Paul had reason to be concerned. The very thing he feared has come to pass. Paul's argument against the continuance of the Law of Moses has been interpreted to mean that grace is a new way of relating to God; that God no longer requires righteous, holy, obedient behavior.

The Lord Jesus does not represent the termination of the Law of Moses but the fulfillment, the final result of the Law of Moses.

Paul stated that we are justified by faith, by Divine grace that operates apart from the works of the Law. We Gentiles have interpreted "works" to mean godly behavior. Paul was viewing works as the endeavors of the human, adamic personality to obey the various aspects of the Law of Moses, such as the Ten Commandments and the statutes governing feast days, leprosy, crime, diet, and so forth.

If by "works" Paul meant godly behavior Paul would have been contrasting grace and godly behavior. Since the true grace of God always leads to godly behavior, Paul's argument would be misdirected and incompetent indeed!

Today's understanding of Paul could hardly be more destructive of God's intention under the new covenant. The moral character of the Christian churches has been destroyed because of the current error.

If the sixth chapter of the Book of Romans is studied carefully it will give the believer a true understanding of Divine grace under the new covenant. But if we would be able to perceive what the verses state we must clear our minds of the traditional grace-rapture-Heaven concept of redemption, because nothing resembling this pattern appears in Romans, Chapter Six.

The Scripture does not present grace as a forgiveness that makes us eligible for eternal residence in Heaven but as a powerful act of transformation, based on our union with the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, that results in eternal life.

The goal is victory over sin and the resulting incorruptible resurrection life, not eternal residence in Heaven. There is a new world coming, and the Divine salvation gives us eternal life so we may enjoy the new world. We do not go to the new world when we die, the new world is coming to the earth at the appearing of the Lord from Heaven.

Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. (Luke 18:30)

"In the world to come." Not after we die and pass into the spirit realm, but in the world to come.

But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: (Luke 20:35)

"That world" has to do with the "resurrection from the dead."

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. (Hebrews 2:5)

God today is forming rulers who will govern the world to come.

The Christian salvation is a tremendous work that transforms the human personality so that in the righteous age that even now is on the horizon the individual may enjoy eternal life in the Presence of the Lord.

To be continued.