And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. (Revelation 21:24)

Since in these essays I sometimes make a distinction between God's elect and the saved nations maybe I better explain.

Israel, God's Church under the old covenant, and the Christian Church, God's Church under the new covenant, are a people chosen from the ranks of mankind to represent God to the rest of the nations of the earth. The word church means "called out from."

The members of the Church were chosen from the beginning of the world according to the foreknowledge of God. God has chosen them for glorification. They will attain their calling if they as brothers of Jesus Christ will cooperate with the Spirit of God.

Thus each Christian, Jewish or Gentile (the Gospel is always to the Jew first for the Jews are the original chosen people), is a firstfruits of mankind to the Lord. This is not because they are better than anybody else, it is because God has chosen them.

Basic salvation is another matter. To be saved is to be spared from destruction in the Day of Divine Wrath that is coming, the Day of the Lord, the Day of Christ.

It is God's will that everyone be saved. To be saved we must believe that Jesus is Lord and be baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

To become a member of the Church, the Body of Christ, is an exceedingly high calling. To attain such closeness to God requires a lifelong following of the Holy Spirit. It is a race. It is a fight. It requires all that an individual can bring to it, as we see in the words of the Apostle Paul in the third chapter of the Book of Philippians.

We cannot choose to "just be saved" and ignore the standards of discipleship. If we are called to be a member of the Church then we will be judged according to this calling. To those to whom much has been given, of them will much be required.

One of the primary reasons for the milksop, puerile preaching of the Gospel preaching in America is that the ministers are emphasizing "getting saved" and in many instances are virtually ignoring the severe demands made on every member of the Bride, such as taking up our cross, denying ourselves, presenting our bodies a living sacrifice to God, enduring hardness as good soldiers, not entangling ourselves with the world.

"We are saved and that's all there is until we're caught up to Heaven in a rapture! Until that merry event let's all have fun in the Son."

The true disciples of Jesus Christ throughout history have left bloody footprints in the snow. They have pressed toward the heavenly calling. With every breath of their body they have called on the name of the Lord, turning aside from the moral corruption of the world, living in dens and caves of the earth, as Hebrews tells us concerning the members of the Church under the old covenant.

Each of them has stood in triumph before the Lord Jesus. Each has attained a better resurrection.

Compare them with today's silly prattlers about grace. They make us look ridiculous.

God's standards for His Church, His eternal temple and priesthood, have never changed. Either we follow Christ with a perfect heart or we will never end up as part of the royal priesthood.

There will be nations of saved people, nations whose only calling is to receive the Presence of God dwelling in the royal priesthood. They are the inheritance of Jesus Christ and therefore our inheritance.

You are not called just to be saved. You are called to be a member of the governing priesthood. Give it all you've got or another will take your crown!

Be careful what you do with your talent. The consequences of carelessness isn't funny!