The most fundamental sin of Israel, the people of God, was that although God had become their God, they turned away from Him and served other gods. God said to Israel:

“Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee.” (Jeremiah 2:19)

Yet the Israelites did not recognize the sin they had committed. Instead, they asked:

“Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?” (Jeremiah 16:10)

Then God clearly told them what their sin was:

“Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law.” (Jeremiah 16:11)

Israel’s worship of other gods was clear evidence that they had forsaken God. Yet they did not think that they had abandoned Him, because they believed they were still offering sacrifices to God and keeping His law. To such a people, God said:

“Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” (Isaiah 29:13)

Israel’s problem was not simply that they did not serve God. Rather, while believing that they were serving God, their hearts had departed far from Him.

The name Jesus reveals God’s purpose of salvation:

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Jesus came into this world so that Israel, who had departed from God, might recognize their sin, return to God, and become His people who live according to His will.

But God’s salvation is not limited to Israel. Scripture says:

“Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” (Romans 3:29)

God is not only the God of Israel; He is also our God. Therefore, Jesus is the One who saves not only Israel but also us from our sins. Through Israel’s sin, Scripture shows us that we too were once in the same condition.

“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air… Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2:2–3)

Scripture also says:

“Covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5)

Just as Israel departed from God and served other gods, we too have loved other things more than God and have served idols in our hearts.

The purpose for which Jesus came into this world does not end simply with the forgiveness of our sins. He came to redeem us from the power of sin, cleanse us, and make us a people who belong to God and are zealous to do the good works that please Him. Scripture says:

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14)

Therefore, when Jesus saves us from our sins, it does not mean merely that our sins are forgiven. Through the forgiveness of sins, we who had been separated from God are restored to fellowship with Him and become His people who serve Him.

Filled with the Holy Ghost, Zacharias prophesied:

“That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” (Luke 1:74–75)

The purpose of Jesus’ salvation is to deliver us from slavery to sin and make us servants of God. Scripture therefore says:

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.” (1 Peter 4:1–3)

Therefore, the words “he shall save his people from their sins” mean that those who once lived apart from God according to their own desires are forgiven of their sins, restored to God, made His own people, and brought into a new life of following His will.

The Bible says concerning Melchizedek:

“For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.” (Hebrews 7:1–4)

Some understand Melchizedek to have been an ordinary human figure, but such an interpretation does not easily harmonize with the expressions used in this passage. Scripture describes Melchizedek as being without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life. These descriptions point to an eternity that belongs to God alone.

Some understand Melchizedek to be a being distinct from God because he is called “the priest of the most high God.” Yet when we consider that Jesus became both the sacrifice for our sins and our High Priest, it is not necessarily strange to consider God Himself in relation to the priestly work of redemption.

The earthly sanctuary was a pattern and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary. Therefore, the earthly high priest foreshadowed the true High Priest of the heavenly sanctuary. Under the Old Testament law, only Aaron and his descendants could serve as high priests. In the same way, if Jesus the Son became the eternal High Priest, we may also consider how God the Father worked as the source of this redemptive work represented in the priesthood.

Just as the high priest under the Old Testament placed the sins of Israel upon the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, God laid all our sins upon Jesus, who became the sacrifice for our sins. Scripture says:

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

Scripture also says:

“Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” (Isaiah 38:17)

God laid all our sins upon Jesus, and Jesus bore those sins and shed His blood on the cross, accomplishing eternal redemption. Afterward, God made this oath concerning Jesus:

“The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4)

Jesus not only accomplished eternal redemption by becoming the sacrifice for our sins, but He also became the eternal High Priest after the order of Melchizedek and entered once for all into the heavenly sanctuary. Even now, He is our Advocate before the Father. Scripture says:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1–2)

There are two representative biblical words associated with sin. One is the Hebrew word chata (חָטָא, ḥāṭāʾ), used in the Old Testament, and the other is the Greek word hamartia (ἁμαρτία), used in the New Testament. Both words can carry the idea of “missing the mark” or “failing to reach the goal.” Spiritually, this helps us understand sin as falling short of God’s standard and purpose.

If we think of sin as an arrow missing its target, we can understand the meaning of sin more clearly by considering what is placed at the center of the target. This is because the Bible speaks of sin from several different perspectives.

