The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Release of the Material Creation, #3

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. (Hebrews 2:8)

The Nonovercomer

God has determined man will rule the works of God's hands. Through Christ the spiritual nature of man will rule the material realm in righteousness, and he is made ready to rule by the tribulations and lessons he experiences during his lifetime. Therefore the New Testament Scriptures warn of chastisement when referring to those who neglect the development of spiritual righteousness and holiness, of those who continue in spiritual slothfulness, remaining in bondage to their flesh and soul.

The Scriptures speak of outer darkness, of weeping and gnashing of teeth, of not escaping the anger of God. Expressions of displeasure and anger are directed toward the Lord's servants who do not do His will. The admonitions of the Gospels and the Epistles are not directed toward the unsaved, toward those who know little or nothing of the Lord, but toward the elect.

The New Testament is a book of spiritual warfare, and the Lord Jesus requires that His soldiers be under the strictest discipline as He Himself is totally obedient to the Father.

The entire Scriptures are directed toward the Seed of Abraham, toward those who have been called out of the world in order to become a holy nation to God—a royal priesthood that will rule the material creation.

The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world so that to mankind may be restored all the glory of Paradise—in particular, access to the tree of life. Access to the tree of life prevents death from entering the material realm and causing it to decay. Also, immeasurable glory is to be added to mankind. Eden was but the faintest shadow of what God has in mind for His offspring, for the persons who have been created in His image.

All depends on the development of ruling spirits whom God can trust to maintain the observance of His laws, the doing of His will in the earth. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

The rewards to the overcomers, as set forth in the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation, seem to be increments in the development of eternal life in our personality so we can serve God effectively as the overseers of a released creation.

The "seven churches that are in Asia" (Revelation 1:11), to whom the Lord Jesus spoke, represent the Christian churches on the earth.

The Word of Christ to the seven churches serves to divide the believers into those who are members of the true Church, of the Body of Christ, of the ruling priesthood, and those believers who are members of the Christian assemblies but who are failing to grasp that for which they have been grasped by the Lord.

The overcomers will prove to be a firstfruits of the true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only they who, in the present hour, are on their way toward becoming the spiritual life of the Kingdom of God.

We think the overcomers are the firstfruits of the true Church, the true Bride of the Lamb, because of what the Scriptures state concerning the Bride of the Lamb and because of what is written concerning those who do not overcome but who themselves are overcome.

To be continued.