Releasing the Jew from the obligations of the Law of Moses indeed is a far cry from the idea that once we accept Christ we no longer are required to live righteously. This would contradict much of what Paul wrote in the Epistles. Also it would defeat the purpose of God under the new covenant.

The reason God is willing to receive us is that Jesus Christ, who kept the Law of Moses perfectly, died on our behalf, purchasing us with His own blood. The blood of God's Lamb has made an atonement for us. We have been accepted in the Beloved.

God's purpose in washing us in the blood of Christ and permitting us to enter the Holy of Holies in prayer is that we might now, having a heart and conscience free from all condemnation, receive the ability to live righteously. God has given us eternal life, the Holy Spirit, the body and blood of Jesus, perfect forgiveness, that we might learn to live righteously!

It appears we Christians have misunderstood God almost completely. We have postulated a dispensation of grace (an unscriptural and destructive concept and term) to mean God no longer demands righteous, holy, obedient behavior. We are accepted of God (we say) on the basis of an unconditional amnesty, a legal state unrelated to our behavior. When we sin God sees only the righteousness of Christ.

It appears it is not possible a more cunning device could have been invented by the enemy to destroy the purpose of God under the new covenant.

It absolutely is true that as we set out on our discipleship the Holy Spirit does not deal with all of our sinful nature at one time. Most of our worldliness, lust, and self-will is covered from God's sight, else we would be under condemnation all the time.

But there always is a growing edge of righteousness that the Spirit is dealing with concerning each individual. God always judges us at this point. Either we are abiding in Christ in the challenge under consideration, and bearing the fruit of righteousness, or we are not abiding in Christ, are not obeying the Spirit, are not growing in righteousness. When this is true we come under Divine judgment. We are beginning to draw back to destruction.

Think of your own life. Isn't it true that God is dealing with you at the present time concerning some area of worldliness, bodily passion, or self-will? If He is not, it may be true that you are not growing in Christ. It is possible you have a head knowledge of salvation (so do the demons) but are not experiencing it.

We are free from condemnation only as long as we are abiding in Christ, faithfully following the Spirit of God, getting the victory through Christ over every sin the Spirit points out to us.

One can see from this what a grievous error the concept of a dispensation of grace actually is. The concept of the dispensation of grace presents a new kind of Divine dealing with man such that he relates to God on a theoretical plane having little reference to the reality of his personality. God views him in Christ apart from what he is. This is terribly, terribly incorrect!

To be continued.