The Holy Spirit is calling for repentance today, but our doctrine of "grace" prevents our doing much serious, prolonged repenting. When our lusts return in force we suddenly remember we are "saved by grace and not by works of righteousness we have done."

And so the demons rejoice and have a field day with our personality.

How many pastors today have left their families and have gone to live with a young woman?

How many pastors today have been caught in immoral acts?

How many pastors today are hooked on pornography?

This is because of the teaching that grace is unmerited favor.

May the good Lord deliver us before we all are hurled away from the Face of God.

Are we a new creation by imputation, by unmerited favor? Has the old gone and the new come by a legal act of God but not in reality? Has the old sinful nature really gone and the new Nature of Jesus Christ actually come so all things in our personality are of God?

No, Paul is not speaking of imputed righteousness but of moral transformation. The Kingdom of God is in moral transformation, not in legally ascribed righteousness.

Here's another:

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (II Corinthians 3:18—NIV)

I'll bet you never heard Romans 8:29 or Second Corinthians 3:18 emphasized. If you did you have a rare pastor or teacher.

You may have heard that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, but the implication was that by taking the four steps of salvation you automatically are a new creation. The old parts of your personality have disappeared and you now are filled with Christ by imputation. It hasn't really happened, it is just that God has said it is so and therefore it is a fact. Christ has done it all for you. All you have to do is to continue in your former way of life and wait to be raptured into Heaven.

No painful daily change required. Just believe and Christ does the rest. How neat!

Can you imagine the Lamb having a Bride who is without spot by imputation? She really is a wicked witch, an ungrateful, disobedient, lazy wretch. But all that Jesus sees is a lovely, meek, helpmeet.

Can you imagine Christ having a body that is perfect by imputation but actually sinful and rebellious?

Can you imagine God having a temple that continually rebels against His will but is acceptable by imputation?

Can you imagine Christ having brothers who hate the ways of righteousness and holiness?

Can you imagine a new Jerusalem filled with unrighteous, unmerciful, proud people who are holy only by imputation?

If you believe such is the case I think it might be helpful to throw out all your books on dispensational theory and read the New Testament once again.

It is true that we have a wonderful sense of renewal when we really come to Christ for salvation. There may be a honeymoon period in which we are walking on the clouds. But sooner or later we return to earth and find that most of our old personality is very much alive.

To be continued.