God is looking for living stones in His eternal house, for a wife for the Lamb, for sons, for brothers of Jesus Christ, and for a royal priesthood that will be able to govern the saved nations of the earth.

Can you see that a person who "believes in Jesus" is useless for God's purposes until his belief in Jesus produces a new creation in his or her personality?

Christians in America have on the back bumper of their car a sign that reads, "Christians are not perfect, just forgiven." By this they mean they have been taught that to escape Hell and go to Heaven they have only to "believe in Jesus." This type of "belief," one that does not produce a radical change in behavior, is probably closer to mental assent than it is to genuine faith in God.

Also, there is no love of God in this doctrine. Belief in Jesus Christ has become our fire insurance. We are not seeking God or His will, we are trying to gain assurance that we won't be punished. We don't really care whether or not God is pleased with our person and behavior. In fact, we are attempting to get around God's righteous, holy nature by holding Him to certain verses of the Scriptures taken out of context.

But isn't this the Gospel—"Believe in Jesus Christ and you will not go to Hell but to Heaven when you die?"

No, this is not the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel is, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be ‘saved'"! We are assuming that being saved means we escape Hell and go to Heaven. But there is no Bible to verify this definition of what it means to be saved. It merely is our tradition.

What, then, does it mean to be "saved"? To be saved is to be rescued from the power of Satan and to be brought into the Kingdom of God, that is, into the doing of God's will.

But isn't this the same as escaping Hell and going to Heaven?

No, it isn't. The two are very different concepts and which one we hold may make a dramatic difference in the way we behave.

Escaping Hell and going to Heaven, especially as it is preached today, does not stress a change of the individual. However, being rescued from the power of Satan and being brought to God always results in a change of behavior. How could it be otherwise? We understand, therefore, that the very essence of salvation is change in the behavior and personality of the believer.

We are preaching currently that the "four steps of salvation" are a kind of magic. This is exactly what we are presenting—a kind of magic. Say these words, make these statements, and you now are free from Hell and on your way to Heaven.

Added to this totally unscriptural concept is the doctrine that the grace we receive as a result of our reciting of the magic formula takes the place of a change of our behavior. Think about it. Isn't this the general understanding of grace?

To be continued.