Excerpt: From Glory To Glory

What the Bible shows us is that after the incarnation of the Lord, the one and only sin which the Holy Spirit convicts people of is that of unbelief: “And he [the Holy Spirit], when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me [Christ]” (John 16.8,9). Of sin because they believe not, because they do not have a proper relationship with Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts people not of their killing, perpetrating arson, having pride or jealousy, but of their not having a right relationship with Christ. Just here I must mention one thing to the believers. Today much preaching in the church is faulty. People have preached incorrectly not only concerning the Savior, redemption, and salvation, they have also done so with respect to sin. How sin has been inaccurately presented! As if men go to hell for their many sins! Actually, there is but one sin which condemns people to hell—that of not having a right relationship with Christ. How evangelists try to prove men’s sinfulness by citing arson, murder, fornication, pride, lying, jealousy, and so on!

Now, of course, people should deal with these sins, clear them up with God, and receive forgiveness. Yet even if all these sins are confessed and God’s forgiveness is sought, people will not be saved if that one sin is not cleared up. How sad that we pay no attention to the one sin which the Bible emphasizes, the only sin of which the Holy Spirit convicts. There is no doubt that murder, arson, pride, jealousy and so on are truly sins, but the root of all sin is unbelief. The most basic sin, according to the word of God, is unbelief. Therefore, when we go out to preach the gospel, we do not persuade men to cease killing, burning, despising, or envying, for even if they should stop doing these things they will still perish and not have eternal life. In hell there are countless people like these. In preaching the gospel one thing to insist upon asking people is: is there anything wrong in your relationship with Christ?

As long as people do not have a proper relationship with Him, they remain sinners in the sight of God. This that I have been saying I know whereof I speak. How Satan attempts to destroy the work of Christ by altering the Biblical emphasis on sin. Today people look at these many fragmentary sins instead of at the root of sin. In so doing they overturn the work of Christ and pursue psychological salvation which is merely moral improvement and change of lifestyle, but not the receiving of life itself. A wrong emphasis on sin will not save souls. Sin is that men do not have the right relationship with God. The younger son was a prodigal because of his controversy with his father.

In like manner, if you have a problem with God the Father, this is your sin. I sincerely hope all of us have a proper relationship with God. Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2.3638). The first work of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was to prick the heart of those who heard. What had they heard? “God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.”

This meant that there was something wrong between them and Christ and that they did not have a right relationship with Him. They and God were at odds. God had established Christ as Savior, and they had killed Him. But when they heard this, their hearts were pricked. Not because of their strife with brothers, or their gambling, beating, murder, or arson, but because of their not having a proper relationship with Christ. “What shall we do?” they asked of Peter and the rest of the apostles.

Please keep ever in mind that the only sin which the Bible stresses is that of not believing Christ. If you have not dealt with this sin by receiving Christ as your Savior, you are doomed. With this sin dealt with, however, all the other fragmentary sins can easily be resolved. Without having this sin dealt with, and even if all the other sins are solved, you will still go to hell. May God give us all a proper relationship with Christ. May He constrain us to deal properly with this one sin. We thank God, for His view of sin is quite different from ours. May we, like Him, also have the right emphasis concerning sin.


▶ SHOP : https://www.amazon.com/shop/agelesstr...
▶SUBSCRIBE:    / @agelesstruth1  

▶SUPPORT CHANNEL: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted...