Every Christian without exception is obliged to present his or her body as a living sacrifice to God in order to prove the will of God for his life, particularly in the area of ministry.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1,2)

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; (Romans 12:6)

When we do not devote our life to discovering, developing, and using our ministry we are "burying our talent." The penalty for burying our talent is to be cast into outer darkness.

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:29,30)

Ordinarily God does not dramatically call a believer to a spectacular ministry, as God did in the case of Saul of Tarsus. For most of us most of the time we find an area of service as we faithfully wait on the Lord.

We are commanded by the Scripture to earnestly desire gifts of the Spirit so we may build up the Body of the Christ.

But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (I Corinthians 12:31)

The believer who does not spend his life serving the Lord, using all the abilities God has given him to build up the members of the Body of the Christ, is not a disciple of Jesus and therefore by definition is not a Christian. He has no hope of being raised from the dead and ascending to meet the Commander in Chief in the air. He does have the terrifying prospect of being placed in outer darkness when the Lord returns.

The second of two errors that can be made that will cause us to fail as one of God's ruling priests is erring on the side of ambition. The error of Korah and the other leaders of Israel was not neglect of God's calling but personal ambition. They desired to supplant Moses and Aaron. They were reflecting the fallen angelic lords who left their first positions of authority and responsibility. They were not content to abide in their assigned places.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were not aware, apparently, that every role in God's Kingdom is established by Divine election. Not to be content in our own calling and role is to repeat the sin of Satan.

So great was God's displeasure over this satanic display of lust for preeminence that the earth opened and the rebels went down alive into the pit.

And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. (Numbers 16:32,33)

To be continued.