I remember Queen Mother Elizabeth saying some time ago, “Our lifetime here on earth is but our dressing room for eternity.” She was quite right, you know. By the lives of productivity and overcoming we attain, we are in a sense weaving the robes we will wear throughout eternity. We are ourselves deciding our position in the coming kingdom of God, and apparently glorified bodies will differ from one another in the degree of brilliance and splendor that will be ours. (See I Corinthians 15:40-44). When the scripture says that Christ “has made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth,” it is speaking of the forming of our character. Godly character is developed through process of time and is not magically given the moment we believe Jesus died for us. (See Revelation 5:10). A believer who has no rule over his own passions and fleshly desires should not expect to be given rule over others, nor should he expect to be an interceding priest when he continuously needs someone to intercede for him due to his ever giving in to various and sundry temptations. Scripture further reveals that Christ “shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify (purge) the sons of Levi (prospective priests), and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (Malachi 3:3). And that scripture is complemented by a verse in Matthew 3, which says Christ’s “(winnowing) fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (verse 12).
Jesus Christ does not reluctantly accept carnal Christians. He reluctantly disciplines carnal Christians. “Let a man examine himself.” Don’t scrutinize the other guy so closely. Examine your self. All too many believers are quick, even eager, to point out a fellow believer’s shortcomings while pointedly ignoring their own. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged (by the Lord in His present role of High Priest), we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (See I Corinthians 11:31-32). Though not condemned with the world, the spiritual productivity and character growth of some will be so minimal that the testing fire of the Lord’s judgment will utterly consume their work. They shall be saved, yet so as by fire. (See I Corinthians 3:11-15).
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12)
Donald Wiley