I hope the graphic of this algebra equation I used today didn’t trigger anxiety attacks for anyone who suffers from math-phobia. While I never considered myself as a ‘math person’, I did well in college algebra when I went back to school later in life to finish my education before becoming a school teacher. I had hopes on teaching JRH History but began my career teaching 9th grade algebra at our local high school for two years before taking a position as a Reading teacher for 6-7th graders.

When I taught the algebra class, I remember having to grade a lot of homework, and there was a common mistake that was made frequently, which unfortunately always led to an incorrect answer for the students. And that common error usually involved the multiplying of positive and negative integers. For those who might remember those days….algebra problems could get …lengthy, in that there were multiple steps one had to work through to find the solution to the problem. So if the student began the first step or two and forgot that a negative times a positive number equaled a negative….then regardless of how well they mastered the rest of the steps, they would end up with the wrong answer. All that work for naught over a simple mistake at the start of the problem, if that makes sense to you?

I am using this illustration today to share a principal in scripture that I really believe could be life changing for anyone who ‘gets it’…and then allows the Holy Spirit to confirm to you, through God’s word…that what I am sharing here is truth. Otherwise, you may want to label me as a heretic, and I’m okay with that as well.

I am absolutely convinced that nearly all of us who call ourselves ‘Christian’…were ‘taught an error’ early on in our walk with Jesus. I will show you in scripture that what we were led to believe is just the opposite of what God’s word teaches, which effects everything else that we experience, and what we come to know, including how we approach God's word... throughout the rest of our walk of faith. I also believe the consequences of ‘getting it wrong’ are more serious than blowing a math quiz too. But this I can promise you…if you are willing to lay down, even briefly, the ‘mistake’ you were taught…and allow God’s word to show you otherwise…you will begin to have a greater understanding to what God’s word is speaking into your life, and could bring a deeper sense of renewal in your relationship with Him. And just like double checking your math homework…and catching the mistake before you turn the assignment in, realizing that 2 x (-3) = -6 instead of 6…that ‘slight correction’ changes the outcome of everything afterwards.

Are you ready to hear what the false premise is that we all were taught and began to believe? Many will find this offensive (if not heresy) and may not even choose to not finish the lesson here, but to those who long for truth, and are willing to study this out (Acts 17:11)…buckle up…because your life is about to change, just as mine did over 6 years ago. How many of you are familiar with the phrase: ‘We are all sinners saved by grace’?

How many have been taught that we will ‘always be sinners’…saved by grace, and that you will ‘always sin on this side of heaven’?

Perhaps you have embraced the familiar mantra: ‘Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven’; or maybe you have lived out the false premise that we are simply ‘flawed humans’ and therefore we are at best… ‘saints who sin’. Trust me, I know why that has been woven deep into the fabric of our doctrinal beliefs; but there is just one little problem with this line of thinking: it doesn’t line up with God’s word. Yes, I said what I said.

Now before you pick up rocks to stone me, let me be clear: We were ALL sinners…since ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’ (Rom. 3:23). And since we’ve grown up and been a part of churches where everyone believes that…and continues to ‘sin’…why would you think anything differently? For me personally, this ‘journey to revelation’ began with this passage found in John’s gospel, where Jesus shared these words…

“Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36)

What do you think Jesus came to ‘set us free’ from?

“How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom. 6:2). “Thank God that though you WERE (past tense) slaves of sin…you obeyed from the heart that form of teaching to which you were delivered… having been set free from sin…”( Rom. 6:17-18). “But having been set free from sin…and having become slaves of God…you have your fruit to holiness, and the end…everlasting life.” (Rom. 6:22). [the whole chapter would be worth your time to study- just saying]

And what are we going to do with these following verses?...

“Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him… Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” ( 1 John 3:6,9) Whoever sins, is of the devil {8}.

“We know that whoever is born of God does not sin…and the wicked one does not touch him.” ( 1 John 5:18)

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. (1 Pet. 4:1-2)

Do you not find it peculiar…that ‘compelling you sense within’…that wants you to go find someone who will tell you why those passages…don’t ‘really mean what they are saying’?

Let me assure you, you won’t have to run far (or wait long) to find someone who will be happy to tell you what that ‘compelling’ wants you hear. Do you remember what Jesus taught, explaining 'who comes immediately’ …after the word of God is sown? Satan does…to ‘take away the word that was sown into their hearts…lest they believe and are saved’ (Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12)

And do you remember when it all began to unravel for humanity, back in the garden? God made it quite clear: “Don’t eat off this one tree, for in the day that you do, you will surely die.” (Gen. 2:17). Who shows up in the following chapter, casting doubt on what God said, even asking…”Did God really say that?...this is what He really meant to say….so you can eat off this tree and you surely will not die!” (Gen. 3:1-4) He turned what God said...completely around to say jus the 'opposite'.

Imagine no longer having the need for churches to schedule special ‘singings and revivals’ to get that old ‘spiritual heart’ pumping again, as you learn to truly abide in Him and stay free of the very thing that ‘brings death’…where we constantly find a need to be ‘revived’. (Rom. 6:23; 8:13; Eph. 2:1)

Yeah…I’m gonna give you some time with this one today. I’ll be back…tomorrow, Lord willing.