Notice the distinction between the new Jerusalem, which is the Christian Church, the Wife of the lamb, and the nations of saved peoples of the earth.

Each member of the Body of Christ is undergoing the most exacting transformation of his personality. The end purpose of such transformation is that the saint may be able to perform successfully the numerous roles and tasks God has assigned to the Divine Seed, the Vine, the Israel of God.

We are being created the Presence of God, the Hand of God in the earth. For eternity we will bring to all God's creatures the Presence, the will, the knowledge, the healing, the blessing of God Almighty. This is our calling. To this end we have been born, called, justified, sanctified, trained, and glorified (Romans 8:30).

Until we can perceive the difference between the Seed and the nations of the saved, our understanding of the Scriptures, of God's eternal purpose, will remain quite shallow. Also, we will complain bitterly over the many tests and suffering that we experience, not recognizing we are being perfected for the purpose of serving God among the nations of the earth.

If we perceive our salvation as a ticket to playing a harp beside a river in the spirit realm, we will not cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He creates us an eternally inseparable part of the Divine Seed.

The Seed Is Chosen

There have been some doctrinal disputes about whether people are predestined to be saved. The Scripture teaches that God is not willing any be lost but that all be saved. Every human being is welcome to come to the cross for salvation.

But the members of the Divine Seed, the royal priesthood, are predestined according to the foreknowledge of the Father. Predestination operates on those who have been called to be the brothers of Christ.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be changed into the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

God knew each member of the Seed, of the Body of Christ, before He created the heavens and the earth. God predestined each member in terms of that foreknowledge. Our life on the earth is being guided with exactness. We therefore must lay aside all else and devote our entire attention in order to grasp that for which we have been grasped. Otherwise we will not fulfill our calling.

The election of the Seed always remains an opportunity. Each of the elect has the opportunity to rise to the throne of Christ. But in order to attain this marvelous destiny he must overcome the world, Satan, and his own lusts and self-will. Total victory is possible through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

John, Chapter 17 reveals the power of election operating on the destinies of God's elect, and also the tremendous wall that separates the Seed from the nations of the earth.

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17:2)

To be continued.