First, let us place the law of God at the center of the target. To transgress the law is to miss the mark and therefore to sin. Scripture says:

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4)

Here, “transgression of the law” means going against God’s law and His will.

Now let us place Jesus Christ at the center of the target. God calls people to believe in Jesus Christ, and refusing to believe in Him is sin. Scripture says:

“Of sin, because they believe not on me.” (John 16:9)

If we place the Word of God at the center of the target, we can also see that whatever is not done in faith is sin. Scripture says:

“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)

Thus, the Bible speaks of sin from several different perspectives. When we understand these distinctions, we can also understand more clearly the true repentance that pleases God. Repentance is like turning an arrow that has gone astray so that it is once again directed toward the proper target.

The sins that Jesus bore on the cross include the penalty for our transgressions against God’s law. Therefore, if we repeatedly repent of those sins as though Christ’s sacrifice has not fully dealt with their condemnation, we are failing to rest fully in the complete atonement accomplished on the cross.

There is, however, a repentance that every person must experience: turning from unbelief to faith in Jesus Christ. Without turning to Christ in faith, a person remains under condemnation and faces eternal destruction.

Even after a person has believed in Jesus and been saved, there are still things of which he must repent. Whenever a believer fails to walk by faith in God’s Word and instead follows his own thoughts or the desires of the flesh, he must turn back to God.

In summary, if we continue to condemn ourselves for transgressions of the law and repeatedly repent as though those sins still remain under eternal condemnation, we fail to trust Jesus Christ, who bore the curse of our transgressions in our place on the cross. The decisive issue in final judgment is unbelief—refusing to believe in Jesus Christ.

This is why even the most wicked sinner can enter the kingdom of heaven through faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation does not rest upon how righteous a person has made himself, but upon Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished for the sinner.

This does not mean, however, that a person who has believed in Jesus and been saved never needs to repent again. A saved Christian must continually turn back to God whenever he fails to walk by faith in God’s Word. If a believer follows his own thoughts or the desires of the flesh rather than the Word of God, his salvation is not thereby canceled, nor does he return to eternal condemnation, but such a life brings painful consequences and the loving discipline of God.

For this reason, the apostle Paul wrote to the church:

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)

A person’s actions are influenced by what is in the heart. It is much like the way a car moves according to the person driving it. Even with the same car, a calm driver will drive steadily, while an impatient driver may drive recklessly. By watching how a car is driven, we can often tell something about the person behind the wheel. In the same way, a person’s words and actions reveal what is in the heart.

God created man in His own image, and therefore the first man was without sin. His heart was pure, and he lived a life pleasing to God. But through the temptation of the devil, man sinned, and as a result his heart became corrupt and began to produce all kinds of evil. Jesus said:

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:21–23)

Having departed from God and come under the power of the devil, mankind could produce nothing but sin. Therefore, by nature, man was under the wrath of God. The apostle Paul said:

“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2:3)

Such people needed God to give them a new heart. God saves those who believe in Jesus Christ and gives them a new heart and His Spirit. Scripture says:

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:26–27)

Zacchaeus is a good example of this transformation. Before he met Jesus, he had lived a sinful life as a publican. But after receiving Jesus, he said:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” (Luke 19:8)

When Jesus heard this, He said:

“This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:9–10)

Jesus did not declare Zacchaeus saved simply because Zacchaeus had decided to become a better person. Rather, his words and actions revealed that a new heart was already at work within him.

In the same way, when a person believes in Jesus and is saved, God gives that person a new heart, and a different kind of life begins to follow. A bird does not have to struggle to live like a bird; it naturally lives according to what it is. A pig does not have to make an effort to live like a pig; it naturally lives according to its nature.

The same principle can be seen in the love of parents for their children. Parents do not normally struggle to force themselves to love their children. They love them naturally because that love is already in their hearts. When Solomon judged between two women who both claimed that the same child was theirs, he commanded that the child be divided in two. He knew that the true mother, because of her love for the child, would rather surrender her own claim than allow her child to die.

