Two prostitutes came to a street evangelist and asked for the blessing of God. The evangelist expected they would desire to repent of their sinful profession. They responded that they loved their work, that they intended to continue in it, that their hearts were pure, and they wanted God to bless them. They believe their hearts are pure because they have been taught a perverted gospel of grace.

A mother recently was heard to say that she knew her children had Jesus in them so she was not concerned about how they behaved. Yet her children are behaving in a manner sternly condemned by the Scriptures. (So is the mother by taking such an attitude.)

This is the fruit of contemporary Christian teaching!

These people are behaving consistently in terms of the current doctrine of "grace"—more consistently, in fact, than believers who claim that a person who behaves unrighteously never was a genuine Christian and at the same time maintain that it is not necessary to behave righteously in order to be a Christian.

How many Christian people practice sexual misconduct, behavior that has brought the wrath of God on many nations of history, knowing in advance they will practice it, and then the next day ask God to forgive them and believe He will wash away in the blood of Jesus the acts of lust they have decided on in advance and have practiced willfully? They are behaving consistently with what they have been taught. They are making Christ the minister of sin.

God has made provision for the believer who is overtaken in a sin and who then repents vigorously, turns away from his sin as the filthy, destructive thing it is, makes whatever restitution is necessary, and prays for the power to resist that sin in the future. God will forgive him; but restitution may be required and there may be severe, long-term consequences following the sin. Experienced saints understand well that such is the case.

The provisions the Lord has made for sin under both covenants are for those who are overtaken in a fault.

Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty. (Leviticus 5:3)

Several times, in the opening chapters of Leviticus, the sacrifice was described as being for the Israelite who sinned through ignorance. But there is no provision under the old covenant or the new covenant for willful, presumptuous sin:

Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. (Numbers 15:29-31)

For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, (Hebrews 10:26)

To be continued.