Those who are alive on the earth when the Lord comes must be strong enough in faith to survive the transformation from mortality into immortality if they expect to be gathered together with the members of the royal priesthood. It will not be easy for us to forsake our flesh and blood metabolism in favor of a spiritual metabolism, to drop our accustomed physical life and become a life-giving spirit—without once looking back.

Sudden transformation into immortality will be possible for those, and only those, who have been abiding in Jesus throughout their Christian life. The believers who have been living in the flesh will not be able to drop their first personality and enter the new, spiritual humanity without fearful misgivings concerning what they are losing. They do not have enough oil in their vessels with their lamps. They will look back to their former life and that one hesitation will prevent their participation in the indescribable joy of the saints who rise in glory as members of the Body of Christ.

Those who are alive when the Lord returns will be required to die on their feet and then be resurrected. They will not have the opportunity to die physically, rest a while in the spirit realm, and then descend with Jesus in the Day of the Lord to pick up their body from the grave. We can imagine what faith will be required to enter death and resurrection while we yet are alive on the earth! What dedication and trust will be necessary for us to leave flesh-and-blood ties without once looking back!

Remember Lot's wife!

Then there is the work of using our talents in the business of the Kingdom. The Lord Jesus will deal harshly with the individual who buries his talent.

And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30)

We would not expect such a harsh sentence to fall on someone whose only sin was neglecting to use his gifts in the Lord's work. We would think that outer darkness, the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, would be reserved for those who have been guilty of grossly abominable crimes.

The reason for our lack of perception is that we do not distinguish between the judgment of Satan and the judgment of the individual. Sometimes the perpetrators of gross wickedness are people who are bound with Satan and who never have heard the Gospel of the Kingdom. A wicked spirit in them is driving them. Unless Christ chooses to deliver them they will go into the flames along with the spirit that is compelling them. But they are to be pitied because it actually is Satan who is to blame for their conduct.

However, it is the Lord's servant whom we are concerned with here, the individual who does not use the Kingdom talent that has been given to him. Unlike the pagan who has not heard the Gospel, the Lord's lazy servant has been entrusted with much light and glory. He is well able to put his talent to good use, but of his own will he chooses to spend his life on his own pursuits rather than the business of God.

To be continued.