And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. (Exodus 25:10,11)

When the Lord returns He will reward those who have overcome sin through the Spirit of God by clothing their redeemed mortal body with their house from Heaven, their white robe, their body of glory, their crown of righteousness and life. This is the "gold upon the wood" of the Ark of the Covenant.

The wood (humanity) is overlaid first on the inside and then on the outside with pure gold (Divinity purified in the fire of tribulation). Today our inner nature is being overlaid with the Divine Nature. When the Lord comes our outward nature, our body, will be overlaid with the Divine Nature.

The Law of Moses enabled sin to be our master by condemning the sinful tendencies of our personality while providing no means of deliverance (other than the required animal sacrifices—a temporary, partial solution).

The grace of God under the new covenant removes the rule of sin by forgiving us, empowering us to overcome sin in this life, redeeming our mortal body at the appearing of the Lord, and crowning us with a body that has been fashioned in Heaven as we have been changed each day into the death of the Lord and raised in newness of life in union with His resurrection.

Sin shall not have dominion over God's sons!

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (Romans 6:15)

Because God has so freely forgiven us through Christ, does this give us the liberty to live as we choose? Absolutely not! If new-covenant grace were a license to sin, then we would know there had been a change in God. God always has desired that man behave justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Any change in God would be the very worst of all possible calamities. If God changes it would be best we never had been born.

If the holy city, the new Jerusalem, is to be filled with people who have not been delivered from sin or self-will but are abiding in a continual state of forgiveness, it would be good we never had been born. Relationships would continue for eternity as they are in today's miserable state.

Contrary to the current teaching and preaching, new-covenant grace is not the Divine excuse for the sins of mankind. New-covenant grace is the inscribing of the Torah (Law of Moses) in the minds and hearts of people, transforming them into the image of Christ and bringing them into complete, restful union with the Father through Christ.

For us to continue to walk in sin after receiving Christ is for the dog to return to its vomit.

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. (II Peter 2:22)

To be continued.