To be given power over the nations (Revelation 2:26-27).

We are gaining the wisdom and power to rule with Christ in the present world so we may be able to rule with Christ throughout the ages to come.

Notice in the following passage that forsaking all this life has to offer, thus becoming a member of the Lord’s chosen few, leads to authority over people.

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye that have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:27,28)

When we behold the Apostles of Christ in the Day of the Lord —Peter, James, Andrew, John, Philip, Bartholomew and so forth — they will be arrayed in royal robes. They will be seated in exalted majesty on the thrones of glory, administrating the affairs of the nation of Israel.

It is interesting that one of those exalted thrones was reserved for each of the twelve disciples, including Judas Iscariot. But Judas (who was one of the chosen — John 6:70) sold his divinely appointed monarchy for thirty pieces of silver. How many today are selling their fabulous inheritance for a few dollars?

We can imagine what it will be like to judge the nation of Israel, or to govern any other nation. To sit as a king and judge is a dreadful responsibility.

But not all believers will be rulers of nations.

Among the multitude of believers there is a handful of saints who are being trained each moment of each day to rule in Christ. There is so much to learn! Obviously (and scripturally) it will be those whom God has carefully trained in obedience who will rule the nations of the earth.

It is neither scriptural nor reasonable to suppose we will rule nations on the basis of being pardoned by the Lord. If we would be princes of the realm we must submit ourselves to the King of the realm. Also, we must be called and chosen for our ruler-ship.

And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. (Matthew 20:23)

"For whom it is prepared of my Father"!

Ranks in the Kingdom of God represent differing levels of authority and power, just as in any other kingdom, and are by Divine appointment. Not everyone is given the same number of talents or the same kind of talents. We can conquer only that which is set before us to conquer as an individual. We are exhorted to grasp that for which we as an individual have been grasped.

It is God’s part to organize the Kingdom of God. It is our part to be obedient and faithful to the calling of God that is on our own life. We are to work out our own salvation.

We have been stressing that the rewards to the overcomer are not gifts that are given to us because we believe in the Lord Jesus. The rewards that we receive are, rather, the natural consequence of the work of redemption that has been wrought in us as we have carefully and diligently observed to do that which we have been commanded by the Lord and His Apostles.

Nowhere is this more true than in the case of ruling the nations of the earth. The rod of iron with which we shall rule is created in us as we choose to keep on doing the Lord’s will under trying circumstances. No person is capable of ruling in God until the will to do God’s will is as iron in him.

In addition, the love of Christ must be in us. We must be able to love people with the love of God.

Such love is unknown to our adamic nature. It is wrought in us as Christ (the Morning Star) is formed in us.

He who would be a royal priest, working among human beings until they have Christ formed in them and are coming to know the Lord, must have an iron will and a broken heart. While the Kingdom of God shall enter the earth with Divine force, smashing all resistance to the will of Christ, the Lord will, as quickly as possible, begin to draw the peoples of the earth with cords of love. He will do this through us, for we shall inherit the nations along with Him and by Him.

As the Father loves the Lord Jesus, so Jesus loves us. As we come to maturity in Jesus we begin to feel the need to express that love to other people. Of the increase of the love of God in Jesus in us in other people there will be no end (Isaiah 9:7). The Kingdom of God exists when God in Christ rules in the human personality, and this is the manner in which the saints will govern the nations of the earth.

It can be seen readily that the believer who has not had an iron obedience created in him, nor the love of Christ created in him, is not qualified to serve the Lord Jesus as a member of the royal priesthood.

We understand the rewards that Jesus will bring with Him are directly related to what we have become by means of the Divine redemption. What we become by means of the Divine redemption depends on the diligence with which we give ourselves to doing the Lord’s will in the present world.

It also can be seen that the present emphasis on "faith" and "grace" is a perversion of Paul’s doctrine, a perversion of the Divine intention in that it implies that the rewards described in the Scriptures will be given to people who have not undergone the transforming work of redemption.

The concept that the work of transforming our inward nature will take place "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" is to ignore the context of the Scripture. I Corinthians 15:52 is speaking only of the body. The concept that God’s people will be changed in moral personality at the Lord’s coming is unscriptural. It is unreasonable. It will not happen, and those who teach such a "magical" approach to the new creation are leading themselves and their hearers to destruction.

It is time for the Lord’s people to wake up. The Christian churches are walking in deception.

Authority over the nations is associated with the morning star.