In Christ Jesus, we are forever righteous in God's sight, "...even though we are guilty of many sins." Romans 5:16.

Believers, Christ didn't think His Gospel would make believers go out and start committing sins anyhow. Why do we think that preaching the message of Christ will make churchgoers go on sinning sprees? By God's Grace, lets not deny ourselves the experience of God's saving Grace that saves us from our sins simply because it does not conform to human logic,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

Believer, this is the Gospel of Christ:

Romans 5:19 says - "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous."

The above verse shows us that Adam’s sin is what made his descendants sinners, not committing acts of sin as many preach. Being a carrier of this sinful nature is what made all of Adam's descendants sinners and thus able produce sins. 

All carriers of the sin nature that Adam passed on to ALL of his descendants will commit sin at some point, just as carriers of the sickle cell gene (genotypes SS, SC, AS, AC, AE, AF, CC) will experience varying degrees of crises at some point in their lives because of the genetic disease that they carry. The "good, healthy days" that sickle cell gene carriers have, no matter how many, cannot not change their blood type: this is the same way that all the sinlessness, law-keeping and good works that a person does cannot change a his "sinner" status: 

“For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.” Romans 3:20. 

By the same token, it is ONLY Christ’s obedience that makes the sinner who believes righteous in God's sight (Romans 5:19,) and not law-keeping, acts of righteousness or our futile attempts at being sinless. Believer, Christ has rid all who believe of this sinful nature that was inherited from Adam and which labelled all mankind "sinner." Colossians 2 says of Him:

11 "When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins."

Understand why Christ was crucified and why God raised Him from the dead. We see why in Romans 4:25-

"Who was delivered up because of our offences, and was raised up because of our being declared righteous."

The Passion Translation puts it this way: "Jesus was handed over to be crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and was raised back to life to prove that He had made us right with God!"

Christ's resurrection is the divine evidence that we have been made righteous before God forever and apart from works or what sins somebody committed. In Christ, we are no longer carriers of the sin nature inherited from Adam but we are a new creation - carriers of His "righteousness nature." This gift of righteousness has got nothing to do with whether a person sinned or not. Rather, it is only by receiving God's abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ that we get to live in triumph over sin and death (Romans 5:17.)

In essence, see the sickle cell gene as a picture of the sin nature that was inherited from Adam; Christ came to change us from "sickle cell gene carriers" where crises (sins) that lead to death is inevitable, to "AA genotype" where crises do not exist:

A carrier of the sickle cell gene might enjoy long spells of good health and even seem healthier than some with genotype AA, but this does not change the fact that he is a carrier. Likewise, some churchgoers might seem holy and righteous but without depending SOLELY on God's gift of everlasting righteousness to us in Christ, such are still unrighteous in God's sight, no matter how hard they try not to sin or keep the law. In fact, striving to keep the law in a bid to be righteous in God's sight (dependence on human effort at attaining godliness after God gave His own Son for this purpose) is what defines the sinful nature. 

A person with AA genotype might get sick sometimes, but his sicknesses are not from having sickle cell disease and they can never make him become a sickle cell disease carrier. He has no disease within. By the same token, a person who has Christ as his righteousness might fall into sin but his sins do not make him revert to being a carrier of the sin nature. In God's sight, we who have Christ as our righteousness remain righteous, EVEN THOUGH  WE ARE GUILTY OF MANY SINS - the same way a person with genotype AA does not become a carrier of the sickle cell disease because he fell sick: see this in Romans 5:16-17:

"And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

Only by forsaking our useless efforts at getting right with God and receiving God's abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ do we get to live in triumph over sin and death. But Satan is actively trying to get churchgoers focused on keeping the law by will-power in order to get right with God. Believer, this is how to get cut off from Christ! See Galatians 5:4-

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace."

Salvation in Christ is not about our useless ability to keep the law or suppress sins by human effort in order to be godly (be like God.) This is as silly as saying a person with SS genotype can change his status to AA by suppressing his crises by will-power aka the arm of flesh that will fail. 

