RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IMPUTED TO YOU AS A GIFT.




When are you Saved?
Romans 7 is the key to understanding imputed Righteousness

It is clear to me that God first imputed sin to man after the sin of symbolic Adam who "ate of the tree ". I won't bore you with the scripture but it is well known . 
Man then failed at God's laws in the Old testament and he sent his Son to death on the cross for our Sins consistent with the blood sacrifices in of the Hebrew priests (See Hebrews 9:3) and the passover sacrifices for thousands of years. ( only they used lambs and calfs)
 
 Jesus died for our sins that we might live in imputed righteousness.(if you believe That Jesus is the SON of GOD). We don't actually live in righteousness. In the old testament ,even one sin condemned you!! Christ in Matthew 5 describes the plight of mankind under the law and before "everything is accomplished" which was his death and resurrection. Until Jesus was sacrificed HE sets out out plight in Matthew 5:20 as follows."
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."  That is ,of course, impossible without imputed righteousness. 

In Acts 16:30 we see the story of Paul and Silas in the Phillipian Jail. The jailer seeing the power of God to unlock the jail doors asks the question all of mankind wants to ask: "30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”


But "legalists" want you to live under the Old Testament law in order to give "Tithes" to pay their mortgages and the  "professional Christians" and to do this they reimpose the falsehood  that you must live a"sinless" life so you can get forgiven by coming to sit in their building on Sunday.  "Sin" is undefined ( please make a full and complete list of all sins so you won't mess up) but they want to throw you back under the law to get you to pay money and feel guilt when your salvation was a free gift from God through the sacrifice of Jesus, His Son!! and the simple belief in Him as the Son of God.  You don't need that building or those employed"professional Christians".
The key to this argument that Paul was NOT obedient and that Paul knew he lived in sin all the time is written by Paul in Chapter 7 of Romans. (It is really important to your freedom that you see this.)
Paul may have written 13 of the 27 New Testament books. He never met Christ and he was never water baptized. He had an undeniable conversion to the faith and fully communicates that without Christs he was "condemned".  He came from evil. He loved the stoning of Steven (a believer) unto death.


Paul is real and died for his belief in Jesus. He was a sinner -- all the time! He was not obedient . He was a man in a constant battle-- all the time. ( Just like you.) 
 Do you question Paul's salvation?  I think not unless you are a fool.
Read this 3 times . "THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST"!!! (Romans 8:1 )
Now next verse.
Romans 8:2
New International Version (NIV)
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

 Then contemplate Paul's continuing SIN in ROMAN'S 7!!
1
4 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."

 
Paul was the worst of all sinners even as he spread the Word of salvation. 
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." [1 Timothy 1:15-16]
 But,again, do you have any doubt that Paul was saved? He was not obedient!! He violated the commands of God and Jesus!! He was saved by BELIEF in Christ as the son of God!! and nothing else.



The concept of when we are saved is crucial. The “legalists” ,who want your money, say you are not saved until death and “judgment”. It is that simple. That way you will give God money through them!! and at the end when they are running your video tape in Heaven for "judgement", we will see you dropping money in the plate for the "church" mortgage. You are in!! ? NOT!!!

Luke 7:50. " And he said to the woman, "Thy faith hath saved thee; (past tense) go in peace."

Romans 8:24,"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching  of Christ is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 

EPHESIANS 2: 4 "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ( PAST TENSE)And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."
 

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us (past tense) , and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." 
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us (PAST TENSE), by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ."

Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:2 For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation(what is it about “NOW” that you don’t understand? Jesus died one time. That's it. He doesn't die each day your sin. )

Ephesians 1:13 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 


2 Timothy 3:15 "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith  which is in Christ Jesus. 


2 Corinthians 1:22 "Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts".( How can you be sealed and not saved Forever ??? )

 1 John 5:13 "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, ..( not "may have")... and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 
This not the past tense . That is very important to defeat the "judgment crowd".

 Don't let the Legalists STACK requirements on your salvation. 

Let me demonstrate the attempt at "stacking" requirements on  salvation. They want to create myth of illusive  Salvation and you never quite "make it". Do you?

What are the criteria for Salvation promoted by the Legalists ? Let me number some of them and you can check off those that you think essential to enter eternal life. Have fun and make a list of more if you can think of any. 
1. Belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
2  Baptism
3. Confession of sin to a priest
4. Confession of sin to God
5."Repentance"
6. "Obedience" to Old Testament laws
7. "Obedience" to Old and New testament
     laws
8. "Obedience" to New Testament
     commands 
9.  Worship of Mary
10. Worship of the Bible
11. Attendance at the building of the
     "professional"  Christian
12. Good Works
13. Constant Prayer
14.  Sinlessness
15. Worship at the professional Christians
     "Church" only on Saturday.
16. Worship at the professional Christians
     "Church" only on Sunday.

17. Tithing (Not in the new testament)

18. You are predestined
19. White linen underwear (Mormons)
20.Being "Born Again"

Now go back to number 1  
and go read John 3:16 and tell us what
else is there. It is that simple.

When are YOU saved?

YOU ARE SAVED WHEN YOU BELIEVE!!! (like the thief on the cross!! Right?). The Thief did nothing else-- NOTHING ELSE.

 Now ,we must discuss  "When are we saved?  There are two Schools. One is driven by money for the "professional Christian" ( Legalist) and one is in the Bible. 
The legalist will tell you that salvation comes at the end of life. You don't know the requirements because they are cloaked in ambiguity. ( See the elements above and tell me they are not created by the "professionals" to make salvation ambiguous.)
God tells us that we are saved WHEN WE BELIEVE IN JESUS as the son of God who died for our sins.

 The Catholic "Church" want you to strive to the "last rights" dispensed by a "professional"  to hope "ye" are saved. The poor parishioner never really knows-- does he/she? If the Priest does not dispense absolution at the right time, you might die in sin and are banished  to oblivion.

You have protestants who preach "prosperity "..."just live by the law " or "obey" Jesus and you might make MONEY. The prosperity bunch is interested in one thing-- THEIR PROSPERITY. They totally ignore the Gospel and reimpose the law because without it they cannot pay for that skiing vacation, 401K ,house car etc. Send them a “seed”—a zucchini seed is big enough to see and easy to mail. You will not get 100 fold zucchini seeds from God. God already owns EVERY THING!! Did you know that?He doesn't need your seeds or your money.

These folks you have "obey!!" --  OBEY WHAT??? I have  asked them  many  times to tell me "what do I have to obey??" NO ANSWER. Crickets.

In my opinion, what they want you to obey is the old testament tithing to them as the agent for God so they can pay for their "million dollar radio station" or satellite time and their salaries and the salaries for their wife and kids and parents and  house and 401k and kids college. You are a sucker if you fall for that scam. God doesn't need your money, THEY DO. 

They are  among thousands of "professional Christians" who live off of deferred salvation . If Salvation is a gift -- why do you need these folks?

God loved us so much that he sacrificed his Son and whoever believes (defined :"accepts as true") receives everlasting life. That is at the moment of acceptance of truth --not at death!! There is no judgment of the saved ,None!!!. Why would one already pardoned face trial?
We are saved by faith as a free gift, NOW !and even if we sin all the time just like Paul said he did  in Romans 7 we are and shall remain saved through the sacrifice of the living Son of God.
Live free is Christ. He died for your sin!!.
You cannot be saved by your performance. It is only by belief ( accepting as true) that Jesus is the living Son of God.