We have made the ascribing of righteousness the only critical aspect of our salvation. We forget the mother eagle's expectation that someday we shall be able to fly on our own.

It is not God's intention that the brothers of Christ, the members of the Bride of the Lamb, the members of the Body of Christ, the living stones in the Temple of God be people whose only righteousness is that which has been ascribed to them. No deliverance from sin and rebellion has taken place. The work of Satan has not been destroyed. They still are practicing immorality, hating, stealing, coveting, and so forth.

No, this is not God's intention under the new covenant. God gave us a new covenant so we could be transformed from the image of Satan to the image of God.

I guess all true Christians realize no sinning will take place in the new world of righteousness that is coming from Heaven. We just have not been taught that deliverance from sin will take place in the present world. In fact, I have read Christian writings that imply we always will be sinners who are saved by grace, meaning we still will be morally unchanged but God will always see us through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We will praise God for ten thousand years because He has received us into His Presence even though we remain unchanged.

The truth is, we have come to the point in history when the Lord is ready to deliver His people from worldliness, lust, and self-will. All that is not worthy of the Kingdom shall be removed and cast into the fire.

Yes, we start off being carried on eagles' wings. We are held to be righteous in God's sight because of the obedience and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. But this is not intended to be the scope of our salvation. Our salvation includes transformation into the moral image of Christ, and untroubled rest in the will of God.

As soon as we have believed in Christ, have turned away from the ways of the world, and have been baptized in water, we are to present ourselves to the Lord as candidates for change into His image. Each day the Lord will give us something to overcome. Each day we are to pray for the wisdom and strength to overcome the problems of the day. This is how we grow in Christ.

If no change is taking place in our behavior, if we are not growing in the ability to judge between good and evil, and in the willingness and strength to choose the good and turn away from the evil, then we are not being "saved," so to speak. We are in a state of arrested development. For salvation is not a change from earth to Heaven but from Satan to God.

It is not at all the Lord's will that we be carried forever on eagles' wings. We are to grow to the stature of the fullness of Christ. God wants sons who can represent Him throughout His creation, just as the Lord Jesus represents Him. He is not looking forward to an eternity of dealing with helpless, self-centered babies who continually are seeking attention and are of no use whatever for the fulfilling of the numerous roles and tasks of the Kingdom.

This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49,50—NIV)

To be continued.