Believer, beware of "pastors" who preach that you should strive to keep the law in order to be godly (be like God.) 

This is the same strategy that Satan used to deceive Eve when he told her that that she would be godly (be like God) if she did something by human effort. But God had already made her to be like Himself; see Genesis 1: 

“26 Then God said, “And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over the fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild, large and small.” 27 So God created human beings, making them to be like Himself. He created them male and female,”

God already made Adam and Eve to be godly (like God,) just as He has made all who believe in Jesus godly because we believe. But Satan deceived her into believing that she had to do something extra by human effort in order to be like God. See the forbidden fruit as a picture of the law that many are trying to obey in order to be godly (be like God) in Romans 7:8-12 (MSG)-

"The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of “forbidden fruit” out of it. The law code, instead of being used to guide me, was used to seduce me."

But many churchgoers are trying to keep the law first order to be godly and so are cut off from Jesus Christ the Tree of Life!

Beloved of God, Isaiah prophesied of Christ's suffering for us in Isaiah 53. See the effect of His sacrifice for us in Isaiah 53:11-

"After He has suffered, He will see the light of life. And He will be satisfied. My godly servant will make many people godly because of what He will accomplish. He will be punished for their sins."

Christ suffered and died to make us righteous/godly aka "be like God." The same Isaiah 64:6 describes all of our righteousnesses from keeping the law (self-righteousnesses) as "a menstrual rag" in God's sight: 

"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."

For all who believe in Jesus Christ, our "blood type" has changed, no matter who we are. Christ died to make us godly. We were all "carriers" of the sinful/old nature that all mankind inherited from Adam and which causes man to have crises of sin, the same way carriers of the sickle cell disease will have crises at some point in their lives.

Because we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we no longer have the old nature. We are a new creation in Christ. We have His "righteousness" or "godly" nature as a gift from God. We cannot lose God's "AA" gift of righteousness to us in Christ when we sin, just as people with AA genotype can never become sickle cell disease carriers whenever they fall sick. Even people with AA genotype get sick sometimes, but this does not make them carriers of sickle cell disease.

Christ’s righteousness is a gift to all who believe and it has got nothing to do with the ability to suppress sins, much like how having AA genotype has got nothing to do with human effort at suppressing crises. See how God sees we who believe in Jesus in Romans 5:9:

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

No amount of law-keeping or suppressing sins can save from wrath or make anyone righteous before God. Only the blood of Jesus which God graciously provided for the salvation of the world that He so loved will suffice.

Before we became born-again, as carriers of the old/sin nature that was inherited from Adam by all mankind, did we have to force ourselves to be broke, sick, depressed, barren, proud, anxious, fearful or commit sins in general? No. These things - works of the flesh - happened naturally because of the inherited sin nature that controlled us when we were carriers of the sinful/old nature- the same way carriers of the sickle cell gene will have crises.

The sin nature in man (aka "the flesh" aka "man without the Holy Spirit" aka human effort) is characterised by trying to obey the law in order to be godly or get right with God. This is an effort in futility. It is as impossible as an SS person trying to become AA through human striving at avoiding the crises associated with his disease. The law that many are striving to keep in order to be godly only arouses sinful passions that produce sins that lead to death in those who try: see this in Romans 7:5-

"When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death." 

Like me (I'm genotype AC,) some carriers of the sickle cell gene (genotype AS, AC, AE and even CC) do not show clinical symptoms or experience serious crises like the genotypes SS and SC but this does not mean that they are free from the disease. Many churchgoers are in a similar situation today: many feel that their law-keeping and the "resultant" absence of "sin crises" in their lives is what makes them "AA" in God's sight and not the blood of Jesus. Such are still carriers of the sinful nature and any fruit they bear is infected with the sin nature that they still carry - like a menstrual rag in God's sight. Death is the result.

