According to the Hebrew Prophets, God's intention is to bring forth righteousness and praise in the sight of the nations of the earth.

If God's purpose is to bring forth righteousness and worship that can be witnessed by the peoples of the nations of the earth, then the new covenant, the Christian covenant, as it is being presented today, is inferior to the old covenant in terms of God's purposes. The old covenant insisted on godly living and there were penalties for violations of the Mosaic Law and statutes. But the new covenant (according to much current theology) carries few or no penalties. One can live as he pleases; and as long as he tells God he is sorry and that he is trusting in the righteousness of Jesus to save him, God loves him and forgives him for Jesus' sake.

It is impossible for imputed (assigned) righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. The nations look at how we behave. They are not interested in our legal standing before God or to what extent we share in the righteousness of Christ by being identified with Him. They consider what we say and do!

There is an old saying, "Love is blind but the neighbors ain't!"

Having your conversation [manner of life] honest [right; honorable] among the Gentiles [nations]: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:12)

"Your good works, which they shall behold."

The implications of the doctrine of grace, as it is taught commonly, are not ordinarily examined. But they should be! Every doctrine set forth in the Christian churches (which are the only light of the world) should be examined carefully in terms of its adherence to the Scriptures and also (and especially) in terms of the fruit it is producing.

The believer, as he struggles against the present demon-filled world, Satan, and his own lusts and self-will, tends to follow the line of least resistance. The line of least resistance is the doctrine of grace as it is being preached today.

When the pressure becomes great enough the believer may succumb to what he knows in his conscience is not right. The Christian may try hard to live righteously; but when he is pressured enough he may sin. He is apt to do so because deep in his brain and heart is the concept that he is saved "by grace," meaning that Jesus will overlook his sins and disobedience and receive him to Glory anyway.

The present logic declares that since we are saved by grace it is not essentially important how we behave in the world. We will not reap what we sow. We will be saved in any case even though we do not endure to the end. We can sow to the flesh and not reap corruption if we believe in Jesus. No one who professes faith in Jesus has anything to fear in the Day of Judgment—and so the current deception goes.

To be continued.