Let us think about the first aspect, which is our conversion from Adam to Christ.

To be changed from Adam to Christ. If one is to understand the Christian program of redemption he must learn to think of the mainspring of salvation as being death and resurrection.

The entire adamic creation died on the cross of Calvary. As one grows older in the Lord he begins to see that Adam is hopeless. One would have an easier time teaching a dog to work algebraic equations than he would training Adam to behave like the Lord Jesus.

We see in the Lord Jesus perfect courage, joy, patience, obedience to God, moral purity. All that the Law of Moses pointed toward but could never accomplish in a human being is revealed in the personality of Jesus of Nazareth.

Some people have great courage, a joyous nature, patience, devoutness to God, and are morally pure. But these human traits do not possess eternal strength. Under enough pressure they will crumble and the naked beast will be revealed. Adam is a beast, a self-seeking monster!

God's answer to the corruption resident in Adam is the death of the cross. Adam must be brought to the cross. God is not attempting to save Adam, to bring him into the Kingdom of God. Flesh and blood cannot possibly inherit the Kingdom.

God, understanding well the utter folly of attempting to change Adam into the image of Christ, has assigned Adam to the cross. "Reckon yourself dead," the Lord commands, "but alive before God in the resurrected Jesus."

There is galactic power in the courage, the joy, the obedience, the patience of the Lord Jesus. While He was on earth He walked on fear, misery, disobedience, impatience with as much ease as He strode on the Sea of Galilee. Unrighteousness does not possess enough strength to overcome the Character of the Lord Jesus.

Righteous behavior always is a question of power. The reason Adam cannot possibly learn righteousness is that the virtue that is in him is not strong enough to overcome the world, the lusts of his flesh and soul, Satan, or his own self-glorification.

But there is awesome, tremendous power in the Lord Jesus—the very power of the Father's own righteous Character. Therefore the Lord overcomes all sin, all rebellion against God's will.

God wants us in Christ's image. That is the first aspect of our twofold destination. In order to accomplish our transformation God assigns our first personality, Adam, to the cross.

Day by day the circumstances of life beat down our adamic nature. Day by day the powerful Life of the Lord Jesus raises us up in newness of character. This process is to continue until Christ is formed in us. Our adamic nature has been replaced by the Divine Nature. Now the power of righteousness is in us and our personality is filled with the love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience, faithfulness, self-control, of the Lord Himself.

We now have arrived at the first aspect of our goal, our land of promise.

To be continued.