We are being transformed into His likeness. This transformation is what salvation is. We think of salvation as being eternal residence in Heaven. Salvation is not eternal residence in Heaven. Salvation is transformation into the moral image of Christ until we delight to do His will and His law is in our mind and heart. Salvation is deliverance from all that is of Satan and the possession of all that is of God. This definition needs to be widely circulated in our day; for if we make going to Heaven our goal we may not understand the daily process of transformation into the image of Christ, supposing our troubles are coming from Satan rather than God.

The transformation which is the Christian salvation is simply expressed but exceedingly difficult to work out in daily life. The transformation is the crucifixion of our first, adamic nature and the coming forth of a new creation. The new creation is of the Nature of Jesus Christ. The new creation keeps every aspect of the eternal moral law of God.

The difficulty of the program of salvation arises from the fact that the adamic nature resists crucifixion. We simply cannot understand why we suffer as we do. Has God forgotten us?

No, God has not forgotten us. He is bringing us down to death that His Life may come forth. Such dying and living does not occur all at once but on a daily basis. Each day we die and each day we live. It is line upon line, command upon command, word upon word, understanding upon understanding, here a little and there a little, until we are broken and captured by the Lord.

Perhaps you are experiencing such death right now. Hopefully my words will provide some understanding so you can understand what God is doing, and then cooperate with the Spirit instead of resisting God at every turn.

God is converting your personality into a revelation of His law. Isn't that the most marvelous thing you have ever heard? You are becoming the witness of His Person, will, and way to all the nations of the earth.

The Body and Blood of Christ Are the Covenant

The Ten Commandments were the old covenant. The body and blood of Christ are the new covenant.

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:28—NIV)

We have said the new covenant is the writing of the eternal moral law of God in our mind so we can understand it and in our heart so we delight to do it. How then are the body and blood of Jesus Christ the new covenant?

Each day we are assigned a portion of evil and a portion of grace to overcome that evil.

Let us say that someone in the church wounds us in some manner. This is the evil that was given to us on the particular day. But grace to forgive the individual also has been provided.

We know from what the Lord Jesus said we absolutely must forgive those who sin against us.

Now we must make a decision. Either we go to God so we can lay hold on the grace given to us, or we can choose to hold a grudge.

To be continued.