As did Jezebel, Babylon will attempt to flirt with the saints, pretending that the religious organization is attractive and desirable. It may attempt to adorn itself in some manner so the true saints will be tempted to turn to it rather than do the will of Jesus (II Kings 9:30). But the Holy Spirit in the saints will bring the judgment of God upon Babylon.

As did Athaliah, Babylon will cry, "Treason! Treason!" when the members of the Wife of the Lamb go forth to meet their King (II Kings 11:14).

But the doom of Babylon is written in the Scriptures. There are no queens in the Kingdom of God!

Queens love to live "deliciously," but the members of the Wife of the Lamb understand thoroughly that the true Christian walk is a rugged, cross-carrying pilgrimage. There is little in the Christian discipleship that is "delicious."

How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. (Revelation 18:7)

We can tell when the spirit of the queen is arising within us because we find ourselves attempting to glorify ourselves and to live "deliciously."

There is a tendency today among God's people to want to live "deliciously," in sensuality. There are many symptoms of this tendency.

One of the symptoms is the spirit of covetousness being presented to the Lord's people as though it were a gift from Heaven. The evidence of righteousness, of God's blessing, according to this "strange fire," this "honey on the sacrifice," is material gain. The preaching of material prosperity has spread rapidly even though it is in direct opposition to the teaching of Christ and His apostles. The Lord's people have accepted the "prosperity gospel" uncritically because they desire to live deliciously.

Another symptom is the overemphasis on the grace of God. This is an extreme, unbalanced application of Paul's doctrine of grace. Any teaching of the Scriptures can become error if it is not balanced against the whole text. The words of life can become words of death, and this has happened with the doctrine of salvation by grace. The current emphasis on grace, to the exclusion of righteous works as the true index of faith, is an enemy of godliness, an enemy of the cross of Christ.

Another symptom of religious deliciousness is the belief in the pre-tribulation "rapture" of the believers. Although this doctrine can be disproved easily by anyone who is grounded in the Scriptures, it remains popular among the spiritually careless.

Another symptom of religious deliciousness is the disastrous overemphasis on God's love. Associated with this error is a ministerial silence concerning the extraordinary, rigorous demands of Christian discipleship, the tribulation experienced by all who would enter the Kingdom, and the judgment and wrath of God that accompanies sin committed by Christian or non-Christian.

The Lord Jesus allows His Bride, His beloved, to suffer every inconvenience, every pain, every imprisonment. The promises of glory to the righteous are suspended while character is being formed in the members of the Body.

To be continued.