The Lord's Church will be without spot or wrinkle. The Christian churches of today are not without spot or wrinkle. We know the holy city, the new Jerusalem, is without spot or wrinkle. How do we get from here to there?

By death? There is no evidence that physical death will improve our personality. Death is an enemy that will be destroyed by the Lord. Anyway, sin began in Heaven around the throne of God.

It is not likely that a spotted and wrinkled Church will improve the atmosphere of Heaven.

By a miracle touch of the Lord when He comes? There is no Scripture for this thinking. When the Lord came He did not make the foolish virgins wise. He did not make the man who buried his talent a banker.

But, people say, when He comes we shall be like Him. This idea is taken from the third chapter of the Book of First John. Let's look at this passage, for it is commonly taught.

First of all, scholars tell us that the Book of First John is a warning concerning the doctrine of antinomianism. Antinomianism means to be saved by grace and faith without obeying the moral laws of God. In fact, today's evangelical teaching is mostly antinomianism.

If you read the Book of first John you will see how many times it states we must keep God's commandments.

Second, the verse that follows the one that states we will be like Him when He comes says if we have this hope we better start purifying ourselves.

Third, you have to interpret a verse according to other similar statements in the Bible In the third chapter of Philippians Paul speaks of the Lord changing our body so it will be like his. But a few verses previously Paul says this resurrection must be attained by counting everything as garbage so we may win Christ.

We shall be like Christ when He appears provided we are living a consecrated life today. The change that must take place in us takes place today.

The "spots" of sin are removed by the blood of Jesus as we confess our sins and turn away from them.

The "wrinkles" of worldliness and self-will are pressed out by the hot iron of tribulation. As we patiently suffer tribulation our character is formed in love, joy, peace, and the other attributes of the citizens of the new Jerusalem.

Those of us who are older have learned that things of value have a big price tag. When something sounds too good to be true it usually is.

The price tag on today's salvation is cheap grace. It is cheap and the results are shoddy.

The price tag on God's salvation is everything. You have to give everything to get it. But the results are marvelous beyond belief and they last forever.

Merry Christmas!