 16:9-20), is that they should put the text in, and tells us so, in some kind of note/footnote.  For the case of Romans 8:1, the subject of our study here, the 2011NIV, did NOT do so; it merely omitted the text altogether!  What I consider important to maneuver through this, is for us to develop the overall counsel of the Word, to discern if particular interpretations or omissions are appropriate.

 

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Do we exist to please God, glorify and honor Him?

Rev 4:11 (KJV): Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Now, some other versions, instead of “for thy pleasure”, have it as “by thy will they … created”.  Is it right to have that translation – “for thy pleasure”?  Yes, when it is applied to God, for no one can obstruct God, and so, for God, whatever He wills, it got to be to His pleasure; why would He do anything if it is to bring NOT pleasure to Him (or it irks Him)?!  These additional verses support it:

Gen 1:31 (KJV) - And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.  This shows a picture of God created for His pleasure, and had that pleasure, and it could be extrapolated to say that God continues to expect pleasure from that Creation.

Col 1:16 (KJV) - For by him {Jesus} were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

We are created by the Lord for the Lord.  I cannot imagine the Lord would create something for Himself to irk Himself; it should only be, to please Him, or serve a purpose that would please Him, don’t you agree?  We have to understand that for God, being Him, God, there could NOT have been coercion for Him to create; and so, correctly He created for His pleasure.

Isaiah 43:6b-7 - Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Here through the mouth of Isaiah, God said He created His children for His glory.

1 Cor 10:31 - So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Here, the apostle Paul commanded us to “always be glorifying God”

1 Cor 6:20 (KJV) - “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Even if we do NOT go further back (to Creation, for example), when we accepted Jesus’ propitiation for us, are already to glorify God, because we belong to God, already; God bought us with the price of the blood and life of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The problem with most of us is that we think “there is no ‘stick’”, it seems matter NOT, we glorify NOT, God! Be careful, you and I can be speaking too soon!  Jer 18:6 has this to say: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

Col 3:23 - “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

Again, this is an exhortation for us to glorify God, and NOT to dishonour Him.  We profess to have identified with God or the Lord, and non-believers identify us with the Lord or God; and so, when we do NOT carry ourselves well, including the way we work, it reflects badly on the Lord.  Rather it should be, as exhorted in Matt 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  The work we do, including our job or occupation, it is part of good works, for you and I are NOT to be engaged in any bad works, are we?  No.

Eccl 9:10 - “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”  Ps 115:17 - It is not the dead who praise the Lord, those who go down to the place of silence;

What these verses are trying to paint to us is that it is presently, in our mortal life, while we are alive, that we are to be pleasing God, honouring and glorifying Him; NOT when we are dead.  It is possible through our death, we glorify God, but we do NOT glorify God in the time that we are dead (in the grave, so to speak).  So, you and I cannot delay, and think that we can wait till we are dead before we go pleasing or glorifying God!

1 Cor 10:23 -“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive.”

Some wonder what they are to do with these words of the Apostle Paul.  Well, the yardstick to use is this: Will it please God?  Will it glorify God? Will it be honourable (honor God)?  If answers to these are “No”, then, it is NOT beneficial; then it is NOT constructive!

Ps 86:12 (KJV) - I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

This was a psalm by David, and it was also a prayer; and it showed David’s understanding of him to please God with his all, and to bring glory to His name all the time; it is no wonder David was said by God as “the man after His own heart”

 

From the above, we can see that indeed we exist to please God, glorify and honor Him. 

"Can I NOT accept that?"  No, this is our purpose, and our lot.  If you and I want true peace and joy, and this true peace and joy is the peace and joy in and of the Holy Spirit, it can only be had when we are in line with the will and desires of God for us, which is to please Him, glorify and honor Him.  In broad stroke, that is what God has designed us for, in specific, the Holy Spirit holds the key, for He knows the mind of God, real-time for you, and He knows your spirit and mind.  What God has in mind real-time for you, is the (specific) righteousness of God for you which you need to pursue, being led by the Holy Spirit.  Indeed, the kingdom of God is about His righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and those who serve God in such manner, will please God, and will find agreement with men (from Rom 14:17-18).  This is what the kingdom life is about - to please God, glorify and honor Him.

"Why would I do that?"  Because I want that peace and joy in and of the Spirit; because He created us; because He first loved us; and because we love Him back.  If you and I truly love Him, and He is worthy of our love, we will please Him, glorify and honor Him.

 

Anthony Chia, high.expressions

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