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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Except Your Righteousness Shall Exceed . . ., continued
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28,29—NIV)
Our being part of God's eternal temple depends on our change into Christ's image and our being brought into untroubled union with God through Christ.
There are a number of roles and tasks that God will assign to those who are in Christ's image and in union with God:
To be a member of the Bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9).
To be a member of the Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:12).
To be a part of the vehicle for the end-time revival (Isaiah 60:1,2).
To be a restorer of Paradise on earth (Romans 8:21).
To be a member of the royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9).
To be a witness of God (Isaiah 43:10).
To be a son of God (Revelation 21:7).
To be a brother of Christ (Romans 8:29).
To be an overcomer of the accuser (Revelation 12:11).
To be a governor of the nations (Revelation 2:26,27).
To be a judge of men and angels (I Corinthians 6:2,3).
To be a wall of defense around the Glory of God (Revelation 21:14).
To be a part of the revelation of Himself—God in Christ in the saints (Revelation 3:12).
We have seen that God's purpose is to make people righteous so He can have fellowship with them. This is the purpose of all of the Divine covenants.
We have seen also that God intends for the members of His royal priesthood to go far beyond any concept we may have had of the authority and the power that is to be issued to the sons of God.
Today the purpose of the Divine salvation has become to carry unchanged people to Paradise—people who have never learned to live by the power of Christ's resurrection; people who have never shared the sufferings of Christ; people who have never taken up their cross and followed Christ; people who have never put to death the deeds of their body but are certain that through the blood of Jesus they have escaped Hell and are destined to live forever among the saints and the holy angels who do the Father's will.
Will God in His love bring understanding and repentance to His churches of the twentieth century? The Spirit seems to be testifying that He will and that it will be in the midst of much suffering and tribulation. Even today we notice a change in the preaching of prominent ministers as they begin to stress a return to godly behavior.
But all efforts to turn people to repentance and godly behavior are hampered by the fact that in their minds is the belief we have been saved and shall go to Heaven when we die on the basis of an "unconditional grace." As long as this error persists, the ability to apply the fierce determination required to overcome the world, sin, and self-will is greatly hindered.
To be continued.