Do You Say The Way of Jesus Is Unfair?

Brothers and sisters, I am continuing into Romans 8. When you read this, it seems confusing. There is the "Good News" and then there is the "Warning". This has confused many people, myself being one! One of the problems many of us have is incorrect teachings from the Reformation, which created "Dispensations" in order to contradict Rome's false teaching about salvation. The result of the Reformers false teaching that we cannot fall away from Christ, also did away with our clear responsibility!!!

You cannot understand Romans, unless you know what Jesus said in Ezekiel 18 (also in other chapters and other writers). Remember, there has been and still is ONE gospel, ONE salvation, ONE way to GOD. That is the shed blood of Jesus the Messiah who has been revealed!

Jesus warns and explains salvation in Ezekiel 18. Please note the phrase "will not die" is eternal death. We all die physically, but those who do not repent and follow Jesus, will die eternally in flames. Jesus repeats his words several times in Ezekiel, adding great importance to what He said!! Blessed be the name of Jesu the Messiah! I fear the lover of my soul and do not want to depart from him. He had mercy on me and I want to finish the race. I want to please Him. He is the source of True Love and every good thing! Revelation also tells the churches we will be judged based upon what we have done. Believers can still chose to live by their corrupt natures, which lead to death (eternal death).

Ezekiel 18 GWT

21"But suppose a wicked person turns away from all the sins that he has done. He obeys all my laws and does what is fair and right. He will certainly live. He will not die. 22All the rebellious things that he did will not be remembered. He will live because of the right things that he did. 23I don't want wicked people to die." declares the Almighty LORD. "I want them to turn from their evil ways and live.

24"But suppose a righteous person turns away from doing right and he does evil things. He does all the disgusting things that the wicked person did. Will he live? All the right things that he has done will not be remembered because of his unfaithfulness and because of his sin. He will die because of them. 25"But you say, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' Listen, nation of Israel, isn't my way fair? Isn't it your ways that are unfair? 26When a righteous person turns away from doing right and does evil things, he will die. He will die because of the evil things he has done. 27When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live.28He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die.29"But the nation of Israel says, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' Isn't my way fair, nation of Israel? Isn't it your ways that are unfair?

30"That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel," declares the Almighty LORD. "Change the way you think and act. Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin. 31Stop all the rebellious things that you are doing. Get yourselves new hearts and new spirits. Why do you want to die, nation of Israel? 32I don't want anyone to die," declares the Almighty LORD. "Change the way you think and act!"

Romans 8 GWT

Good News

1So those who are believers in Christ Jesus can no longer be condemned. 2The standards of the Spirit, who gives life through Christ Jesus, have set you free from the standards of sin and death. 3It is impossible to do what God's standards demand because of the weakness our human nature has. But God sent his Son to have a human nature as sinners have and to pay for sin. That way God condemned sin in our corrupt nature. 4Therefore, we, who do not live by our corrupt nature but by our spiritual nature, are able to meet God's standards. 5Those who live by the corrupt nature have the corrupt nature's attitude. But those who live by the spiritual nature have the spiritual nature's attitude. 6The corrupt nature's attitude leads to death. But the spiritual nature's attitude leads to life and peace. 7This is so because the corrupt nature has a hostile attitude toward God. It refuses to place itself under the authority of God's standards because it can't. 8Those who are under the control of the corrupt nature can't please God.

Warning

9But if God's Spirit lives in you, you are under the control of your spiritual nature, not your corrupt nature. Whoever doesn't have the Spirit of Christ doesn't belong to him. 10However, if Christ lives in you, your bodies are dead because of sin, but your spirits are alive because you have God's approval. 11Does the Spirit of the one who brought Jesus back to life live in you? Then the one who brought Christ back to life will also make your mortal bodies alive by his Spirit who lives in you.

12So, brothers and sisters, we have no obligation to live the way our corrupt nature wants us to live. 13If you live by your corrupt nature, you are going to die. But if you use your spiritual nature to put to death the evil activities of the body, you will live. 14Certainly, all who are guided by God's Spirit are God's children. 15You haven't received the spirit of slaves that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God's adopted children by which we call out, "Abba! Father!" 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17If we are his children, we are also God's heirs. If we share in Christ's suffering in order to share his glory, we are heirs together with him.

Do not be deceived. You cannot serve Jesus and the devil. Satan lied to Adam and Eve and told them they could disobey God and not die. Do not follow in their footsteps. Jesus makes it very clear to us in Ezekiel and Romans that believers have a free will and can lose their salvation. In the New Testament we are given lists, in more than one place, of sins which keep those who practice them out of the kingdom of God. One example is from Jesus in the Revelation 21 GWT:

• 8But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 11 GWT:

• 21If God didn't spare the natural branches, he won't spare you, either. 22Look at how kind and how severe God can be. He is severe to those who fell, but kind to you if you continue to hold on to his kindness. Otherwise, you, too, will be cut off [from the tree]. 

Repent and follow Jesus in obedience while there is time. Do not test God and be like Adam and Eve. They were created to live forever, but they believed the lie from Satan that they would not die [spiritually]. Please do not mock God and test him with your willful, continued sinning. Turn from your sins to Jesus. If you sin, confess it, turn from it and get back on track obeying God.  

Genesis 2 GWT

16The LORD God commanded the man. He said, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden. 17But you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it, you will certainly die." (spiritually)

Genesis 3 GWT

4"You certainly won't die!" the snake told the woman. 5God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened. You'll be like God, knowing good and evil." 6The woman saw that the tree had fruit that was good to eat, nice to look at, and desirable for making someone wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Romans 13 GWT
11You know the times [in which we are living]. It's time for you to wake up. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first became believers. 12The night is almost over, and the day is near. So we should get rid of the things that belong to the dark and take up the weapons that belong to the light. 13We should live decently, as people who live in the light of day. Wild parties, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, rivalry, and jealousy cannot be part of our lives. 14Instead, live like the Lord Jesus Christ did, and forget about satisfying the desires of your sinful nature.

1 Timothy 4 GWT

1The Spirit says clearly that in later times some believers will desert the Christian faith. They will follow spirits that deceive, and they will believe the teachings of demons. 2These people will speak lies disguised as truth. Their consciences have been scarred as if branded by a red-hot iron. 3They will try to stop others from getting married and from eating certain foods. God created food to be received with prayers of thanks by those who believe and know the truth. 4Everything God created is good. Nothing should be rejected if it is received with prayers of thanks. 5The word of God and prayer set it apart as holy.

6You are a good servant of Christ Jesus when you point these things out to our brothers and sisters. Then you will be nourished by the words of the Christian faith and the excellent teachings which you have followed closely.