When the Father called us, He expected us to make many changes in the way we conduct our lives. He knew it would be a long struggle, because carnal human nature resists change—and we are the weak of the world (1 Corinthians 1:26–31). Despite our weakness, Scripture teaches us that we must come out of this world’s society and give up its evils.
Many of us—those who had not grown up avoiding unclean meats—had to alter our diets when we came into God’s Church. Some of us had to modify a hairstyle. Some had to change the way we dressed. On a deeper level, as we came to understand God’s ways, we realized that we had to change the ways in which we relate to the people around us. Though our human nature counsels selfishness, God commands us to love Him above all else, and to care about our neighbor’s welfare as much as we care for our own (Mark 12:29–33).
To one degree or another, these changes can be painful. Yet, they all must be made, because we are to live by every word of God (Luke 4:4; Proverbs 30:5–6). God’s word—the Bible—is our textbook for the school of life. If we follow its lesson plan, we will graduate to the highest level of existence, and become a member of the God Family—a Spirit being—serving God the Father and Jesus Christ in ruling the universe!
The question is: “How are we doing with our coursework?” Are we keeping up with our lessons, making the needed changes, and gaining the wonderful results that come from passing the tests in our lives? Or are we failing to take advantage of the amazing opportunity God has placed before us?
By ourselves, we would fail in our studies. But, as Pentecost approaches, we can be grateful that, before Christ ascended to Heaven, He asked the Father to send His people the Holy Spirit to help us grow and overcome (John 14:15–18).
In May and June of each year, many young people graduate from school, having successfully completed a course of study that has prepared them for success and fulfillment in their future lives. We in God’s Church, however, are enrolled in a class that will “graduate” at Jesus Christ’s return—pictured each year by the Feast of Trumpets.
Over the past 6,000 years, scores of thousands of people have been called into this class, training to become “firstfruits” who will graduate into the God Family. Sadly, all too many have dropped out along the way—and, even now, some of us are on “probation.” Many are called, but few will endure (Matthew 22:1–14; Luke 8:5–8).
So, how are we doing? Are we studying to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15)? Are we striving with all our might to take advantage of the priceless calling we have been given (2 Thessalonians 1:11)? Will we succeed?
Good Works Required, But Whose?
People sometimes misunderstand the importance of works in the Christian life. Of ourselves, we cannot do any “good work” that will “earn” us deliverance from eternal death. Our salvation is a gift from God, by His grace. The Apostle Paul described it this way: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:4– 10, KJV).
Do we sometimes become proud of our own supposed righteousness and good works? We must remember, any “good works” that spring from supposed personal human goodness are as “filthy rags” to God. What is found in the unconverted human heart? Notice: “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities” (Isaiah 64:6–7).
So, what should we do? Scripture explains that our reward will depend on our effort, regardless of ability (Luke 19:11–27). Yet, by ourselves we can do nothing worthy of reward. It is the Holy Spirit in us that lets Christ’s good works become manifest in and through us. Our part is to yield to Christ, so that our carnal human will can be overcome by His Spirit, and God can use us as He sees fit.
Falling Away
Many professing Christians have the idea, “once saved, always saved.” They believe that if you “accepted Jesus Christ” many years ago, you will go to Heaven to be with Him forever when you die. God’s word, of course, teaches no such thing. In fact, Christians can fall away. Notice: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (Hebrews6:4–6).
God will not force salvation on us. His Spirit is a free gift, but we can reject it by our conduct. If we reject the gift of the Holy Spirit, we cannot be saved. But once we have accepted His gift, what are we doing with it? Are we “investing” the talents God gives us, multiplying them through good stewardship—developing ourselves personally and serving others (Matthew 25:14–30)?
Personal development is not enough. We must have outflowing concern for those around us. Are we seeking to enter the God Family for our own glorification? Or is it because we want to become a servant? Some years ago, one Evangelist described how he evaluated candidates for ordination into the ministry: “The first question I ask is, ‘Do you love people?’”
Ask yourself: Do you love people—even those with spiritual warts, spots and wrinkles? Or do you shy away from others? Since the attitude of outflowing concern is unnatural to carnal human nature, we as Christians need to ask God to place in us that kind of love, so that we can build an attitude of service toward every human being. Do you think that God will use you simply because you are a “good speaker” or because you “know doctrine” or because you have a “nice family”? Those are good attributes, to be sure, but they are useless unless one key element is present. As Paul wrote: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1–3).
