“In nothing perhaps is the difference between these two types of Christians more discernible than in a comparison of the lives of Abraham and Lot. Both love the Lord, both are righteous, both leave all to come to the Promised Land. But the one completely submerges self-will in a marvelous obedience to the will of God; the other endeavors to do both God's will and his own, and succeeds in doing neither. Yet Lot is "righteous" and God spares him, though so "as by fire." There is much food for thought here for the sincere follower of Christ.
(4) What shall be the eventual position of these two classes?
There can be no question regarding the members of the Royal Priesthood -- theirs, a position of joint-heirship with Christ; Kings and Priests for a thousand years. They -- the "Abrahams" -- shall out work all God's gracious provisions on behalf of the human race, theirs, the joy incomprehensible.
But what of the antitypical Levites, the "Lots"?
Three conclusions offer themselves.
The first, that they shall be cleansed by the "fire" and thus become members of the "little flock," we reject as doing violence to other Scriptures.
The second that they shall eventually occupy a position on the earthly plane as perfect human beings is also inadmissible. We reason as follows:
1) They are a class consecrated to do God's will.
2) As human beings, they in common with all mankind were born in sin and "shapen in iniquity," and were "dead in trespasses and sins"; and thus, were alienated from God. - Psa 51:5; Eph 2:1.
3) Before their consecration could be acceptable, they needed to be justified from Adamic condemnation.
4) Because of His purpose to "call out a people for His name," God had arranged the means of this justification, by sending His Son to die on Calvary as the ransom price for all.
(Having been “called out”, during the Gospel age in advance of their fellow man they received their share of this ransom sacrifice in advance of their fellow men who will receive their share in the next age.)
5) God's object in providing this justification (in advance) was to give them the opportunity to consecrate themselves and thus to become joint-sacrifices with their Lord, as members of His Body.
6) God marks His acceptance of their consecration by begetting them through the Holy Spirit.
7) Thenceforth they are "new creatures"; sons begotten to the spirit plane. That which is born (after being first begotten) of the spirit IS SPIRIT. John 3:6.
8) The condition of God's acceptance of their consecration was their "death" to all the human rights which would accrue to them otherwise, in the next age, the Millennial Age as a result of the ransom sacrifice of Christ. The grace of justification (in advance of their fellow man) was granted to them to enable them to offer up these rights by sacrifice, thus becoming "dead with Christ," for God could not accept upon his altar anything less than that which was holy, pure, righteous, and just.
These human or earthly life rights, once given up, CANNOT BE TAKEN BACK AGAIN. None of the spirit-begotten, therefore, can be reinstated to earthly hopes or human lives, for all rights to these were sacrificed at consecration.
9) They must either be born on the spirit plane or die; and since the apostle Paul says they will be "saved," death certainly is not to be their portion.
10) In the wilderness the Lord set the Levites apart for His service. Thenceforth they were to represent the first-born of all the tribes. These were typical of the Church of the First-born. (Heb 12:23) They were given title to no land, thus illustrating the fact that the antitypical Levites would be without earthly inheritance, but would be called to a heavenly inheritance.
In view of these considerations, we are led to the third conclusion, namely, that the antitypical Levites, after passing through the disciplinary experiences arranged by the Lord during each one's lifetime to reveal the vanity of self-will ("saved, yet so as by fire"), will be raised to a spirit plane of existence, in which state, under the supervision of the Royal Priesthood, they shall be active ministrants in the great work of reconciliation during the Millennial Age. This we believe is the teaching of the Spirit in the typical work of the Levites on the days subsequent to the Day of Atonement.
In conclusion we would again stress the necessity of clearly discerning the importance of the doctrine of justification in its relation to this question of the future condition of the antitypical Levites. Once it is seen that consecration means the complete surrender of all earthly rights received through justification as a result of the ransom sacrifice, and that God's acceptance of one's consecration is marked by spirit-begettal, once these things are seen, it seems obvious that all the called of this Gospel Age must either be born on the spirit plane or go into the Second Death.
There cannot possibly be a return to human rights, as the "covenant by sacrifice" (is to the death- of the earthly or human life Rev 2:10, and) is irrevocable with the Lord.
And finally, though we accept the Scriptures as teaching the eventual existence of a spiritual class subordinate to the "little flock," let us emphasize the glorious position to which we are all called, even to joint-heirship with our High Priest, and strive so to run as to obtain. Let no spirit of slothfulness be engendered because of the Levitical type, that thereby we may be led to feel that if one does not attain to the highest position, the lower will in any case be allotted. Such a disposition is very dangerous and may result in the complete loss of all. We can never plead divine grace as an excuse for indifference or carelessness; for sin ever lies at the door, and "if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in Him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe [in all the fullness of faith] to the saving of the soul." - Heb 10:38, 39
The truth could not have been stated any plainer for those who have eyes that see and ears that hear. Now you know whom the “great company” will truly consist of, and that their fate or inheritance is to serve the Lord and his Church as spirit beings in heaven.
