“He Is the Same”

“He Is the Same”

Under this heading, Peder I. Ramsrud writes an article in For Poor and Rich, No. 35, 1947, from which I would like to quote the following.

“Our sanctification goes back and forth. At times our battle against sin succeeds, and we can rejoice over our small victories. Then it is easy to believe that you are saved. But then things go totally wrong. Defeat after defeat, with the result that our faith fails.

“Brothers and sisters! He is the same! As long as we flee to Jesus with our sins, and as long as we desire to be rid of our sins, our salvation is unshakable—because it is not our sanctification that saves us; it is Jesus and what He has done.

“The Lord [is] our Righteousness.” Jer. 33:16. This is the word that saved me. If we have fallen, yet He has not fallen. He is the same. Therefore we are just as righteous and just as saved in victory as in defeat.”

So much for Ramsrud.

When we read this, and then read what the apostles wrote, we are totally appalled at the great difference according to the spirit and the letter. Ramsrud writes that at times our battle succeeds, and we can rejoice over our small victories. But then things go totally wrong. Defeat after defeat. Then we need to ask this question: Is sanctification something that we have to achieve in our own strength so that we at times can rejoice over our small victories, and at other times suffer defeat? Isn’t it like this that we can do absolutely nothing without Jesus? Have we not become a branch on the vine? Isn’t it like this, that if we abide in Him we bear much fruit? John 15:5.

Whenever we win these small victories, isn’t it because we abide in Jesus? Then what is the reason for suffering defeat after defeat? Isn’t Jesus the same then as well? Is it so that then Jesus either doesn’t want to or cannot give us the victory? Listen to Paul’s testimony: “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” 2 Cor. 2:14. We can sense a totally different spirit of faith in this scripture in contrast to the spirit of unbelief in For Poor and Rich.

Ramsrud says further that it is not our sanctification that saves us, but Jesus and what He has done. Now let us listen to what the apostle says: Without sanctification no one will see the Lord. Heb. 12:14.

Sanctification is not gaining the victory once in a while and suffering defeat in between. Not at all! That is how those who are under the law live, striving in their own strength. Those who abide in Christ have come under grace, and they experience what Paul writes, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Rom. 6:14. They partake of sanctification.

Sanctification is surrendering our life into the death of Christ so that Jesus’ life can be manifested in our mortal body. 2 Cor. 4:10-11. Then victory and defeat is not a game of chance. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor. 3:18.

Ramsrud says further in his article: “‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ If we have fallen, yet He has not fallen. Therefore we are just as righteous and just as saved in victory as in defeat.” Then he quotes a verse from a song.

According to the above I should be just as much saved whether I am angry or when I have victory over anger; whether I lie or do not lie, whether I am anxious as if I did not cast all my cares on the Lord. It is obvious that Ramsrud does not at all believe in sanctification and victory, but only in the forgiveness of sins.

Receiving forgiveness for your sins is being reconciled to God through the death of His Son. However, the apostle goes on to say that once we have become reconciled, we shall also be saved much more by His life. Rom. 5:10.

This much more salvation by His life is totally unknown to most believers in these days. If we have received forgiveness for our anger and lying through Jesus’ blood, we shall much more overcome these sins—be saved from them—through the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore those who believe they are saved just as much in defeat as they are in victory must be totally blinded by the spirit of Antichrist, which was already working in John’s time. 1 John 2:18; 4:1-3. Therefore John was not deceived by those who said they knew Jesus but did not keep His commandments. He called them liars. 1 John 2:4.

“The Lord is our righteousness.” Ramsrud was delivered by this word, and he writes further: “If we have fallen, yet He has not fallen.” Well, we have to say that this is cunning craftiness. Eph. 4:14. Then we have to ask: “When I lie, can I then say that the Lord is my righteousness?” He has not lied because I have lied, and so I am just as righteous whether I lie or speak the truth?

