Yes you are correct but let us look and examine the root of sin which is unbelief or lack of faith.
The bible makes it clear that without faith it is impossible to please Him and whatever is not of faith is sin. So the truth is that without faith any true obedience is totally impossible.
Now we all believe something so unbelief does not believe in God's truth and character.
It was Jesus Christ who said “he that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of god."
The best example of this is when God had given the Promised Land to the children of Israel but only two of over 500,000 people believed God. The others believed an evil report instead of believing what God had said. Were these two men better than the rest? Not really but they did have a different Spirit.
We are clearly warned in the bible about this. Heb 4:1-4. “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”
1 Cor. 10:1-7, “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
The Gospel - the good news was not at fault but their response of unbelief was.
Heb. 3:7-12, Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”
We need to know that God has already given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
We can NOW boldly go to the throne of Grace NOW because we see and respond to God in faith knowing that Christ's work on the cross was totally absolute and complete.
Heb 4:14 16, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
I do not know about you but I now continually live in HIS throne room now.
_________________ Vern
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