From Newsgroup: alt.bible

The Forgiveness of Sins

Sins are forgiven and cleansed only by the blood of Jesus Christ, and
never by the physical act of dying.

(1) "To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood" (Revelation 1:5 ESV).

The Scripture does not say we are freed from our sins by our own
physical death. It states plainly that we are freed from our sins "by
his blood"rCothe blood of Jesus Christ.

(2) "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us
from all sin" (1 John 1:7 ESV).

What is it that cleanses us from all sin? Is it the grave? Is it the
physical act of dying? No. God's Word declares it is "the blood of Jesus
his Son" that cleanses us.

(3) "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7 ESV).

Redemption and forgiveness are found "through his blood." If physical
death could free a person from their sins, then Christ died in vain, and
man would become his own savior through the act of dying.

(4) "Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his
life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice"
(Psalm 49:7-8 ESV).

Can any man pay the ransom for sin or satisfy the debt of his soul
before God? God's Word explicitly declares that no man can give to God
the price of his life, and that any human ransom "can never suffice." If
a sinner's physical death wiped away their sins, the sinner would be
providing his own ransom, directly contradicting the plain statement of God.

(5) "Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26 ESV).

Does a man have anythingrCoeven his physical deathrCothat he can render to
God in payment for his soul? The Lord Jesus makes it clear that man has nothing to give. A man cannot ransom himself by dying; Christ alone
could provide the ransom, who "gave himself as a ransom for all" (1
Timothy 2:6 ESV).

Proposition: Sins are forgiven and cleansed only by the blood of Jesus
Christ, and never by the physical act of dying.

Romans 6:7 refers to a believer's spiritual death to sin through union
with Jesus Christ, not the physical death of the body.

(1) "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the
dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life"
(Romans 6:3-4 ESV).

The Apostle Paul is not writing about physical death in the graveyard.
He is writing about those who are "baptized into Christ Jesus" and
"buried therefore with him." This is a spiritual reality for the living believer, enabling them to "walk in newness of life." A physically dead
corpse cannot walk in newness of life on this earth.

(2) "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the
body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin" (Romans 6:6 ESV).

The death spoken of here is the crucifying of the "old self" with Christ
to escape the slavery of sin in this present life.

(3) "For he who has died has been freed from sin" (Romans 6:7 ESV).

In the light of the entire context, the one who "has died" is the
believer who has died spiritually to sin through Christ. This death
frees the living believer from the power and slavery of sin daily.

(4) "Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live
with him" (Romans 6:8 ESV).

To apply Romans 6:7 to physical death would mean that every wicked
person who dies physically is automatically unified with Christ and will
live with Him. The Bible teaches no such thing.

Proposition: Romans 6:7 refers to a believer's spiritual death to sin
through union with Jesus Christ, not the physical death of the body.


The Resurrection and Judgment

At the resurrection, men are judged for the deeds they committed in
their physical bodies during their earthly lives.

(1) "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that
each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body,
whether good or evil" (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV).

The Scripture is explicit. The judgment is not based on what we do after resurrection. It is to receive what is due for what we have "done in the body"rComeaning this present, earthly life before physical death.

(2) "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that
comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27 ESV).

What is God's sequence? First, a man dies once. Second, "after that
comes judgment." Physical death does not cancel the debt of sin; it
seals the record, and judgment follows.

(3) "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,
and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book
of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books,
according to what they had done" (Revelation 20:12 ESV).

The dead who are raised are judged "according to what they had done" in
their past lives, which is recorded in the books. They are not raised as sinless blank slates.

Proposition: At the resurrection, men are judged for the deeds they
committed in their physical bodies during their earthly lives.

The resurrection of the unjust leads directly to a resurrection of
judgment based on their past deeds.

(1) "Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in
the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to
the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the
resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29 ESV).

Jesus does not say that those who have done evil are resurrected sinless
to live in a paradise. He says they come out to "the resurrection of judgment." Their resurrection itself is characterized by judgment
because of what they "have done"rCopast tenserCobefore entering the tomb.

Proposition: The resurrection of the unjust leads directly to a
resurrection of judgment based on their past deeds.

Summary

By the plain statements of the Word of God, we see:

First, that only the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from sin.

Second, that physical death does not make a person sinless.

Third, that Romans 6:7 speaks of the believer's spiritual death to sin's power.

Fourth, that at the resurrection, men are judged for what they did in
their physical bodies before they died.

To teach that physical death pays the penalty for sin is to deny the
value of the cross of Christ and to contradict the clear testimony of Scripture.
--
Good News rCa

The crucifixion of Christ completely satisfied the debt of our sins
toward God (Colossians 2:14), which God verified by bringing Him back to
life (Romans 1:4). As a result, God is proven just when He forgives
believers (Romans 3:26) and delivers them from the approaching wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Eternal salvation is a free gift appropriated by
faith (Romans 6:23). If you believe in Him, call on the Lord for your deliverance (Romans 10:9-13):

How to be saved: christrose.news/salvation
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