The Lord Jesus judges us, rebukes us, corrects us, and does everything else necessary to encourage the growth of Divine Life in us and to conform us to all the requirements of the Godhead. Meanwhile, the blood of the cross keeps us righteous in God's sight.

The blood makes up the difference between our present personality and behavior and the personality and behavior God requires. The personality and behavior God requires will be the actual state of our personality when we have been completely redeemed.

We have no scriptural basis for believing that the blood continues to forgive our sins even though we are not participating in the program of redemption just described. The blood of Jesus covers only those who continue to walk in the light of God's will for their lives.

Today, in numerous instances, the converts are assenting to the facts of salvation, having been taught four or five "key verses" (verses appearing to fit the current idea of redemption) and are trusting they are candidates for Heaven. They do not know Jesus. They never have met the Master and they are not walking in the light of His Presence and will.

Numerous Christian believers are not disciples of Jesus. Therefore the writings of the Apostles do not apply to them to any great extent (except for the passages of warning—which are numerous). It is only as we continually hear Christ and abide in Him that we have everlasting life and are without condemnation.

The believer who is hearing Jesus and abiding in Him is not committing sin (I John 3:6). He is being taught by the Spirit to overcome sin. He is walking in confession of sin and repentance. Each day he is growing in godliness.

Notice the emphasis in the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation on having "ears to hear" the voice of the Lord Jesus. This passage is directed toward the churches, the golden lampstands. To hear the Word of Christ is not to read the Scriptures, as important as the Scriptures are. Rather, to hear the Word of Jesus is to hear through the Spirit the Word of the living Christ. As many as are led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God.

Numerous believers have been taught from the Scriptures but never have met the Lord or heard His voice. To be learned in the Scriptures is not the same as knowing God. The Scriptures never shall pass away—not even when the heaven and the earth pass away. But for all their supreme value, to know the Scriptures is not the same as knowing Jesus. It is the knowledge of Christ, not the knowledge of the Scriptures, that is eternal life.

Some are teaching today that the Scriptures and Jesus are one and the same, that Christ is the Bible and the Bible is Christ. This is not at all true. The Bible is not our Lord nor the Bridegroom nor the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

To be continued.