The purpose of the new covenant is to produce righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God in people.

The first thing God does, when we come to Jesus, is to forgive our sins. Now God can begin the program that will result in our total sanctification.

Let's think about the differences among righteousness, holiness, and obedience, for although they are interrelated they are not exactly the same.

Righteousness has to do with our conduct toward other people. Righteousness includes honesty, fair dealing, truthfulness, loyalty, honorable actions, dependability, generosity, kindness, compassion toward the poor, and similar behavior. To treat others as we would have them treat us is to behave righteously.

Holiness has to do with our relationship with God and with the purity of our spirit. God wants His elect to belong to Him and to live before Him in all things. All unclean spirits must be driven from us. That which belongs to God must be holy.

This is where righteousness and holiness overlap. To tell a lie is unrighteous. The spirit of lying is an unholy, unclean spirit. To hurt another person is an unrighteous act. The spirits of violence, murder, gossip, slander, are unholy spirits and cannot dwell in the Presence of God.

Obedience has to do with our response to God's will. There is only one lawful will in the universe. Every son of God must obey his Father without any question or compromise. God has a good and loving purpose in all He commands and to not obey Him instantly and totally is unthinkable!

The Bible stresses righteousness—perhaps above all other virtues. Both the Old Testament and the New, from Genesis to Revelation, contain many commandments involving righteous behavior. The current viewpoint of Divine grace, that it is an acceptable alternative to righteous behavior, is just about as destructive an error as can be imagined.

Holiness is required of Israel, the royal priesthood. Those who have been called of God to serve Him, to represent Him to His creation, must be holy. No unclean spirit can survive the fire of God.

Every Christian must be morally clean in thought, speech, and behavior. Every Christian is called to be a member of the royal priesthood. The Holy Spirit has been given to guide us into complete sanctification. The Christian who loves God but is bound by some filthy spirit will be scrubbed with lye soap—not a dainty perfumed soap but old-fashioned laundry soap. We are to be holy as God is holy!

And as for obedience, every saint will suffer until he or she is totally obedient to God. Adam was disobedient. Abraham and Christ were obedient in their hour of testing. You and I are to be totally, sternly obedient to the will of God!

Righteousness, holiness, and obedience. All three are necessary if we are to stand in the Presence of God and serve Him as His sons and daughters.

He will accomplish these in you if you will cooperate with Him!