Robin Smit's Blog

My newest book is now available on Amazon and just in time for Easter!

I am so excited about this book and its message that SINLESS IS OUR IDENTITY! Grab your copy!

Hello, avid readers and literature enthusiasts! We are thrilled to announce the release of our very first novel, and trust us; you don't want to miss it! TWS author Bill Winn has crafted a heartwarming story that harkens back to the storytelling brilliance of Mark Twain himself.

Don't miss your chance to embark on this literary journey. Grab your copy of "Uncle Pink" on Amazon today and experience the magic of Bill Winn's storytelling. Whether you're a fan of Mark Twain or simply appreciate a well-crafted tale, this novel will surely delight and entertain.

Order your copy now and get ready to lose yourself in a world where adventure, humor, and heartwarming moments await on every page.

Happy reading!

You don't want to miss this!! Sign up now, as space is limited!

Registration Opens Soon!

Beginning Monday, January 8, this 25-week study, hosted by Global Grace Seminary, will truly be a one-of-a-kind encounter. Most of the authors are already confirmed, including Wm. Paul Young, Steve McVey, Jason Clark, Don Keathley, Tommy Miller, Paul Golf, Robin Smit, and more!

The Early Bird price of $99 will be available through November 30. In order to facilitate a meaningful community experience, SPACE IS LIMITED — so don’t delay!

FAQs

Mondays, January 8 to June 24, 2024, at 7:00 PM Eastern. Hosted in a private social engagement group on the Grace Family Network that will include chat, a discussion board, and a directory of members, all designed to maximize the quality of the experience Actual gatherings will take place via Zoom The authors will receive complimentary access to the entire study. All participants must purchase a copy of the book prior to January 8. Participants will receive lifetime access to the recordings.

Recently I read that if you publish a book with a traditional publisher, it will be 9-18 months from the time they receive your manuscript to when it will be published. That's about one book every 1.5 to 2 years. Whereas, in the world of self-publishing, authors are releasing new books 3-4 times a year. Why so many? Well, it's a competitive business, so you want to stay relevant as an author, and for many authors, it's a full-time job, and releasing that many per year will increase your income.

But for readers, how do you keep up with reading so many books? You typically don't! But for us in grace circles, buying them to read shouldn't be our main motivation.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I love reading, but most of what I purchase sits unread on my bookshelf until I can find the time. So why do I buy every new book we publish here at TWS? Two reasons... promotion and legacy! For so long, there have been only transactional, mixed messages of law and grace books that flooded the marketplace, but now TWS is publishing books that are Trinitarian, Christocentric, and grace-based. Books about our identity as the image and likeness of God, the radical grace of inclusion, and the finished work! These are books worth promoting and making noise on Amazon! I love seeing our books hit #1 on Amazon's best-seller list, outranking books by authors like John MacArthur, Timothy Keller, and others who write about an "if and then" and "do to become" gospel.

The other reason is legacy. I won't be here forever, and someday, when my family is going through my things, all of these beautiful grace-filled books will be on my shelf for them to read and pass on to future generations.

We are the body of Christ and are called to support one another in our endeavors. Purchasing so many books may seem costly, but it's easy enough to do by reprioritizing... one less coffee at Starbucks, on less dinner out... you get the point. It's money well spent... an investment in promoting the Gospel of grace. One of the best ways to further the Trinitarian, Christocentric, grace-based message is to buy books every time they are published... buy them for yourself and others! Create noise on Amazon! Even if you don't have time to read them right now, confidently put them on your bookshelf, knowing someday one of your future generations will read them and grow in grace!

~ Robin

We just released the Revised Edition of Hell's Illusion by Don Keathley. If you haven't gotten a copy yet I highly recommend it. We condensed it down to just the facts and made it easier to see what an illusion hell is. It’s now a great short read that you can give to a friend who is awakening to what an illusion this false doctrine is.

It's that time of year again. My annual Thanksgiving sale to say thank you to all of you who buy my books. I appreciate you so very much !

ALL books are 50% off today through December 2nd.

