You know, the more I write on the subject of God's commandments the more I realize what a terrible lie dispensationalism is with its "dispensation of grace." There is no such thing as a "dispensation of grace" if we mean by this that God deals differently with people now than He did in former days. If such were the case, how could we use the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews as an example of "the just shall live by faith"?

When Paul spoke of "grace" he meant we no longer are bound by the Law of Moses now that the atonement has been made by Jesus Christ. He never meant, and his writings show that he never meant, that anyone can please God other than by keeping the commandments issued by Christ and His Apostles.

We really are at a place of midcourse correction in the Christian churches. Will we respond to the Holy Spirit and repent or will it be business as usual until destruction falls on our nation?

Peter urged us to take heed to the Old Testament writings.

"But," one may respond, "the New Testament does not tell us we have to live righteously in order to go to Heaven." Our answer is, nowhere in the New Testament is eternal residence in Heaven promised to us. We just imagine the promise is there because of our traditions.

Part of this whole problem of untying the knot is that we are holding the wrong goal. The goal of making our eternal home in Heaven is so deeply entrenched that it may take another generation or two before we outgrow it. It simply is not scriptural and makes logical argument impossible. It is one of the myths that Paul spoke of.

The actual goal of salvation, which is deliverance from wrath, and then after that conformation to the image of Christ and entrance into untroubled rest in the Father through Christ, the formation of Christ in us, the coming of the Father and the Son to take up Their eternal residence in us, depends absolutely on our obeying the commandments of the Lord. This fact can be verified easily.

Remember, we are speaking of the fourth area of disagreement, that of the consequence of keeping the commandments of Christ and His Apostles. The first viewpoint is that the believer who obeys the commandments of Christ will receive the rewards mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments. The second, Evangelical viewpoint is that there really is no special reward for keeping the commandments because we are saved by grace.

And yet:

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (Psalms 19:10,11)

To be continued.