There is no such thing as saved nations of people who are not part of the Christian Church.

To the present hour it appears the Christian churches are of the opinion that only the members of the Church will be saved. This is not true.

The Church is a called-out group of people who are being trained to govern the nations of the earth, not the lost nations, but the saved nations.

Until we understand that the new Jerusalem is the glorified Church, and that it will govern for eternity the nations of people whom God has granted eternal life, we cannot possibly understand the Kingdom of God.

We notice in the twenty-fifth chapter of the Book of Matthew that when the Lord returns He will gather all nations before Him. The Church will be standing beside the Lord at this time, and He refers to the members of the Church as His brothers.

The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40)

Then the Lord will separate the people of the nations so some are on His right hand and some are on His left.

The people on His right hand will form the nations of saved people. They will inherit the Kingdom of God and eternal life.

The people on His left hand will be sent away into the fire.

On what basis are the people separated? On the basis of how they treated the Lord's brothers, His witnesses.

Thus we see there are two groups of saved people. There is the Church, and then there are nations of people who will be the eternal inheritance of Christ and His saints.

We see this distinction in the New Testament. On the one hand we hear the Lord saying, "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved." On the other hand we read of a very strict program so strict that Paul toward the end of his days was still striving to reach the goal set before him.

We who are of God's elect need to realize we cannot accept Christ and be baptized, and then wait to go to Heaven. Rather we must participate every day, every hour of every day, in the intense training that is designed to bring us to the stature of the fullness of Christ. Only then will we be able to successfully govern the multitudes of the sheep nations the peoples of the earth whom God has decided to bring into His Kingdom.

It is important for us to understand that the Kingdom of God will not come down from the sky and fall on the earth as rain. The Kingdom of God will come to the earth in the persons of Jesus Christ and His saints, and will issue to mankind through their personalities.

The Kingdom is being formed within us. The Day of the Lord is being fashioned in us. When we return with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Kingdom, the Day of the Lord, will have come to the earth. So high is our calling!

Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)

For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined. (Isaiah 60:12)

Aliens will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. (Isaiah 61:5,6)

The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. (Revelation 21:24)

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)

To be continued.