Why is it Christ keeps testing us in the area of obedience? Why does Christ insist that we lose our life for His sake and the Gospel's? Why did He drive away the rich young ruler by demanding he sell all his possessions, knowing this man never would accept such a commandment?

Why is it that the voice of Christ speaks the opposite of most of what is heard in the Christian churches of today? Why do God's people always seek to overcome the prophets of the Lord (which actually is their way of attempting to overcome God's will for them)?

The reason is, the human personality is hopelessly corrupt, incurably sick, and in rebellion against God. Our mind is the enemy of God. There is no way of changing the human personality or the human mind and making either of them obedient to God.

We of this self-centered generation must understand clearly that the purpose of the salvation in Christ is not to make people happy. The purpose of the salvation in Christ is to bring an end to the rebellion against God. This is why death to our personality and self-will is such an important aspect of our redemption.

There is only one solution to the rebellion against God. The solution is Christ.

Jesus always is our example. We ought to imitate Him to the best of our ability, and our efforts to be like Christ may help us as we are attempting to do God's will. But if we are to succeed in learning obedience, our adamic nature eventually must be brought down to death so the very Substance and Nature of Christ can be formed in us.

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)

This verse could be perceived to mean we ought to try to be more like Jesus. But this is not what it means, except in a secondary sense.

A person could take some wax and fashion it into the form of an apple. He then could work with it and paint it until the likeness was perfect. One would have to bite into it in order to prove it was not a genuine apple.

Right here is the perennial error of the Christian churches. For two thousand years the churches have been attempting to make an apple instead of growing one. The leaders have sought to save their own lives by constructing the Kingdom of God by means of human wisdom, strength, money, and talent rather than by dying to their own will, wisdom, and strength and allowing Christ to live in them.

The inevitable result of such religious adamic efforts has been the deepening of the rebellion against the Lord God as men ascend to positions of status and wealth in the churches. It appears that if Jesus were to come and threaten their prestige, many of the "Christian" leaders would fight against Him. That is what took place when He came the first time.

To be continued.