Memory of All of our Sins

Dr. Couch, I heard my pastor say that we will be reminded in heaven of all of our sins. We will see in glory the sins that Christ forgave us. Is this right?

ANSWER There are two things we need to consider when talking about our sins of the past. Positionally, God has forgiven us all our sins at the cross of Christ. We are justified and there are no charges against us. But in the Christian walk we sinned and we shall receive rewards for our good deeds and we will be reminded of the sins we committed as we walked through the Christian Experience in this life. Concerning the Bema Seat judgment we read:

"We shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he had done, where GOOD or BAD" (2 Cor. 5:10). BAD is the Greek word "kakos" which is often translated as "Evil." So it is clear that we will be reminded of those sins we committed during our Christian life. The "recompense" is the reward or "demerit" that we shall receive at the Bema! This will not be pleasant but it does not take away our salvation. It will be a reminder of what we did in the Christian walk.

The Bible does not speak of demerits so I am stepping out on a limb when I say this. But we will be recompensed by the "deeds done in the body," whatever that will be proven to be! Thus, we "know the fear of the Lord" when we stand before Him at this judgment. Our Walk will be "made manifest to God" (v. 11) in our conscience as we appear before the Lord in heaven. The fear is not about the loss of salvation. Our salvation is secure in Christ, and indeed, all of our sins were Positionally forgiven at the cross. These verses have to do with the judgment of what we did while believers here on earth, but loss of salvation is not an issue.

Most Bible teachers have not handled this subject, and it is only recently that I began to look at what Paul was saying about the Christian life and the sins that we commit as believers. But to review: all our sins are forgiven and taken care of at the cross, there is no doubt about this.

A final reminder: "Why do you judge your brother? Why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. … For every knee shall bow to Me, ..." (Rom. 14:10-11). "So then, each one of us shall give account of himself to God" (v. 12).

James adds: "The coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brothers, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing right at the door (to take us home in the rapture) for the Bema judgment (James 5:9). If He came right now we will go into the judgment of the Bema and some of that judgment will not be pleasant!

To live our lives right now is a serious matter. We are to be responsible in the Christian Experience!

Thanks for asking.
—Dr. Mal Couch (3/11)

Justification and Being Born Again

Dr. Couch, what is the difference between Justification and being born again? Or is there a difference? ANSWER: JUSTIFICATION: "Justification" is a legal term that shows God has done something to the believer that makes him acquitted, declared righteous, that satisfies His divine requirement. Being "born again" has to do with spiritually becoming a child of God. The Greek words "righteous, righteousness, just, justification, justify" all come from the one word "to legally acquit" (dikaios). These Greek words are all related to the Hebrew word "tsadeek" as found in Genesis 15:6. "Abraham believed God and "it was reckoned," "accounted," "declared to" him for "righteousness." In other words, the Lord declared Abraham as righteous in His divine mind, or divine declaration. Abraham then was seen as righteous in the eyes of God. My illustration below helps me understand what God does when He declares one righteous: If you put a million dollars in my bank account, it could be said that I now have a million dollars applied to my account! But I didn't earn it; it was applied to me; or reckoned, account to me; I did not work for it, but I am now seen as a millionaire. If you looked at my bank account you would see me as a millionaire though I did not earn it (I could not work for it) but it is now seen as mine by God's declaration! We do not earn righteousness by works; it is the righteousness of God that comes through Christ and is given to us in His divine purpose. God now sees me as righteous! The apostle Paul said that Abraham's faith was "counted, imputed to him for righteousness" (Rom. 4: 3, 5). And "God imputed, accounted righteousness to him without works" (v. 9). And "not by works of righteousness are we saved" (Titus 3:5). "Righteousness comes by faith [not by works]" (Heb. 11:7). "Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness" (James 2:23). BORN AGAIN: "To be born again" means "to be again birthed." By this, I become a child of God and I am related to Him by faith. There are two classes of people in the world. Those born of God by faith and those who are the children of the devil (1 John 3:10). By faith, we are now sons of God (v. 2). God has exercised His power whereby we become children of God (John 1:12). Before, we were by nature children of wrath (that is, due wrath) (Eph. 2:3). We are now "followers of God, as dear children (5:1), and we are to walk as children of light (v. 8). Both expressions, (1) to be made righteous, and (2) to be born again, work together in Titus 3:5, though they are separate ideas. The verse reads: "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done (in, by means of) righteousness (or righteous acts), but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration (again generating, again birthing, new birth) and renewing (again newing, remaking) of the Holy Spirit." The expression "children of God," or "child of God" comes from the Greek word "teknon" which is a masculine word. It is sometimes translated as "son" or as "children, child" of God. Take your choice. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (1/11)

Reasons for Pretrib Rapture

Dr. Couch, I hold to the PreTrib rapture of the church but my elders do not. They think the church has to go through the trib in order to be cleaned up. Could you give the reasons for the PreTrib rapture? ANSWER:  I wrote the most complete chapter on this issue that has ever been written! It is used in three nationally published books. If you want the full facts you need to order my Dictionary of Premillennial Theology, published by Kregel. In this dictionary, the full answer is given.    You will be completely convinced by reading the chapter in that volume. Your elders are simply quoting someone else. They cannot substantiate what they say from the Bible. They do not understand positional justification and sanctification. They thus are very theologically ignorant and should not be elders!    The rapture of the church is as defensible as the virgin birth or the deity of Christ. I still cannot figure out why some are so adamant about denying the rapture. They just "don't like" the doctrine but have no reason to resist so much. Some folks just cannot read! They do not know how to study Scripture. And they are great quoters. They just say what someone else has said!    It will prove to me that those who do not order my book are showing that they really don't want to know the answers to this doctrine. The issue is over from my chapter! You need to get it!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (9/10)

