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A Choice of Culture
”That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and on the earth– in Him.
God’s response to evil’s disruption of His perfect creation was to announce through Jesus Christ the good news of God’s government. As a result, humanity is confronted with two forms of government for the governed.
Obviously, we have to govern ourselves collectively as nations. To do so properly, we first need to decide who governs us personally. To put it another way, what is it that governs our choices? What drives our decision making concerning what is morally right and wrong? If our moral compass is out of whack, we cannot go in the right direction. Ultimately, the question is whether we are governed by good or by evil. If we as nations are generally governed by good, then we will be able to govern ourselves well collectively. But, if we are governed by evil, then chaos will ensue. Looking around us today, which of these two could we say we are being more governed by now?
“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
(Matt. 22:15-21, NKJV)
Clearly Jesus acknowledged two governments at work in His confrontation with the Pharisees. He acknowledged Caesar’s which had oversight in the earthly realm. But He also indicated another one from another realm to which we were to be subject as well. Paul also wrote about these two governments in Romans 13: 1-14. The two realms of governance that are required of us are the one set up by God in the heavens and the others set up on earth over nations.
Since God is the Author of all that is Good, His government is of first importance. When He created the universe and all that is in it, he looked around and said, “it is good.” In His role as the ultimate ruler, He oversees the heavenly realm, and then instructs us how we are to relate to Him and to other people. His first priority is to produce in us the fruit of His Spirit’s work - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
God’s governmental law can be summed up very simply: We must love Him with our whole mind, body and spirit and we must love each other the way He loves us.
The Second Realm of government has to do with political rule over nations. We are to be subject to our national government as we manage our personal lives within the context of family and neighborhood life. Government will oversee the national economy and regulate how we do business with each other. While God can work with any system that we use to govern ourselves, His priority is that we be subject as individuals to His rule first. What we must recognize though, is the impact the war between good and evil has had on national governments.
Many see the war as only occurring at the earthly level between Republican and Democrat. But the real battle is going on behind the scenes and is spiritual.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
(Eph. 6:12, NKJV)
We are in a battle between the Author of Good and the Author of Evil. In fact, we are the battleground. The war is being manifested in our national way of life and it looks to many like evil is winning. But, not so fast….
Let’s look at why it might appear that we who stand with the Author of Good are losing the war.
The word “dispensation” in the following scripture passage literally means “the administration of a house”. It comes from the Greek word “oikonomia” which is where we get our English word economy. The Author of Good who is eternal, has an eternal plan that is a mystery (i.e., something hidden in order to be revealed). Paul communicated some of his insight into this mystery to the church at Ephesus.
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles- if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,”
(Eph. 3:1- 11, NKJV)
There are two mysteries here, and each is in fellowship with the other. The first one is that God’s plan is not just for His chosen people the Jews, but also for everyone else. But what exactly is it that God has for both the Jews and Gentiles?
He has purposed that His manifold wisdom be expressed through the church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ! But what is the manifold wisdom of God? It is simply His character, His nature manifested in how He governs us. Jesus is the embodiment of who God is (I John 1:1-2). When we look at Jesus we see the Father. How we respond as citizens of His kingdom both toward God and toward man provides the evidence of Jesus’ influence on us. He is not a dictator; we willingly choose to yield to Him as our Lord because we recognize his goodness and because we want to be like Him. Once we choose to yield to Him as our Lord, He then empowers us through His grace to no longer live according to religious laws. Rules don’t empower behavior; love does. Equipped with love, the very nature of God, individual believers come together in the church (a community of believers) to fully express Christ, who fully expresses God. We are able to love each other because Christ first loved us. Since Calvary revealed what love truly is, God’s eternal purpose has been accomplished in Christ. Church history then, is the ongoing unfolding of the mystery as Christ is increasingly seen in His people.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
(Eph. 3:14-21, NKJV)
While there is currently a dichotomy between the heavenly Kingdom of God and the earthly kingdoms (which are world governments rejecting the authority of God i.e., revealed as the city of Babylon in the book of Revelation), a day is coming when as Jesus prayed, we will see His will done on earth as it is in heaven. To be clear, the coming one world government that will have staying power will be the Kingdom of God, not the kingdom of Satan.
