The Finished Work of Christ: Freedom from Sin’s Bondage Versus an Endless Cycle

The Finished Work of Christ: Freedom from Sin’s Bondage Versus an Endless Cycle

Silent Pilgrim

As the last day of the Church of God’s observance of the Days of Unleavened Bread arrives, many members breathe a sigh of relief, believing they have been forgiven for the previous year’s sins and now have a chance to start the new year fresh, determined to “sin no more.” Yet, most begin sinning again the moment they leave the COG version of the Passover service. They are then said to be doomed to wallow in misery for the next year in an endless cycle of sin, attempted overcoming, and repeated guilt.

This perspective draws heavily from the theology of the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) under Herbert W. Armstrong. Crackpot Bob, quotes and builds upon that bad theology:

The old Worldwide Church of God taught: 

 

The PASSOVER pictures the DEATH OF CHRIST for the remission of sins that are past. The accepting of His BLOOD does not forgive sins we SHALL commit — it does not give LICENSE to continue in sin — therefore WHEN we accept it, our sins are forgiven only up to that time — PAST SINS.’ (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News, March 1979) 

 

Note that the above does not mean that future sins cannot be forgiven, but one does not have license to sin–and we must confess sins we later make so we may be forgiven. Passover pictures the payment for sins committed by humankind – all sins, past present and future, with the exception of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Although the application of Passover in God’s plan of salvation mainly is pointing to those called in this age–with the sacrifice of the Atonement goat mainly pointing to those who will be called in the age to come.” 

 

The article continues by emphasizing human inability and the need for ongoing effort:

But shall we stop there? Past sins forgiven. But we are still flesh beings. We still shall suffer temptations. Sin has held us in its clutch — we have been SLAVES to sin, in its power. And we are powerless to deliver ourselves from it! We have been in BONDAGE to sin. Let us understand the picture — the meaning. Quitting sin utterly To what extent shall we put away sin? Not partially, but COMPLETELY! And, as leaven is also a type of sin — leaven puffs up, and so does sin — and, as SEVEN is God’s number symbolizing COMPLETENESS, we are to follow the Passover with the seven Days of Unleavened Bread! The picture — the meaning — the symbolism, is not complete with Passover alone. Passover pictures the acceptance of Christ’s blood for the REMISSION of past sins. It pictures the CRUCIFIED — the DEAD — Christ.” (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News, March 1979) 

 

Shall we leave Christ hanging on the cross? The seven Days of UNLEAVENED BREAD, following Passover, picture to us the COMPLETE putting away of sin, the KEEPING of the Commandments — after past sins are forgiven. They picture the life and work of the RISEN CHRIST — who ascended to the throne of God where He is actively at work in our behalf as our HIGH PRIEST, cleansing us of sin — delivering us completely from its POWER! To observe Passover alone, and then fail to observe the seven Days of Unleavened Bread, means, in the symbolism, to accept Christ’s blood, and to continue on in sin — to say with the Sunday churches the LAW is done away, we are under grace, meaning license, to continue in sin! The seven Days of Unleavened Bread picture the keeping of the Commandments, which is another way of saying the putting away of sin.”

God is now creating RIGHTEOUS, HOLY CHARACTER in those whom He is calling. Man, now only a clay model, is to be created in the CHARACTER-IMAGE of God Almighty. Obedience is a test of that character. God will not grant eternal life to anyone He cannot rule. 

 

Jesus Christ is not only the author, or beginner, He is also the FINISHER of our salvation (Heb. 12:2). That is what the professing Christian world has forgotten! They have lost the knowledge of the SECOND STEP in God’s plan — that we must PUT SIN OUT OF OUR LIVES! 

 

To help us in the knowledge of the second step, God gave His Church a special festival — the Days of Unleavened Bread. They are to impress upon us the fact that we must NEVER AGAIN RETURN to the sins Christ paid for with His shed blood. 

 

Let’s begin to understand the true significance, the deep meaning in this SECOND ANNUAL FESTIVAL commemorating another step in God’s plan. Let’s learn why keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread is so important to your salvation, and just what your part is in God’s Master Plan. 

