Self-will among Christians results in churches and denominations filled with politics and scheming for personal advancement. This appears to have been true from the first century.

It is true today. Satan manages to destroy Christian assemblies by playing on the willingness of the believers to pursue their personal ambitions. You say this is not true in your assembly? I would like to become a member!

We of the churches rail against abortion, drugs, homosexuality, and other destructive practices. Actually our greatest danger comes from outbursts of anger, divisiveness, slander, gossip, and arrogance within our own assembly.

God's answer to our self-will is fiery suffering—prolonged periods of denial of our most intense desires. Are you in this condition at the present time? Don't quit. Remain faithful until God releases you and you will receive the crown of life.

We must be crucified with Christ and then filled with His resurrection life if we ever are to escape the curse of personal ambition. What peace comes to us when we have been chastened severely—chastened to the point that we no longer are enthusiastic about continually promoting our own interests; we no longer are ceaselessly manipulating people and circumstances that we may force our will on everyone!

It does not matter whether we ride in the front chariot or clean up behind the horses in the royal parade. It simply does not matter at all! God is not impressed with our prominence in the Kingdom, only with our faithfulness to Him.

It is not a pleasant sight to see God bringing a Christian through the death of his or her own will. But there is no other path to the fullness of deliverance from sin that God is seeking for us.

Our guilt has been forgiven. We now are without condemnation in Jesus Christ. But have we been delivered from our love of the world, the lusts and passions of our flesh and soul, and our determination to grasp what we desire without regard for the consequences or God's pleasure?

Salvation is such deliverance. This is what salvation is. It is ignorance and folly to debate whether we can keep on sinning and still "be saved." Not only is such a notion contrary to the New Testament, it also is highly illogical. How can we keep on sinning and yet be saved, when salvation is deliverance from sin?

The spiritual experience we have had has brought us to the present hour. It has served its purpose if we have followed Christ faithfully.

That day is past. It is history. We are entering a new phase of the development of the Christian Church.

One of our problems as Christians occurs when God is moving forward. Perhaps we have been at a certain level for many years. We have borne much fruit. We may have a considerable financial or ego investment in our present circumstances. Moving on with God may cause us to lose much of what we are enjoying.

To be continued.