The new righteous creation, the change into the image of the Lord, the writing of the Law of God in our heart and mind, are not placed in the same realm of importance as "making a decision for Christ."

New Testament verses concerning righteous behavior are discussed and believed but they do not receive nearly the attention given to believing in the atonement and resurrection of the Lord Jesus (an area which the demons understand only too well). Salvation is not seen as a change in the individual but a ticket to Heaven when we die.

How often do we hear an emphasis on the "fruit" of righteous behavior.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:20)

The Divine redemption is presented as a mental state that is of little use as a testimony to the world of God's Person.

In extreme cases our "plan of salvation" can become a kind of schizophrenia—a withdrawal from reality.

Adam has been permitted back into the Garden without being changed.

Christians of today call this concept "grace." It is hardly what the Bible means by grace.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (Hebrews 12:28)

According to the above verse, Divine grace is the ability whereby we are able to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. This means to behave righteously. It is not scriptural to limit the meaning of grace to "forgiveness."

When people go to the altar, as in a Billy Graham meeting, they receive a real experience. They meet the Lord and their sins are washed away. But when they begin to attend church they are not always encouraged to keep on cultivating the Presence of the Lord, to follow the Spirit of God.

Instead they are informed they have been saved (a one-time experience as it is presented) by "grace," that no one is perfect, that they will sin while they are in the world. However, they are not to worry because their salvation is a sovereign act of God that operates independently of their behavior.

Their main task now is to go out and save others. This is somewhat comparable to telling a baby still in the crib that its main task now is to go out and get more babies.

"We are saved by faith apart from works," it is maintained. The truth is, works are the life of faith. There is no such thing as an abstract faith.

This massive deception (that righteous behavior is not an essential aspect of the Christian redemption) has produced a multitude of Christian churches composed of "believers" who are practicing all kinds of unclean behavior, who are still living in the malice and wickedness of the world, who have no intention of denying themselves, taking up their cross, and following the Lord Jesus wherever He may lead them.

What they are being taught is almost unrelated to their salvation experience at the altar. Their salvation experience is real and of God. But it is supposed to be the entrance into the daily struggle to maintain the eternal life they have been given, not a formula for entrance into Paradise after their death.

To be continued.