Second is the means to the goal. There is no way of attaining the goal of the new covenant other than by having Christ formed in us and dwelling in us. The salvation of the Lord cannot possibly proceed from the fallen nature of man. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.

When we are baptized in water our adamic nature is assigned to the cross with Christ. We are born again, meaning Christ is born in us as a firstfruits of the salvation of our entire personality—spirit, soul, and at the Lord's coming, our body.

Third is the willingness of our fallen nature to lay hold on the grace of God in order that we may obey the commandments given to us by the Lord and His Apostles.

It is this third aspect that well may be the area of greatest theological misunderstanding in our day.

The issue that sometimes is raised is as follows: How are the numerous commandments found in the four Gospels and in the Epistles related to Paul's teaching of grace?

Let us think about the problem of fornication. Paul warned us that the believer who fornicates will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

Here is the question: Will a Christian who continues to fornicate, making little or no effort to seek the Lord for the strength to stop sinning, inherit the Kingdom of God?

Many contemporary teachers would say yes, even though such an answer denies the written Word of God. We are saved by an unconditional sovereign grace that is unaffected by our behavior, it is maintained, and so it is impossible for Galatians 5:19-21 to apply to us.

If we applied this manner of interpreting the Scriptures to the remainder of the Scriptures, we indeed would be in a theological free-for-all!

Other teachers might hedge a little and say, "If the believer turns his life over to Jesus, the Lord will deliver him from the need to fornicate. The believer is powerless to help himself. If he attempts in his own strength to stop fornicating he would be trying to add the filthy works of his own righteousness to the perfect righteousness of Christ."

When one reads the Book of Galatians it is obvious that neither of these interpretations is in line with the tenor of the entire book.

The solution to this seeming quandary is actually quite simple. We certainly are required to keep all the commandments of the Lord and His Apostles. If we ignore them we will die spiritually. We will destroy our own resurrection unto life.

To be continued.