Just as a person’s actions reveal what is in the heart, a person’s faith is also revealed through works. Faith and works are connected and work together. Scripture says:

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)

When God commanded Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering, Abraham was able to obey because he believed the promise of God:

“That in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” (Hebrews 11:18)

Abraham believed that God was able even to raise Isaac from the dead. His action was therefore the outward expression of the faith already present in his heart.

Rahab was another example. When two Israelite spies came to Jericho, she hid them among the stalks of flax on her roof, misdirected those who were searching for them, and later helped the spies escape from the city through her window.

She did this not because she had already seen the outcome of the coming battle, but because she believed that God had already given the land to Israel. She confessed to the spies:

“I know that the LORD hath given you the land… for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:9–11)

In this way, although what is in the heart may be hidden for a time, it eventually reveals itself through words and actions. Faith is the same. True faith bears fruit in a person’s life. Jesus said:

“Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” (Matthew 7:16–17)

The apostle Paul also exhorted believers:

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

A person lives according to what he truly believes, and that faith will reveal itself through the fruit of his life. Therefore, if we want to know whether our faith is genuine, we should examine what kind of fruit it is producing in our lives.

Works are the evidence of a person’s faith.

God formed Adam from the dust of the ground, and Adam was naked. Yet in the sight of God, there was nothing wrong with him. God looked upon all that He had made and saw that it was “very good.” Adam himself also felt no shame in his nakedness. Just as the uncovered bodies of animals appear natural to us, and animals themselves feel no shame in being uncovered, Adam had no reason to be ashamed before God.

But after Adam and his wife Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbidden them to eat, they became ashamed of their nakedness and covered themselves with fig leaves. Behind this change was the work of the devil, who appeared in the form of the serpent.

The serpent began by tempting Eve:

“Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1)

Eve answered:

“We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” (Genesis 3:2–3)

Then the serpent said to the woman:

“Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4–5)

Deceived by the serpent, Eve took the fruit and ate it. She also gave it to her husband, who was with her, and Adam ate it as well. Then, just as the serpent had said, their eyes were opened. They realized that they were naked, sewed fig leaves together, and made coverings for themselves.

Once Adam and Eve came to know good and evil, they not only became ashamed of their nakedness but also became afraid of God.

When God called to Adam and said, “Where art thou?” Adam answered:

“I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:10)

God then asked Adam:

“Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” (Genesis 3:11)

There is something important for us to consider here.

God had created man in His own image, and man was a delight in His sight. There had been nothing about Adam’s nakedness that caused God to reject him. Why, then, did Adam suddenly become ashamed of his nakedness and even become so afraid of God that he hid from Him?

According to the knowledge of good and evil that Adam had acquired, was nakedness itself truly something so shameful and evil that he needed to fear God?

Not in itself.

Our sense of shame concerning nakedness is not experienced in exactly the same way in every circumstance. It is affected by context and relationships. A person may think nothing unusual about being unclothed while bathing alone, yet would experience great shame if standing naked on a street where everyone else was clothed. If nakedness were inherently evil in itself, a person would necessarily experience the same shame and fear even when bathing alone. Yet that is not how human beings ordinarily experience it.

When Adam and Eve came to know good and evil, they were the only two human beings in the world. There was therefore no social reason for them suddenly to be ashamed of one another. Yet they covered themselves and hid from God.

This points us beyond the mere fact of their nakedness. Something far deeper had happened. Sin had entered, their relationship with God had been broken, and the deceiver had already drawn them away from trusting God’s word.

Jesus said concerning the devil:

“He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)

The devil, the father of lies, had deceived Adam and Eve and turned their newly acquired knowledge of good and evil into an occasion for fear and separation from God. Adam now saw himself through fear and condemnation. Instead of running to God, he ran away from Him.

In this way, Satan sought to separate man from God and bring him into spiritual death. This helps us understand why Jesus called the devil “a murderer from the beginning.”

The fact that Adam and Eve were deceived and hid themselves from God has profound significance for us today, because the devil continues to deceive people in similar ways.

Jesus came into this world as the sacrifice for our sins in order to cleanse us from sin. Just as, under the Old Testament sacrificial system, animals such as sheep and goats were offered in connection with Israel’s cleansing from sin, Jesus bore the sin of the world and died on the cross, paying the wages of sin through His death.

Through His sacrifice, our sins have been forgiven.