Believer, believe right. Now that we are in Christ, dead to sin, our "blood type" and entire DNA have been re-written to be like Christ's; we are no longer carriers of the sinful nature that is the result of Adam's disobedience. We have been made righteous by Christ's obedience. 

Carriers of the sickle cell gene don't have to force themselves to have a crisis. It comes naturally: before we became born-again, as carriers of the old/sin nature that was inherited from Adam by all mankind, we didn't have to force ourselves to be broke, sick, depressed, barren, proud, anxious, fearful or get the desire to commit sins in general.

Likewise, with our new "righteousness nature" in Christ, our peace, sufficiency, health, fruitfulness, humility, peace of mind, living a life that is free from "crises of sins" and generally bearing fruit to God also happen naturally as a result of our being united with Christ: see the full context in Romans 7:4 -

"So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the One who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit."

But many churchgoers are trying to keep the law first  order to be godly (AA). No friend. This is death. Only when the believing is right can right living follow.

Good works are evidences of our salvation in Christ, not conditions.

By God's Grace, let's not follow after the example of Adam and Eve who were deceived into believing that they had to do something by their own human striving (arm of flesh) in order to "be like God" when God already created them in His likeness. Satan's strategy has not changed since his deceit in the Garden of Eden. The spirit of the antichrist is not anti-God. It is a very "churchy" and very religious spirit that preaches strongly against sins and is always shouting the need for you to be godly and holy from the rooftops. It's carriers seem outwardly holy and righteous and always act like it takes a level of skill and "holiness" for you to be able to dare to come into God's presence - you have to go through them. 

One thing reveals that their true master is Satan: they will never point you to Christ and His finished work of making even the vilest offender who believes righteous/godly in God's sight. As Satan their master did with Eve in the garden of Eden, they point you to your own non-existent will-power and what you must do by human striving in order to be godly aka be like God. But what can a sin nature carrier do by his own power to change his sinful nature? What can a sickle cell gene carrier do by human effort to rid himself of his genetic condition?

Believer, by God's Grace, let's not be found believing the fake religion of antichrist pastors who point you to yourself as your own saviour. Christ died to make us godly. With Christ as our righteousness, our path is like the morning sun that shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18.) 

Let's take our blessed brains to church - why would our path in Christ get brighter and brighter if right now, we have the issue of sins under control? 

Carriers of the sinful nature that was inherited from Adam can only look forward to a life full of crises of sins and death. No matter how hard they try to keep the law in order to avoid crises and become "AA" aka righteous in God's sight, their sin nature defines them as sinners.

But believer, we who believe are no longer carriers of the sinful nature. Through the blood of Jesus, God sees all of us who believe as spiritually "genotype AA" - perfectly righteous. Even though we sin sometimes, our sins do not define who we are in Christ. And because we are in Christ, our path gets brighter and brighter... we have a confident expectation of a long, healthy life that is increasingly free from crises of sin and death - not through our puny arm of flesh (human striving) that will fail but through the power of Christ in us.

Do you who believe still have some sins, addictions, depression, oppression, lack, sickness or any other symptom of the curse/death that you are struggling with? Lay them all at Christ's feet and let Him do His work of saving you from them all. Christ paid for our freedom from sin, earthly ills and death with His suffering. See what Christ came to do for you and I in Titus 2:14- 

"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

Know that in Christ, we have been raised from death to life. Our path only gets brighter and brighter....only confess with your mouth what you believe in your heart- that you are righteous by faith in Him. Salvation will follow as it is written in Romans 10:

9 "because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].”

"Salvation" here is not just being saved to go to heaven; it is deliverance from the molestation of enemies and redemption from all earthly ills (anxiety, depression, sickness, lack, stupid mistakes, etc.) It is being saved from the power, pleasure and penalty of sin! The word used in the original Greek text of the New Testament is Swthria (pronounced soteria) and it encompasses all these meanings. 

In Christ, you can expect good things to happen to you, not because you deserve it but because He is Grace- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour.