When we realize that our flesh and bones will be raised, that we actually will be handed the results of our behavior, we should then go to the Lord and ask Him to forgive us and cleanse us; to remove from our robe the corruption that we do not wish to be given in the coming day.

Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. (I Corinthians 15:34)

What a wonderful balance this verse is toward the current apathetic attitude toward Christian behavior! What a wholesome attitude—an attitude that blows away all the cobwebs.

We go to Heaven by grace and not by works. "Awake to righteousness and stop sinning!"

Christ has done it all for us. "Awake to righteousness and stop sinning!"

We are saved unconditionally. "Awake to righteousness and stop sinning!"

As long as we are in this world we have to sin. "Awake to righteousness and stop sinning!"

Any effort we make to live righteously is "works" and "legalism." Awake to righteousness and stop sinning!"

God sees me only through Christ. "Awake to righteousness and stop sinning!"

Many people are ignorant of God because the believers do not awake to righteousness and cease their sinning. Today the churches are asleep concerning righteous behavior. They should be ashamed!

It is the Gospel, the good news, of the bodily resurrection from the dead that saves us. We are saved by the certain knowledge that we shall be raised from the dead in our body and that the type of resurrection we will experience depends strictly on whether we have sown to the flesh or to the Holy Spirit.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8)

It is in the day of resurrection that we reap what we have sown.

We cannot overemphasize this point: we shall not receive a body like that of the Lord Jesus on the basis of faith, grace, or mercy. The glorification of our body, the capacities for life, service, and closeness to God that will be ours in the Day of the Lord, depends strictly on the manner in which we have followed the Lord during our discipleship on the earth.

The teaching of today is that every person who has taken the "four steps of salvation" is guaranteed a body like that of the Lord. Because of this false hope the believers are not pressing forward to the first resurrection from the dead, the resurrection of the royal priesthood.

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection [out-resurrection] of the dead. (Philippians 3:11)

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

To be continued.