Salvation Through Judgment and Suffering 4

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: (I Peter 4:2-4)

There has been so much preaching about grace today the churches have been ruined. If Divine grace actually were what is being presented the above verse would be superfluous.

Today the passage would read, "It doesn't really matter how you live, if you believe in Christ, because God sees you as perfect in Him. You have been accepted in the Beloved." (Hezekiah 3:16)

Dear Lord!

After we suffer under the hand of God we are not to keep on obeying the lusts of our flesh. We are to live for God's will only.

The twelfth chapter of the Book of Hebrews reminds us of the great cloud of witnesses who are watching our struggle against sin. The witnesses are the suffering heroes of faith of the eleventh chapter.

It is instructive to observe the experiences of those who were true to God.

Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (Hebrews 11:35-39)

Today we are taught that faith will prevent our suffering and make us rich. I guess the great cloud of witnesses will be dismayed when they discover that if they had only had faith they could have escaped all their problems.

The goal of the heroes of faith of Hebrews Eleven obviously was not Heaven but the new Jerusalem, and their own perfecting as being part of that city. Their goal is a better resurrection. They are righteous people living in the heavenly Zion who are being made perfect. But they cannot be made perfect apart from us and so they are studying us carefully.

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18)

It is important to recognize that all revelation, all forward movement toward perfection originates in the earth and then is witnessed by the heavens. The Word of God must be tested in furnaces of earth.

While change does take place after we die, it is also taking place on earth in those who are enduring the present warfare. The whole Body of Christ is moving toward perfection together.

Continued. Salvation Through Judgment and Suffering 5