* The utter abhorrence of all the person and ways of Satan. One time I was flying back to California. There was a stopover in Las Vegas, Nevada, a center of gambling and other worldly activities.

There were two ladies sitting in front of me. They were discussing what they intended to do in Las Vegas.

The remarks they were making went something like this: " I don't mind the nasty things they say as long as they don't get too bad." They were talking about the comedians in Las Vegas.

Their comments have stuck with me through the years because they sum up the attitude of the American people. They are neither hot nor cold when it comes to the person and ways of Satan. They do not want to be red hot for Jesus or red hot for Satan. They want some uncleanness but not too much.

This is Adam, not eternal life. Jesus loves righteousness and hates wickedness. He loves and He hates. He is emotionally involved. Therefore God His Father has given Him great joy.

When we are walking in close fellowship with Christ and the Father we begin to utterly abhor all that is of Satan. We develop a passion for holiness and a hatred of uncleanness, of all that comes from Satan and his demons. Such love and such hatred are eternal life.

* The forgiveness and removal of all sin and uncleanness and of the very desire to sin. Christ has died to atone for the sins of the whole world. Now His desire is that we abide in Him. As we dwell in Christ, in the secret place of the most High, our sins are made known to us. Then we confess them and turn away from them with God's help.

The end result of being forgiven and turning away (repenting) from our sins is the removing of the desire to sin.

There is no greater blessing available to man than the removal of the desire to sin. To those who persevere in seeking righteousness will be given immortality at the return of the Lord, immortality in a body that loves righteousness and hates wickedness. Think of it! What a blessing! This is the answer to Paul's "who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Here is eternal life.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (I John 1:7—NIV)

* Trust in God's faithfulness. We Christians speak much about faith. We think if we could see God we would have faith, that when we die and can see God (we hope), we will have faith.

But faith does not come by being able to see God. Satan was one of two cherubim that covered God's throne with his wings. But Satan has no faith in God.

I think "trust in God's faithfulness" is about as good a definition of faith as one can find. It is our willingness, yes, our determination to believe what God says, to count on the reliability of His Word, that is eternal life. Such determination the demons do not have. They know there is a God but they do not believe in His goodness and trustworthiness. They think they will be better off if they go their own way. This was Satan's counsel to Eve if you remember.

To be continued.