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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Holiness Unto the Lord, #27
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and sulfur: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:7,8)
Paul says, "They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:21). But today's gospel is, "Those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God unless they believe in Christ." We have made the Word of God of no effect by our traditions. What good is the grace of God in Christ unless it converts us until we no longer do these things?
Imperfection of doctrine will not put a person in the lake of burning sulfur. But fear will! Unbelief will! Depravity will! Murder will! Adultery will! Spiritism will! Idolatry will! Lying will!
Let us place emphasis where God places emphasis. Satan will divert us, if he can, from the necessity for righteous conduct.
And there shall in no wise enter it [the holy city, the Church, the Body of Christ] any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27)
We understand that a person is written in the Book of Life on the basis of his confession of faith in Christ. However, the individual must live a victorious Christian life if he is to maintain his place in the Book of Life.
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)
"I will not blot out his name out of the book of life." It is possible to have one's name blotted from the Book of Life.
Salvation is the reconstruction of the human being according to the pattern of God's image. Without such transformation grace can become an empty form, an excuse for sinful behavior, a license to practice immorality. If the life is not noticeably being reconstructed, how do we know that the person actually has come to Christ? By his words? The Christian testimony consists of more than words.
It is necessary that a person confess with his mouth that Christ is his Lord because by the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
But a life that is undergoing a transformation from the works of the flesh to the fruit of the Holy Spirit—that is more than mere words. That is visible proof that the Son of God is dwelling in the heart. Let us not be deceived. Christians can be identified by the moral fruit they bear.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (Revelation 22:11)
Consider, in the preceding verse, how a person's moral nature is brought forward unchanged to the Day of the Lord. It is vain to hope for miracles of character transformation at the appearing of Christ. What there shall be is weeping and gnashing of teeth as people realize they have been deceived by Satan.
To be continued.