If God’s kingdom is for everyone, why are Christians suffering and sacrificing now for their beliefs? They could just wait for the resurrection and God’s kingdom to come on earth.

From the time of Christ to the establishment of God’s kingdom, some 2000 years, has been used to develop and test Christians through suffering and sacrifice. God has been calling this willing suffering Christian class from the world of mankind; who, when proven faithful through their experiences will receive a heavenly resurrection and the divine nature, or immortality as only God and Christ now have. (1 Cor. 15:50-57; Rom. 2:7; 8:18,19) These members of Christ’s body, as the scriptures term it, will be God’s agents used to restore ALL of mankind, both the living and dead.

The Apostle Paul aptly expresses the joys of Christian suffering that he might attain to the first resurrection. (Phil. 3:7-11) What are a few years of suffering and sacrifice to follow Christ? What a high reward it will bring; what a privilege to live and reign with Christ forever and to share his throne. Psa. 45:17 beautifully expresses the future of faithful Christians: “I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.” As the future ages pass, all creation will forever be praising Christ and his Church–his bride.

If today we are sacrificing and suffering as Christians with Christ, in the kingdom we will reign with him in the heavenlies, and we will be privileged to bless the world of mankind, bringing them up the way of holiness. (Rom. 8:17; 6:5; Phil. 3:10,11)

The Bible mentions two days of salvation, and not one. Many believe that if you are not “saved” in this age, then you are lost forever. This idea is derived from 2 Cor. 6:2 where Paul says that this is “the” day of salvation. The Apostle is quoting Isa. 49:8, where, Isaiah says this is “a” day of salvation. The most scrupulous translators of the Bible render 2 Cor. 6:2 as “a” day of salvation. This implies that there are two days wherein mankind can be saved. The first one is the salvation of the church, and the second is the salvation of the world.

The Bible also speaks of three ways: the broad way, the narrow way and the way of holiness. (Matt. 7:13, 14; Isa. 35:8) The “broad way” that leads to “destruction” is the path that the entire world of mankind is on today. All are sinners and their path leads to destruction, or death. The “narrow way” is the path that the suffering Christians, the followers of Christ, take which leads to life. The third, the “way of holiness” will be the path that the world takes when raised to life again and which leads, if obedient, to everlasting life on the earth.