The end of our pursuit of Christ through the Spirit is the attainment of the resurrection, of readiness to be revealed in the fullness of resurrection life in the Day of Christ.

And not only they [the material creation], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)

Let us review, for a moment, the definitions of salvation, grace, faith, and eternal life.

Salvation is deliverance from sin and death and entrance into union with God through Christ. Salvation is moral transformation.

Salvation comes to us as forgiveness, and then as development. Salvation forgives our sins, delivering us from the wrath of God. As development, salvation destroys out of our personality all unrighteousness, all spiritual uncleanness, and all disobedience to God, and creates a new personality filled with the Life of Christ. Salvation also brings us into marriage with God through Christ. Salvation is both instantaneous and progressive.

Grace is Divine enablement. It includes all the Virtue, authority, and power that flows from God through Christ for the purpose of forgiving us and then enabling us to proceed through the development phase of salvation.

Faith is our moment by moment looking to Jesus for grace (Divine enablement) to help us as we seek to abide in Christ in every detail of our personality and behavior, becoming righteous, holy, and obedient to God.

Eternal life is union with God through Christ in our spirit, our soul, and our body.

The Christians who "overcome," who follow Christ through the development stage of salvation, entering the fullness of union with God, will live (in their bodies) and rule with Christ throughout the thousand-year period (Revelation 20:4-6).

Such will be placed on the thrones of the universe, the spiritual thrones in the air previously occupied by Satan and the fallen angels.

This is the royal priesthood. They have been "beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God." This means they have ceased to live according to their human minds and are living by the mind of Christ—an extremely important achievement for the victorious saint.

The spiritual forces are so powerful today that now—and throughout the days to come until Jesus appears in the clouds of heaven—people are not able and will not be able to think their own thoughts. Either we will put on the mind of Christ or else we will take the mark of Antichrist into our hand and head.

Not to press into Jesus with all our might is to take the mark of Antichrist by default, to become part of the actions and thinking of the present world economic system. We must go one way or the other.

Those who keep the Word of Christ's patience will be kept by the Lord throughout the hour of temptation. His Presence, His Life with and in us, will enable us to discern and turn away from the spirit of Antichrist. Woe to those who, having heard the Word of Christ, continue to live in the spirit of the world! They will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the Presence of Christ and the holy angels of God.

To be continued.