The greatest transaction in the history of time is the investment the Creator is making in humanity. It is astonishing that so few people seem to recognize the fact that the great God of the universe has made an INVESTMENT in His creation. Many of our readers may be surprised that anyone would dare join the name of the Lord with such earthly things as “transactions” and “investments,” but let the Scriptures speak for themselves.

One cannot help but wonder why it is that the professing church of Christ has failed to see that the most important feature of religious affairs is not humanity’s interests but the thing of prime importance is the success of the Master’s investments. Incidentally, the earth is being used as a schoolroom or stage upon which is enacted a forceful drama designed to educate many entities on the other side of the veil: “God who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” (Eph. 3:9, 10) He is TEACHING the unseen beings and He is using the church to illustrate His message; the object of these lessons is to instill confidence in the minds of the heavenly beings, in His “manifold wisdom.” The foremost purpose of the Lord’s Word in this world is the creation of character in beings who will be worthy members of His family. Angels and many other heavenly entities do not belong to the FAMILY DIVINE; they are a very high order of beings, but they do not sit with the Father and His family of sons.

Today, now at this time, the Father and His Son are the only beings in the whole universe that possess immortality. “Who only hath immortality.” (1 Tim. 6: 16) This is the state of incorruption and of life eternal. The Father has desired to share this wonderful quality with others; so, He made a promise before the world began that He would share this state of godliness, “In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began.” (Titus 1:2) Let us never think that the Father’s “family” will be composed of the earth’s riffraff; He is most discriminating; He seeks the very best of a certain kind: “Not every one that says, Lord, Lord,” shall be accepted in His family. The Scriptures plainly teach that the members of the heavenly “family” are called, chosen and worthy.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14) Not all of the “many” that are “called” continue on to know the Lord. Christ likened such people to “He that received the seed into stony places...yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while.” (Matt. 13:20-21) The “few” that are “chosen” are the cream of the crop that are disciplined and thoroughly prepared for the life to come. In the eyes of the world these are the people who are “hated for His name’s sake”; these are the folks whose names have been cast out as evil. They are usually found “without the camp, bearing His reproach.” These are the people who, like Moses, have forsaken “Egypt”. “Esteeming the REPROACH OF CHRIST greater riches than the treasures in Egypt,” (Heb. 11:36) they have yielded themselves to the character-perfecting forces that a walk with Christ unleashes upon the saint.

God has said, “I will make a man more precious than fine gold,” (Isa. 13:12) but few men will permit the Lord to turn the heat on them; “When the sun was up they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.” (Matt. 13:6) Multitudes of people want the Lord to make them like gold -- BUT PAINLESSLY. Some expect the Lord to do it while they sleep under a sedative. But this transformation of character is not carried on according to the wishful thinking of “shallow ground” people. He who walks through the pearly gates of that heavenly city will be qualified to do so; he shall be “worthy”: “... have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy,” (Rev.3:4); and again, “That ye may be accounted. worthy of the Kingdom of God.” (2 Thess. 1:5) Dr. Strong, in his concordance, says that this word “worthy” means: “to deem entirely deserving.” The work of the Spirit of the Lord in the hearts of the “worthy” people is a cooperative affair: God speaks and the “worthy” respond by obedient action. The thing that characterizes saints is that they OBEY the Lord; they are ever responsive to His will. To such people His Word is law, and strange as it may seem to carnal men, the saints “LOVE HIS LAW” (Psa. 119:165)

Here is what the Psalmist said concerning God’s blessed man: “His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psa. 1:2) Of course, it is only a saint who fully understands and appreciates the therapeutic value of God’s laws: “The law of the Lord is perfect, CONVERTING the soul.” (Psa. 19:7) In this verse of Scripture from the nineteenth Psalm we have a MEANS and an END: the “end” is the “converting” of souls, and the “law of the Lord” is used as the “means” to accomplish that end. Our heavenly Father is a Master in all arts and crafts and by His oral utterances, He is in the process of creating His masterpieces: “The worlds were framed by the Word (not “Logos” but “ramate,” which means “an oral utterance”) of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Heb. 11:3) The fact that the Father’s word is productive is also set forth in this scripture from Isaiah “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isa. 55:8-11)

