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Commentary on "God as Redeemer"
Day 2: Sunday, January 15, 2012 - At the Cross
OVERVIEW
Today's lesson describes two of the most profound Gospel truths, based on what happened at the cross:
- God triumphed over and shamed the enemy.
- God forgave sinners, because Jesus paid their penalty.
OBSERVATIONS
Again, I agree with those profound truths!
BUT again, I cannot reconcile them, with Chapter 28 of the "Great Controversy" in regards to the Investigative Judgement, which teaches Jesus is still trying to determine which of our sins can actually be forgiven.
Colossians 2:13 makes it clear that ALL sin, past, present AND future, was forgiven at the cross. So, why then would Jesus still need to tediously evaluate sin, for the purpose of forgiveness, when sin was already forgiven, by God Himself at the cross?
The Investigative Judgement completely robs the Gospel of its radical life changing power that the Truth of forgiveness bestows upon us. Today's lesson actually affirms how it robs the Gospel of its power in the following quote:
"We do not even feel that we have much to repent of, because we’re not always sure about just how much we have offended God with our sins. We can become dull to just how bad sin really is. Modern religious sentimentality often minimizes repugnance toward sin. And because sin doesn’t make us angry anymore, perhaps it becomes harder to realize that sin arouses the wrath of a Holy God."
I would suggest, that if this is the sort of reaction one has towards sin, then perhaps they have never experienced the new birth, or they were not presented with the True Gospel. The sort of reaction described in that quote, is either the result of a false gospel, or a misunderstanding of the True Gospel. The True Gospel does not produce license for sloppy living! Instead it breeds unbelievable loyalty. It results in a changed life.
God Himself profoundly changes you when you are found to be in Christ, by immediately turning you into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and by delivering you from the domain of darkness (Col. 1:13), freeing you from the power of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).
God promises to complete you (1 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 1:6; Col. 2:10) by firmly rooting you, building you up and establishing your faith (Col. 2:7), by perfecting and strengthening you (1 Pet. 5:10), as well as by enriching your speech and knowledge (1 Cor. 1:5), and giving you the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).
God guards your heart and mind (Phil. 4:7) and presents you as holy and blameless (Col. 1:22).
When you believe those promises, you will live like you believe them.
SUMMARY
- Colossians 2:13 teaches God forgave all sin at the cross. The Investigative Judgment contradicts that Truth by teaching Jesus is still deciding which sin to forgive.
- When presented with the True Gospel, if that results in your new birth, you are no longer dull to sin. God radically changes you and turns you from sin.
Copyright 2012 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 11, 2012. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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