Many of us have forgotten, We need grace because we are sinners

Many of us have forgotten, We need grace because we are sinners?
Many of us know that we need grace because we are sinners. How can we forget about it ? However, it is sad to know that many preachers have forgotten about it. Many would just want to preach grace radically for favor, peace of mind, good opinion from God, prosperity, success, gold, wealth, power, health, and materialistic desires. They do not want to hear about sin or confess about sin. I will ask them, If you do not mention sin or preach against sin, you do not know the grace of God; you just want favor.
However, if we know that we are sinners or confess that we are sinners, the grace of God would come. Hence, I don't understand, How can we receive grace if we do not tell people that we are sinners? We don't have to pretend to be sinners; "we are sinners", and Paul confessed it not with the past tense; but with the present tense:

• Mat 9:13 KJV  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
• Luk 13:2-6 KJV  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?  (3)  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (4)  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?  (5)  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (6)  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
• 1Ti 1:15 KJV  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

The knowledge that we are sinners is not just a past knowledge
Are we more righteous than Paul ? Certainly not. Yet he considered himself as the chief of all sinners. We are in no way better than him. Has it occured to us that when Paul said, "I am the chief of all sinners", he confessed his sins again even though he knew that he was righteous in Christ?  If you think that this is not clear enough, how about his confession in the following Bible verses:

• Rom 7:18-21 KJV  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  (19)  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  (20)  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  (21)  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Did Paul say that it was no longer a problem for him after he believed in Christ? NO. Did he use the past tense for his problem? I am not a Bible scholar but I believe that he confessed his sins again using the present tense. So, what's the problem if we, the believers, would still confess sins? What's the big deal? Will it bring curses to us because we confess our sins? No. If it is a big problem, Jesus would never teach His disciples to confess sins everyday. He would just ask them to say grace or give thanks for the daily bread. He would have commanded Paul or all His disciples to stop praying His prayer:

• Luk 11:2-4 KJV  And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.  (3)  Give us day by day our daily bread.  (4) And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

But I have never heard from any of His disciples or the Apostles telling us to stop praying the Lord's prayers, except from certain radical grace preachers. Of course, I don't suggest that, therefore, we should whisper or confess our sins mindlessly, meaninglessly, and repetitively like the 'crazy birds'. We must confess sins with true repentance or change in the heart. Otherwise, I suggest that we don't confess it at all. What's the point if we would just want to confess publicly like the Pharisees in Mat 3:7-10?


The attitude of repentance as a sinner can never be obsolete in the hearts of believers
The attitude of repentance as a sinner can never be understood by the Pharisees too. When we confess our sins in true repentance, we acknowledge that we are the believers who will still need God's grace daily. Hence, this type of repentance or  'metanoia', which must also involve the dying of the 'old man' daily by taking up our cross, could never be understood by most of the Pharisees at that time:

• Joh 3:3-16 KJV  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  (4)  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  (5)  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God... (9)  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?  (10)  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?  (11)  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.  (12)  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?  (13)  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.  (14)  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  (15)  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  (16)  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
• Luk 9:22-24 KJV  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.  (23)  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  (24)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Many of us are very familiar with John 3:16. We believe that we are saved by believing in Him. Have we asked, How do we believe? Do you think that the Pharisees had truly believed when they came to John the Baptist or Jesus Christ and said that they believed too? No, Jesus would tell them that it was meaningless for them to believe in Him if they could not accept what he taught or said. We are not surprised that many preachers today have believed in Christ and yet they have rejected Him because they could not accept what he taught or said. The Lord had prophesied that many would argue like the false prophets in Mat 7:15-23.
Many will argue that they are called the sons of God too, and therefore, they are totally righteous. They can never be condemned. They can never fall. They can never confess sin or repent. But I will tell them, Yes, we are called the sons of God, but does that mean that we can never sin, we are too righteous to repent, or we are there already. No, we still have 'a long way to go' if we are humble enough; otherwise, it's 'the shortest way to shame and condemnation' if we are arrogant:

