We are to obey from the heart the doctrine of the Apostles. If we do not, we cannot continue under the new covenant.

There is a false teaching today. It is that we are to do nothing in the way of righteousness but to wait until Christ does the work in us. It is added that anything we attempt to do in the way of righteousness and holiness is legalism. This teaching is close to the truth but far enough away that its effect is paralyzing.

The new covenant begins with the efforts of the adamic nature. Our old personality must continually study the New Testament as well as the Old Testament writings and strive to do what God has commanded (not the ceremonial statutes of the Law of Moses, but the exhortations to righteousness of the Old and the admonitions of Jesus and His Apostles found in the New).

We Christians are obligated to serve the Lord to the best of our ability, battling against all the powers of evil that come against us. If we do not, if we do not present our body a living sacrifice, pray, study the Scriptures, gather with fervent saints (as possible), serve, give, and do all else associated with victorious Christian living, then it is not possible for us to continue in the new covenant.

Meanwhile the position that we hold by faith is that we are dead with Christ and have risen together with Him to the right hand of God. We must maintain our position by faith while our adamic nature is striving to obey God. Little by little the adamic nature decreases and Christ increases, if we continue in steadfast faith.

Notice that the New Testament has hundreds of commands we are to obey as well as we can, calling on the Lord at all times to help us in our struggle against our love of the world, our love of sin, and our love of our self-will.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (Romans 6:12)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

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

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:5-8)

We are to diligently obey the above commandments, calling on the Lord continually for help in our time of need. If we do not, we will not please the Lord. We will not continue in His covenant.

To be continued.