HEAVENLY CONSCIOUS?

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Many will read this verse and talk about heaven.
However, this is not talking about heaven as a location as much as it's talking about a status to which our earthly conduct must align.

No Double Jeopardy with God

Double jeopardy is a procedural defence that forbids a defendant from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following a legitimate acquittal or conviction. (Wikipedia.org)

Once you're acquitted by a court of competence, either because you're guiltless or because you have fully been punished for your offence, YOU SHALL NOT AGAIN BE TRIED OVER THAT SAME OFFENCE.

The Wages of Sin is Death, but…

Let me tell you one funny interpretation of this I've heard from people.

You're watching a movie. You see one wicked man, doing evils, making many cry, using some witchcraft powers, financial advantage or political influence to oppress people so much that he's led to the death of many. In fact, you're almost beginning to forget it's just a movie in that you're already taking it personal. And towards the end of the movie, somehow the wicked man dies a terrible death. And then you say "that's good for him. Well deserved! Because bible says 'the wages of sin is death'". Oops!

Oftentimes we take this verse carnally in judging people they ought to be saving. We're supposed to be channels of salvation to the wicked people around us, and not judges sentencing them to eternal punishment.

Now what is the verse actually saying?
For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Romans 6:23 KJV)

Now, is this verse saying you should die for your sins? No! No!
Let's see the previous verse.

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the END of those things [is] DEATH… {but did you die? If someone had killed you then, will you have had the opportunity of salvation?}
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:21-22)

So, it isn't saying anyone that sins should be killed. Rather, it's saying, the wages sin pays you is death, but God's gift is that you live forever. Which would you rather choose?

Now, observe the contrast the author used in describing both terms – death and eternal life.

One is "wages", the other is "gift".

A wage is a DESERVED pay. "for the labourer is worthy of his hire" (Luke 10:7). "The labourer [is] worthy of his reward." (1Tim 5:14) It is something you have WORKED FOR and thus you MUST get. It is your right. Man sinned, and got paid in death. It was well deserved. And truly, death reigned over all (Rom 5:14). But eternal life through Christ Jesus is the part that is not merited, yet God gave it to us. Wont you say "Thank you Jesus"?

So the verse isn't instructive: it is descriptive, better still, narrative. It's informing you of what HAS BEEN DONE. Man (including you) had sinned already! "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)… and now, God's gift is available, to overwrite the death with eternal life. God's Grace is greater than sin! Alleluia!

It will be wickedness next time, to recite only the death part of this verse just because you are displeased and so get judgmental. Recite it in full! Let men also know they don't have to die for their sins. That you're wicked doesn't mean you should pay the price for your wickedness: for you Christ died. Alleluia!

Holiness 2 Yes! We are holy

Any and every believer is already holy by virtue of the fact that he's been SET APART by God for Himself. God has already called us OUT of the multitude: we are holy unto the Lord. Living the 'APART life' is a different thing and it is called holy living. It is not BEING HOLY: it is LIVING HOLY.

For THE TEMPLE OF GOD IS HOLY (sacred to Him) and THAT [TEMPLE] YOU [THE BELIEVING CHURCH AND ITS INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS] ARE. (1 Corinthians 3:17 AMP)

You cannot accept that you are God's temple and disagree you are holy. God cannot have an UNHOLY TEMPLE. He is the one who SANCTIFIES His temple.

This brings us to some popular misconceptions about sanctification. To sanctify means to make holy: to "holify"something. Whatever process it takes to make a thing holy is sanctification and the state is called sanctity or holiness.
Now if every believer is HOLY, it means they ALL have undergone the sanctification process. Therefore there is no unsanctified believer.

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, THROUGH SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:2 KJV)
So you cannot be "Elect" or chosen without sanctification. His choice of you made Him call you APART.

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning CHOSEN you to salvation through SANCTIFICATION of the Spirit and belief of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV)
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all THEM WHICH ARE SANCTIFIED. (Acts 20:32 KJV)

So the believers are generally called "them that are sanctified"

Can you see that sanctification is not when after salvation you pray and pray and try your best to sin no more? Sanctified is rather who you are!

