A common misconception about grace which many Christians have embraced is the idea that God can no longer see their sins or flaws because God only sees them through Jesus.

While there are many texts which could be cited to refute this idea, we need only to look at the words which Jesus spoke to the churches in the book of the Revelation to find out whether or not this idea is credible.

Let’s begin with Jesus’s message to the church of Ephesus.

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. ~ Revelation 2:2-5

Notice that Jesus knew both the good works the Ephesians were doing as well as the bad  things which were displeasing to God. Even though the Ephesians had some good works for which he commended them, Jesus reprimanded them for their wrongs.

Jesus declares that even though he knew their good works, there was something that was causing him to be against them. They had left their first love, and Jesus refers to this as a “fallen” state of which they needed to repent.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. ~ v.5

Those who teach, and those who embrace the idea that God cannot see their sins because of Jesus have embraced a belief about Jesus that is not consistent with the words of Jesus. Many who embrace the idea that God cannot see their sins because of Jesus also believe that there is no need to repent when they sin because all their past, present, and future sins are forgiven. Yet Jesus tells his people in Ephesus to repent and warns of judgment if they do not.

Now lets consider the words of Jesus to the church at Pergamos.

I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. ~ Revelation 2:13-15 

Again Jesus begins by acknowledging their good works, and again he exposes their sins, saying, “I have a few things against thee”.  This is not consistent with the idea that God can’t see our sins and only sees us through Jesus. Jesus points out the sins of his people and tells them to repent. One of the sins in their midst was that some of them were holding to the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, something Jesus says he hates.

The writer of Hebrews says, “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. ~ Hebrews 10:30-31

Notice that the text says, “the Lord will judge his people” in context to the severity of God. It does not say the Lord can no longer see his people’s sins and therefore there is no need to repent when you sin.

These words are sobering when we compare them to Jesus’s words above which were spoken to the church at Pergamos: “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth”. ~ Revelation 2:13-15

Finally consider the words of Jesus to the church of Thyatira.

I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. ~ Revelation 2:19-23

These too, are sobering words and agree with that which was written by the author of Hebrews (cited above). Jesus does commend those in Thyatira who have walked uprightly in verses 24-28 and promises them reward for their faithfulness.

It should be noted that in each instance (the church of Ephesus, the church of Pergamos, and the church of Thyatira), Jesus says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 2:7,17,29).  And in each case Jesus promises reward for those who overcome.

Teaching Christians that God only sees them through Jesus and therefore can no longer see their present sins is to teach something other than what the Spirit was saying to the churches in the book of the Revelation. We serve a Holy God who is a loving Heavenly Father, and his desire is that we be pure and holy in his sight. Through Jesus and by virtue of his Spirit he has made provision for us to be pure in his sight, but we must follow him in obedience and faith, and turn from our sins with repentant hearts when we do fail.

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

Why would a loving God send anyone to Hell?

The answer to this question is very simple: Because they hate him, and they hate his ways, and they despise his grace and mercy when he reaches out to them in forgiving love.

God has never sent a repentant sinner to Hell and he never will. Only those who reject him will be condemned.

We do not protest when a human judge sentences a murderer or a rapist to life in prison, yet we sometimes question why the Judge of all the earth would punish the ungodly who refuse to repent.

If any sinner turns to God, who is the righteous Judge, and repents of their sins, God will forgive them.

The question we ought to ask is why does God show mercy to the most wretched of sinners who repent? If we answer this question, we will quickly find the answer as to why God sends some people to Hell.

God is good, and he is far richer in grace and mercy than any of us can comprehend. God doesn’t desire for anyone to perish. It gives him no joy to judge the ungodly. God desires for all people to be saved.

Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live? ~ Ezekiel 18:23

Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ ~ Ezekiel 33:11

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. ~ 2 Peter 3:9

Notice that each of the verses above refer to repentance, or turning to the Lord. Yet some people love their sin and refuse to repent. In John 5, Jesus told some of the Jews who rejected his message: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,  yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life”. ~ John 5:39-40

Refusing to come to the Lord who is merciful, gracious, and forgiving, is the reason why  people die in their sins, and people refuse to come to the Lord because they love sin.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” ~ John 3:19-21

Why would a loving God condemn an unrepentant sinner to Hell? Because God is a Just God. Why would a Just God forgive a wretched sinner who repents? Because he is a merciful and loving God.

The answer to many of the questions we have about why God would do this, or why would he do that, can be answered when we take to heart the whole counsel of scripture regarding the attributes and character of God.

Feeling as if you have no purpose can lead to depression.

I want tell you (and possibly you have never heard anyone say this,) the need for purpose is one of the great deceptions by the spirit of this age.

By feasting on the need for purpose within God’s people, ministries are making big profits with this proverbial carrot on a stick that keeps God’s heritage from their true calling, which to rest in God, who by his grace will fulfill his good pleasure in our lives as we trust in him.

The constant quest for purpose can lead a person’s soul into anxiety and discontentment, so much so that there is no rest in the soul.

Yet the call of Christ is quite the opposite.

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ~ Matthew 11:28-30

When we examine God’s people within scripture who made a significant mark in their generation and within history, they were were minding their own business when God arrested their attention for his purpose.

The truth is, God has a purpose for all of our lives, and that purpose is spelled out in the New Testament. He has called us to peace. He has called us to find our joy and rejoicing in knowing him, and that is the purpose to which we are called.

When we make it our aim to rest in him and rejoice in the fellowship of knowing him we will see his hand in our lives. The end result is our calling (what we refer to as purpose) will spring forth unto his glory.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep (rest). ~ Psalm 127:1-2

We all experience offenses, and are at times faced with the need to forgive others, but what do we do when the wound is deep?

Being wounded is not a sin, but if we don’t address it, it can turn to bitterness (which is sin), even though we say we have verbally forgiven the offender.

Forgiveness in word only usually works when it is something minor, but when we have been cut to the heart, forgiving in word only is often not enough.

The constant emphasis on “destiny” by modern day preachers is an illusion. No where in the New Testament is there such emphasis. The emphasis in the New Testament is our sanctification.

In the Ephesians, Paul tells his Gentile brethren in Christ to no longer walk as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds.

Paul expounds on putting off the old man and putting on the new. It is within “this context” that Paul tells us that Jesus gave himself for us that he might sanctify and cleanse us by the washing of the water by the word, so that he might present us to himself as a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that we should be holy and without blemish.

The constant appeal to a better life (promotions, careers, advancements, personal achievements, personal greatness, personal success) is not a message from God.

While there is nothing wrong with individual success and achievements (and God will help us if our priorities and motives are pure), these are not the goal of the spiritual life to which we are called.

God did not set apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in the church to teach success in life strategies. He gave these gifts to men to build the church up in Christ.

The fulfillment we are looking for will never be found in an outward destiny regarding our individual success. It can only be found in the joy of true fellowship with Christ which comes through the in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. 
While there is nothing wrong with individual success and achievements (and God will help us if our priorities and motives are pure), these are not the goal of the spiritual life to which we are called.

God did not set apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in the church to teach success in life strategies. He gave these gifts to men to build the church up in Christ. 

If we will to the 

In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul tells the Corinthians, “I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chase virgin to Christ”. ~ v.1-2

Do you understand what Paul is saying here? Paul was an apostle of Christ, a true minister of the gospel, and his desire for the Corinthians was to present them to Christ as a pure virgin.

It is within this context that Paul says the following:

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.~ 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

Some ministers (regardless if they realize it or not) are actually bewitching the people rather than seeking to present the people as a pure virgin to the Lord. Ministers are not called to make ministry about themselves, and those who do minister “another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel.”

