Residency in the new Jerusalem is not imputed to us, we must keep God's commandments. Nothing unclean can ever enter the holy city. We cannot enter by "grace," by ascribed righteousness. We must be holy in order to enter the holy city. Holiness cannot be imputed. Holiness is created in our personality by the Holy Spirit as He cleanses us by the body and blood of Christ and by the Word of God. We must become holy because our Lord is holy.

To serve God as a king and priest is the awesome eternal destiny to which each of the elect has been called. But in order to attain our predetermined destiny we are required to overcome the hurdles placed before us.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people [people for God's own possession]; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (I Peter 2:9,11)

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)

"To him that overcometh."

It can be seen that we are not kings or priests of God by imputation. We are not "paper saints." Rather, we are to actually display the Glory of God's righteous and holy Person as the Holy Spirit works in us the Character and Spirit of Christ.

Coheirship with Christ is not just ascribed to us. We must share the suffering of Christ in order to be qualified.

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)

"If so be that we suffer with him"!

The idea that we are not required to make any effort, that Christ does it all, governs the thinking and actions of many Christians. But this viewpoint hardly is scriptural. It has robbed the Gospel of its authority and power. Instead of saints we have sinners who "legally" are acceptable to God. Instead of a new creation we have a "ticket" to Heaven. Instead of a glorious holy city we have a city occupied by sinning, self-willed people whom God regards as righteous.

It is being implied that Christ saves us in our sins, not from our sins. This means if we are fornicating God sees us practicing holiness. If we are cheating someone God sees us as upright and honorable. If we are drunken God sees us as self-controlled. If we are lying God hears only the truth from our mouth.

It is being assumed today that the Lord Jesus can only forgive us; that He does not possess enough power to deliver us or change us.

This concept is not at all true. God does not impute righteousness or sonship to us. In order to become a son of God we must conquer through Christ all of the powers and obstacles that God allows to challenge our ability to receive the inheritance assigned to man from the beginning.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)

God has given to us the opportunity to attain to resurrection life, to gain a change of character, to receive, power, glory, as well as eternal residence in the new Jerusalem, and an eternity of service and rulership in a new world. Best of all, we have the opportunity to become God's son.

What we do with this opportunity, this "piano," will determine our role in the Kingdom of God—the eternal Divine rule soon to come to the earth. (from The Gift of an Opportunity)