Yet the devil, the father of lies, seeks to persuade us that even though Jesus truly died on the cross, there are still sins remaining for which Christ’s sacrifice was somehow insufficient and for which we must somehow make ourselves acceptable to God.

In this respect, those who are deceived into distrusting what God has accomplished through Christ resemble the Israelites who came out of Egypt. They had witnessed God’s mighty works with their own eyes—even the parting of the Red Sea—yet they were still led into unbelief and murmured against God.

Through Jesus Christ, believers have been sanctified and made acceptable before God. Yet Satan seeks to turn our eyes away from the cross and fix them only upon ourselves—upon our failures, weaknesses, and sins. He uses our own judgment of good and evil to accuse us, make us fear God’s judgment, and drive us farther away from God.

This is why Scripture tells us to resist the devil.

When Jesus had fasted forty days in the wilderness and was hungry, the devil came to tempt Him. Jesus answered the tempter with the Word of God.

In the same way, when the devil accuses us, we must not remain looking only at ourselves. We must look to Jesus Christ and to the cross where He shed His blood for us.

Jesus said:

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14–15)

The answer to Satan’s accusation is not found in ourselves.

It is found in Jesus Christ, who was lifted up on the cross for us.

Law, That is Not by Works

No matter how wrongful a person’s actions may have been, if there is no law to condemn them, that person will not receive any punishment. On the other hand, no matter how right their actions may seem in their own eyes, before the law that condemns them, they become a sinner. In the end, a person becomes a sinner not because of their actions but because of the law.

Daniel was a man who prayed to God three times a day. He was favored by King Darius and attained a high position, but he was envied by others. Those who were jealous of him sought to find grounds to accuse him, but they could find no fault or error in him. Then they went to the king and proposed making a law that for the next thirty days, anyone who made a request to any god or man other than the king would be thrown into the den of lions. The king approved it, and Daniel, knowing this, still went up to his upper room, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and, as he had done before, knelt three times a day to pray and give thanks to God. Because of this, he was discovered by the people and was destined to be thrown into the lions’ den.

Just as Daniel, though he was a faithful man before God, became a sinner before the law that condemned him, it is not a person’s actions but the law that makes them a sinner. In Las Vegas, gambling is not considered a sin because there is no law prohibiting it. However, in places where there is a law against gambling, committing the same act becomes a sin and results in punishment. That is why the Bible says, “For without the law sin was dead” (Romans 7:8). Where there is no law, there is no sin.

The Two Decrees of the King

Not all laws condemn people. Some laws bring condemnation, while others set the condemned free from their sins.

King Ahasuerus of Persia ruled over 127 provinces, and his wife was Esther. The king elevated his official Haman to a high position, placing him above all the other nobles and commanding that people bow before him. Everyone bowed to Haman, but Mordecai, because he was a Jew, neither knelt nor paid him homage. Seeing this, Haman was enraged. He felt that killing Mordecai alone was not enough, so he sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the kingdom.

Haman went before the king and requested the destruction of the Jews, accusing them of refusing to obey the king’s laws and following their own. The king granted his request, and Haman issued a decree commanding that on the 13th day of the 12th month, all Jews were to be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated, and their possessions seized. This decree was sent out by couriers to be proclaimed throughout the land. As the king’s decree spread, great mourning arose among the Jews in every province. They fasted, wept, and cried out, with many lying in sackcloth and ashes.

Queen Esther, Mordecai’s cousin, was also a Jew. Mordecai urged her to go before the king and plead for her people. Esther knew that approaching the king without being summoned meant death, but she resolved, “If I perish, I perish,” and went to him. When the king saw Esther, he was so pleased with her that he extended his golden scepter and welcomed her, promising to grant her request. Esther pleaded for her life and the lives of her people, and when the king learned that Haman was behind the plot, he ordered Haman to be hanged on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

Then, King Ahasuerus instructed Mordecai to write a new decree in his name to save the Jews. This second decree granted the Jews in every city the right to gather and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate anyone who sought to harm them, and to seize their enemies’ possessions. As couriers on royal horses swiftly delivered the king’s command throughout the land, the Jews rejoiced, celebrated, and held a feast, declaring that day a holiday.

