The reason God chastens us is that we become holy as He is holy. If imputation and grace were sufficient for our holiness, why would God be required to chasten us?

Can you see that our traditional "four steps of salvation" and the assumptions made concerning them are "another gospel"? We are not preaching and teaching what Paul preached and taught. We say we believe the whole Bible but this is not true. We only believe the few passages on which we base our philosophy, our approximation of the Christian salvation.

Revelation 2:23

Our worst departure from the truth has to do with what the New Testament teaches concerning Divine judgment. We do not seem to understand that the judgment of the guilt of our sins that took place on the cross, and the judgment that always will be exercised concerning our conduct, are two different judgments. We are teaching that the Christian need not worry about the Judgment Seat of Christ. Even though the very thought of the Judgment Seat caused Paul to tremble with fear, we assure the believers that no matter how they behave they have nothing to worry about.

This doctrine comes straight from Satan who understands that if we do not fear the consequences of sinful behavior we are going to keep on sinning. To claim if we love Jesus we will not sin is folly. It is not effective in practice. Trying to be nice does not work when we are harassed by the demons and the lusts of our body are in high gear.

Notice the following words spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ to the members of one of the churches of Asia. Have your perceptual processes been violated to the point you cannot hear what Christ is saying to you?

I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:23—NIV)

Can you perceive what Jesus is saying? Can you be assured from the context of the verse that it is speaking to Christians? Can you notice from the very words of the verse itself that Jesus Christ is speaking to His churches?

"I will repay each of you according to your deeds."

"But I am saved by grace."

"I will repay each of you according to your deeds."

"But I am saved by faith alone."

"I will repay each of you according to your deeds."

Who will repay each person according to his or her deeds?

The Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Whom will He repay according to his deeds?

The members of His churches.

If you do not believe the words of Jesus Christ in Revelation 2:23 then you cannot claim to believe the whole Bible, the full Gospel.

Are we forgiven through Jesus Christ? Yes, our sins of the past have been forgiven. Our sins of the present and future also have been forgiven provided we continue to walk in the light of God's will, not if we live in the passions and appetites of our flesh and soul.

But our personality must be judged as to its evil characteristics, its rebellious inward nature.

To be continued.