Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)

The promises of God concerning the Kingdom always are to Jerusalem.

Those who would press forward in God today must become rightly related to Israel, for the promises of the Scriptures are to Israel. Spiritual Israel and natural Israel will come into glory at the same time, and the light of the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord will issue from the saints and cover the whole earth.

There appear to be several dimensions of the present-day burden of the Spirit of the Lord. For example:

A reformation of Christian thinking.

The return of the Jews of the world to the land of Israel.

Repentance and righteous behavior on the part of all God's people.

The spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles.

The coming of the Kingdom of God to the earth.

The organizing of the Body of Christ into an army.

It is our point of view that these six dimensions will converge in the near future, culminating in the return of Christ to the earth.

Christian theology is founded on the atoning blood and triumphant resurrection of Christ. On this sure foundation has been constructed an assortment of traditions and fables.

Among these traditions and fables are the following:

The concept of eternal residence in a mansion in Heaven as the goal of the Christian salvation.

The existence of a "Gentile Church."

An any-moment pre-tribulation "rapture" of the believers in Christ to provide an escape from Antichrist and the great tribulation.

The concept of the new covenant as a "new dispensation"—a work of God separate from all that has gone before in the dealings of God with His elect.

The concept of a Gentile Church in Heaven and a Jewish kingdom on the earth; and the concept of Divine grace as an alternative to godly behavior.

And recently—in the Charismatic movement—such manifestly unscriptural emphases and practices as:

The regarding of faith as a force within people they can release in order to accomplish their own ends.

The Christian's right to be prosperous and successful in the present world and to be free from suffering.

Mental imaging, positive thinking, and the "dominion kingdom" and "replacement theology" positions.

Most of what is being preached today in Christian churches is unscriptural, although in many instances some scriptural teaching is included.

The most serious error, and perhaps the basis for the other errors, is the perverting of the definition of "grace." New covenant "grace" is the Divine enablement for our transformation into the image of Christ. Today "grace" is being defined as an unconditional amnesty whereby a believer in Jesus can continue in sin and still be assured of the blessing of God.

Such a monstrous doctrine reflects an ignorance of Paul's teaching. It is a changing of Paul's argument against the Judaizers into a special Divine indulgence toward the Gentile believers—an excusing of their immoral behavior.

To be continued.