The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Royal Priesthood, #12

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. (I Corinthians 15:28)

It is God's plan to establish a kingdom on the earth in which His will always is performed. God's will shall be imposed on the earth by force, at the return of Christ and His saints, and then maintained under the rulership of Christ and His saints.

And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)

"They [the members of the royal priesthood] shall reign for ever and ever."

To be "saved" is to be brought into the Kingdom of God. To be "lost" is to be denied entrance to the Kingdom and to be confined forever in the Lake of Fire, eternally shut away from the Presence of God. This is a fate so terrible as to be incomprehensible. Think of being confined for eternity in an area of torment along with Satan, his angels, and the demons, as well as the most wicked people of history!

The Lord Jesus began His Kingdom with twelve people. The Lord taught the multitude and commissioned seventy disciples to go forth preaching the good news. But His main effort was directed toward the twelve.

From the twelve, and those who followed them, the Word of God has been carried to every nation, calling out those whom God has chosen to be part of the royal priesthood. The Gospel call never has been randomly addressed. It is true that whoever will choose to do so may receive Christ. But no individual ever at any time is able to come to Christ unless the Father draws him.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16)

Notice in Acts (below) that while the Apostles preached the Word to everyone, it was only those who were ordained to eternal life, that is, the chosen members of the royal priesthood, who were able to believe. This is the same pattern that we found in John, Chapter 17.

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)

What about those who were not ordained to eternal life? The answer is, they were not chosen from the foundation of the world to be part of the royal priesthood.

This may be a difficult concept for us to accept because we are so filled with the spirit of humanism, but it is the clear teaching of the Scriptures.

To be continued.