The first decree of the king placed the Jews under the sentence of death. If not for the second decree that granted them life, there would have been no way for them to escape death. Yet through the second decree, they were delivered from destruction and received life. It was the king’s law that sentenced them to death, and it was also the king’s law that granted them life.

All of God’s Words are Law

People think that the commandments Moses received from God on Mount Sinai – “Do this, don’t do that” – are God’s law but they do not realize that God’s words themselves are God’s law.

The Bible says, “Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar” (Galatians 4:21-24). This verse shows that the words in Genesis themselves are law.

Jesus also said, “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44). Here, Jesus categorized the Old Testament as “the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms.” The “Law of Moses” refers to the books Moses wrote, commonly known as the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). This reveals that the Pentateuch is law.

Furthermore, the Bible says, “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:15-17). The Bible says that the promise of God made to us after Jesus died on the cross for our sins is also law.

The Apostle Paul said, “Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me” (Romans 7:20-21). Paul said that even the realization of his struggle was a law. From this, we can infer that all of God’s words, including the commandments Moses received on Mount Sinai, are law.

The Law of Sin and Death and the Law of the Spirit of Life

The Bible says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1-4).

The “law of sin and death” mentioned here refers to the law Moses received from God on Mount Sinai. This law demands death as the penalty for breaking its commandments. If this law were all we had, everyone would be condemned to die and face eternal destruction because of their sins.

There was once a country that had a law stating that deserters during war would be sentenced to death. When war broke out, many soldiers deserted to save their own lives. After the war ended, there was no way for them to escape the death penalty, so they had to live in fear of death. Then, the country passed a law granting amnesty to deserters, and they were finally freed from the fear of death.

If the law granting amnesty to deserters had not been passed, the deserters would have been captured and killed. Similarly, those under the “law of sin and death” would have no hope unless a new law came to save them from death. However, Jesus took the death penalty that those who broke the law deserved upon Himself on the cross, and freed sinners from the curse of the law. This truth is the Gospel for those sitting in the shadow of death, and through this Gospel, they have received life. Therefore, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the “law of the Spirit of life” that gives life to the dead.

By fulfilling the requirements of the law, Jesus made it so that the law no longer has anything to demand from us. He abolished the law that condemned us in his flesh and reconciled us with God. The Bible says:

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:13-18).

Jesus abolished the “law of sin and death” so, there is no law left to condemn us. God is in Jesus Christ, and in Jesus, there is the “law of the Spirit of life.” Therefore, for those who are in Jesus, there is no condemnation. God has promised us, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17).

Made Holy by the Law, and That Holiness is Preserved

There is a law that says, “And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.” (Leviticus 27:32,33) The herd or the flock that is dedicated to the Lord as a holy offering becomes holy not by its own will, but because it happened to pass under the shepherd’s rod as the tenth animal. Ultimately, it is the law that made them holy by declaring that every tenth animal passing under the rod will be holy.

The law has a dual nature. While it condemns those who break its commandments, it also explains about Jesus Christ. Just as the law declares that the animal passing under the rod as the tenth is holy, the gospel that Jesus Christ forgave all our sins made us holy.

The law also instructs not to examine whether the holy animal is good or bad, nor to exchange it for another. If one does exchange it, both the original and the exchanged animal are considered holy. Therefore, we can see that once an animal has become holy, its holiness is preserved by the law and cannot be undone. Likewise, the holiness we receive through the gospel of Jesus Christ is preserved by the same gospel, making our holiness eternal and unbreakable.

Jesus, Who Abolished the First and Established the Second

Before God sent Peter to deliver the gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion, He showed him a vision while he was praying. In the vision, Peter saw a certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners. It had fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air inside. Then, there was a voice from heaven saying, “Arise, Peter; slay and eat.” (Acts 11:7). Peter answered, “Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.” (Acts 11:8) But the voice answered, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”

The law mentions clean and unclean animals. Among them, the law says not to eat fish without fins and scales because they are abomination. Therefore, Peter did not eat unclean animals, but in a vision, he heard that God made the unclean animals clean.

The reason why fish without fins and scales became unclean is because the law declared them unclean, but through Jesus’ fulfillment of the law, these things have been made clean. Likewise, we were unclean according to the law, but through Jesus’ redemption, we have been made clean.

