Some of the roles and tasks that have been assigned to the members of the true Church, the Wife of the Lamb, the Body of Christ, are as follows:

To bear witness of God's Person, will, and ways to the nations of the earth.

To be the eternal House of God, the Temple of God, the place of God's rest.

To be the Wife of the Lamb.

To be the sons of God.

To be the brothers of Christ.

To be God's heirs.

To be God's rulers under Christ.

To be God's priests.

To be the Body, the fullness, of Christ.

To be God's judges of men and angels.

To execute the Divine vengeance on sinners and their sin.

To be God's deliverers.

To bring justice to the nations of the earth.

To teach the nations of the earth.

To be the eternal servants of the Lord God of Heaven.

To be trees of life.

To be the Presence of God throughout His creation.

We are entering some of these roles and tasks today. We are being given some small responsibilities in the Kingdom of God. If we are faithful in our present assignments, two things take place: (1) we ourselves grow in the four aspects of the Divine declaration; and (2) God finds us worthy of His gifts. We will receive many additional gifts and will be assigned a much greater place of service when the Lord returns from Heaven.

If we are not faithful in our present assignment (and every believer has been given a task in the Body of Christ), we will not grow in the four aspects of the Divine declaration and our gifts will be taken from us and given to another. We will not be given a place of responsibility in the Kingdom of God.

We, because of tradition, may be concerned about going to Heaven when we die. God is concerned about our bearing fruit. If we do not bear fruit we will be cut out of the Vine. Our goal is to be a branch in the Vine that is destined to fill the creation of God.

To be an eternal member of the Seed of Abraham, of the elect of God, is the highest calling that can rest on any creature of God. To abide in Christ requires our attention and dedication. Because of the current limited understanding of salvation, multitudes of Christian believers receive Christ and then continue to live in the world in the same manner as before. This is not appropriate because of the Divine expectations concerning every member of the Body of Christ.

To be a Christian is, by definition, to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus. In order for any person to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus, being led into full development in the four aspects of the Divine declaration (image, union, fruitfulness, and dominion), the things of God must receive the greatest concentration and effort of which he or she is capable.

Nothing—absolutely nothing—must be allowed to divide his attention. His eye must be single, the will of Christ being the one goal on which all his decisions are based. His work in the world is not his calling. His daily occupation must never be allowed to become more than his "tentmaking"—that which provides food for himself and for those for whom he is responsible.

To go through life without making progress in eternal image, eternal union, eternal fruitfulness, and eternal dominion, is not to become "man." (from The Great Design)