Basic HTML Version
more-and for having produced
more in God's service.
God's judgments are altogether
just! The apostle Paul explained this
very well: "O the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God! How unsearchable are his judg–
ments, and his ways past finding
out!" (Rom. 11 :33.)
God Almighty has not only prom–
ised immortality or eternal life in His
Kingdom, but He has also promised
us glory and honor in the position of
service, or responsibility, which He
will grant us in His Kingdom-ac–
cording to our diligence here and
now!
It
is still true that the human eye
has not seen, the human ear has not
heard, nor has the human mind yet
fully grasped the tremendous, trans–
cendent, eterna! blessings which God
has prepared for us
(I
Cor. 2:9) . We
are just barely getting a dim glimpse
of those blessings- through having
our minds illuminated by God's Spir–
it
(I
Cor. 13:12).
"In thy presence is fulness of joy;
at thy right hand there are pleasures
for evermore'
1
(Ps. 16:11) . Revela–
tion 21 and 22 also further reveal the
glory which the saints-then made
immortal-will receive in God's ev–
erlasting Kingdom.
Thus it is clear from God's Word
that a Christian should desire more
than eterna! life. He should strive to
so please his Creator that He may
grant him, because of bis diligent ser–
vice, a place of honor in His King–
dom. This is what God Almighty de–
sires. He wants us to bear much fruit.
If
we do produce much fruit, then He
will bless us correspondingly with a
greater reward of service in H is
Kingdom.
Even Moses understood this! He
chose "rather to sutfer affliction with
the people of God, than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season; esteem–
ing the reproach of Christ greater
riches than tbe- treasures in Egypt:
for he had respect unto the. rec–
ompence of the reward" (Heb. 11:25-
26).
Yes, Moses was willing to sutfer
reproach, affliction, privation, and
humiliation in order to receive "the
recompence of the reward" in the
Ki ngdom of God! He, and the other
The
PLAIN TRUTH March 1979
Old Testament patriarchs, "all died
in faith," fully persuaded they would
receive the fulfillment of the promise
after their resurrection (Heb. 11
:.1
3,
39).
Never Aim for Medlocrity
God compares the Christian Iife to a
race. Many may run in the race, but
only one receives the top prize–
though numerous lesser prizes may
be given. Certainly no one worth his
salt should ever seek to take. second,
third or fourth place-if he is able to
do better. Likewise, God Almigbty
does not want us to be satisfied
with second best- if we can do bet–
ter . He does not want us to aim for
mediocrity!
Since we are going to be judged by
God Almighty according to what we
do in the flesb, we need to realize
God compares the
Christian lije to a race.
Many may run in the
race, but only one
receives the top prize.
' '
that we should look to Him at all
times-not to man.
"And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, asto the Lord, and not unto
men; knowing that of the Lord ye
shall receive the reward of the inher–
itance: for ye serve the Lord Christ"
(Col. 3:23-24).
If we can remember that all true
blessings-both in this life and in the
life to come-flow from Almighty
God, then we will keep our eyes fas–
tened on him (James 1: 17). We will
then seek to please Him, rather than
trying to be men-pleasers.
lt
isn' t wrong for you to seek honor
and favor in God's sight! Neither is it
wrong to seek promoti0n from God–
if you are really willing to work for
it-if you are willing to pay the
price!
We must always keep in mind this
basic truth: "For promotion éometh
neither from the east, nor from the
west, nor from the south. But God is
the judge: he putteth down one, and
setteth up another" (Ps. 75 :6-7).
Jesus Christ said, "How can ye
be–
lieve, which receive honour one of an–
other, and seek not the honour that
cometh from God only?" (John 5:44.)
But a word of caution is necessary!
Though it is right and good to seek
honor from God-right and good to
seek promotion-yet we must a lways
remember that we should seek it in
the right way-and not for vanity's
sake!
Wrong Ambltlon
Seek for
~lory
and honor from God,
but don't become filled with vain am–
bition or with self-exaltation.
Remember, it was the wrong type
of ambition or self-exaltation that
turned Lucifer into Satan (an advei-–
sary).
Lucifer wanted to exalt himself.
He was not content to merely remain
in the higb office in which God had
put him. He wanted to be equal to
God.
"For thou hast said in thine heart,
1
will ascend into heaven,
1
will exalt
my throne above the stars of God:
1
will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation, in the sides of the
north:
1
will ascend above the heights
of the clpuds;
1
will be like the most
High" (lsa. 14:13-14).
Yes, Lucifer wanted to be equal to
God. He was not content to serve as
an exalted archangel.
One of David's own sons, Absa–
lom, let the same wrong kind of am–
bition fill bis heart. He sought to flat–
ter the people of Israel so he could
turn them away from his father Da–
vid to himself. Eventually, he got the
popular support of the people behind
him, and he almost succeeded in
overthrowing the kingdom of his fa–
ther. David had to flee for bis life and
would have been defeated but for the
grace of God. Finally, however, Ab–
salom's insolence, his rebellion, his
ambitious self-exaltation caught up
with him ( 11 Sam. 15-18). A dart
thrust through his heart ended his
wretched revolt against his own fa–
ther (11 Sam. 18:9, 14).
Are Christ'ians altogether free
from this temptation of self-exálta-
37