Take note that the Lord has said, “it (His Word) shall not return unto Me void.” His Word is effective, it never goes forth fruitlessly, “it shall accomplish that which I please.” These lines tell us that those who hear His words never remain the same. They DO something. That “something” may be good or evil. In various ways the Savior taught that the Word of the Father is a creative element, and when it is received of men it must be respected and obeyed, for the very hearing of the Word places man under obligation. By implication, the Lord Jesus pictured the Father as a “sower,” or farmer, who planted seed from which He intended to have a fruitful harvest. (Matt. 13:3) By inspiration, James wrote of our Lord as “The Husbandman.” (James 5;7) Again, we have the Lord of all creation spoken of as a Certain “nobleman,” (Luke 19:12) who made investments by putting his money in the trust of some of his servants. And of course, he had a perfect right to expect profit on his investment; in the teaching of this parable we see that faithfulness to our trust is rewarded, while unfaithfulness is cause for being completely cast away.

The one prime lesson of all animate nature is that if life is to be continued, the organism must produce, it must grow, it must develop, it must progress. When these stop, then death is the result. If animation is essential to the life of physical nature, of how much greater need is this life element to things of a spiritual nature? Consider these homely, yet terrific, illustrations of this truth: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ... If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:5-6) “If some of the branches be broken off, and thou ... wert grafted in among them ... Boast not against the branches ... THOU STANDEST BY FAITH ... If God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also not spare thee ... continue in His goodness: otherwise thou shalt be cut off.” (Rom. 11:17-22)

“Continue in His goodness is the obligation of the believer. Let us not forget that the Word plainly states, “We are made partakers of Christ IF WE HOLD the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” (Heb. 3:14) These Scriptures plainly state that every saint is obligated to CONTINUE in the process of becoming a “partaker of Christ.”

God is now SPEAKING to men in no uncertain way; listen to these words: “Ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire ... But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the Living God ... To God the judge of all ... to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant ... SEE THAT YOU REFUSE NOT HIM THAT SPEAKETH. For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven.” (Heb. 12:18-25) With revelation comes OBLIGATION. Hear the words of Jesus on this subject; “Unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required.” (Luke 12:48) It is also written: “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin,” (James 4:17); here is a sin of OMISSION that is common to multitudes of people. The burden of guilt rested upon the soul of the Pharisee and the priest who passed by the wounded traveler who lay in his misery on the road to Jericho. Many a twentieth-century professing Christian will hear these words in the day of judgment: “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.” (Matt. 25:41-43)

In the book of Luke, we find a most interesting parable which teaches that what God has planted must be productive: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” (Luke 13:6-9) “The Dresser” of the vineyard is undoubtedly the Holy Spirit; He is the One who labors with all the potential “trees” in God’s field. It is He who “digs” around the too complacent believer, and He also enriches the “soil” in His efforts to persuade GROWTH. However, when after many turnings of the “soil” and many enriching attempts have been made to urge growth, and the tree yet refuses to respond, then “the axe” is applied at the command of the “Owner” of the vineyard, “Now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” (Matt. 3: 10)

In many places, the Scriptures teach that “trees” are used as symbols of men. God’s “blessed” man of the first Psalm is said to be “like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.” (Psa. 1:3) Then, Jesus also taught that we could discern the kind of tree by its fruits, “Ye shall know them by their fruits ... every good tree bringeth forth good fruit.” (Matt. 7:17) The figurative teaching of the “vine” and the “branches” is another lesson in the doctrine that believers are obliged to be fruitful if they are to remain “in the vine.” Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:1-6)

A “withered” branch is an unproductive branch, and it is unproductive because it does not “abide in the vine.” Therefore the secret of a productive Christian life is that the believer REMAIN IN CHRIST. Take note that “abide in the vine” and “remain in Christ” mean one and the same thing. Now how do we “abide” in Him? Here is His answer to this very question: “IF YE KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, ye shall abide.” (John 15:10) Here is a statement of major importance. It is impossible to become “withered” and unfruitful IF we obey the commandments of Christ. The secret, then, of a consistent Christian life is to KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.

(Reprinted from Number 366, May 1994 issue of “The Testimony of Truth” with permission from “People of the Living God”)

Please feel free to send feedback concerning this article. Also, please include the title of this article in your feedback. Thank you for visiting Central Truth Ministries.