of friendship with the coming King. They who
resist the evil Jezebel rule in Thyatira will have the privilege of
ruling with the King. Those in Sardis who hunger and thirst after a pure
heart will have the longing fully satisfied.

Those who have proven dependable in the trying days in Philadelphia will
have the exquisite pleasure of being depended upon in the inner circle
as wholly trustworthy. Those in Laodicea who resist the current and
insist on letting the knocking pilgrim in for heart fellowship[80] will
find themselves in fellowship with Him on the throne.

It should be noticed that these promises are one promise, and that that
is the promise of everlasting life, of a purified perfected character,
and of the privilege of closest fellowship with the King Himself in the
coming Kingdom time.

These promises do not take up the matter of rewards for faithfulness in
service, such as our Lord speaks of in the twin parables of the pounds
and talents. The things promised here are the results of being saved by
the blood of Christ. The privilege of fellowship with the King during
the Kingdom time is included in salvation. All the redeemed will reign
over the earth.[81]

This is significant. Overcoming would seem to be the decisive evidence
of faith in Jesus Christ, the faith that receives everlasting life. It
takes opposition to let you know whether you are willing to accept
Christ. A man does not know whether he really believes Christ until he
is opposed in his believing, and opposed to the real hurting point. He
has just as much faith in Christ as he is willing to declare, and stand
by, and insist upon, _when he is under fire_. Opposition is the fire
test. Faith isn't faith unless it can stand the fire test.

The Decisive Trait of Faith.

The plain inference here is that he who doesn't overcome shows that he
really doesn't believe in his heart. And the natural result is that he
does not receive these things promised. That is, he is not saved because
he won't accept the Lord Jesus as his Saviour _when it comes to the fire
test_.

There are without doubt thousands in the Church who will be left behind
on the earth when our Lord Jesus catches up His own. This does not mean
necessarily that they will be lost. There will be another opportunity of
being saved for those living on the earth at that time. The Kingdom will
be a wonderful time of salvation. There will be a continuous revival of
the realest sort going on e