The members of the elect have been warned to be careful that no one take their crown, and to add virtue to their lives to make their calling and election certain.

Every aspect of salvation is always an opportunity.

You may ask, "If every aspect of salvation is an opportunity, and people are free to respond positively or negatively, how then can God predestine certain people to be members of the royal priesthood?"

This is an unanswerable question. It has to do with the infinite abilities of God. All we know is, both aspects are absolutely true. God predestines certain people to be changed into the image of Christ and to be His brothers, and every aspect of salvation depends on our response. The fact that we cannot reconcile these two biblical truths is not important. But it is important that we say Amen to everything God has placed in the Bible. I think you will agree with that.

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world." (Matthew 25:34—NIV)

The Kingdom of God has been prepared since the creation of the world for the members of the saved nations, especially for those members of the nations who have assisted the brothers of Christ as they have borne witness of God.

For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:10—NIV)

It sounds easy, doesn't it? Just rest from our own works and enter God's rest. But there are so many forces, so many enemies that resist us.

First of all, there is Satan who is furiously determined we will never cease from our own strivings and seek to find the will of God and rest in it.

Why would Satan resist our attempts to please God?

Did you ever notice how evangelistic wicked people are? They try to encourage everyone to do as they are doing. I suppose their idea is that the more people there are who practice wickedness the more acceptable it becomes.

I think Satan is hoping to get as many people as he can to live in his spirit and behave as he does. Then he can reproach God and point out that the humans God loves are just as wicked as he. I can't think of any other reason why he would work night and day to prevent people from entering God's goodness. This is really wickedness, isn't it?

Then there is the world. The world scorns anyone who departs from its enticements and attempts to just do God's will. The idea that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments is an abomination to the world.

Then there are the lusts and passions of our flesh and soul. The siren call sounds in our flesh and we are carried off to romantic heights or down to the gutter of drugs and alcohol. In either case we make ourselves the slave of sin rather than the servant of God.

To be continued.