The Bible says, “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:9,10)

God wanted to abolish the first, that is, the law of sin and death, and establish the second, which is the law of the Spirit of life. In accordance with this will, Jesus abolished the law by offering His body on the cross for our sins, and established the law of the Spirit of life, the law of grace that brings life to the dead. Therefore, through the work of Jesus, we are freed from the law and are now under grace.

Darkness is Driven Away When Light Comes

The Bible says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14) However, there are still people who are under the law. As it is written, “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed” (Galatians 3:23), we see that those who are still trapped under the law do not believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

During World War II, a Japanese officer was carrying out his mission on an island in the Philippines. In the meanwhile, Japan surrendered and the war ended, and the news was spread to the Japanese soldiers hiding in the mountains through leaflets passed out by the American and Filipino armies, as well as by their families and friends. However, the officer, upon seeing the leaflets, thought it was a deception by the American and Filipino forces and refused to believe it. For nearly 30 years, he ran from place to place, refusing to believe anyone who told him the war was over, waiting for the Japanese army to return, and fighting his own personal war. Eventually, a Japanese university student met him and helped him accept the reality of Japan’s defeat. Moreover, the government helped by sending one of his direct superiors to him, who assigned him the mission. Only then did he accept that the war had ended, and finally, the war in his heart eneded.

Just as the Japanese officer did not believe the leaflet that the war had ended and clung to his own thoughts, even if someone hears the gospel that Jesus has forgiven our sins and abolished the law, if they do not believe it, they remain under the law. Such person’s heart is defiled by many wrong thoughts planted by the devil.

Certain men that came from Judaea taught the brethren in Antioch, saying, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). Then, then had a dispute and debate with Paul and Barnabas who was there. Eventually, the brothers sent Paul, Barnabas, and some others from among them to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem regarding this matter. After much debate among the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, Peter concluded the matter by saying:

“Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” (Acts 15:7-11)

Here, Peter said, “purifying their hearts by faith.” The hearts of people are defiled by distrustful thoughts that oppose the gospel, but when they believe the gospel, those evil thoughts in their hearts are removed and made clean. It is like when a Japanese army officer, upon accepting the fact that Japan had been defeated, freed himself from the mistaken belief that the leaflet he had seen was part of a deceptive tactic by the American and Filipino forces. Darkness is driven out only when light comes. Anyone who believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ will free themselves from the wrong thoughts the devil implanted and will find themselves under the law of the Spirit of life, which gives life to the dead.

Jesus is the gift of God

If a student studies hard and receives a scholarship, that is not a gift but the reward for their efforts. However, if a school gives out computers for free to all students, that is a gift to them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries provided free financial support to their citizens. Since anyone from those countries could receive it, it was a grace and gift given by the government to the citizens. Likewise, for a gift to truly be a gift, it must be given freely without any conditions. Just as the Bible says, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” (Romans 4:4), what we earn through our labor and efforts is simply the due reward and cannot be considered grace or a gift.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins. If Jesus had died only for good and humble people or specific churchgoers, He could not be a gift to all people. However, God gave Jesus on the cross for our sins while we were still sinners, separated from Him and living in evil. This clearly shows that Jesus is a gift of God’s grace to us, regardless of our actions. The Bible says, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Romans 11:6).

The Bible also says, “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed” (Romans 4:16). A gift is something that, once received, becomes yours. Likewise, anyone who believes in Jesus, the gift of God, will become a child of God and inherit the kingdom of heaven.

The Thief on the Cross Who Was Saved Just Before His Death

The Bible contains many stories of people being saved by believing in Jesus. One such story is of a thief who was dying on the cross alongside Jesus. He was someone who could never be saved by his own actions. Not only had he committed evil worthy of death, but he also mocked Jesus while on the cross. The Bible says:

“Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.” (Matthew 27:38-44)

As we can see in this passage, both thieves initially mocked Jesus while they were on the cross. However, one thief continued to mock Him, while the other changed and believed in Jesus, receiving the promise of paradise. His words proves this:

“And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

The one thief did not fear God even though he committed sin worthy of death sentence, but the other thief feared God because of the sin he committed. While the Bible does not specifically record this, we can infer that during Jesus’ suffering on the cross, He preached the gospel to the thief who feared God. It would have been impossible for the thief who had been mocking Jesus to suddenly understand and accept the gospel on his own in such a short time. As the thief that feared God heard Jesus’ words, he realized that everything Jesus had done was right and that Jesus was innocent. He came to understand that Jesus was dying on the cross because of their sins.