Sometimes you end up falling into something and realize that this is destiny fulfilled. This is a 'before time began destiny' that we were created for. DIVINE DESTINY! This is how I felt when I started The Writer's Society. Knowing I had come for such a time as this. And it just unfolded so easily, so grace-FULLy. It initially began as an idea for a Facebook group of like-minded authors and writers who could grow together, expressing God's goodness and grace in our writing. Then a week later, I received two messages exactly the same day about ghostwriting. I hadn't considered getting into self-publishing services, but these two messages stirred something in my heart. And I heard Holy Spirit say to me, "Will you lay aside your book for now and help others get their books out and get this self-publishing business going?" My response was an immediate yes! I could feel DIVINE DESTINY stirring in my heart. So I took on these two clients, set up a website, and in two weeks helped my first author publish his book, and he took the # 3 spot on Amazon's Top 100 Best Seller List in the first 24 hours of release! It has been easy and Grace-FULL!

I chose the word society because it speaks to me of community and culture. Our hearts desire to build a thriving community of grace-based writers and authors worldwide who have a solid Trinitarian and Christological foundation as their theology. Empowering them to release books that speak of God's goodness and grace for ALL mankind. Our other desire is to launch writer's groups across the country where writers and authors gather together and create a local community of encouragement and empowerment, growing together in grace. We'll release more info on that in the future.

I chose an olive branch as the logo for The Writer's Society. Olive branches symbolize peace which is shalom meaning whole and complete in Hebrew. The Hebrew word for "olive tree" is es shemen. Which literally means 'tree of oil." It comes from a primitive root meaning "to shine." It is related to the word shemesh, "to be brilliant." Another Hebrew word for "olive" is zayith, meaning "an olive," as "yielding illuminating oil." This is who we are as a community of grace writers... whole and complete, brilliant, full of and yielding the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

Books about a transactional gospel have flooded the marketplace for far too long. Together, let's change that! If you are a writer or author check out our Resource tab on our menu and message us if we can help get your book in print. And remember to sign up as a member of the website (it's free).

https://www.thewriterssociety.online

~ Steve & Robin Smit

What is absolute truth? It is defined as inflexible reality: fixed, invariable, unalterable facts.

We live in an age of relativism where everyone is encouraged to have their own truth because what is true for one may not be true for another. And unless you accept everyone's truth as truth and let go of absolute truth, you are viewed as intolerant and judgmental. Why? Because what is true for someone isn't necessarily valid for someone else, and we can't impose "our" absolute truth on others. But is that correct? Is truth relative? Is "truth" that changes from one person to the next and becomes "your" truth the truth or simply different opinions and perceptions?

There are absolute truths in life. For example, 1+1 always equals 2. Oranges are oranges and not apples. And squares are not circles and vice versa. Why are they absolute truths? Because they are inflexible realities. They are fixed. They don't vary and can't be altered, no matter our opinion. Just because I feel like a square is a circle doesn't make it so. Our feelings don't determine the truth of something. This relative truth has crossed over into Christianity. And some allow their feelings to determine what they proclaim as "truth" about God. And typically, those 'feelings' are rooted in wounds. That has caused us to let go of any absolutes in our life. They are not truths but rather wounded, distorted perceptions that tell our hearts, "this is your truth!"

The writer of Hebrews said in chapter 2, verse 1, that we are to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. This verb gives heed is a present infinitive that implies a continual engagement on our part. What are the things we have heard that we are to continually give heed to?

Chapter 1 verses 1-3: God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2) has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3) who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

This is absolute truth. God's final word to humanity is spoken to us by the Son. He is the sum of every utterance of God (Mirror Bible). And in verse 8, the Father says of the Son, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever." He calls the Son God. And in verse 10, He also says of the Son, "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands." He calls Him Lord and Creator. He is the MUCH MORE of what we've understood about ourselves, our world, and God!! This is Truth. It is not "my truth," and it is not true because we believe it or agree with it. It is ABSOLUTE TRUTH spoken by God. What is the absolute truth: Jesus, the Son of God, is God, Lord, and Creator.

THIS is what the writer of Hebrews said we have heard and are to continually engage in abundantly heeding. We are to give it our full attention. The word used is prosecho, meaning a face-to-face echo! Abba says, "My Son, Jesus, the Christ, is God. He is Lord and Creator of ALL." And Hebrews 6 tells us that our souls our anchored within the innermost courts of God's immediate presence (Mirror Bible).

