But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (Galatians 5:18—NIV)

One of the current glaring departures from the Scripture is the doctrine that the Christian salvation is unconditional. The teaching is that salvation is an act of God unrelated to our behavior. No longer do we have to endure to the end. Grace is a Divine gift, unknown under previous covenants, and our only obligation is to accept it.

This position directly contradicts clear statements of the New Testament.

It is being taught today that Divine grace is a sovereign intervention of God that operates independently of a change in the behavior of the recipient. There is a "state of grace" that serves to shield the believer from all judgment—even from the eyes of God. This idea is strongly supportive of the doctrine of "eternal security."

Once an individual professes belief in Christ he enters a state of grace that renders him impervious to any judgment on works of immorality or any other sinful behavior. While the believer ought to try to please Christ by living a moral life, such an effort is unrelated to his salvation. He is saved by grace and grace alone. Whether his behavior is righteous or wicked has no bearing on his salvation.

If we know the Lord at all we realize this concept of salvation is as removed from God's intention under the new covenant as it is possible to be.

I wonder sometimes where the "state of grace" concept originated, for it certainly leaves out most of the text of the New Testament. It must be a deduction from several verses taken out of context.

When one reads the New Testament, especially the Epistles, it is clear that righteous behavior is the only valid evidence of salvation. Faith apart from works of righteousness is dead.

Perhaps there is a spiritual blindness on us that prevents us from perceiving what was written by the Apostles of Christ.

I suppose if theologians wish to play around with the idea of an impervious state of grace they are free to do so. The only problem is, God is upset because His commandments are not being kept, the numerous commandments found in the New Testament. Because of this the sword of Divine judgment is hanging over the United States of America and several other countries.

The reason many believers are not keeping the commandments of the New Testament is they have been taught they will go to Heaven by grace, and grace alone. If you take this doctrine and accompany it with the saturation of demons of lust and violence that is true of America today, then stir in a "rapture" that is just about to transport all believers to Paradise regardless of their moral state, you are going to get one result: churchgoers who are unable to resist the pressures of sexual lust, pornography, rage, covetousness, and stealing.

In fact, these pressures are going to increase in the United States until it will be impossible for believers to resist temptation. If you and I do not keep the word of Christ's patience today we will not be guarded during the hour of temptation on the horizon.

To be continued.