• 1Jn 3:1-4 KJV  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  (2)  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  (3)  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.  (4)  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
• 1Jn 3:2 LITV  Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it was not yet revealed what we shall be. But we know that if He is revealed, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.
• Luk 18:10-14 KJV  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  (11)  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  (12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  (13)  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  (14)  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
   

True repentance can come only when we die to our self
However, Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees, came to Jesus in the night. Probably he was convicted. He knew that he was a sinner; but he could not confess it before others. He chose to come quietly in the night. I don't think that was repentance. The repentance that Jesus preached is bold, sincere, and certain with the open confession of sins, declaration of change in his lives in the public with water baptism, followed by the inner change in the spirit through the Holy Spirit:

• Joh 3:1-12 KJV  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  (2)  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  (3)  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  (4)  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  (5)  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  (6)  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  (7)  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  (8)  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.  (9)  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?  (10)  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?  (11)  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.  (12)  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
• Luk 13:2-6 KJV  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?  (3)  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (4)  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?  (5)  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (6)  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none ...
• Joh 12:24-26 KJV  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.  (25)  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  (26)  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
• Joh 6:53-58 KJV  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.  (54)  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  (55)  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  (56)  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.  (57)  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.  (58)  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
   

Repentance, baptism of death, and rebirth is necessary for The Word to dwell in us
Many of us think that eating the Son of man in Joh 6:53-58 is to eat the holy communion and mentally consume Jesus. Many think that the bread and wine in the holy communion are powerful elements which will bring prosperity and healing. However, eating them is meaningless without understanding the words of Christ in Joh 6:53-58.
When the Lord told His disciples to eat His flesh and drink His blood, He was not telling them to eat Him alive; He was telling them to eat His words. In another words, He wants all His disciples to seriously and diligently DO all His words and KEEP His commandments. For He is The Word in the flesh. He was the bread, the commandment, and the authority in the ark of covenant too. However, when He was resurrected and risen from the tomb, He became The manna (bread), the tablets of stones (commandments), and the rod (authority) which will dwell in the hearts of men. Hence, men can now have a better covenant relationship with God. Like the Old Covenant, God would still want to commune with us and reveal His will or command to us. However, the 'form' of worship has completely changed because The Word has now come in the flesh and dwelt among us:

• Joh 6:63-66 KJV  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.  (64)  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.  (65)  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.  (66)  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
• Mat 4:4 KJV  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
• Joh 1:14 KJV  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
• Joh 20:7-12 KJV  And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. .. (11)  But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,  (12)  And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
• Heb 8:10 KJV  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Hence, where is the ark of covenant now ? Under the Old Testament, the ark of covenant was in the temple of God; but under the New Testament, we are the temple and our hearts becomes the ark of covenant:

• 1Co 3:14-18 KJV  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  (15)  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.  (16)  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  (17)  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.  (18)  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 

In the end time, many antiChrists will start to reveal themselves when they start to reject Jesus as The Word who came in the flesh 
Hence, in the end time, Satan will leave the non-believers alone, but he will try very hard to remove the ark of covenant or the commandments of God from the 'temple' (which is our heart). When we see this is happening, we know that all God's prophecies have been fulfilled and the end is near:

• Mat 24:14-16 KJV  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.  (15)  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)  (16)  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
• Mar 13:12-14 KJV  Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.  (13)  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  (14)  But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
• Dan 11:31-32 KJV  And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.  (32)  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
• Dan 12:8-13 KJV  And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?  (9)  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.  (10)  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.  (11)  And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.  (12)  Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.  (13)  But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
• Rev 14:12-13 KJV  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.  (13)  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. 

Many of us think that the abomination of desolation will come only during the third world wars. However, what I see is the abomination which will make our hearts desolate. In the end time, it could be a spiritual war or a fierce battle between different words, doctrines, or laws. It will create tremendous desolation in the life of a believer or someone who wish to be made 'desolate', with no more God's words, God's laws, God's commandments, or God's glory.


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