The Church of Christ is the only hope of the world—that it will be delivered from the chains of futility and decay and brought into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

But the authority and power to deliver the world from slavery to sin and corruption is given to the Church of Christ only to the extent that the Church is separate from the world.

We desire to "save" the world. But we desire to do it in our own way and for our own glory. However, it is God who will release the material creation from bondage. He will do it in His way, in His time, and for His own glory.

God's true saints always rejoice over the righteous ways of the Lord. The name of the Lord is as a pure and fragrant perfume to them. But the Antichrist spirit that dwells in the midst of the churches always will despise the ways of the Lord, always will pervert and corrupt the truth.

The "Christians" who are serving Satan will go out from us in the present hour so it may be revealed that they are not of us. They will not be raised in the first resurrection as part of the royal priesthood (Revelation 20:4-6).

Whoever will choose to do so may make an eternal covenant with God through the blood of Jesus. But woe to those in the present hour who are filled with spiritual pride, who are not walking in continual repentance, who are not working out their own salvation with trembling in the holy fear of God!

The proud and unrepentant will be deceived and will not be able to inherit eternal life even though they are professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's true saints will be able to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to the churches in the present hour. But the lukewarm church members are heading toward the Day of Wrath, toward the revelation of the righteous judgment of God Almighty.

The seventeenth chapter of John portrays the wall that separates the Church from the world. God has established the wall of separation. If we will honor what God has created we will be of service to the peoples of the earth in the days of shaking that even now have come upon us.

The Day of the Lord is at hand. Multitudes of people are being brought down into the "valley of decision." The decision each of us must make is the extent to which he desires to establish Christ as the Center and Circumference of all he is and all he says and does. The question is that of the Lordship of Christ.

We can choose to make a covenant of salvation with God by repentance, faith in Christ, and baptism in water. According to the Scriptures, God will receive us if we turn away from the world and receive the Lord Jesus. If we choose to believe in Christ and serve Him we are blessed indeed and will be delivered from the wrath to come.

To be continued.