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Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Appendix 1
Appendix 2 Appendix
3
Documents in Microsoft Word Format:
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Study/Review Questions for download
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Christians are in a race,
and the highest of all possible prizes is being
extended as an encouragement for them to run the race
after a manner that will result in victory. In Hebrews
12:1, 2, the Spirit of God has provided Christians with
instructions concerning how the race is to be
run, and a Christian running the race after the revealed
fashion can be assured that he will finish the contest
in a satisfactory manner. On the other hand though, any
Christian not so following these provided instructions
can, under no circumstances, expect victory in the
contest.
If there was ever a group
of individuals who should be preparing themselves for
that which lies ahead, it is Christians. God
has set aside an entire dispensation lasting
approximately 2,000 years to acquire a bride for His
Son, who will rule the earth during the coming age as
co-regent with Him. Positions among those who will form
the bride are to be earned, not entered into
strictly on the basis of one's eternal salvation. And
even among those who eventually enter into these
positions, there will be no equality. Rather, there
will be numerous gradations of positions held by those
occupying the throne as co-regents with Christ in that
day.
Christians will receive
positions in Christ's kingdom exactly commensurate
with their performance in the race. That is to
say, positions with Christ in the coming age will be
assigned to household servants in perfect keeping with
their faithfulness to delegated responsibility
during the present dispensation, for faithfulness after
this fashion is how Christians run the race.
There will be "a just
recompense of reward" for each and every Christian after
the race has been run (Hebrews 2:2; 11:26), which is the
biblical way of saying that exact payment will be
given for services rendered. And such payment will
be dispensed at the judgment seat following an
evaluation of the services rendered in the house.
Charles
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