The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Terror of the Lord, continued

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. (Revelation 3:2)

The Book of Revelation shows clearly that Christians are and shall continue to be judged according to their works.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)

"Be faithful unto death." This is the condition for receiving the crown of life.

Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. (Revelation 2:22)

"Except they repent of their deeds."

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)

"I will give unto every one of you according to your works." "According to your works." "Your works"!

There are numerous other passages throughout the New Testament.

A spirit of blindness has fallen upon Evangelical believers. We cannot see what is clearly written. We do not have eyes to see or ears to hear the Lord. The result of the lawless-grace-rapture teaching is spiritual blindness.

The teaching that being "under grace" means God no longer insists on righteous behavior but views the believer only through the righteousness of Christ makes it difficult for the student to perceive what is plainly written in the Scriptures.

It is necessary to keep in mind, as we are reviewing the bases of the current apostasy, that salvation is not eternal residence in Heaven. Salvation is deliverance from Satan, change into the moral image of Jesus, and oneness with Jesus and the Father. The purpose of such deliverance, transformation and oneness is not that we might live forever in Heaven. It is that we might please the Father and perform the many roles and functions that have been assigned to the royal priesthood. Until the program and goal of salvation is clearly defined in one's mind it is very difficult if not impossible to understand the Scriptures or the working of God in the individual.

The fourth chapter of First Peter presents the role of Divine judgment in our redemption.

Judgment on sin.

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; (I Peter 4:1)

"Hath ceased from sin."

This first verse sets the stage for the discussion of the role of suffering in the Divine salvation. The suffering that comes upon us is a judgment on the evil that dwells in our flesh so that we will cease from sin.

Compare:

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (II Thessalonians 1:5)

"Manifest token of the righteous judgment of God." "Worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer."

To be continued.