The thief did nothing to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. His hands and feet were nailed to the cross, so he could not perform any good deeds. All he did was listen to and believe the gospel that Jesus preached. Therefore, for him, Jesus was more than enough to be God’s gift.

Salvation is Instantaneous

The time it took for the thief on the cross to receive salvation was less than six hours, because it took Jesus six hours from being nailed to the cross until He died. This shows that salvation does not require a long period of time. Some people believe that salvation is not something that happens instantly, but that even though they believed in Jesus, it happens gradually through their own efforts. However, this is not true. According to God’s promise recorded in the Bible, anyone who believes in Jesus receives salvation. By looking at how Cornelius and those with him were saved, we can understand that salvation happens at the moment one believes in Jesus.

An angel of God appeared to Cornelius in a vision, telling him to send men to Joppa to bring Peter. Cornelius then invited Peter to his house, where he and his relatives and close friends heard the message Peter preached. Peter proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.

“And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” (Acts 10:39-44)

When Cornelius and those with him heard Peter’s words, “that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins,” the Holy Ghost came upon them. The Bible says, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38). When they realized that Jesus had forgiven all their sins, they received the Holy Ghost as a gift.

As we can see from the scripture, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” (Ephesians 1:13), the Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Therefore, regardless of the sins someone may have committed, the moment they believe in Jesus, who died for the sins of all people, they receive the Holy Spirit as a gift and become children of God. Thus, salvation is instantaneous.

Faith Is Not For Everyone

Although anyone who believes in Jesus Christ can be saved, not everyone is saved. This is because Satan hinders people from believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible says: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Satan made Adam and Eve aware of their nakedness after they had the knowledge of good and evil and made them fear God. Likewise today, Satan still deceives us, causing us to focus on our sinful nature instead of looking at the crucified Jesus, leading us to condemn ourselves under the law of good and evil and make us fear God.

The reason people fear God is because they do not know His love. The Bible says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Just as ice melts and disappears when warmed by the sunlight on a cold winter day, when God’s love shines into a person’s heart, the fear of punishment due to sin completely disappears.

There Is No Fear In Love

As the Bible says, “love covereth all sins” (Proverbs 10:12), love has no sin that it cannot forgive. Therefore, a person experiences true freedom in love.

Joseph’s brothers feared God’s punishment because they did not only tried to kill him but sold him to Ishmaelite merchants for twenty pieces of silver. When a famine struck and they came to Egypt to buy grain, they were accused of being spies. They said, “We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us” (Genesis 42:21). Even Reuben, the oldest brother, said, “Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? Therefore, behold, also his blood is required” (Genesis 42:21). From this, we can see that they feared God’s punishment because of the sin they committed against Joseph.

Joseph, who became the governor of Egypt, wanted to bring his family from Canaan to Egypt so that they could share in the glory he was experiencing. However, Joseph knew that his brothers would be afraid to come to him because of the evil they had done to him, fearing that he might kill them. Therefore, Joseph needed to show them his love above all else. To do this, Joseph made his brothers into guilty sinners, adding sin upon sin, to the point where they could not say anything if he decided to kill them.

When his brothers came to buy grain from him, Joseph accused them of being spies, knowing they would not recognize him. He then imprisoned Simeon and demanded that they bring their youngest brother to prove they were not spies. Furthermore, he placed the money they had brought to buy grain back into their sacks, making them appear as thieves.

To avoid being misunderstood as thieves, the brothers took the money they had found in their sacks and returned to Egypt a second time to buy grain with their youngest brother, Benjamin. This time, Joseph invited them to his house, provided them with food, and made them stay for the night before sending them back home. However, this time, not only did he put the money they had brought for the grain back into their sacks, but he also placed his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. He then instructed his steward to chase after them on their way home and find the cup in Benjamin’s sack, making the brothers appear as unforgivable sinners who repaid good with evil.

