The twelfth chapter of the Book of Hebrews tells us about the spirits of righteous people being made perfect. What in the world is this all about?

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:22,23)

What this is all about is as follows.

When God made the physical world He pronounced it very good. Indeed it is very good, a better creation than the spirit realm. God always keeps improving everything.

But snakes from the heavens have invaded the physical world, corrupting it beyond belief. The problems of the world are not inherent in the physical creation, they are coming from wicked spirits—some of them high-ranking angels against whom the righteous wrestle all day and all night.

Now God wants to restore Paradise to the earth. So how does He go about it? Does He just forgive people and try again? Hardly! There would be a bigger mess than before.

God's plan started with perfecting Christ's obedience through suffering, and now has been extended to righteous people whose personalities are being perfected.

When Christ and the full company of the righteous have been made ready they will assume control of the spiritual thrones that govern the earth. The physical realm will then express the spirits of righteous people made perfect. This is the Kingdom of God.

The earth will be governed and Paradise will be restored at the hands of Christ and His saints.

Apply this to us today. God is dealing with us endlessly. Why? So we can serve as members of the royal priesthood.

What will the royal priesthood do? It will govern and bless the saved nations of the earth. The royal priesthood will serve to keep sin out of Paradise.

Everything depends on the believers being willing to be conformed to the moral image of Christ and brought into untroubled union with God through Christ. When enough people make up their mind to do God's perfect will, then the Kingdom of God will be ready to come to the earth.

Is this what you want? Is this what you hope for—a new world filled with righteousness? Then hope for it with all your might and you will get it. This is what I am after.

But once we get our new righteous world, once Paradise is restored to us, it must be maintained. So God is placing a wall around it, which was not true of the garden in Eden.

The wall that will keep sinners out of the garden of God is being created today in the saints as through Christ they keep on resisting sin. The rod of iron that will govern the nations and smash the rebellious to pieces is being created in the saints today as through Christ they press on through every obstacle to perform the Lord's will.

If you are saved to the new world of righteousness you either will rule or be ruled. The Kingdom of God is a government. It is not that the saints desire to govern other people, it is that they want to bring into existence a Paradise that is safe for all people, especially for children and the meek of the earth, and that never again can be corrupted and ruined by sinful spirits.

When you think about the glorious new world of righteousness that is at hand it inspires you to keep on letting God have His wonderful way with you so you can be part of the solution instead of continuing to be part of the problem.

Coming to the cross of Christ for forgiveness is a come-as-you-are party. But to enter the wedding feast for the marriage of God's Son you have to be dressed for the occasion.

Many are called but few are chosen.