Adopted, Heir, Justified, and Regenerated

Dr. Couch, what is the relationship between being adopted, made an heir, and being justified or regenerated? ANSWER:  Good question. The issue of becoming an heir is found in many passages of Scripture. The word is two words put together = "Legally called, or, designated." "klaro=called, nomos=law, legally." "To be legally designated."    Paul writes "If our inheritance be of the law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise" (Gal. 3:18). The inheritance has to do with salvation, and redemption. Paul adds, 'God gave us a pledge of our "inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:14). And, "from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance ..." (Col. 3:24).' The inheritance is eternal (Heb. 9:15) and it is incorruptible (1 Pet. 1:4).    The word "adoption" ties into the idea of an inheritance. The word is used only five times in the NT. The word is a combination of two words, Son + placement. Or, "to be designated or placed as a son" (whyo [son] + thesia [placement]). "To have all the rights and privileges as a son."    An adopted child has all the rights and privileges as a son. In ancient days, even as today, there were a lot of illegitimate children, or slave children, but they could be adopted and given all the rights and blessings of a child naturally born into the family. So with us, we are adopted into the family of God and given all the privileges of a natural born child.    Paul says we have received "the Spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba, Father!'" (Rom. 8:15). Or, "Daddy Father!" The apostle then ties it all together in the two verses that follow: The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him" (vv. 16-17).    This adoption then makes us "children by Jesus Christ to Himself" (Eph. 1:5). "Legal adoption, heirship, justification and regeneration" all tie together in the verses we've looked at. What a blessing given to us by the process of salvation that comes to us through the Lord Jesus!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (6-10)

Attribute of God - Righteousness

Dr. Couch, is righteousness an attribute of God? I've heard some say it is not. ANSWER:  The word righteousness in Greek is the word dikaiosunee and it means "to be just, faultless, guiltless, perfect." The Bible makes it clear that all three persons of the Trinity are righteousness. God is called "the righteousness Father" (John 17:25). Christ is the Just (the righteousness One) (Acts 7:52).    By faith, we are "made, counted, or receive by imputation, the righteousness of God. We do not become little gods, and we do not in a technical sense, share in the attribute of God's righteousness, though we are "declared" righteous. While this is in some way hard to understand, this makes us guiltless or faultless so that we can then enter the throne room of God with His perfection imputed to us.    We are "justified, made righteous by" Christ's blood (Rom. 5:9). "God imputed to us righteousness not by works" (Rom. 4:6). Righteousness is given to us as a free gift, resulting in justification (righteousness) (5:16) "and the gift of righteousness" which comes through Christ (v. 17). We are "justified (made righteousness) by faith in Christ (Gal. 2:16-17). Christ is referred to in Romans 4:5: "Believe in Him who justifies (makes righteousness) the ungodly." God then justifies and Christ justified; both persons in the Trinity makes imparts, imputes righteousness! Galatians 2:17 says we are made righteousness by Christ. Christ's act of righteousness on the cross results in justification of life to all men who trust Him (Rom. 5:18).    God sees His righteousness and the righteousness of His Son accounted, imputed to us, this is not the same thing in saying that we now have His attribute of righteousness. We are seen legally acquitted by that righteousness but we don't take on His attribute as part of us.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Feb., 10)

Is the Law still in Force?

Dr. Couch, I believe the Bible is clear that the Mosaic Law ended with Christ's death, but Matthew 5:17-18 troubles me. Is the Law still in force? ANSWER:  In these verses Christ said that He did not come to "abolish" the Law but instead, to fulfill it. He said not one part of it would pass away "until all is accomplished." "Abolish" is the Greek word "to destroy, to pull or tear down." It is an Aorist Infinitive and could be translated "to reach a point to tear [the Law] down." The word "fulfill" is "plaraoo" and it is also an Aorist Infinitive. "I came to complete the Law." He then adds that not one small part of the Law will pass away until "all of it should come about" (an Aorist Subjunctive).    Many believe that the Lord was indicating that He, by His life, would fulfill or keep the Law. What part of the Law? Probably not the Civil or Ceremonial part of it but the moral principles of the Law. Christ lived a perfect and complete life, with no sin, because He is the holy Son of God!    The NT says two things: (1) the Law would someday cease and be replaced by the New Covenant, and, (2) we would no longer be under the Law. That (1) the New Covenant would replace the Mosaic Law was stated in Jeremiah 31:31-32. "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel (Northern Kingdom) and with the house of Judah (Southern Kingdom), not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, …" With the new covenant the Jews will receive permanent forgiveness of sin (not so under the Mosaic covenant), and "their sins I will remember no more" (v. 34). Hebrews 8:6-13 picks up on this and says that the new covenant will replace the Law. "When God said 'A new covenant,' He had made the first covenant (the Law) obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear" (v. 13).    Paul then adds that (2) we are no longer under the Law which was a tutor to us to bring us to Christ. "We are no longer under a tutor" (Gal. 3:25). He also says: "You are no longer under law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14). "We have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit (the new covenant) and not in oldness of the letter (of the Law)" (7:6).    We are now justified not by law-keeping but by faith. "We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law" (3:28), thus we do not nullify the Law through our faith but instead "we establish the Law" (v. 31). Finally, "by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in God's sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin" (3:20). In place of law, we are "being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus" (v. 24).    I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch