Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadQuiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Life After Death: 14. Service According to Ability
TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Life After Death (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 14. Service According to Ability
Other Subjects in this Topic:
Service According to Ability
Then there's another thing to be said with some emphasis, and yet said gently. It is said with emphasis because it seems never spoken of. It is said gently because it touches one of the sore spots in our common Christian life. And the touch may make somebody a bit sensitive, and possibly may hurt a bit. Yet the surgeon's knife that cuts is to prepare the way for healing and health.
The word is this, their occupation up there, and the privilege of personal service for the King, will be according to ability. But ability has a new meaning, not used down here much. It refers to the spirit traits one has grown down here.
Those who, in the stress of life have been true to the Lord Jesus here have grown certain traits of character. There has been a cultivation of the inner spirit life which in turn has given color and shape to the outer life. In following fully they have had difficult experiences on the earth. There have been oppositions and persecutions, sometimes of the subtler sort that cut deep.
There has grown a sensitiveness of spirit to the Master's presence and voice and way of doing things. So there has been grown unconsciously, largely, the traits needed in the Master's upper service. The vision has been cleared, the ear trained for his voice, the spirit keen to understand, the judgment disciplined, the mood made like His own, responsive to Him, and to those in similar touch with Him.
May I say, very gently, that it seems pathetic how many there are whose one thought seems to be to be sure they'll be saved? The thought of being serviceable to the Master after being saved seems to slip quite out. There's a natural concern over personal salvation, of course, till it's settled right.
But so many seem to think that having fixed up the matter of salvation, very much—I am putting it bluntly as you take out any insurance policy, they are free to go on their selfish worldly way, like the outer crowd. The motives of the world seem largely their motives. It's hard to find the difference.
Now, the point to stress is this: our life there, and our privilege of personal service for the King, will naturally be moulded on our Christian lives here. It will be reckoned a great honor, the outstanding honor, to do errands, carry out commissions, and be entrusted with bits of service.
And mark you keenly, all may serve up there, who will. There will be no favoritism shown. But of course, only those will be sent on some honored errand who can do it, who have grown the traits of character it calls for.
It seems quite clear that when our Lord Jesus does come again (whenever that may be), in the second phase of His coming back to the earth to heal its hurt, He will be accompanied, not by all who are saved through His blood, but by those who being saved, are also "chosen and faithful." That is, in their life on the earth, they have answered the call to personal salvation. They have been chosen for some bit of service, and they have been faithful to their Lord in doing what He asked.
Now, this will naturally be the simple law of service up in the home-land, and in the coming kingdom time. Those are entrusted with doing the king's errands, who have grown the traits needed. And those traits are grown in our earth life by the simple full following of our blessed Lord Jesus.
Yet, let it be carefully noted that every cup of happiness will be full up there. There will be different sorts of cups, varying sizes, and full recognition of the differences, yet each will be as full as it will hold. We shall be absorbed with our glorious King. There will be sweetest fellowship, and fullest accord. Yet some will be honored in service as others cannot be. And the right of this will be readily acknowledged by all.
But, it does look sometimes, as though there'd be a lot of people saved as though by the skin of their teeth, in Job's words. They're in, but barely in; saved, but barely saved. Christ not only had to die to get them saved, but has to burn off a lot of stuff accumulated down here that can't get over the door sill up there.
This seems to be the simple picture etched out before our eyes in this old Book of God. There's much local coloring to add to it. But this answers the age-old question about our loved ones, in touch of heart with God, who have died.