Relative truth causes us to drift away, to be swept up in the current of what our wounded hearts or our faulty perceptions tell us is truth. Our feelings, emotions, thoughts, and perceptions are anchored securely and steadfast in His face-to-face echo IN us that tells us not only the absolute truth of who He is but who we are IN Him. He is not just our older brother, a created being, a historical man, or one who got it right with God and is our model to follow. HE IS Jesus, the Son of God, the Christ, Lord, and Creator of All! He is MUCH MORE than we've understood. And He is The Absolute Truth IN us! And our continual engagement in His face-to-face echo IN us of who He is keeps us from drifting away with the strong currents of our wounded perceptions.

Why is absolute truth important? Because absolute truth is always unchangeable and unalterable. And only He who is Truth has the power to heal our wounded hearts and change our faulty, distorted perceptions so that we can grow IN Christ and in our understanding of who we are.

This is the third and final post on the Romans 7 man...

Paul's gospel didn't focus on sin; instead, it focused on identity. It focused on who we are in Christ. But our westernized gospel that we preach is a sin conscious gospel, focusing on a distorted identity—teaching that all of humankind are sinners rather than sons. And because of an inherent sin nature, we are separated from God, who is too holy to look on sin. And therefore, unless we repent and ask for forgiveness, we are subject to His wrath and judgment. But this concept of separation from God is NOT what Paul taught, and it's not what Jesus revealed to us about the nature of our Father.

And without a correct understanding of God's nature, we will have a misunderstanding of what Paul preached.

This misunderstanding of Paul's message will cause us to ask questions like, "But what about the Romans 7 man? Didn't Paul continue to struggle with sin his entire life? Didn't he say, the good I want to do I don't and the good I don't want to do I do?" Early church fathers taught that Paul was describing a man under the law before Christ in chapter 7.

We've been taught to read Romans 7 as Paul describing his personal struggle with sin and, therefore, the struggle that all of us must face. We read those verses and think, "Hey, that's my story; that's my experience. I struggle with wanting to do good but always blowing it!" And then we rationalize that if the Apostle Paul had to struggle, it only makes sense that I will have to struggle too. But we aren't to interpret Scripture based on our experiences!

Paul was NOT a wretched man struggling in sin!

And NEITHER are you!

We were supposed to read Romans chapter 7 and realize Paul couldn't possibly be talking to us. Why? Because ALL humanity born after the cross (both Jew and Gentile) were NEVER under the law. But the problem is that a large portion of the body of Christ thinks they are still under the law. Oh, not 613 commandments like the Old Testament Jews were. Most believe we are under the 10 Commandments and the moral laws in the Mosaic law.

Paul calls the 10 Commandments a ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7).

But Jesus nailed ALL the law to the cross (10 Commandments included) and ended 1500 years of slavery to the law for the Jews! And we, born after the cross, however, were NEVER under law… not even the 10 Commandments.

In Romans 6, the Jews asked, “How will we stay sinless without the law?" Paul tells them the key is understanding their identity in Christ. What is their association with the law? IT IS FINISHED! And what is our association with the "moral part" of the law and the 10 Commandments? Paul's response was IT IS FINISHED! We don't need the "moral part" of the law or the 10 Commandments to regulate our behavior. The law is not our moral guidelines. We're not the future bride of Christ who is spot cleaning her wedding dress until He comes. We're bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh – ONE with Him NOW, in this life. We are absolutely 100% sin-free, spotless, and glorious NOW. So if the law isn't our moral compass, what is?

Like the Jews that Paul was talking to, sometimes we in the body of Christ don't know what it looks like not to have the law as our moral compass, keeping us free from sin. BUT we are not under law but under grace. And grace is our moral compass!

Titus 2:11-12 (ESV) says, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age."

There is no such thing as a grace-based law. It's one or the other: grace OR law. You can't have both. In Galatians 2:20, Paul said he lived his new life in Christ, here on earth, by the faith OF the Son of God… not by using the law as a moral compass.

Remember, there are no chapters and verses in the original letters. You have to read the letters in context.