In Zechariah chapters three and four, the Prophet Zechariah had a vision concerning Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor, both of whom come out of Babylon during the years of captivity to help rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Interestingly, the name Joshua means savior and Zerubbabel means seed of Babylon.
These two men symbolize for us the religious and political offices. Better stated, the high priest would represent God and His righteousness to the people, and Zerubbabel the governor would express God’s government through His men. The two men in these offices also reveal two specific roles of Christ. Jesus, our Savior, was placed under a godless government (The Roman Empire) in order to restore what was lost to mankind through Adam’s sin. In His life, death, and resurrection, Christ became the fulfillment of the two roles of high priest and governor becoming one. Jesus is both the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18) and Jesus is the King who rules as the Head of God’s Household.
In this vision, Joshua had on filthy garments. Joshua symbolizes for us God’s people who are called by His name (we are a royal priesthood). We were in need of a savior because our garments (behavior) were filthy! Christ’s death and resurrection was the means of redemption by which our filthy garments were removed and replaced with clean ones (justification). We were given a new turban for our heads (renewed minds). However, just receiving the clean garments was not enough. We were also given a great responsibility to keep them clean (sanctification) by learning to walk in His ways. Having received the gift of righteousness, we must also see the fruit of righteousness growing in us as well. We start as babes (learners) and mature to fatherhood where we begin to teach others. Our growth is not by our own power, but through the grace of God. He knows we will make mistakes, but as we quickly repent and continue on our course, He will cause us to grow. Today is the day for the church and especially the overseers in the church to give ourselves in a renewed way to this process of sanctification.
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here.
(Zech. 3:7, NKJV)
As the church matures, God will reveal in us the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13-16).
‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.
(Zech. 3:8, NKJV)
One aspect of Christ in his role as the “Branch” is the revelation of His righteousness. Herein lies the calling of the Church – that we would be a people walking in the clean garments of His righteousness. But another aspect of Christ in his role as the “Branch” has to do with His governance. As Lord, He has His own unique way of governing (More on this later).
In this vision, God showed Zechariah a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it and seven lamps with seven pipes and seven spouts. Two olive trees were on either side of the bowl and two olive branches were pouring oil into the seven lamps. We see a plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. A plumb line is a tool used for determining whether or not something is perfectly vertical i.e. upright. To govern properly, we must be upright in our character. God takes both time and much grace to bring about this quality of character in us. In fact, it is Jesus Himself who holds the plumb line to make sure we are qualified.
What Zechariah saw in his vision, pictures for us what the earth will look like when heaven increasingly invades earth in the coming years. The lampstand is the Kingdom of God with seven churches (the number of perfection) pouring out the oil of the Holy Spirit. The two trees symbolize for us the righteousness of God (the moral thread), and the governance of God (the administrative or economic thread) represented by Joshua and Zerubbabel. These two men stand in scripture as witnesses foretelling the emerging Kingdom of God. In this light, the two olive branches then could be the apostolic and prophetic ministries that pour out their hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit into the churches (Luke 11:49).
Our American government is set up as a republic. It is made up of three branches: executive, legislative and judicial, and it functions both at the federal and state level. In the legislative branches, we have two houses - the House of Representatives and the Senate. Our government leaders don’t just take over; we elect them. In this republic there are checks and balances so that no one branch can dominate the others. In other words it is shared power. We all know how it works. But do you know how God’s government works?
