Our eternal salvation is by grace, and is sure to all the seed (the heirs), and not one shall be lost.  This grace is bestowed not in vain, because it is secured to them by the finished work of Christ who failed not in any point. The gifts bestowed on the church for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, are called gifts of grace, and the apostle said in his case it was not in vain because he labored more abundantly than they all.  And he beseeches the brethren, as workers together with Christ, that they receive not the grace of God in vain.  I ask, have all faithfully carried out the gift bestowed on them?  If not, then they have received the grace of God in vain to that extent.

What a beautiful sight it would be to see all the members working together, each laboring in the sphere in which the Lord has placed them!  If God has put one into the ministry the church will be more anxious for him to be ordained than he will be to be ordained—so with all the gifts in the church.  Then let each one take the lowest seat at the feast, and when the Lord of the feast comes He will invite him up higher (See Luke 14:7-11). When the Lord invites one up higher it will be manifest by the brethren wanting to confer the honor on him.  So he will remain on the lowest seat in his own estimation, feeling too unworthy of any honor, but will be on the highest seat in the estimation of the brethren.

The lowest seat is the safest place in the house of God.  No one will be jealous or envious of you there.  But if you are on the highest seat in your estimation your shame will appear when the Lord of the feast comes and invites you down, and gives the place to another more honorable.  Then your jealousy is likely to arise, your envy may be displayed, and you will thus become a troubler in Israel.  —Elder James J. Gilbert   Zion's Advocate, 1902.