The major Christian stance today, if I am correct, is to say, "You should do what the Apostle says; but if you do not you still will go to Heaven by grace."

So the issue boils down to what is meant by grace.

If by grace we mean God overlooks our behavior because we have believed the promise of God, in the same manner that Abraham received righteousness by believing the promise of God, then we have misunderstood the Apostle Paul.

How do you think John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus, the Apostle Paul, John, Jude, the writer of the Book of Hebrews, would regard the pastor who refused to warn his young people that they should not participate in the moral filth of the American society because they are "saved by grace?"

I'll tell you how they would react. They would say:

"You are totally deceived!"

"You are wresting the teaching of Paul to your own destruction!"

"Your common sense should tell you that God is holy and if we would walk with God we must be holy!"

"You are leading the flock to destruction!"

"You are disobeying Christ, revealing that you do not love Him. You are attempting to make God's Word a means of justifying the works of the devil!"

"You are turning the grace of God into an excuse for immorality!"

"You are sowing to your flesh and you certainly shall reap corruption in the day of Christ!"

Can you imagine John the Baptist, Christ, or Paul sitting and watching a situation comedy from Hollywood? If you can, you do not know the Lord or His witnesses. You may be a member of the Christian religion but you assuredly do not know the Lord.

The Apostle James warned us against the concept of being justified by faith alone. He pointed to the obedience of Abraham when he offered up Isaac as being just as much a means of justification as was true of Abraham's belief in the promise of God.

Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? (James 2:21—NIV)

We ought always to believe the promises of God, no matter how awesome and wonderful. This is a righteous action.

We ought always to obey the Word of God, no matter how demanding it may prove to be. We have access to the Mercy Seat in Heaven when we need help in keeping the commandments of Christ and His Apostles. Such obedience also brings righteousness to us.

The Lord is telling us Christians in America to turn back to Him and begin to keep His commandments, realizing we have been deceived. We have been deluded into thinking God will have fellowship with wickedness. We have left the ways of righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God. We have forsaken the old paths in favor of the abominable "dispensation of grace" doctrine which teaches that God no longer requires righteous behavior of His people.

We need at this point to return to common sense. Many who teach the philosophy of Dispensationalism are dedicated Christians who know that God does not accept wicked behavior. They are godly people. Yet their teaching is not in accord with their basic sense of God's insistence on righteous, holy behavior.

To be continued.