The common Christian belief is that all believers in Christ, whether or not there has been a crucifixion of the will, shall ascend, upon their physical death, to the spiritual Jerusalem and enter the Presence of Christ and God. There they shall continue to obey their own wills, to pursue their own pleasures as always, until the Day of Christ, at which time they will be placed on thrones as the lords of the creation. They never have learned to obey God and yet they will rule the nations of the earth.

This would be a greater disaster than the rebellion of Eden!

It is only the diligent Christians, those who have entered the fellowship of Christ's sufferings, being conformed to His death, who will be in places of authority. Only those who have accepted the work of the Holy Spirit in the conquering of their self-seeking will be entrusted with the rod of iron. Only the victorious saints will rule the nations of the earth.

To be the light of the world.

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (Matthew 5:14)

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. (Revelation 21:24)

Light is that by which we are enabled to perceive reality. If we walk into a room and it is dark we cannot tell whether the room is a library, a bedroom, or a prison cell. We cannot identify one thing in it. When there is light, we understand the nature of the room.

So it is in the world. Flesh and blood cannot understand the use of the people and things of the "room" in which God has placed man. The earth is filled with destruction and chaos because willful men are not able to understand the proper operation of their environment. Darkness has covered the earth and great darkness the people.

Educators and scientists grope continually in the dark, hoping to find truth. Civilization itself is one long quest for truth. There only is one Light, one Truth, and that is Jesus Christ. We also become the light and the truth of the world when Christ has been formed in us and is dwelling in us.

It is not what we say about Jesus that is the light, it is Christ Himself who is the Light. It is the Life of Jesus that is the Light.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

Men have studied theology for many centuries. But there is little light in theology. Light comes into the world only as the saints are willing to be crucified by the circumstances in which God places them. God works with His saints so the Life of Jesus, which is the Light of the world, may be revealed to men.

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (II Corinthians 4:11)

To be continued.