The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Basic Story of Life, #17

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

The world continues in anguish, chaos, and death of mind, of body, of soul, of spirit. But Christ in His Body and with His Body will bring order out of the chaos of the world. The kingdoms of the world will become His Kingdom, and Christ will rule with His associates in justice and peace. The world will believe in Christ as soon as the Church becomes one in Christ in God.

Christ and His overcomers will proclaim to Zion, to all God's elect whether Jewish or Gentile by physical birth, "You are My people."

This is the Word of comfort, of reconciliation, that will bring healing to the weary and afflicted of the Israel of God. The Lord's saints will be strengthened until they are trees of righteousness. The little ones will become strong cities. All will know the Lord, from the least to the greatest.

Christ in His saints will not extinguish the smoking flax or break the bruised reed. All Israel will be repaired and restored to beauty and usefulness.

We understand, therefore, that there is incredible glory awaiting each believer who chooses to press on to the hundredfold fruit-bearing.

The Wife of the Lamb exclaims, "I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour" (Song of Solomon 8:10). When we are able to resist sin and grow in maturity the Lord is pleased with us.

The Bride is a wall of separation between sin and righteousness, between rebellion and obedience. She is extraordinarily fruitful and possesses dominion over the works of God's hands. She holds the keys of the Kingdom of God.

Truly, she has found favor in the eyes of her Lord.

Some of us may be concerned about our loved ones who believe in Christ but who have pitched their tent too close to Sodom, so to speak. If we pray, as did faithful Abraham, God in His love and mercy may drag our loved ones from the city destined for destruction.

We would caution against relaxing under the impression that no matter how we live we will be saved anyway; that we will receive the fullness of the inheritance whether or not we apply ourselves to the rigors of the Christian discipleship. Many are under this impression today and are at ease in Zion. But they will be cruelly disappointed in the Day of Christ.

The teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ in the four Gospel accounts reveal that much Christian doctrine is entirely out of line with the words of the Lord. Consider the believer who wasted his talents, which is a common practice today: "Depart from me, you wicked and lazy slave." The unprofitable servant shall be cast into outer darkness.

Much current Christian teaching contradicts the preceding passage from Matthew's Gospel. The ministers who are leaving God's people with the impression Christ is a loving fellow who will overlook the laziness and foolishness of the professing Christians, will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ with their students and hear the dreadful sentence: "Depart from me into outer darkness!"

To be continued.