We understand that this is total nonsense. And when things like this are written by leading men we must most certainly have come to the end times; for then men shall have a form of godliness, but deny its power. 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

It is this power that transforms us into new creations. What does the form help? It leads only to deception. Therefore the apostle says that we shall turn away from such people, and everyone who longs for sanctification should follow this exhortation.

It is fairly obvious that Ramsrud thinks exclusively of the forgiveness of sins—imputed righteousness—in the above-quoted passage. However, we have to ask this question: “Can we live in imputed righteousness without abiding in Christ?” This is how people would like it, but then we fall under Jude’s judgment: “Ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness . . . .” V. 4.

Imputed righteousness is the grace we receive when we come to Jesus as sinners. It is the gift of salvation without our own works, and in Christ Jesus we are created for good works which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph. 2:8-10. Therefore faith without works can be compared to a body without spirit. Jas. 2:26. It is a corpse, something that we must loath.

No one must imagine that he can live in this imputed righteousness without being molded in Christ Jesus for good works. The apostle of love says it with the following words: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” 1 John 2:6.

Ramsrud writes further in For Poor and Rich: “A young boy was so worried because he could not look forward to Jesus’ return. To be truthful, he was quite afraid. But was he afraid to come to Jesus with his sin and weakness today? Far from it! The safest and best thing he knew was to entrust himself to Him. Then why was he afraid that Jesus would come again? It was because he did not reckon with the certainty that He who shall come is exactly the same to whom we entrust ourselves each day here on earth. He is what He was, and will be what He is. This is what Jesus is.”

So much for Ramsrud.

We must say, “Poor boy who is the object of such comfort.” It is “Peace, Peace!” which all false prophets have used by way of comfort. Why not give the boy comfort and guidance from the Scriptures?

Does anyone believe that it is of any use or that there will be time to confess his sin on the day when one will be taken and the other left behind? Why then were the five foolish virgins not let in? They had confessed their sin—that their lamps were going out—and they did that before Jesus had come! They were virgins; they had lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. They awoke when the cry was heard, just like the five wise virgins, and they also came with their sin and put things right—but it was all too late. The point is that He who shall come is not the same as the One to whom we go each day with our sin. Poor boy who was deceived by all this. Now Jesus is the atonement for our sin and our High Priest. When He comes again, He will be the Bridegroom. Then it will be too late to become the bride on that Day; then you have to be of the bride. “And His bride has made herself ready.” Rev. 9:7. Those who were ready went in, not those who had to put things right and still had to deal with a whole lot of sin that weighed on their consciences. They came to a closed door.

Now let us listen to Jesus’ own words about that Day: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come upon you unexpectedly.”

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36.

This is the way that Jesus Himself recommends: “To stand before the Son of Man.” A school teacher is not the same on exam day as the rest of the year. All the student’s knowledge was in the school teacher, but on exam day the question is how much of that knowledge has become the student’s own, or has the grace during the school year been in vain? Many people boast and are comforted by the thought that they have everything in Jesus, but on the day when Jesus comes again the question will be how much salvation have they gained in Jesus. No wonder that Paul exhorted every man and taught every man that he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, and that he labored and strove to that end. Col. 1:28-29. Besides that, he exhorts us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2:12. Now we are going to see how Paul himself acted: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Pet. 3:10-14.

It must be terrible on that day for such leaders who have led young people astray—away from the comfort and the guidance the Scriptures give—as we have read in the article from which we have quoted.

May many people wake up so they are not fooled by that which is great, the masses, that which is commonly accepted by people, and quotations from songs; but may they begin to search the Scriptures and build on the foundation of the apostles, with Christ as the cornerstone. He was rejected by men, but come “to Him as to a living stone.” He is chosen by God and precious, so that you also, as living stones, can be built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 2:4-5.

So let all of us who have this hope of being conformed to Jesus’ image, and to see Him as He is, purify ourselves just as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3.