The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Heavenly Jerusalem, #30

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)

We hold on to the few nouns and adjectives of our language that represent the far-off world of glory and beauty that the Scriptures refer to as the Kingdom of God. But it is not far off, it is in us.

All things!

He who overcomes, who conquers, will inherit all things.

The all things of God Almighty.

God has given mankind dominion over all the works of God's hands. In order to receive dominion over all the works of God's hands, we first have to prove ourselves in the arena of testing. God's kings and priests are tested and proven before they are entrusted with the thrones of the universe.

No doubt one of the greatest misunderstandings in Christendom today lies in the area of judgment and rewards. It is believed commonly that all saved people will receive basically the same reward. This is not true.

Being saved from wrath brings one to the starting line. Our reward, as in any race, depends on how we run. Paul taught us to run so we may receive the prize (I Corinthians 9:24).

We shall be judged and rewarded on the basis of what we have practiced in our body (II Corinthians 5:10). Our body is for the Lord Jesus and the Lord is for our body (I Corinthians 6:13).

It is our body that is the battleground, the arena in which we are being tested. Our eternal role in the Kingdom of God is at stake. If, through the Spirit of God, we are able to achieve victory such that Christ rules in our body, we are an overcomer.

If life in a physical body has proven to be so difficult, so overpowering in its temptation to evil that we have not allowed Christ to rule in our body, we will be rewarded accordingly in the Day of Christ.

Every person will be judged on the basis of what he has done while living in the mortal body.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)

It is the things done in our body that create our reward in the Day of Christ.

The resurrection of our body from the dead, glory, authority, power, opportunities and responsibilities in the Kingdom of God—all depend on the extent to which we allow Christ to reign in our flesh.

Many Christian people of our day are heading toward a stern rebuke in the Day of Christ. They will not hear the Lord say "Well done" because they have not done well. In fact, they have done little or nothing in the Kingdom of God.

They have "accepted" Christ and are waiting for the "rapture." In no manner are they servants of Christ. They are worldly people with the label of "Christian" stuck on them. They are imagining that Christ when He comes will say to them, "Well done, good and faithful servant." This is a delusion, and it is widespread in our day.

To be continued.