God's elect are described in scripture by many names and terms. One way in which they are identified is that they are all "partakers." "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;" (Heb. 3:14) All of God's people are "partakers of Christ." He is the Bread of Life and they eat. He is the Water of Life and they drink. He is the Truth and they believe; the Way and they come to God by Him. He is of no saving benefit to those who have not taken of Him freely. Being born again they are "partakers of the divine nature" and have a new nature, Christ living in them by the Holy Spirit. By faith, they are partakers of His righteousness which is imputed to them and partakers of eternal life which is in Him. Being such and yet being still in the flesh and in the world, they are also partakers of other things. Because they are "partakers of Christ," they are also as sons partakers of that chastisement, "whereof all are partakers," if they are truly sons. (Heb. 12:8) The Father's chastisement, of which every son is chastened, is not without reason or goal. He does it "for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Heb. 12:10) As those who are partakers of Christ in this world and identified with Him, they suffer and are tried because of it. This suffering is not a reason for despair or sorrow but for rejoicing. "...rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (I Pet. 4:13) And all who are partakers of the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ are partakers of His consoling grace and presence. "..as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation." (II Cor. 1:7) The consolation is equal to the suffering for each and every partaker of Christ! All who are partakers of Christ, His sufferings and His chastisement shall also be partakers of His glory. Each one in Christ shall be a "partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:" (I Pet. 5:1) But the great outward witness that one is truly a partaker of Christ is that through suffering, chastisement, temptation, trial and tribulation, they continue in faith to the end. "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end." If we do not continue in the faith, we were never partakers!