There is only one husband, and the church is his bride and no one else’s. For this reason every minister should be regarded as steward in God’s kingdom as Paul tells the Corinthians in his first epistle:

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. ~ 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (ESV)

Finally, Consider also the words of the apostle Peter

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ~ 1 Peter 5:1-4 (ESV)

The words of Peter are in harmony with those of Paul’s. Ministers are called to be faithful  servants of Christ stewards in his Kingdom, with the motivation to present God’s people to Christ as a pure virgin.

May God grant to his church humble ministers who know their calling in truth.

Sometimes allegories can be taken too far, and such is the case with the teaching that says that God sends his children, and even the church at large, into “wilderness seasons” to accomplish a divine purpose.

The New Testament, which is the authority for doctrine regarding the Christian life, instructs us to enter into the holiest (the presence of God) by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19). The book of Hebrews also tells us to come boldly to the the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.~ Hebrews 4:16

Both of those text from Hebrews are given within the context of Jesus as our great high priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us.

There are times in all of our lives when we experience unpleasant circumstances that can make us feel as if God is has forsaken us. It is in those times that we learn to trust God and walk by faith, rather than our circumstances.

God “never” withdraws the fellowship of his presence to send us into a wilderness experience to test us. God redeemed us by the blood of Christ and has called us into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ ~ 1 Corinthians 1:9. In 1 John 1, the apostle John tells us that our “joy is made full” by our fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

The real truth is, sometimes we drift away from personal fellowship with the Lord, and only when we begin to have difficulty in life do we wake up and realize we have drifted away from the fellowship we once enjoyed with the Lord.

In the book of James, we are instructed to draw near to God and he will draw near to us. In the context of this statement James says the following: “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” ~ James 4:5

The Amplified Bible gives a much clearer rendering and reads as follows: “The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit to be welcome with a jealous love.”

Oftentimes we become preoccupied with other things and judge God’s blessing in our life by our circumstances. Rather than allowing the peace of God to rule in our hearts as Paul instructed the Colossians, we become ruled by our circumstances, and by and by we drift from the Lord and become more carnally minded in our thinking and our approach to life.
When this happens, we are no longer ruled by God’s peace. Instead, we are ruled by our feelings and emotions. This is why we need to be “renewed in the spirit of our mind”. ~ Ephesians 4:23

When we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, rather than being ruled by the carnal desires of the flesh, we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit who ministers to us the joy of true fellowship with God.

How can we say that God has sent us into a “wilderness experience” when the New Testament tells us God’s Spirit yearns for us to fully welcome him in our hearts?

When we become preoccupied with carnal things like the audience to whom James was writing, we allow sin to have place in our lives (our thoughts and actions) and we become double minded, and it is in that place that we begin to wonder where God is.

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. ~ James 4:1-4

James is not talking to the world in the text above. He is talking to Christians who have drifted from the Lord and are preoccupied with their carnal lusts rather than the things of God.

While we are wrapped up in the desires of the world, and consumed in the lust of our flesh, the Holy Spirit earnestly yearns over us with a jealous love to be fully welcomed in our hearts.

James instructs his audience to draw near to God and adds the promise, “and he will draw near to you”.

However, that which is often missed is how James instructs his readers, who had drifted from God, to draw near to God. James says, “cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

When our affection for God begins to grow cold, we become double minded and it is in that place that we begin to wonder where God is.

The truth is, God is right where we left him, waiting like the father of the prodigal son in the story given by Jesus, desiring for us to return to fellowship with him.

There is nothing in the New Testament that supports the idea that God leads his any of his children, or his church at large, into wilderness seasons where we feel forsaken.
The writer of Hebrews expounds on the wilderness experience of the Israelites in contrast to the Christian life of “resting in faith” to which we are called. God did not call us to walk in a spiritual wilderness. He called us to enter into rest (from the wilderness experience) through faith in Jesus.

In scripture, the wilderness is associated with sin. If fact, the Bible calls it the “wilderness of sin” (Exodus 16:1; Numbers 33:11,12).