Romans 7:13-25 (the present tense verses) all hinge on verses 5 and 6 in chapter 7! Romans 7:5 is describing the experience of life under the law for the Jews before the cross. Those bound to the Mosaic law. And Paul continues to describe this type of life in detail in verses 7 through 25. He used such things as present historical verb tense and the personal pronoun "I" to draw his readers into seeing the futility of this life under the law. And then Romans 7:6 describes life after the cross lived in the newness of spirit. He describes this new life in Romans 8:1-39. Romans 8 is not a separate "chapter.” It is a continuation, flowing out of what he is saying in "chapter" 7.

Romans 7 is not any different from anything else Paul taught in the New Testament. We've just misunderstood it. To understand what he taught, we're going to look at a lot of Scripture. That will help us see that Paul was consistent in his teaching regarding sin and our identity in Christ. And to read Romans 7 according to some of our Bible subheadings is to misunderstand Paul's teachings. These subheadings tell us that we have a dual nature and an internal conflict or a war with sin and flesh. But is that what Paul taught? Let's look at 3 Scriptures.

"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness." (1 Corinthians 1:23, KJV)

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2, ESV)

"But I make my life neither near nor of any account to myself, so as to finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus: to testify FULLY the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24, Berean Literal Bible – emphasis mine)

Paul consistently preached the FINISHED work of Christ and freedom from sin. He NEVER teaches that we have a battle with sin and live a defeated life warring between the flesh and the spirit. There is no battle between flesh and spirit! But what about Galatians 5:17, where Paul says the flesh is in contrast to the spirit and they are at war? He is talking about the law (flesh) and grace (spirit). Again, don't forget, he is NOT talking to us! He's talking to these Galatians who have been bewitched into the bondage of the law! They started in the spirit. And now they are trying to be made perfect in the flesh, or by the law (Gal. 3:3). In other words, they had fallen from grace (Gal. 5:4 – them NOT us).

We have misunderstood Scripture because of our false assumption that we have a battle between the flesh and the spirit.

But Paul never preached that. He only taught the FINISHED work of Jesus and freedom from sin and death. In fact, in Romans 6:11, he told these same Jews that he is talking to in chapter 7, “Reckon yourselves dead to (the) sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." But a misinterpretation of Romans 7:13-25 leaves us thinking we still have an inward battle with sin, just like Paul did. And that is, of course, wrong! It's a false doctrine.

So, what did Paul teach about sin?

In Romans 6:2 (NLT), he says, "Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?"

And in Romans 6:6 (NKJV), he says, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

And in verse 14 of the same chapter, he tells us that sin shall NOT have dominion over us because we are under grace, NOT law.

And he didn't stop there! You can look at Romans 6:17-18, Romans 6:22, Romans 8:2, 1 Corinthians 15:56, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Hebrews 9:26 and see that he repeats himself regarding being free from sin. And in 1 Corinthians 15:34, he said, "Awake to righteousness, and sin not." That has been misinterpreted and taught as "don't sin!" We've made it a verse about our behavior! But the Greek says awake to righteousness, NOT sin. In other words, have a righteousness consciousness, not a sin consciousness. Paul didn't preach about behavior per se; he taught about consciousness! About awakening to who we are in Christ and that we have NO association with SIN and death any longer! I love an acronym I read once for SIN.... See It Nailed!

Any time Paul preached about behavior, it is always AFTER having established to them who they now are IN Christ.

Notice most of these verses above are in Romans BEFORE chapter seven, where he says he is a wretched man enslaved to sin! Was he confused? Is he contradicting EVERYTHING he said in chapters five and six? I don't believe so! I think we've been taught the wrong information.

But what about you? What do you think?

You have to know that you know that you know what Paul taught about sin and identity. And you have to understand Romans 7 in the context of chapters five and six. I don't want to present a great argument and win for the sake of winning! I don't want to convert you to believe what I believe! I want you fully persuaded by truth! We have lived too long under the wrong teaching of Romans 7, and it has affected our experiences in this life. Because we've thought we had to struggle with sin and the flesh "like Paul did!!"

We've been stuck there and unable to move forward in ALL that Paul teaches about our identity… about our wholeness in every area of life!

Unable to move forward in our freedom from sin and death and its consequences (dying, sickness, disease, poverty, lack, fear, etc.)

IT IS FINISHED!!