Finally, death came to the hearts of the brothers, and they returned to Joseph, feeling as though they were dead. When they stood before him once more, Joseph revealed his identity, rejoiced for his brothers, kissed and embraced them and wept. Despite knowing all their sins, the sin of selling him, stealing the money for the grain, and repaying the kindness he had shown them with evil, the brothers saw in his joyful tears that Joseph truly loved them. In that moment, they realized that all their sins were covered by Joseph’s love.

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20). The more the brothers’ sins added to the sin of selling Joseph, the more they saw his love for them. And in that love, they were able to be freed from the sin of having sold Joseph.

He Hath Shown

We feared God because of the sins we had committed. No amount of effort or labor on our part could free us from that fear. Therefore, God had to reveal His love to us. He confirmed His love for us by giving His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. The Bible says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). Jesus’ death on the cross was not only for our sins but also to reveal God’s love to us so that we might know it.

When we see that God had prepared Jesus for our sins before the foundation of the world, we can understand that He loved us even before He created mankind. This is like a married woman who, even before conceiving a child, already envisions and delights in the child to come, loving it with hope. However, the mankind that God created departed from Him and became slaves to the devil, bringing sorrow to God.

Just as loving parents cannot forsake their children no matter how many mistakes they make, God did not abandon us even though we departed from Him and lived in sin. He revealed His love so that we might return to Him, be reconciled, and share in His love. For this purpose, Jesus was crucified on our behalf.

The Bible declares, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). Just as east and west move in opposite directions and can never meet, Jesus has completely removed our sins so that we will never meet with sin again. By doing this, He ensured that our sins would no longer be a barrier preventing us from returning to God.

When looked upon it, they all lived

The Bible says, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). As this verse reveals, God loved us even before we loved Him. He proved this love by giving His Son to die for us while we were yet sinners, and He calls us to believe in that love. The Scripture declares, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).

When the children of Israel left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness for many years, they grew impatient when God led them around the land of Edom instead of taking a faster route to Canaan. They murmured against God and Moses. In response, God sent fiery serpents among them, and many Israelites died from snake bites. The people came to Moses, asking him to pray that God would take away the serpents. Moses interceded for them, and God commanded him, “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live” (Numbers 21:8). Moses made a serpent of brass and lifted it upon a pole, and everyone who looked upon it lived.

The brazen serpent on the pole was a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus declared,“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).

Anyone who looks upon Jesus, who was lifted up on the cross, will realize that their sins have already been forgiven through His sacrifice. Looking to Jesus is as easy as the Israelites lifting their heads to gaze upon the brazen serpent. To receive salvation, one must turn away from looking at themselves and instead look upon Jesus on the cross. Just as those bitten by the fiery serpents could not escape death by their own efforts but received life by looking at the brazen serpent, so too can any sinner, no matter what they have done, receive eternal life by looking to Jesus Christ, who was crucified for them.

There Is No Difference

The devil makes people see only their sinful selves, preventing them from looking at Jesus. Those deceived by the devil, seeing only their own sin, think that God has no interest in them and will never love them. However, the Bible says, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things” (Romans 2:1). This means that there is no difference between those who judge others and those who are judged; all are the same.

When Jesus spoke to His disciples about the coming days of tribulation, He said, “And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days” (Mark 13:20). Just as all of Jesus’ disciples abandoned Him and fled when He was arrested, even the most faithful person would forsake God if faced with trials that they could not endure. No human can boast before God because all people are the same.

Since all people are the same, righteousness does not depend on human actions but on believing in Jesus Christ. Therefore, anyone who believes in Jesus becomes righteous, and there is no difference. God considers faith in Jesus as righteousness, while He considers not believing as sin. Therefore, the righteous in the Bible are not those who perform righteous acts, but those who have faith in Jesus. Therefore, sinners are not those who commit evil deeds, but those who do not believe in Jesus.

Rahab, the harlot from Jericho; the Samaritan woman who was ridiculed for living with the sixth man; and Zacchaeus, the tax collector, who was hated for collecting taxes for the Romans, were all made righteous by believing in Jesus. That is why the Bible says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). No matter how wicked a person may be, if they simply look to Jesus, they are saved and will reign forever with God in His kingdom.