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, BUT YE ARE SANCTIFIED, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Yes, there are believers who commit sin! But God does not change the name He calls you even when you don't seem to live up to the honour of that name. He kept calling Abraham father of many nations even when He had no child. He'll maintain that name until you finally realize it and you're transformed by the renewing of your mind. The earlier you accept His verdict, the earlier you live up to it. He believes in you: you are HOLY unto Him.

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
(1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV)

Finally, you are not your own. Your Owner says you are holy. "Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus?". This holiness is not your own. Glorify God for it and live worthy of it.

But God has given you a place in Christ Jesus, through whom God has given us wisdom and righteousness and salvation, and MADE US HOLY  (1 Corinthians 1:30 BBE)

But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free. (1 Corinthians 1:30 GNB)

You are God's children. He sent Christ Jesus to save us and to make us wise, acceptable, and HOLY. (1 Corinthians 1:30 CEV)

Emmanuel?

[[Mat 1:23]] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Why must Jesus be called Emmanuel? If you've been conversant with the bible, you'll know whenever names are given to people, it is always to say something about what the parents feel, or what God says, about a contemporary situation. Remember how a sorrowful mother gave birth to a child and said the child should be called Ichabod. What's her message? - The glory has departed from Israel. See 1 Sam 4:21

What of Jabez? He was born by a mother in sorrow and was thus so named. 1Chron 4:9

Hosea was asked to marry a prostitute
Hos 1:4 and has by her Jezreel;
Hos 1:6 Loruhamah;
Hos 1:8 and Lo-ammi
All were messages to the nation.

After the fall of Adam and how God has announced the Good news of a coming "seed of the woman" who will give life, that was when Adam gave the woman the name - Eve

[[Gen 3:20]] And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all LIVING.

What's the point? Names don't come in the Bible without a message, especially in such a case like this when God is the namer. So why the name - Emmanuel?

Now this is why that name emerged. The name simply means "God With Us". That is, God is now joined to man in this child that is born.

Hmmm..

Was there a separation before? Of course. The same Isaiah announced this.

[[Isa 59:1-2]] 1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2 But your iniquities have SEPARATED between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

The separation was by sin. And Jesus born to save from sins (Matt 1:21), therefore will remove the sin barrier and sanctify (Heb 10:5-9). This He did and said it is finished! God and man today is reconciled by the sacrifice of Jesus.

[[Rom 5:10]] For if, when we were enemies, we were RECONCILED to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Emmanuel! Emmanuel!! Each time you shout that name, you're saying, "I'm now at PEACE with God. I'm now reconciled with God! No barriers anymore!". Do you want to shout it one more time?

Now pay attention to this! Having established this, It will be out of place for anyone to quote Isaiah 59:1 and say "your sins is hindering God from hearing you, it's your sin! it's your sin! God is against you". It cant be true! because what? because Emmanuel! God said Emmanuel! God with us! No barriers!

Now Someone might want to say, "yes but that is only after you have repented. It does not apply to someone who still sins". I would probably have agreed with you but I will be ignoring scriptures if I so do.

[[Rom 5:10]] For if, WHEN WERE ENEMIES (not when we changed our ways to be friends with God)... when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son...

[[2Co 5:19]] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES UNTO THEM; (so people being reconciled can have trespasses...) and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

So what we are sent to preach is the word of RECONCILIATION (God with us, not imputing trespasses...), not the word of SEPARATION (God has turned His back, your sins have separated etc).

This is the Good News. Christ has FULLY paid for all your sins: you either believe this or continue to walk in error. He is in fact an "overpayment" for your sins (1jn 2:2). People have always think that you must give something to be a partaker of the blessings of God. Stop this deception! Forgiveness is Free in Christ Jesus! (Romans 3:24).
Take this FREE OFFER of righteousness and give thanks. Alleluia!

What Romans 6:1 Does Not Say About Grace and Sin

Romans 6:1
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

This popular "balance-striking" verse indeed! What does it say, and what does it not say?

Yes! This verse establishes how that grace and sin are antithetical. It makes us see the incompatibility of grace and sin. It says we shall not continue in one that the other may abound. In other words, the continuity of one forbids the continuity of the other. Yes! This interpretation is safe up to this point.

