For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:) (I Chronicles 5:2)

The oldest son of a Jewish household was given a double portion of the inheritance, we are told. We see this in the case of Esau who, although only a few minutes older than his brother, Jacob, was the lawful heir of the Messianic inheritance.

But receiving the inheritance was not so the oldest could consider himself to be an important person. Rather it was the assigning of responsibility. The oldest son was not free to squander, according to his own notions and impulses, what he had received. He was obligated to administer wisely, and for the benefit of the whole family, what he had received from his father.

So it is with the firstfruits of the Church. The Lord's strong, victorious saints are not to be a mystical group of super-Christians who consider themselves to be superior to all other persons. Rather they are believers whom the Lord has given a hunger for righteousness. Having been blessed of the Lord with this hunger they always are responsible, as the Lord leads and enables, to strengthen their weaker brothers and sisters until the entire Body of Christ comes to perfect unity and maturity in God.

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:32)

"Strengthen your brothers"!

The more grace we receive from the Lord Jesus the more responsible we become to strengthen our brothers and sisters, to feed the Lord's sheep.

The second idea to be kept in mind is that the division of the Body into a firstfruits and a remainder is a temporary provision. Whenever Gideon, or Samson, or David, who are examples of God's "stars," won a victory, all Israel joined in and benefited. The conquering saints are not separate from the Church. They are the warriors, the strength of the one Church.

God does not give an individual a hunger for the Lord so the blessed person can exist separately from the Church. No human being possesses anything of value unless he receives it from God; and what we receive from God is for the benefit of all God's elect and ultimately for the entire creation, including the nations of the saved. The more we receive from God the more responsible to God's creatures we become.

Although we never lose our identity we do lose our individuality, our self-centeredness and self-seeking, as we become part of Christ's Body, which is His Church.

The emergence of the firstfruits is a temporary measure until all know the Lord, "from the least to the greatest" (Hebrews 8:11).

This does not mean the overcomers ever lose the inheritance, the closeness to God, the authority, the opportunities for service, the strength of character they have gained by being faithful to the Lord's calling on them. There is a firstfruits company.

These are they which were not defiled with women [with involvement in other relationships, things, or circumstances]; for they are virgins [their spirits are pure before the Lord]. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. (Revelation 14:4)

To be continued.