Without a doubt, mercy and forgiveness are wonderful gifts to experience and receive, for sure; not to mention to extend to others as well. 

 But there are a lot of ‘sinner folks’ out there, both in the church and unbelieving ‘worldly-lost-folks’ who are not looking for mercy and forgiveness; they are looking for freedom. 

 I will also say there are plenty who seek neither of those (freedom or forgiveness) as well. (John 3:19-20) 

 The modern church world has a ‘bad optics’ problem that needs to be addressed. I would go as far to suggest that we’ve been sending the wrong (or misguided) message and we would do well to address this problem. That is, if we want to be more effective reaching all those ‘lost sinner folks’ out there in the world who are indeed, actually seeking and desiring true freedom. 

 We are big on promoting a God who ‘loves and forgives’. Yes, that is a wonderful message of hope.(1 John 2:1; 1:9) But can I just tell you now that where we have fallen short is not declaring the power of the gospel that sets people free.(Acts 26:18) And why have we fallen short in this area? Because we only present that as ‘theory’ since the majority of us can’t even seem to walk in this freedom we ‘say we believe in’ ourselves. I only say that because nearly every sincere church member out there continues to re-enforce this idea that believers are going to continue to sin until Jesus comes back. And if that is the case, what ‘freedom’ do we really have? (John 8:34) 

 I have no doubt that when people hear me or anyone else who might teach from the bible and suggest that we can truly ‘sin no more’, they get offended...frustrated and even discouraged by hearing it. Why? Why would hearing what God has to say about being free from sinning would upset people? God knows my intent is not to condemn or anger people; on the contrary...I just want to shout from the rooftop the good news that we can be free...and free indeed. (John 8:36) 

 I do have a hunch though as to why people take exception to such a message and it is because they have believed a lie that opposes what God’s word has said. (1 John 3:6,9). I would even suggest that lie is a spiritual ‘stronghold’ that has taken root in people’s hearts and is there to oppose the word of God. That was the fundamental problem the Pharisees had with Jesus, who IS...the Word. He did not ‘fit’ with what they believed. (Mark. 7:5-16). In fact, it would not surprise me at all that this ‘lie’ that the majority of sincere church people have embraced could very well be that lie that God Himself was going to allow in (bible actually says ‘send’) there in 2 Thess. 2:10-12. Do you know why God was going to send this ‘strong delusion’? Because folks did not have a ‘love for the truth’. And His Word “is Truth”. (John 17:17) 

 Let me offer up a few illustrations here to make my point. 

 Suppose you have a car that was leaking oil, and also had a tendency to ‘backfire’ on a regular basis. Everyone knew when you were coming down the street, because it was that loud. Then, one day while at work, a fellow colleague mentions something to you about their car problems and how it is leaking oil and the engine backfires in a really bad way. Suppose they tell you this as you are heading out to lunch and you offer to drive. Your face lights up and you tell them about your mechanic who is super nice and reasonable, and the one you always take your car to and how you had that problem as well. Your colleague then asks for the name and number of this mechanic, encouraged by this new information and are now hopeful they too, may get their car problem resolved. 

 On the way back from lunch, your car backfires, loudly, a time or two. Your colleague says nothing but does cut a glance of curiosity your way, a tad puzzled. When you pull back into the parking lot, they notice a small puddle of oil where you were parked previously. Now they have to ask...”Is your car still leaking oil? I also heard your car backfire a time or two on the way back here as well.” 

 You turn to them and casually mention with a smile...”Oh, yeah...it still leaks oil and backfires every once in a while...but not nearly as bad as it used to.” 

 I don’t want to sound overly presumptuous here, (and I could be wrong) but I’m guessing that they are not going to be calling ‘your mechanic’ any time soon. Why would they? 

