Brother Skinski, We CAN approach God just as we are, BOLDLY to His Throne of Grace because of Jesus Christ's Blood Atonement. We are perfect in the Father's sight because Jesus made us one with Him. That is THE ATONEMENT!
Jesus said, “IT IS FINISHED.” Brother Skinski, It IS finished. The battle is over. Jesus’ Blood Atonement covers us from ALL sin. Our job is working it out in BELIEF. “Only believe.” That is the only thing God requires of us. Belief. For if we DO believe, we will be walking in the holiness of Jesus Christ.
Grace to sin? God forbid! But if we do sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ who reminds us, "YOUR SINS ARE ALREADY FORGIVEN." If we BELIEVED HIM, we would GO AND SIN NO MORE. ThE battle is spiritual now. It not against flesh and blood, but against lying, dark spirits that say we are still sold under sin. BUT WE ARE NOT, BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD ATONEMENT!
How do we work out belief? Day by day, from glory to glory, renewing our mind in Jesus Christ, step by step. There is NOTHING you can do to cleanse yourself. ONLY BELIEVE JESUS' BLOOD ATONEMENT ALREADY CLEANSED YOU.
Cleansing your hands [James 4] is the same as Romans 13:14 – Clothe yourself in the Lord Jesus Christ and make no more provision (preparations) for your flesh to indulge in sin. In other words, SHOW YOURSELF (prove it, convince yourself until you believe) YOU ARE APPROVED UNTO GOD BECAUSE OF THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST!
Jesus said in Matthew 5:30 – “If your prominent hand offend you, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you that you lose one part of your body and not that your whole body be thrown into hell.”
Did Jesus want us to literally cut off our hands? He was emphasizing the importance of making it as difficult as possible to go back to our sinful habits. In this way, you are making it easier on yourself to remember YOU ARE SET FREE IN CHRIST.
Addicted to internet porn? Throw the computer out. Hung up on phone sexting? Get rid of your phone. Addicted to alcohol? Confess it to the bartender or the liquor store clerk. Tell them they he shouldn’t sell you alcohol because it may get them into legal trouble if you drink and drive. Cheating on your spouse? Confess it to them. Can’t stop stealing? Report yourself to the one you’re stealing from. Whatever it takes to make it next to impossible for you for you to continue believing the lie that you are sold to sin.
That is what James 4 and Romans 13 is instructing. The sin was already forgiven at the Cross. Our job now is working it out in our minds, believing unto salvation THE ATONEMENT. And we will see the fruit of that faith. For when we finally BELIEVE Jesus, we will NOT COMMIT THE SIN. We will be as surprised as anything to see that the miracle of THE ATONEMENT has literally set us free to walk in purity. That our minds and hearts HAVE LITERALLY BEEN CLEANSED BY THE ATONEMENT BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
We are under a death sentence in the flesh. We are crucified with Christ, and it’s no longer our carnal man who lives, but Christ living in us. If we don’t understand that and BELIEVE that, we will go back and forth from the spirit to the flesh in our thoughts. Like a wave tossed to and fro.
Romans 6:14 - For
SIN WILL NOT HAVE DOMINSION (CONTROL) OVER YOU: for you are
NOT UNDER THE LAW, but
UNDER GRACE.
If sin doesn’t have control over us, but we are still committing sin, isn’t that contradictory? Yes it is. Because when we fall presently, the penalty is already paid for by Jesus’ Blood Atonement. And we have to work that Truth out in BELIEF by getting rid of things that would tempt us to THINK we are still sold to sin. We have to believe Christ by obedience. Obedience proves to ourselves we are set free in Christ.
Romans 7:25 - I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then
WITH THE MIND I myself
SERVE THE LAW OF GOD but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 8:10 - And if Christ be in you, the BODY IS DEAD because of sin; but the SPIRIT IS LIFE because of righteousness (made right by Jesus’ Blood Atonement).
When we finally come to the knowledge and understanding of the perfect work of Jesus Christ in His paying the penalty of our every sin, when we finally BELIEVE HIM, we will be able to resist temptation more easily and more easily till it is no longer a thought.
Romans 6:12 - Do not let sin reign in your mortal bodies to obey that you should be controlled by the lusts of the flesh.
How do you stop sin from reigning if Jesus already put a stop to it? BY BELIEVING HIM and stop believing the flesh and its desires.
Remember the ABC’s of the Plan of Salvation?
- Admit your flesh is sinful and against Holy God
- Believe that the Blood of Jesus Christ washed away your sin.
- Commit to following Jesus Christ and obeying His Word.
We must do that every day. Admit to ourselves that our fleshly desires are unholy, that Jesus died and paid for those sins, and that we can now follow Him because of what He has done. I'm not saying we have to get saved over and over. I'm saying we have to remind ourselves over & over that WE ARE SAVED.
Jesus compares it to a woman in the birthing process.
Paul compares it to a boxer in training.
It is work and we are rewarded for it every time we
BELIEVE JESUS IS THE ATONEMENT FOR OUR SIN. And our reward is that we will be able to obey just as Jesus obeyed. We will be set free to live.
Please read Romans 7:18-25 and pray the Holy Spirit give you understanding.