All right. Here are some more texts which give the purpose of Christ’s death — to provide an ongoing deliverance from sin. Salvation is not an accomplished fact but an ongoing process of deliverance.
Let’s consider the first 15 verses of Titus 2. In verses 1 to 10, Paul asks Titus to teach the Christians how to live:
In verses 11-15 He indicates that the MEANS by which the Christians can attain these righteous actions is through the grace of God made available by the death of Christ:
I think sin separates us from God from our side, more than His. He reached into our sinful cosmos and planted the seed of His heart in the person of His precious Son, to demonstrate just that. “If I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me.”
Meanwhile,(Eph 1) “In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will,** according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him** 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up(gathering together into one) of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.”
I think His plan was, from the beginning, to create us in perfection, allow us to choose futility, then gather us back into an even deeper greater perfection of love by grace so that the joy of His fellowship with us and ours with Him and with one another would be full.(John 17) Thats why I believe that God is winning our wills not controling them.
(Rom 8) For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20** For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it**, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
IMO, This futility is the potter’s wheel. In life’s circumstances His hands are upon us, grace is the water, discipline the fire, we are just clay. When we become content with that we are probably finished, cooked, “Well Done” 
I also see this principle demonstrated in the creative act, at its core describing the nature of what God is doing throughout all creation…“In the beginning the earth was without form and void and the Spirit hovered over the waters”… In a sense(to me) this is more than a historic statement. It is a revelatory explanation of how God is making “all things new”… the futility(sin and death) being formless and void until the word enters… “By faith we know the worlds were framed by the word of God” even as the ages are being framed in the same way upon that foundation… “Let there be light” until all is formed and full in the image of Christ…“faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”…“by grace you havebeen saved through faith”…creating liberty, a will liberated by love, by the fulness of God within, like a drop of water in a river, “His voice was like the rushing of many waters, like ten thousands of ten thousands praising God.”
After every knee is bowed, all those tongues praising Him, all the adversaries reconciled, all creation restored, renewed into a transcendent quality of life, all filled up to all the fulness of God, God all in all, John 17 fulfilled in the whole creation.
13 But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
25 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
Yes, I have been thinking about this question, and I believe this is correct.
D.
Hi Paidion…
I think what you’re suggesting as being incomplete (i.e., salvation) can better be explained in terms of ‘cause and effect’ i.e., we can tap into the ongoing benefits (manifold) of salvation BECAUSE of its very establishment, as perfected in Christ… hence the various admonitions you suggest. The apprehension of said fullness, or the lack thereof doesn’t in any way impede on “Christ’s perfected sacrificial work” I was referring to.
I probably should have also spelt out further where I was/am coming from. My comments were based more around the text in question, i.e., Heb 9:26 and in particular relative to a more proper reading of the form of the Greek text, and thus such implications, as per…
The innate ability for man to “fall short” and “miss the mark” (classic definitions of “sin”) has and always will be pertinent to THIS LIFE. Accordingly the Scriptures are replete with inspired principles finding applicability wherein such are “able to save your souls” Jas 1:21.
Thus it is the “implanted word” that provides the ongoing deliverance from sins or failings as we experience them in THIS LIFE in the sense of given infractions wrought or inflicted upon one another, that is, horizontally… THAT’S where the blockage lies; man to man NOT God to man. Hence James’ other injunction on the confession of sin… again, NOT to God but to each other wherein “healing” is then found. Thus imbibing of what Christ has ALREADY established (1Pet 2:24); what He did WE do.
But back to “THE sin”… the ‘definite article’ though abandoned in English translations IS indeed present in the Greek text (Heb 9:26) and determines and defines “the sin” involved. In English, the definite article “the” serves merely to particularise, to refer to a particular object; but in Greek it serves to emphasise, in some way, the person or thing it modifies.
So… what Jesus ABOLISHED or did away with or ANNULLED was THE offense as it stood over and against man of THE SIN that had kept “the world” separated from the Creator. Such abolition is NOT referring to anyone’s ability to act sinfully per se. And so it was…
The reality of this annulment is summed up in Paul’s…
In its various forms “the definite article” is present…
The STING of THE death was THE sin, which was empower (Rom 7:9) by THE law. The conundrum then was… “Who will deliver me from THE body of THE death?” – answer… “the Body” of “THE life” (1Jn 5:12; 3:14 Gk) of the new covenant as founded in Christ; liberating Paul OUT OF (resurrection) “THE body” of THE death i.e., the old covenant BODY or mode of existence that was found wanting and was reading to pass away” Heb 8:13, i.e., from Inauguration AD30 to Consummation AD70; 40yrs a biblical generation.
“If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” His cross has secured for those who believe the opening of a well that will flow florever as long as they remove the bits of debris that may fall into it from time to time.
Once connected to the vine there is, as davo put it, a complete sacrificial work. As long as one abides(continues) in(the connection) the salutary work intended. It is not a lightweight connection, easily broken. It is a strong connection, secured from His end by His love for us, received by us by grace through faith in Him.
The ever-increasing nature of the salvation, having been received, continues to grow from glory to glory, as we are transformed into His image, which is the end result- in some 30, some 60, some 100 fold.
12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, 13 and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 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 from the Lord, the Spirit.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
“In Christ” one is saved, having been saved, being saved continually, and looking forward to the end result and culmination of this salvation- a new creature in Christ in the resurrection.