 This next illustration I want to share is one I need to be careful with so as to not miscommunicate the message of God’s unfathomable mercy. And let me state up front that Yes, the ‘mercy of the Lord endures forever’ and Jesus also taught that we are to ‘forgive seventy times seven’ when someone sins against us. (Matt. 18:22). But is has been my observation and concern that the way we present this truth of God’s mercy is similar in fashion to a person who has auto insurance, which we all know is a wise and comforting thing to have. In fact, most would admit they hope they never have to make use of it. But we are glad to know it is there ‘in the event of’. ( IF....we sin, not ‘when’. – 1 John 2:1) 

 I can assure you, that if you are having to call your insurance company every other week to report another claim because of your ‘mishaps’ while driving...it won’t be long before you get a letter (or email) notifying you that your policy has been cancelled. Am I right, or am I right? 

 Now don’t be too quick to rise up and dismiss this illustration because you believe God would never ‘cancel’ His mercy and forgiveness towards you. I will again, offer up two passages for your consideration that you may well be familiar with. I will even agree they are troubling passages that most probably don’t know how to explain or respond to, which is fine. There are plenty of those verses in the bible I feel the same way about. But I sure am not going to reject them or dismiss them because I don’t fully understand them. But these two...make more sense to me now. 

 Both are in Hebrews. – “IF...we sin willfully after...we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgement, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” (10:26-27). 

 Were you aware that anyone who continues to walk in the flesh and remain ‘carnally minded’ is an ‘adversary’ or ‘hostile’ towards God? (Rom. 8:7-8). I think we spend more time making excuses for our flesh nature than we do obeying the Spirit in putting it to death. (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5) 

 Oh, the other passage, I will let you read for yourself. Begin in Heb. 5:12 and read through 6:6. That is where some obviously carnal believers had stalled out in their walk and were being exhorted to ‘move on to perfection’. 

 You may have noticed in both passages these statements: “for those who were once enlightened” (6:4) along with “after we have received the knowledge of the truth” (10:26). I would submit that most have not yet reached this place of ‘insight’ or ‘revelation’ that we can truly be set free and ‘sin no more’. That would be because they have believed the lie they cannot be free. And trust me, that is NOT a legitimate excuse or exemption. Just ask those folks in Matt. 7:21-23. 

 Again I cite Hosea 4:6 as to why God said His people are ‘destroyed’... and it was due to a ‘lack of knowledge’. 

 If you are one of those sincere believers who continues to struggle with sin and flesh and the devil, I’m not here trying to discourage you. I want you to know it does not have to be that way. I understand that struggle...as I was engaged with the same battle my entire adult life as a believer. But that has changed and I cannot remain silent. The freedom God has for us is real, it is authentic and it is long lasting. We just have to admit and confess we had it all wrong and that there is a better way; as in His way. (James 4:6-10). Please know, I could never espouse such a message of false hope...had I not experienced this for myself. 

 One last point for today that I would like you to ponder. A few years ago, I met a man who professed to be a long-time believer. He was rejoicing over this character who plays the role of Jesus in that popular series, “The Chosen”. Something he said stuck with me that I found confusing and even troublesome. It was something along the lines of this: “I love this realistic portrayal of Jesus in this show. Finally...I feel like I can point people to this Jesus as a true representative of Christ. I want to tell people...look at him...don’t look at me...I’m a mess.” 

 IF...we are a long-time believer and follower of Christ...why are we still ‘a mess’? What does that say about the workmanship of the Holy Spirit who came to ‘conform us into the image of Christ’? (Rom. 8:29) 

 Did Paul not confidently encourage others to ‘follow him as he follows Christ’? (1 Cor. 11:1) 

 Are we not told that we have become a ‘new creation’ in Christ that should be evident to all? (2 Cor. 5:17; John 13:35) 

 Is Christ not supposed to be increasing in us as our old nature decreases? (John 3:30) Or are you still ‘leaking oil and backfiring’ from time to time? I’m not throwing stones at anyone... and the ‘mechanic’ you are visiting every Sunday may be a very nice and reasonable guy who makes you feel good about yourself. But it is possible that there is a reason all those ‘worldly lost folks’ are not coming to the same ‘garage’ we are. That’s because they are not looking for ‘love and forgiveness’ at this point; they are looking for ‘freedom’. As in, they want to be fixed so they go and ‘sin no more’. That...is true freedom. (John 8:32-36)