 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Abib. It continues until the 21st of Abib. Both the 15th and the 21st were especially happy “high” Sabbaths — ANNUAL HOLY CONVOCATIONS — DAYS OF REST. Seven is God’s special number signifying COMPLETION or PERFECTION. God wants His people to come completely out of sin.” (Lesson 34 – Days of Unleavened Bread – Your Part In God’s Master Plan, 1965) 

 

This teaching presents salvation as a process requiring continual human effort to put away sin completely after initial forgiveness of past sins. The result, for many adherents, is described as an endless cycle of work to overcome, sin, renewed effort to overcome, and repeated sinning.The Redeeming Work of Christ According to the New TestamentIn contrast, the New Testament presents Christ’s redeeming work on the cross as a complete, once-for-all atonement that fully covers all sins—past, present, and future—for those who trust in Him. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, lived a perfect life and then bore the full penalty for human sin as our substitute. Scripture describes this as:

• Substitution and bearing our sins: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).
• Redemption through His blood.
• Propitiation that satisfies God’s justice.
• The imputation of Christ’s perfect righteousness to believers (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Christ’s sacrifice was offered “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10, 12-14; 9:26-28). When a person places faith in this finished work, God justifies them completely—declaring them righteous and forgiving all their sins at that moment (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:13-14). Christians still sin in this life (1 John 1:8-10), but they are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). Jesus serves as their advocate, and the same blood that secured their initial forgiveness covers ongoing failures as they confess and turn to Him (1 John 2:1-2; 1:9).

With Christ’s redeeming work, no true Christian remains a permanent slave to sin or remains in bondage to it. Believers are called to walk in newness of life and pursue holiness, but their security and acceptance before God rest entirely on what Christ has already accomplished—not on their ability to achieve perfect overcoming in this age. Grace is not a license to sin, but the power that breaks sin’s dominion and motivates grateful obedience.

The old system of repeated sacrifices and annual cycles of temporary covering has been replaced by the new covenant. The Passover lamb has given way to “Christ, our Passover” who “has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). In Him, believers find both full forgiveness and the freedom to grow in holiness without the fear of an endless, guilt-ridden cycle.

This biblical teaching offers profound comfort and assurance: because of Love’s redeeming work on the cross, our sins are not merely covered temporarily but fully atoned for, and we are now clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

Those who are part of Armstrongism were never taught much about imputed righteousness.

Righteousness is imputed to Christians because we have no righteousness of our own that can meet God's perfect standard, and He provides what we lack through faith in Christ. This is a core truth of the gospel, often called the "great exchange."Why imputation is necessaryHuman condition: All people have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). Even our best efforts at goodness are like "filthy rags" or a polluted garment (Isaiah 64:6). God demands perfect righteousness—nothing less than sinless obedience in thought, word, and deed (Matthew 5:48). We cannot produce or earn this on our own.

God's justice and holiness: A holy God cannot simply overlook sin or accept imperfect righteousness. He must uphold His own righteous standards while showing mercy. Imputation solves this: our sins are dealt with justly, and perfect righteousness is credited where none exists.

What imputation means"Imputed" (or "credited," "reckoned," "counted") is a legal or accounting term. It means God declares or credits something to a person's account that is not inherently theirs. In justification (the act of God declaring a sinner righteous), two things happen in what is sometimes called the "double exchange" or "glorious exchange":Our sin is imputed to Christ: On the cross, God treated Jesus as if He had committed all our sins, even though Jesus "knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus bore the penalty in our place as our substitute.

Christ's righteousness is imputed to us: In exchange, God credits Christ's perfect life of obedience and sinless character to believers. We are treated as if we had lived the righteous life Jesus lived.

The key verse is 2 Corinthians 5:21:"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

This is not about us becoming inherently perfect in this life (that is the ongoing work of sanctification, empowered by the Holy Spirit). It is positional or forensic (legal): God now sees us clothed in Christ's righteousness. We stand accepted before Him, not because of anything we have done, but because of what Christ has done.

Biblical foundations

• Abraham's example (Romans 4:3, quoting Genesis 15:6): "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Abraham was not justified by works but by faith. God credited righteousness to him apart from his own merit.
• David's testimony (Romans 4:6-8, quoting Psalm 32): Blessed is the person to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works—the one whose sins are forgiven and not counted against them.
• The parallel with Adam (Romans 5:12-19): Just as Adam's sin was imputed to all humanity (we are born sinners because of his disobedience), Christ's one act of righteousness results in many being "made righteous" through imputation.

Other supporting verses: Romans 3:21-22 (the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe); Philippians 3:9 (not having a righteousness of my own... but that which comes through faith in Christ); 1 Corinthians 1:30 (Christ has become for us... our righteousness).

Why this matters for Christians

Because Christ's righteousness is imputed the moment we trust in Him (by faith alone), our justification is complete and secure. We are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). Ongoing sins do not undo this legal standing—though they do affect our fellowship with God and require confession (1 John 1:9). This frees us from the impossible burden of trying to earn acceptance through perfect obedience or annual cycles of temporary covering.Instead of an endless struggle to "put away sin completely" in our own strength to maintain right standing with God, believers rest in the finished work of Christ. His righteousness covers us fully, motivating grateful obedience and growth in holiness, not fear-driven effort.

This doctrine brings immense comfort: Christians are not accepted because they have finally become good enough, but because they are "in Christ," and God sees them as He sees His beloved Son—fully righteous. It is all of grace, received through faith.