There is one essential difference between the spirit of Antichrist and the Divine declaration. It is that the Divine declaration gives to man the rulership on the condition that God dwells in man and man is sternly and totally obedient to God's will.

Antichrist desires the rulership but is not willing to surrender his own will to the will of God.

The means that God has provided for the development of His rulers is suffering.

God is seeking victorious saints, conquerors, those who through faith and obedience will endure every tribulation, every prison, every delayed gratification, every humbling until each nerve in them has been tested to the limit. These will sit with Christ on His throne and govern all the works of God's hands.

The saint who is called to rule must, like Joseph, spend his appointed time in prison. There is no other path to dominion. Those who would reign must suffer. Only the cross produces the crown.

The reason the rulers must suffer is that obedience can be learned only through suffering.

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:8)

The individual who has not suffered is self-seeking. If God were to give him the authority and power of Divine dominion he would take the glory to himself. The believer who has learned humility and obedience by taking up his cross and following Jesus has experienced the destruction of his own self-seeking and self-centeredness. God has become his Center.

God will not give His glory to another person. God in Christ is to be the Center of every one of His rulers.

The Laodicean believer will not tolerate the idea that he is to suffer. His spiritual leaders have pointed out to him that God, being love, is not willing that any of His children should suffer. Because their stomach is their God these so-called "shepherds" have neglected the Scriptures that describe the role of suffering.

The Laodicean spirit is seen in the doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture—a flight to Heaven to escape suffering. The doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture is an enemy of the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of Christ always teaches us of the sufferings of Christ and of all who are part of Him, for members of His Body must come to know the fellowship of His sufferings. The Spirit of Christ teaches us also of the glory that follows the bearing of the cross (I Peter 1:11).

How can we experience the power of His resurrection apart from sharing His sufferings? (Philippians 3:10)

It is Antichrist and the False Prophet who seek to rule the works of God's hands apart from bearing the cross behind Christ.

Laodicea emphasizes the rights and welfare of people. The cross emphasizes the obedience of people to the will of God. Laodicea is deeply, essentially rebellious in spirit.

So it is today. Rebellion is being taught in many Christian churches. People are being taught that God's love will prevent their suffering. The opposite is true. It is the love of God which, recognizing our lawless condition, our perverted image, sends suffering on us with the intention of converting us into the image of God.

To be continued.