If we obey God by receiving Christ and being baptized in water we receive a portion of resurrection life, an earnest (advance installment; pledge; guarantee) of the full salvation to come. If we are to obtain the full redemption we must enter the process that leads to the full redemption.

If we come short of our calling we will be disciplined severely and suffer very great loss. To whom much has been given, of him shall much be required. Let the Christian take heed to himself and keep his body under subjection to God's will so he may be found worthy of the first resurrection.

We have been discussing our response to God's invitation to life and our appropriation of the Divine provisions. We are to lay hold on the Divine provisions so we may be judged worthy of eternal life.

The first aspect of worthiness we have mentioned is that of our works. We are judged according to our works, according to the deeds done in our body. Under the category of good works we have mentioned resisting sin, taking heed to the Scriptures, our consecration and obedience to God, not neglecting our salvation, abiding in Christ, using our talents in the Kingdom, and charitable deeds.

If we would obtain the salvation to eternal life we must take heed to the scriptural doctrine of godly behavior.

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (I Timothy 4:16)

It can be seen how deadly is the teaching that Christ did it all and there is nothing we are to do but passively rest in the "finished work." While the concept of the finished work of Christ may bring peace and assurance to the soul who is laboring in condemnation, striving to please God in his own strength, yet an overemphasis on the finished work of Christ can destroy and indeed has destroyed the very fiber of Christianity in the twentieth century.

The Christian life is far from being merely an acknowledgment of the finished work of Christ. Rather, it is an intensely active involvement in the Divinely ordained and administered process of redemption, as is evident in the writings of the Apostles of the Lamb.

The exercise of our will: our decisions—great and small. In addition to the works we have mentioned we need to think of the exercise of our will, of our decisions, as being part of the basis for being judged worthy of the first resurrection.

The Christian discipleship is a matter of our will, of our choices. All true saints know it is with the will that we choose to serve Christ. The double-minded believer accomplishes nothing. We constantly must choose to serve the Lord.

To be continued.