The Body of Christ (the church) is made up of believers in Christ, all of whom have been given spiritual gifts. All of us are to love each other and take care of each other. In fact, the spiritual gifts given to each one are designed for this purpose. Jesus is the head of the corporate body and Christians are its members. But we must have the proper credentials to be authentic members. The primary credential is that our lives are to be submitted to Jesus as evidenced by our love in action. We minister to (serve) God by ministering to (serving) each other as he leads us and according to the gifts he has given to each one of us.
In the United States, each branch of government has special duties and responsibilities. In the Body of Christ, each member is given special and diverse gifts from the same Spirit. It’s as if we are all being trained at the same college, but we have different specialties or major areas of study.
In the body, there are a diversity of gifts, ministries, and activities. According to 1 Corinthians chapter nine, here is how the Holy Spirit manifests Himself among us.
Word of wisdom
Faith
Gifts of healings
The working of miracles
Prophecy
Discerning of spirits
Different kinds of tongues
Interpretation of tongues
According to Romans chapter twelve, we also have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.
Ministry or service
Teaching
Exhortation
Giving
Leading
Mercy
Distributing to the needs of the saints
Hospitality
Helps
God’s set up in His church is not unlike our American government where a variety of departments specialize in one area, but still work together as one government. For example, we have the departments of commerce, education, the interior, etc. But to be clear, the government of God is spiritual and the Spirit of Jesus operates in and through every one of the gifts He has released among His people. His Spirit, His presence is the moral thread that holds it all together. Some other things to note:
God has set the various members in the body as He pleases
We are to bestow greater honor on those who seem to be in less honorable roles than others
If one member suffers, all suffer
If one member is honored, all are to rejoice
The Author of all that is good has appointed some in His church to be apostles, and others to be prophets, or evangelists, pastors and teachers for the perfecting (maturing) of the believers for the work of ministry (service) to the end that the body of Christ” would be edified. The word “edify” means: to build as a structure (Eph. 4:12). In God’s view of our national culture, the moral thread takes precedence over the economic thread. When we look at His church, the gifts of the Holy Spirit represent not the moral but the economic thread; for it is by them that the various members of the Body of Christ function in His economy. But Paul emphasizes at the end of 1Cor. 12 that there is a more excellent way…love. Also see 1Cor. 13:1-2 (NKJV)
All overseers in the church have seen the results of believers with wonderful spiritual gifts, but lacked humility. In other words, the same misplaced priorities affecting cultural collapse in our world are also affecting the Body of Christ. It is no different! Even in many parts of the church, “economic” threads have taken precedence over the moral.
Since the tower of Babel, man continues to try to govern himself. The emerging one world religion that we see today is simply man worshipping “self” as god and setting up his own various forms of government to fulfill that purpose. Antichrist is simply mankind trying to replace Jesus with himself. Christ is God’s choice to be the High Priest of His people and ruler of His government. But when we set ourselves up in His place by putting ourselves in charge we actually take for ourselves the role of Jesus. Since the fall of man in the Garden, there has been enmity or hostility between God and man. By our very nature we are in rebellion against Him. Our sin is that we don’t want to live according to God’s way; we want to live according to our way. In other words, we want to decide right from wrong from our perspective and we want to govern ourselves apart from Him.
God’s eternal purpose is to restore what was established from the beginning when God created what was good. He is the Author; He decides what is right and wrong since He alone is the source of all truth. God’s restoration plan began when He sent to Israel their Messiah, Jesus Christ. Through His death and resurrection, He has been found worthy to be the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the one to rule with righteousness over His house which He is building. He is building it on the bedrock of God’s truth of what is right. Righteousness is the scepter of the Kingdom! (Psalms 45:6)
Babylon the Great was the first attempt by the author of evil to copy God by establishing his own city, a city where he could be the father. There, man, governed himself according to Satan’s unrighteousness as the moral foundation of that city. And if you have eyes to see, you can see this same scenario being played out today in our own nation. We began as a nation under God, but today we are being hijacked by the author of evil. A terrorist has taken over the cockpit! Many of God’s people, those called by His name have let it happen. By not submitting to God’s authority many have become aligned with the spirit of antichrist…such lifestyle choices amount to a rejection of the government of God.
”Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
(Matt. 7:21-23, NKJV)
Our nation, and many Christians as well, have fallen for the lie of the “prince of the power of the air”. This lie is embodied in such concepts as separation of church and state[31], secular humanism, evolution, godless education and moral relativism, etc. Many have received these ideas into their minds through various doorways of our culture. As a nation, we have welcomed and believed the ramblings both of a man who put forth a theory of evolution as well as an ignorant group in the scientific community claiming to know more than the Creator by their study of what He made. In a republic where we actually have the choice both of how we are governed, and who we are governed by, we have chosen foolishly to follow the citizens of Babel in order to build ourselves a city and a tower to make a name for ourselves! Our attitude has been, “who needs God?”! When we don’t live under His authority, we establish our own. As a result, we are lawless from God’s perspective. We have elected our government on the basis of the economic thread, not the moral one. You know the saying: “It’s the economy, stupid”!
Many are looking for the appearance of an individual man, the antichrist. But more importantly, we must recognize the present operation of the spirit of antichrist: human government apart from God. Many anticipate a future antichrist who will seek to take the place of Christ among men in order to rule. His name will have a numerical value – the number of man. But could it be that scripture is indicating mankind itself as we govern ourselves apart from God? Think about it! We have allowed the killing of innocent babies in the womb. We the people have elected many officials who have promoted this crime! We the people have spoken. On our coins we put the phrase e pluribus unum: out of many, one. A majority of people in our country can change our government. In every nation, man rules governmentally but who rules man? The spirit of antichrist is a spirit that refuses to accept Jesus as Lord (1 John 4:3). If we refuse to accept Jesus as our Lord, we put ourselves in His place.
In the city of Babel the people purposed to build “a city and a tower”. Can you see that the same spirit is now taking over in our nation? The people of Babel were so unified that God had to confuse their language so they couldn’t communicate and accomplish what they had set out to do. But as we look at our society, who is more unified? Is it Satan’s forces who are thrusting their beliefs on everyone, or is it the people called by Christ’s name? While we have been looking for the antichrist, the spirit of antichrist has succeeded in removing God from our government. The spirit of antichrist is here and taking over.
Jesus is going to judge the nations. On that day, I believe His focus will be on how we governed ourselves. Did we welcome Him in His rightful role as King of the nations, or not?
I am not writing this book as a vehicle to promote a particular political party or earthly governmental system. Jesus was not involved politically; he didn’t have to be. The earth is His, the Heavens are His. He is the Head of his church and He has authority over the nations. He doesn’t have to win an election. He has already been elected before time began by the Author of Good. We don’t elect him; He elects us. Those who won’t submit to his authority will be separated from those who do. Jesus is love and he only refrains from returning in final judgment because he wants as many as possible to make the right choice.
The good news of the Kingdom of God is that He has for us an unbelievable inheritance if we are willing to accept Him as the Author of Good and submit to His authority. He has demonstrated His goodness in that while we were still rebellious Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8-9).
To be justified means that we are free from the penalty of our rebellion. Jesus pardoned us by taking our punishment. Having taken that penalty, He then freed us from the bondage of that rebellion. Spiritual bondage is like an addiction. Just like people who get addicted to heroin because of the emotional high and the affect it has on the body, so also, many people have become addicted to thinking they can be as God. It is exhilarating to think you can do whatever you want with no consequences and no accountability. But this delusion and addiction produces a life of deception and destruction.
