There is a dense cloud of confusion hovering over the Christian churches. This monster proclaims that no person can keep Christ's commandments. Of course we can keep the commandments listed in the New Testament. God has opened the way into the Holy of Holies so we can come before the very Throne of God and tell our Father about our need, that is, our need for wisdom and strength to keep His commandments.

God is not sparing in His response when we cry to Him for grace to help us when we are battling sin. He sends abundant wisdom and strength so we can live without condemnation.

What area of worldliness, what area of fleshly lust, what area of self-will and stubbornness, is so powerful the Son of God cannot overcome it in our personality? The answer of course is, none. Christ can make us more than a conqueror. We can overcome all that is in us and all that comes against us. We are drowning in water that is only waist deep. We can gain the victory over the world, sin, and self-will by pressing forward in Jesus Christ.

Until we who pastor, preach, and teach begin to guide the flock into keeping the commandments of the New Testament the revival will not and cannot be permanent. Whether the Glory is present or not we are to be in season and out of season keeping the commandments of God.

There is a great emphasis on evangelism today. Surely the Lord is interested in the lost sheep and is sending out those who will make every effort to reach them and bring them into the fold.

But there is an even greater need in the United States and it appears to me to be neglected. The need is for the sheep who already are in the fold to be brought up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

The gifts and ministries issued by the ascended Christ are for the purpose of bringing each member of the elect to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This agrees with the purpose of the new covenant which is that every member know the Lord. This is why there is no temple, no church building, no veil in the new Jerusalem. All of God's saints can know Him personally as Father, not through mediation of a church.

The purpose of ministry is that Christ be formed in the believer. When Christ is formed in the believer the gates of Hell are threatened. When Christ is formed in the believer the Kingdom of God is at hand.

There simply must be a renewed emphasis in our day on keeping the commandments of Christ and His Apostles so that Christ may be formed in each member of each Christian assembling.

We are not suggesting the work of evangelism be minimized or neglected. We are stating rather that the emphasis on the growth in righteousness of the saints and the work of evangelism be balanced according to the balance found in the Epistles. For the Epistles reveal the preaching and teaching given to the churches in the days of the Apostles. In the Epistles the scales are tipped clearly on the side of building up in righteous, holy, and obedient behavior those whom the Lord has added to the church.

Great revival is at hand. We desire that the inevitable relapse be held to a minimum and the growth of Christ in the saints be maximized—especially after the revival has passed. Such a satisfactory outcome of the revival can be realized only as the local churches becomes places where the believers are assisted in every way to grow to full stature in Christ the Lord.