“There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendour of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendour of the earthly bodies is another.”

(I Corinthians 15:40)

     Those who are not ready when the Lord comes for His Bride at the beginning of the tribulation (where those who are ready are the wise virgins who will receive heavenly glorified bodies), will have sufficient time (if they are diligent) during the tribulation period to "prove themselves" that the Lord might "know" them, and be received into His kingdom glory at the close of the tribulation (who will receive earthly glorified bodies).

     We are called " to His kingdom and glory (I Thessalonians 2:12), and "to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (II Thessalonians 2:14), that we might have our bod­ies changed into the likeness of "his glorious body," for it will be through such glorified saints ruling with Christ that He will be able “to subdue all things to himself" (Philippians 3:21). "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). Truly it is a "high," "holy" and "heavenly" calling (see Philippians 3:14, II Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 3:1), to be in Christ's ruling Body and Kingdom.

     For having been tutored, dis­ciplined, and grown to sufficient maturity by the leading of the Spirit to be formally placed “as a son” in His heavenly kingdom (Romans 8:14), we have an inheritance in the Father which we will receive when we are placed as sons in His heavenly kingdom. And our inheritance is His invisible qualities (Romans 1:20) of firstly a “divine nature”, through which our lives, having been transformed, produce the fruit of the Spirit, for fruit is not by performance but by nature, and secondly of “eternal power”, which is the glorified body, when the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53). Which is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

     When He comes, we are to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:29). With this in mind, we are to heed Jesus' warning about those who will be rejected as being unqualified for the heavenIy kingdom (Matthew 7:21-23, 22:11-14, 25-.10-12, Luke 12:45-47). Which is why we have the great encouragement of “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:10-11).