View source for How Christ's Word Abides in Us 6

====How Christ's Word Abides in Us 6==== 
<p> Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16) </p>
<p>In showing that the concept of Divine grace as an unconditional amnesty independent of any lasting change in our behavior is totally unscriptural I will present just one verse taken from among the many. If the reader is an inquirer after truth the one verse will suffice. He will notice the rest of the passages as he studies the Bible. </p>
<p>But if the reader is bound to hang on to the traditions of dispensational thinking that have brought the evangelical churches to the present state of moral corruption, he would not be convinced if we presented twenty-five passages that clearly stated the believers who live in the appetites of the flesh, continuing in the old adamic nature, will kill their spiritual life. </p>
<p>Such blind traditionalists will ignore every Bible passage, throw dust in the air and cry "I'm saved by grace" for the space of two hours, and then return home to continue in their eternal spiritual babyhood. </p>
<p>There is a knee-jerk reaction today to anyone who dares question the concept of salvation as a sovereign action that guarantees our eternal safety independently of our behavior. The suggestion that maybe we are not as safe as we thought proves to be overwhelmingly threatening to people. </p>
<p>Anyway, here is the passage. Notice it carefully. It is a bomb. </p>
<p>Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4) </p>
<p>The church in Sardis was one of the seven golden lampstands. </p>
<p>We are speaking of the believers in Sardis, not the unsaved, because the people addressed all had "garments." </p>
<p>Of all of these people "saved by grace" only a few had not "defiled their garments." </p>
<p>What does it mean for a Christian to defile his or her garments? It means to practice the sins of the flesh; to live in the malicious ways of the world, not taking up our cross and following Jesus. </p>
<p>What will be done for those who have kept themselves pure by following Christ? </p>
<p>They will walk with Christ in the white robe of the royal priesthood. </p>
<p>Why will they walk with Christ in the white robe of the royal priesthood? </p>
<p>Because they have proven themselves worthy of the gift of grace by keeping themselves clean through confessing and turning away from their sin. </p>
<p>What about the majority of believers in Sardis? </p>
<p>They will not be permitted to walk with Christ in the white robe of the royal priesthood. </p>
<p>Why will they not be permitted to walk with Christ in the white robe of the royal priesthood? </p>
<p>Because they have not been found worthy to do so. </p>
<p>Why have they not been found worthy to do so? </p>
<p>Because they have continued to walk in the appetites of the flesh. They regard God as a soft-headed old fool who will give them anything they want and will keep on forgiving their carelessness and disobedience because of His "love and mercy." </p>
<p>We are wrong in this. The sword of judgment is hanging over America. Unless the churches repent we are going to have a Gentile holocaust terrible beyond imagination. </p>
<p>God's wrath is as great as His love. Divine wrath and Divine love do not dilute or compromise each other. Each is perfect and complete when it is exercised. </p>
<p>To be continued. [[How Christ's Word Abides in Us 7]] </p>
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