The question of the resurrection is one of doing good or doing evil. It is of the utmost importance that the Christian realize in his very bones that Paul's doctrine of grace does not interfere with this fundamental premise of God's dealings with men. Those who do good will be raised to life. Those who do evil will be raised to judgment. "Accepting Christ" does not change this simple, unchangeable fact.

The whole purpose of receiving Christ is that we may repent and begin to do good, thus qualifying ourselves for the resurrection of the righteous.

Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. (Acts 3:26)

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance [appropriate to repentance]. (Acts 26:20)

"And do works appropriate to repentance." "Do works"!

In the Day of Resurrection the Apostle Paul will be the first to condemn those who have wrested his doctrine of grace to mean a Christian can continue in his sins, not doing works appropriate to repentance, not turning from his iniquities, and still claim forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. It is a gross error.

It is being taught today that if I commit adultery God sees Christ instead of the adultery. If I lie God sees Christ instead of the lie. We have made Christ the excuse for our sins. Can any person, Christian or otherwise, truly believe while we are committing adultery God is seeing Christ instead of our wickedness? Is this not a satanic wresting of Paul's doctrine of grace?

Notice (John 5:28,29 above) that all persons who have ever lived on the earth will be raised from the dead; their bodies once again will stand on the earth. It is not the fact of being raised that is significant, for all will be raised. Rather, it is what happens to our body after it is raised that is so terribly important.

Our body will be clothed with incorruptible life only if we have sown to the Holy Spirit during the years of our discipleship. But if we have not done the Lord's will we will be beaten with lashes. If we have lived a wicked life on the earth we will be cast into the lake burning with fire and sulfur.

It is not the resurrection, it is what takes place after the resurrection that is so vital to our eternal destiny.

Paul's teaching concerning imputation (ascribed righteousness), the attaining of righteousness by believing what God has stated, should not be interpreted to mean belief in Christ's atonement waives the Kingdom law of sowing and reaping. No type or amount of professions of belief can alter the fact that we will receive in the resurrection the consequences of our behavior on the earth.

To be continued.