It is the connection to Him that saves us from sin, and sins- and the nature of the salvation is transformation into a being of love and righteousness. Forgiveness is the egg. Righteousness is the chicken. 
Actually, just to clarify my position… I understand the ‘affect’ of Christ’s “complete sacrificial work” as touching humanity past, present and future in toto, and so is NOT restricted to any one’s abiding connection with the Vine. THAT vital connection I understand refers to those chosen or called; NOT in getting to heaven (typically understood in terms of what being saved means) but rather, being brought into the SERVICE of God… thus my position is that one is “saved to serve”. Thus “salvation” has NOTHING to do with postmortem heavenly position but is about earthly purpose in being conduits of blessing in THIS LIFE.
Again clarifying from my position… when we read the bible we are “reading someone else’s mail” and we can err greatly in missing original intent by reading OURSELVES back into the text as its primary target; which in doing so imposes OUR post-modern mindset back where it doesn’t properly fit.
I do agree 100% we in the post biblical ages can indeed find inspired personal applicability of Scriptural principles, and so imbibe of these divine and timeless realities and associated blessings; but this is way different than “interpreting texts” as directly pertinent to our specific situations. And this, as I understand it, is where evangelicalism has somewhat muddied the waters.
Paul in writing to HIS audience (and audience relevance has to count for something) in that inter-testamental period from Old to New covenants wrote in terms of THEIR lived and living and to be lived transforming experience, “from Glory to Glory” that was, from OLD covenant to NEW covenant (2Cor 3:6-11), using such language as… “were saved” (Cross) “being saved” (Spirit) “will be saved” (Parousia) –– “upon whom the ends of the ages HAVE come.” 1Cor 10:11, not will but have. “The ends” of all redemptive reality, as promised under the OC, was coming to fruition in their time to which all prior “ages” pointed (Acts 3:24; Heb 1:2, 9:26; 1Pet 1:11-12, 20 et al).
Sure we can find/make relevant applicability of such scriptures in/to our lives today, BUT that is way different than saying “this means that” in terms of our lived experience/s in determining what given texts supposedly mean, considering such things were written with SPECIFIC others and their very real situations in view.
Thanks for clarifying your position
I agree that overall the affect of Christ’s “complete sacrificial work” affects all humanity of all time. However I would disagree that “salvation” has nothing to do with postmortem heavenly position/function, but heavenly position doesnt mean “going to heaven” to me either. If nothing else at the very least it affects the “each in his own order”(1 Cor 15) and perhaps the manner of subjection. But as far as any position is concerned, i agree that we are “saved to serve”… created in Christ Jesus for good works prepared beforehand that we should walk in them(Eph 2). This(imo) is the ministry of reconciliation in this life and the restoration of the whole creation in the “ages to come” (Eph 2; Romans 8; Acts 3:17-19)
I am presenting this in the way of expressing my view, not to argue with yours, because i am not sure what it is yet.
Abiding in the vine, as I see it, assures one the glory of participation in that work prepared beforehand, unto which we were saved to serve, which in my view extends into post mortem, post resurrection ages to come.
I may have forgotten that you are fulfilled view or something… if so, I get the difference, don’t want to debate it.
Yep all good. 
Hi all- brand new here and have been perusing so many threads. I can see how this site can become quite addicting 
In thinking about whether sin separates us from God, John 3:16 comes to mind. What are those who don’t believe in Jesus perishing from?? Paul lists a bunch of people who will not enter the kingdom of God. Jesus in Hebrews is the one solitary mediator between God and man and reconciles us from the estrangement due to sin. I just see separation being shown in these examples. In Romans where Paul says nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ jesus, is the context only believers in Jesus or actually everyone??/ I am a hopeful universalist and found this site via Derek Flood’s site. Hope i don’t repeat old ground too much since i am brand new lol If there is a place to do an introduction let me know I will do it promptly.
Davo- we used to talk on the Talk-Grace forum a few years back, very good to find you again mate. Are some of the others from there on Here??
Excellent site here. It actually appears you achive positive open conversation without flame wars wow haha Look forward to joining in now
Robert .
Back to the OP, I think when they ate something changed. they hid from the presence they had formerly enjoyed fellowship with daily. They were afraid of the One with whom they had formerly enjoyed unbroken fellowship. They were driven out of the garden because they had changed… not because God had changed.
I find that not only do our own sins separate us from God, but the sins of others can cause separation as well. Take Israel for example, their leaders were misrepresenting God and had become oppressive. A lot of people didn’t even know who God was.
I’d like to bring this section back up again for a sec. LLC stated that the sins of others can cause separation between yourself and God. Do you guys think that this could be true?
How do you know that the article in Greek is used for emphasis?
In William Mounce’s “Basics of Biblical Greek” for beginners he states:
You will soon discover that the Greeks do not use the article the same way we do. They use it when we never would, and they omit it when English demands it. (6.28)
It is stated at: http://www.ibiblio.org/koine/greek/lessons/noun2dcl.html
The Greek article is definite, and it is often translated “the”, but it functions very differently from the English “the.”
Might not this explain why ALL (to the best of my knowledge) translations simply ignore the article, and translate the Greek word simply as “sin”?