(4) What shall be the eventual position of these two classes?
There can be no question regarding the members of the Royal Priesthood -- theirs, a position of joint-heirship with Christ; Kings and Priests for a thousand years. They -- the "Abrahams" -- shall out work all God's gracious provisions on behalf of the human race, theirs, the joy incomprehensible.
But what of the antitypical Levites, the "Lots"?
Three conclusions offer themselves.
The first, that they shall be cleansed by the "fire" and thus become members of the "little flock," we reject as doing violence to other Scriptures.
The second that they shall eventually occupy a position on the earthly plane as perfect human beings is also inadmissible. We reason as follows:
1) They are a class consecrated to do God's will.
2) As human beings, they in common with all mankind were born in sin and "shapen in iniquity," and were "dead in trespasses and sins"; and thus, were alienated from God. - Psa 51:5; Eph 2:1.
3) Before their consecration could be acceptable, they needed to be justified from Adamic condemnation.
4) Because of His purpose to "call out a people for His name," God had arranged the means of this justification, by sending His Son to die on Calvary as the ransom price for all.
(Having been “called out”, during the Gospel age in advance of their fellow man they received their share of this ransom sacrifice in advance of their fellow men who will receive their share in the next age.)
5) God's object in providing this justification (in advance) was to give them the opportunity to consecrate themselves and thus to become joint-sacrifices with their Lord, as members of His Body.
6) God marks His acceptance of their consecration by begetting them through the Holy Spirit.
7) Thenceforth they are "new creatures"; sons begotten to the spirit plane. That which is born (after being first begotten) of the spirit IS SPIRIT. John 3:6.
8) The condition of God's acceptance of their consecration was their "death" to all the human rights which would accrue to them otherwise, in the next age, the Millennial Age as a result of the ransom sacrifice of Christ. The grace of justification (in advance of their fellow man) was granted to them to enable them to offer up these rights by sacrifice, thus becoming "dead with Christ," for God could not accept upon his altar anything less than that which was holy, pure, righteous, and just.
These human or earthly life rights, once given up, CANNOT BE TAKEN BACK AGAIN. None of the spirit-begotten, therefore, can be reinstated to earthly hopes or human lives, for all rights to these were sacrificed at consecration.
9) They must either be born on the spirit plane or die; and since the apostle Paul says they will be "saved," death certainly is not to be their portion.
10) In the wilderness the Lord set the Levites apart for His service. Thenceforth they were to represent the first-born of all the tribes. These were typical of the Church of the First-born. (Heb 12:23) They were given title to no land, thus illustrating the fact that the antitypical Levites would be without earthly inheritance, but would be called to a heavenly inheritance.
In view of these considerations, we are led to the third conclusion, namely, that the antitypical Levites, after passing through the disciplinary experiences arranged by the Lord during each one's lifetime to reveal the vanity of self-will ("saved, yet so as by fire"), will be raised to a spirit plane of existence, in which state, under the supervision of the Royal Priesthood, they shall be active ministrants in the great work of reconciliation during the Millennial Age. This we believe is the teaching of the Spirit in the typical work of the Levites on the days subsequent to the Day of Atonement.
In conclusion we would again stress the necessity of clearly discerning the importance of the doctrine of justification in its relation to this question of the future condition of the antitypical Levites. Once it is seen that consecration means the complete surrender of all earthly rights received through justification as a result of the ransom sacrifice, and that God's acceptance of one's consecration is marked by spirit-begettal, once these things are seen, it seems obvious that all the called of this Gospel Age must either be born on the spirit plane or go into the Second Death.
There cannot possibly be a return to human rights, as the "covenant by sacrifice" (is to the death- of the earthly or human life Rev 2:10, and) is irrevocable with the Lord.
And finally, though we accept the Scriptures as teaching the eventual existence of a spiritual class subordinate to the "little flock," let us emphasize the glorious position to which we are all called, even to joint-heirship with our High Priest, and strive so to run as to obtain. Let no spirit of slothfulness be engendered because of the Levitical type, that thereby we may be led to feel that if one does not attain to the highest position, the lower will in any case be allotted. Such a disposition is very dangerous and may result in the complete loss of all. We can never plead divine grace as an excuse for indifference or carelessness; for sin ever lies at the door, and "if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in Him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe [in all the fullness of faith] to the saving of the soul." - Heb 10:38, 39
The truth could not have been stated any plainer for those who have eyes that see and ears that hear. Now you know whom the “great company” will truly consist of, and that their fate or inheritance is to serve the Lord and his Church as spirit beings in heaven.
