The blood of Jesus delivers us from the guilt of sin and provides the continuing authority for the process of delivering us from the power of sin. However, when we are not following on to know the Lord we come under the judgment of God.

To maintain we go to live forever in Paradise on the basis of making a statement of belief in Christ, regardless of whether we obey the commandments of the Lord, is to be in direct opposition to the clear teaching of the Scripture. It is to bring one's self and one's hearers to destruction.

How much easier it would be to teach people concerning the forming of the new creation if they had been told when they were baptized in water that they were going down into the death of the Lord Jesus, and that when they came out of the water they left their adamic nature on the cross with the Lord.

The believers of today have been presented with such a "cheap" gospel that they are not prepared for the teaching of discipleship. The concept of presenting their body a living sacrifice to God is foreign to them. They imagine Jesus is forgiving them as long as they attend church and make some attempt to behave righteously (some do not do even this much). They suppose they are to live much the same as other people.

When they are challenged to not be so involved in the things of the world they protest, "I am saved by grace and not by works."

When they are informed they must put to death the deeds of the old man they cheerfully announce, "As long as I am in the world I have to sin. Nobody's perfect!"

When they are told they must surrender their self-will and self-love, take up their cross, and follow Jesus, they say, "I've got to be me. The Gospel is supposed to be good news and you are making it unpleasant!"

They are bent on saving their life. Thus they remain barren of the fruit of righteousness. No growth takes place. They are unchanged after fifty years of attending church.

This is the American Christian in many instances!

Such a believer never comes to know the joy of salvation. His or her joy is the joy of the flesh. It vanishes when enough trouble appears.

The true joy of the Lord is found when we abandon our life to the Lord, counting ourselves as dead to the adamic nature and alive in the resurrection Life of the Lord Jesus. When this is true of us we have no problem with coming out of the world, not being conformed to its values and ways. We rejoice as the Lord delivers us from the lusts and passions of the carnal nature. We keep on following the Lord, even when He calls for our "Isaac."

This is the true Christian.

It is only as we reckon ourselves to be dead to our first personality and alive in Jesus that the work of salvation can proceed in our life. (from Eternal Judgment)