The wilderness is called the wilderness of sin because it was the place where the children of Israel provoked God in their disobedience.

7.Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation IN THE WILDERNESS:

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

11 So I swear in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ~ Hebrews 3:7-13

If you feel like you are in a wilderness, I have good news for you. If you will but turn your heart towards the Lord, and cry out for his mercy and grace, asking him to cleanse you from any sins you have permitted to take root in your heart and life, he will meet your right where your are.

God is not leading you into a wilderness, rather he wants to lead you out of the wilderness. He is a loving father and he longs to show you mercy and grace, and for you to experience the joy of fellowship with him, as you allow the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule in your heart.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Paul’s reference to Christ being made sin for us is derived from the Old Testament motif of the sin offerings. The sin offerings were offered to make atonement for sin.

Throughout the Old Testament the word atonement was used to convey the idea of reconciliation, sanctification, consecration, and forgiveness. This is the context which surrounds Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 5.

Literally, Paul is telling us that Christ was made to be the offering for our sins, and that is how we are reconciled to God. Christ was made to be our sin offering not our literal sin.

Throughout the Old Testament the words sin and sin offering are translated from the same Hebrew word “chattath”. One writer pointed out that chattath is translated as sin offering 118 times, and translated as sin 168 times.

In Hebrews 10:6, the writer of Hebrews speaks of the sacrifices for sin. The words “sacrifices for” have been added by the translators of the KJV for clarity. Literally, Hebrews 10:6 says: In burnt offerings and sin thou hast had no pleasure.

However, we know that the author is not referring to sin but to the sin offerings instead. We know this because of the context and we also know this because Hebrews 10:6 is a quote from Psalm 40:6 which says the following:

Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

The Greek word “hamartia” which is used in Hebrews 10:6 to reference to the sin offering, is also used in 2 Corinthians 5:21 in reference to Christ being made sin for us.

It should also be of importance to us that the apostle Paul was a Jew who had come to know Christ. The things which Paul taught about Jesus were rooted in his scholarly understanding of the scriptures. Paul most assuredly would have thought through the scriptures as a Jewish scholar and would have understood Christ’s death and resurrection in view of the scriptures. Paul tells the Corinthians the following:

I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures… ~ 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Paul certainly understood Christ’s death in view of the Old Testament scriptures and did not have to teach contrary to the Old Testament’s motif when he speaks of Christ dying for our sins. Paul spoke of Christ’s death in view of the precedent set forth within the sacrificial system because those sacrifices foreshadowed Christ.

Jesus is our Redeemer, and he died for our sins as one who was pure and holy. There is no precedent in scripture which would indicate that the offerings for sin were made sinful with the sins of the people, which is how 2 Corinthians has been interpreted by some. Instead they were to be offered as unblemished sacrifices which were holy to the Lord.

Leviticus 6:25 says, “Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, this is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it is most holy.”

Leviticus 22:21 tells us that the sacrifices which foreshadowed Christ had to be perfect in order to be accepted.

Christ was perfect. He was without sin. He knew no sin;. There was no spot or blemish in him. He died for our sins as a perfect and holy sacrifice, accepted by God.

Jesus Christ died as an unblemished lamb whose blood is pure and holy. The scripture says we were not redeemed with corruptible things, instead we were redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ as from a lamb without spot or blemish (See 1 Peter 1:18-19). The teaching of the Bible is that our redemption is by virtue of the blood of Jesus.

Jesus is, was, and always will be holy, pure, and just. The apostle Peter declared that he is the holy and just One which the people rejected (Acts 3:14). Peter also declared that he is the prince of life and that the grave could not hold him because God would not allow his holy one to see corruption. (See Acts 2:24, 27; 3:15)

The Bible tells us that we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:5-10). It was in his body that he bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24) and it was his flesh that he gave for the life of the world (John 6:51) so that he could redeem us by his precious blood. ~ Ephesians 1:7