However, bear in mind it does not say, "Grace will fade out for sin".

That is, it will be wrong to interpret it as "if you continue to sin, grace will vacate you". It did not say so and could not have. You know why?

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.

God forbid what? Sin, devil, grace, or us in sin; which did God forbid?
Read the verse again.
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid…

God forbid that WE (not grace) should continue IN SIN… so we might go on IN GRACE. Our continuity in sin is what "God forbid"; not the continuity of grace!
Shall WE IN SIN continue, that the new Mr Grace may abound? God forbid…

Now, how does/did God enforce the "God forbid"? How did God ensure we don't continue in sin that Mr. Grace may abound?
By Killing Mr Grace?
By punishing defaulters with the withdrawal of grace so that others will "run away from sin" in fear?
By vexing off Mr Grace?

Now can you see how we have added many things into that verse?
Romans 6 did not say that. What says it then?

God forbid. How shall WE, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Romans 6:2

That is, "we TO sin or we IN sin are already dead: so how shall we to sin who is dead ever live IN sin again?"
Simply put "God already forbade us continuing in sin that grace may abound in making us DEAD to SIN", "For he that is dead is freed from sin." (Romans 6:7)
(As additional information, verse 9-10 makes us know that this death to sin cannot happen twice: you don't live in sin after once dying to it. Just read it yourself and take note)

So that is the "God forbid" he is talking about; not "taking His grace away from us". What can we ever achieve without grace? What else can make a hardened sinner come to repentance but a persistent communication of everlasting love and mercy which endures forever to him? Grace is greater and stronger than our sins! Did you not read this verse?
"where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20)

True recipients of grace do not "live" in sin. "How shall we, that are dead to sin, LIVE any longer therein?" (Rom 6:2). It is not sin dealing with grace but God forbidding sin by grace.
That as sin hath reigned unto death… (That is, sin's despotic era is over) even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)
Praise Jesus!

You don’t “deserve” a miracle

Have you ever thought like this?

"If only we could live a very holy life before God, if you can just maintain a sinless life before God, ah… before you say 'God do this…',  it's already done; our words will become commands answered speedily. The reason we are praying and it is hard to get answers is because of our sins. If we can just be holy…"

Ah! If you think like that, you will never work a miracle. If you think God is not hearing you "speedily" like some "holier men of God" because you have not been as perfect as them, hmm… you're distancing yourself from being used mightily by God.
Why do miracles happen? Because people are holy? Do they cease because people are not holy?
Peter and John have performed several miracles before; and they have this to say after healing a lame man at the Beautiful Gate:

And when Peter saw [it], he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power OR HOLINESS WE HAD MADE THIS MAN TO WALK? (Acts 3:12 KJV)

Did you see that? Peter confessed, it's not our holiness actually even though it is this Peter who wrote to the church on the need to "be holy"
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:15-16 KJV)

Why do miracles happen?

God gives you his Spirit and works miracles in you. But does he do this because you obey the Law of Moses or because you have heard about Christ and have faith in him? (Galatians 3:5 CEV)
That's the answer we finally got! Miracles happen because we BELIEVE.

And these signs shall follow THEM THAT BELIEVE; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18 KJV)

And miracles cease when people step out of faith.

And he {Jesus} did not many mighty works there BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF. (Matthew 13:58 KJV)
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, WHY COULD NOT WE CAST HIM OUT? And Jesus said unto them, because of your UNBELIEF… (Matthew 17:19-20 KJV)

The world has always been wicked. People have always sinned. But miracles will not cease as long as whenever the son of man comes, He finds FAITH.
Jesus worked "mighty works" amongst UNREPENTANT people

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because THEY REPENTED NOT (Matthew 11:20)

But it was not until He got amidst UNBELIEVING people, the powerful Jesus that we know was grounded.

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed [them]. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. (Mark 6:5-6)

Righteous living surely has got its place. However, don't shortchange yourself to try to merit any gift of God: no, not by your standard of disciplined life. So that it may be fulfilled which was written: "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:31 KJV)