Spring 1993

Qualification for His Kingdom
Wade E Taylor

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait
is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it" Matt 7:13-14.

Within Christianity is a difficult, "narrow way" that few find which leads to His highest. Also, there is an easy, "broad way" which leads to the loss of His best for us. There is a "cost" to coming into all the Lord intends for us.

Our Heavenly Father has predestinated us to be made conformable to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Heb 4:15). He became the first overcomer. Now, He can say to us, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in My Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His Throne "Rev 3:21.

As we overcome, we grow, and through "placement" (I COR 12:18) are set into the corporate Christ that we are becoming. We, being a "part" of a many membered body, and He, the head.

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of
the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ" Eph 4:13.

This "measure" tells us that we, particular members of His body, who have been "born again" as "babes in Christ" must grow up so this corporate Body that we are becoming will become proportionate to the Adult Head that Jesus is.

Jesus fully obeyed His Father. On the Cross, having perfectly fulfilled His Fathers will, He said, "It is finished." Thus, Jesus as our corporate Head is a fully developed adult head.

We begin our spiritual journey as a born again baby. Peter tells us, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" I Peter 2:2. We become a one year old, and on through the stages of growth into spiritual maturity, until the body we are becoming is rightly related to the adult head, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Father, and all of creation, is waiting for this fully grown, rightly proportioned corporate Body.

"For the earnest expectation of the creature
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons
of God" Rom 8:19.

Thus, the end of the Church age can only come when this corporate Body has grown into a level of spiritual maturity where it can be rightly joined to the Head, and manifested. Only the Father determines when this level of growth has been reached. This is not a pre-determined date, but rather the result of the development of the Body to the "measure" of the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in My Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His Throne." Not every Christian is an overcomer. Not every Christian grows to spiritual maturity. Only a Bride who has fully prepared Herself will sit with Him in His Throne.

Thus, there is "a people within a people;" those who have given themselves to the full processings of the Father as "His workmanship" (Eph 2:10) that they might be brought into full maturity, "To the measure of the stature of Christ."

To become a partaker with Him in His Millennial reign is conditional.

"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works
unto the end, to him will I give power over
the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of
iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be
broken to shivers: even as I received of my
Father" Rev 2:26-27.

There are many Christians who do not measure up to the "condition" established in this passage of Scripture.

Revelation 5:8 speaks of "four beasts" and "four and twenty elders" who are in the midst of, and round about the Throne. These are a type of those who have qualified as overcomers throughout the ages. In the Old Testament, there were those as Enoch, who "walked with God and were not." Twelve patriarchs became the twelve tribes. These twenty four elders speak of the Old Testament overcomers.

The "four living creatures" speak of the New Testament overcomer. They had four faces, the face of a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle. These are the four sides of a fully developed, overcoming life. The lion symbolizes spiritual authority; the calf, sacrifice or service; the man, fellowship; and the eagle, spirituality.

These, the twenty and four elders and the four living creatures fell down before the Lamb having everyone of them harps and golden vials full of odors which are the prayers of saints.

"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy
to take the book, and to open the seals thereof:
for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God
by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue,
and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our
God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the
earth" Rev 5:9-10.

These are the redeemed, taken from among every kindred, tongue, people, and nation, which spans all of time, and who perfectly fit the position of the overcomer. "And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations" Rev 2:26, and "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in My Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His Throne" Rev 3:21.

Notice Rev 19:7-8 in the American Standard Translation.

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to
Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and
His wife hath made herself ready. And to her
was granted that she should array herself in
fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen
is the righteous acts of the saints".

This passage clearly identifies the Bride with those who have become "overcomers."

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that we are saved by faith, not by works. Salvation is a gift, but once we are saved we have a part in the preparation process of our spiritual growth. "His wife hath made herself ready."

There is the garment of salvation, clean and white (Rev 7:13-14). Also, there is the garment of the Bride, who has arrayed herself in fine linen, which is the righteous (overcoming) acts of the saints. Thus, the one who came to the marriage feast with only a "salvation garment" was cast out (Matt22:11-14).

Also note that five wise virgins entered through the door, but to the foolish virgins, the door was shut. All ten had the garment of salvation, but only the wise had the garment of the overcomer (Bride).

In Rev 7:9-17 is seen another people of all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues, who again (as those in Rev chapter 5) spans all of History. These are seen to be "before" the Throne having a white robe with palms in their hands. They are crying with a loud voice, saying "Salvation." These serve Him day and night in His temple.

Our testimony identifies our "position" with the Lord. In Rev 5:9 the "overcomers" were singing. In Rev 7:10 those who were "before" the Throne were crying. The first group had become kings and priests and were reigning. The second group were saved, and were serving. These (the second group) were satisfied to wash their robes to attain entrance to heaven. The Lord will wipe away their tears, but they will never partake with Him in His Throne. There is a difference.

What makes this difference? Our commitment and our obedience. If I am satisfied to live as a carnal Christian, I will find myself standing before the Throne at the end of time, crying "salvation." This will be all I have.

Only those who make Him Lord and fully commit their life to Him will have apart with Him in the Millennial Kingdom. It is not His intention that any one of us should come short of this. This is a choice we must make.

There is something better than Heaven.