The Lord Jesus did state we must believe in Him. But His point was that because of our belief in Him we would do what He taught. It never was and never will be the teaching of the Lord Jesus that our belief in Him is to be an abstract "faith," an alternative to faithful obedience to His commands; that such an abstract theological profession is to serve as a magic formula that guarantees our entrance to eternal Paradise. Yet this is the concept conveyed by those who stress the "four steps of salvation" apart from a disciplined following of the Lord.

"Accepting Christ" in this abstract theological sense has taken the place of receiving the resurrected Rabbi of Nazareth and following Him in stern obedience every day of our life. It is this substitution of a doctrinal stance for an actual cleaving in love to the risen Lord that has made current Christianity the enemy of Christ. We are not accepting Jesus, we are accepting doctrine. There is a difference between these two definitions of "faith."

The standard of discipleship set forth by Jesus, by Paul, by the writer of Hebrews, by James, by Peter, by John, and by Jude are not being met by most believers, it appears. But a few believers are meeting this rigorous standard. These are the saints, the true members of the Body of Christ. They are the people who are being addressed in I Thessalonians 4:16, I Corinthians 15:52, and Revelation 20:4-6. As we understand the Scriptures, the remainder of those who call themselves Christians will be judged according to their works, in the second resurrection from the dead.

What kind of works will be judged at the second resurrection?

It is not the number of our sinful deeds that will determine whether we are assigned to eternal life or to the Lake of Fire.

All liars, all adulterers, all murderers will have their part in the Lake of Fire, unless the Lord Jesus decides to deliver them from Satan. Every human being was born in sin, in lawlessness. Therefore the issue at the last judgment is not whether or not we have sinned. All of us have sinned, and all sinners are condemned to death.

The following concept is important to understand. It is hoped the reader will give careful thought to it. It is this: we are not saved to eternal life because we do not practice the sins of the flesh. Rather, salvation and eternal life are the deliverance from the sins of the flesh. God does not save us because we do not sin. Rather, it is God's salvation that delivers us from the bondage of sin.

If the Lord Jesus Christ decides to admit us to eternal life (and He alone is the Judge), He will deliver us from the bondages of sin and self-will. Deliverance from sin is a sentence of the court rather than the basis on which we are judged.

Judgment on the sins of the flesh is a judgment against Satan rather than against people—until such time as we choose to adopt as our own the satanic behavior. Once we decide that we do not desire deliverance, choosing instead to justify our sins, hardening our heart against Jesus and embracing Satan—at that time we become the enemy of God and stand directly in danger of becoming a co-heir with Satan of eternal punishment.

To be continued.