OUR PLACE IN THE KINGDOM WILL BE DETERMINED BY OUR COURSE HERE

^[p. 109] OUR PLACE IN THE KINGDOM WILL BE DETERMINED BY OUR COURSE HERE

I was glad to hear from you, and I lose no time in trying to answer your questions. I think our place in glory will be determined by our walk and course here. The new being is formed here, its capacities are satisfied in glory, and in the glorified body. Each of us will fill a particular place in the kingdom, a stone in the temple. The stone is quarried here, and in view of its destined place; and in glory it is set in the place fit for it; and this is explained and confirmed at the ‘Bema of Christ’. I do not think it will be a question of the intelligence of saints: the eyelid has as much intelligence as the eye, but the eye has a more distinguished place — though not more necessary. So in a building, though there is a positional difference between foundation and corner stones, and ordinary ones, the latter are as much part of the building as the former. You see in the circle which surrounds a great potentate just what I mean — men with full intelligence in every capacity, and each with his appointed duties; but some are nearer the sovereign and are more largely used by him than others. They all know the sovereign, their intelligence is, in one sense, alike. They compose the royal circle, but there is difference as to position, and as to the qualities which are required for a true discharge of the duties attached to each; and yet all are quite intelligent as to the mind and feelings of the sovereign personally: the lower officer is acquainted with the heart of his sovereign as well as the higher one, though in a different degree; it is not a question of intelligence but of position. The babe in Christ will be as intelligent about Christ’s love to him, and will enjoy Him as much as Paul — we shall all know as we are known. But a babe does not understand the grace of Christ as Paul does: he has not been practised in the ways of Christ on earth as Paul has been. The man with one pound, and who by faithful service had increased it to ^[p. 110] ten pounds, is evidently better qualified to rule over ten cities than the one with five pounds, as the product of his one pound. I think that our qualities for position are acquired now; there will be no opportunity for learning grace by-and-by, and it is in learning the grace of Christ, and growing up to Him now, that one is qualified for higher positions in His service by-and-by. The intelligence and the enjoyment will be alike, though the position will be different, because the qualities for the position will be different. The babe will see and enjoy everything quite as much as the father; but a babe would not be qualified to administer the grace of Christ in service, as a father would. They are all in royal garments, and all at the royal table, but each in a different position of trust and service, in keeping with the spiritual growth in this scene, where man has been set of God; for in some way, we shall, I suppose, ever have some connection with the earth. Nothing of the new man can be lost, but by exercises here in the ways of God we grow into conformity to Christ, and into knowledge of God in His ways; and this growth qualifies and capacitates for position in the glorious company hereafter. These are my thoughts, I have never, that I remember, written before on the subject, and therefore I timidly put them forth for your reflection. See Luke 22: 28 - 30.