Yes, God is calling us to become kings and priests. But we need to understand that we are called to service, not to selfishness. As we progress in the “school” of life, we must never lose sight of this lesson. Sometimes it may be “inconvenient” to serve. At other times, some kinds of service may push us outside of our “comfort zone.” It is not that “service” must mean pushing yourself beyond the bounds of good health—Jesus Christ Himself found appropriate time to tend to His personal needs for quiet time and reflection (Matthew 14:13). But our orientation should be that we are preserving our health and taking care of ourselves—not for our selfish benefit, but to become more profitable servants of those around us. It is this attitude that God seeks to develop in His future kings and priests.
The Glory of Godly Kingship
What will it be like to be a glorified member of the God Family? God showed the Apostle John, in a vision, the very throne room of the universe. He saw Jesus in all His glory, and the beloved disciple heard his Master speak. We read: “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen’” (Revelation 1:12–18).
Later, John was given another vision—this time revealing the triumphant, glorified Christ returning to begin His millennial rule on planet Earth. “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. [See John 1:1] And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11–16).
Can we in our present state begin to conceive of such glory? As members of the God Family, the resurrected firstfruits will share the glory of their Elder Brother, Jesus Christ! Yes, we will look like Him, as John tells us: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2–3).
How can we receive this amazing reward? Not by our own might! We can only receive it through Christ living in us, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ Himself said, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works” (John 14:10–11). We must be one with God the Father and Christ—and the Holy Spirit is what makes this possible. This is our hope. “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
The firstfruits are destined for glory, but the exact degree of that glory will depend on how well we have yielded to Christ and used the Holy Spirit that He has given us. Paul reminds us: “There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam [Jesus Christ] became a life-giving spirit’” (1 Corinthians 15:40–45).
Our Responsibility
Will Christ do everything for us? No! We each must cooperate with the process of being saved. Sadly, generally speaking, we do not give up our old human ways without a fight. Paul well understood the battle that rages within each of us whom God has called. “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:14–25). Paul, however, knew that God has mercifully given His Spirit for Christians to use (Romans 8:1). Paul asked God for mercy, as did the tax collector (Luke 18:9–14).
As long as we are in the flesh, we have free moral agency; we can choose to turn away from our Savior and return into the world from which we were called. But if we do that, there will be a difference between us and those who were never called. If we extinguish the Holy Spirit within us, we are putting ourselves at risk of eternal death. “For if we sin willfully [Strong’s G1596 hek-oo-see’-oce adverb, from the same as G1595; voluntarily: willfully, willingly] after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26–31).
Of course, even when we no longer “practice sin”—when we have repented and turned our basic orientation toward God and His ways—we have moments of weakness and we sin. Even those who have been called and baptized have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23–24). So, then, who can be saved? The struggle can seem insurmountable at times. “And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ And those who heard it said, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But He said, ‘The things which are impossible with men are possible with God’” (Luke 18:24–27).
The Unpardonable Sin
Yes, there is hope! What we cannot do for ourselves, God can do for us—if we do our part and cooperate. Those who “practice sin” see no need to repent. We, who are striving to live God’s way, can repent when we discover sin in our lives. And we need to come boldly before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). No sin for which we seek repentance is “too awful” for God to forgive. Scripture gives us the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32), the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21–35) and the account of the man who had been committing adultery with his father’s wife (1 Corinthians 5:1–5; 2 Corinthians 2:3–11). God is gracious and merciful to those whom He calls. He does not save us “in our sins”—but He is able to save us from the penalty of our sins!
There is only one “unpardonable” sin—blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation” (Mark 3:28–29). It is the Holy Spirit in us that makes our salvation possible and lets us receive our reward. To reject—blaspheme—the Holy Spirit is to reject our very salvation.
Each year, when we take the Passover, we reflect on our growth as Christians. We all continue to transgress, in one way or another. But we can take heart. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). As long as we do not turn our backs on God, He will continue to work with us. “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole (Job 5:17–18).
That correction may sometimes be painful. But we should be “happy” when it comes, because it brings us closer to our God—and to the reward He has promised us. Let us never lose sight of the goal, which puts all of our present pains into perspective. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:18–19).
—LCG Editorial Staff