But aren't we saved by "grace"? Yes, we are. The grace of God has been given to us who believe in Jesus that we might be able to come out from the present sinful age and serve the Lord. God has given us grace to do this, but in order to avail ourselves of Divine grace we must do exactly as Paul has instructed Timothy.

"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." If we would be saved we must endure to the end. To attain the goal of salvation requires a lifelong struggle against various enemies and obstacles. It is only by obeying what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that we can save ourselves and those who follow us.

Christ did not appear to save us apart from any effort on our part. Christ came to make it possible for us to save ourselves. This we do by looking to Him constantly for wisdom, strength, and virtue.

Obviously it is time for a reformation of Christian thinking.

And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" (I Peter 4:18—NIV)

What does the above verse mean? The context, the fourth chapter of First Peter, tells us we are saved by fiery suffering and trials. The righteous person experiences severe chastening. Only by praying and meditating continually in God's Word can a righteous person maintain faith in God and thus be saved. The ungodly and the sinner will face the Divine Fire at a later time.

If you are going through a severe test right now, do not despair. Keep looking to Jesus. Keep looking to Jesus. Never, never quit. Christ will make a way for you to go through successfully but you must keep your eyes steadfastly on Him!

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (I Timothy 6:12—NIV)

In order to be saved we have to fight. Against whom or what do we fight? We fight against the world spirit, against the lusts and passions of our flesh, against our personal ambition and desires for achievement and success, against Satan, and sometimes against other believers.

What are we trying to accomplish that we have such enemies? We are trying to take hold of the eternal life to which we have been called. It is the fight of faith—faith that God is all-powerful, that He cares about us, that He is bringing us to certain joy, that no power in the heavens or on the earth can harm us when we are living in God's will.

Why are our enemies seeking to prevent us from gaining eternal life? It is because in order to gain eternal life we have to do God's will, and when we do God's will we place those who are not doing God's will, particularly Satan and his followers, in a bad light.

To be continued.