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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Holiness Unto the Lord, #13
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (Ephesians 5:3-7)
The passage above sums up the apostolic attitude toward the sins of the Christian:
Consider the following:
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14)
Christ gives the Christian man and woman the authority and power to overcome sin and lead a holy life. This a different concept from that of attaching the label of Christ to a human life that continues in unholy behavior, stating that Christ is saving that one by "grace."
It is the writer's understanding that God will save multitudes of people from destruction in the Day of Wrath on the basis of their accepting the Gospel of Christ. Many of these may not have lived a victorious life for one reason or another. Only Jesus will decide the fate of each person.
However, it is an extremely dangerous position to trust in God's mercy to save us if we know the Gospel and are careless in our response to it. There are stern warnings in the Scripture concerning the lazy servant!
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30)
In addition to basic salvation from wrath, it is God's will that the Church grow in holiness and power until it is a militant, overcoming force in the earth. We must expand our understanding of grace to include the power to move from victory to victory over the impulses of the flesh and fleshly mind.
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27)
Three Traps
In the last few pages an emphasis has been placed on personal holiness. There are at least three "traps" in which the Christian can be caught, in the area of the doctrine of holiness.
Righteousness by faith means God overlooks sin.
The first trap is the concept that righteousness by faith means that the sins of the Christian are overlooked because of his profession of faith in Christ. When the overlooked concept is emphasized, the creation of righteousness in the believer, which is the essential act and meaning of salvation, is left to chance.
Grace then becomes an empty form. The main doctrine of several of the books of the New Testament is destroyed. A verse such as the following loses its importance:
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)
To be continued.