Sanctification means that we are free from the power or influence of Adam and Eve’s first rebellious act that all of us, without Christ in our life, are subject to. We can then begin to experience change in our lives as we come under the authority of the Author of Good. As we submit to Him and resist the evil one, we stop taking the drug of rebellion. Just like when one goes through physical withdrawal from an addictive drug, we must seek intervention (i.e., pastoral counsel, discipleship, etc.) to help us with the inevitable symptoms of withdrawal that we will suffer while getting free from our rebellious state. This can be a difficult process. But we must humble ourselves by submitting ourselves to God’s government. As we do so, He will extend His Grace to us and transform us from one degree of glory to another by renewing our minds. A renewed mind comes about as we begin to see and think about the world, authority, relationships, etc., from His point of view. We get the “mind of Christ”. When we humble ourselves, God will release His grace to us which is the antidote to our state of rebellion. His guarantee is that we will grow spiritually as we receive Jesus as our Lord and come under His government.
Adam and Eve rejected the government of God but Christ took the penalty for all human disobedience and has offered reconciliation between man and God. Adam’s rebellion lost us access to the tree of life where wisdom and discernment regarding righteousness was available. After that, only the Jewish high priest could enter the holy of holies once a year. But Christ’s redeeming work restored once and for all, the access we had lost. We can now live in an abiding relationship with God and through prayer begin to receive training in righteousness once again. To put it another way, we come to know God as we come into our “right mind” and begin to see from God’s perspective.
Citizens of any government or kingdom must understand its culture or way of life. We must learn of its history, its heritage and what sets it apart from other cultures. What sets the Kingdom of God apart from any other government or kingdom is the inherent goodness or righteousness of its King. His love is the currency of His kingdom. Unlike under man’s government, the more of God’s love you give away, the more comes back to you. It is not something to be put in a bank and hoarded; it is designed to be given away freely. Our parents always told us that money doesn’t grow on trees, but in the Kingdom of God it does. God’s currency grows on the Tree of Life! The Author of Good Himself is the Fort Knox of His kingdom and there are no walls or guards to keep you out! The law of supply and demand is part of God’s economy as well. While there is demand from on high for us to live in holiness (living lives set apart unto Him), God also has an unlimited supply of grace to provide the power needed to succeed.
Truly, we will be glorified on the final day when we stand before God. At that time, we will be free from the presence and influence of evil forever.
These are perilous days for the elect. The culture we live in is alluring. The author of evil knows our weaknesses and knows how to entice us by appealing to our physical and emotional senses. He desires to keep us ignorant of who we are and of our destiny in Christ.
In Matthew 24, Jesus was telling his disciples about the end of the age. Then in Matthew 25 He went on to describe a particular trauma that would occur in the kingdom of God during that time. In other words, there would be those (i.e., church members) who would mistakenly believe that they are wise subjects of the Kingdom.
”Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
(Matt. 25:1-13, NKJV)
First of all, virgins represent those in the church (i.e., spiritually undefiled). They acknowledge the bridegroom (Jesus) and have their lights burning. Clearly the lamps the virgins carry are the righteous acts that accompany a changed life; a life that has come under the government of God. But what happened to the lamps of the foolish virgins? Their lamps burned only for a while because they didn’t bring any oil with them. Where did they get the power for their lamps? Were they operating under their own anointing? Did they simply burn out emotionally?
I believe there is significance to the phrase, “they all slumbered and slept”, while the bridegroom tarried. The time of his tarrying is now. The church age is the time between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and his return. It is interesting to note that these words “slumbered” and “slept” have two different meanings. While they all slumbered and slept, I believe the foolish virgins slumbered while the wise virgins slept. To slumber means: figuratively to delay or to be in a state of inactivity or negligence.
As believers, ministry comes out of intimate relationship with the Author of Good. We are completely dependent on Him for everything including our ministry. We have been created for good works, but those good works are not of our choosing. We are to be led and moved by the Spirit of God as to what those good works are. He has given each of us in His Kingdom spiritual gifts to perform these good works.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God”.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
The difference between the foolish and wise virgins was that the wise virgins were being led by the Holy Spirit. To be led by the Spirit requires an intimate relationship with the Author of Good. It is out of that intimate relationship that our character is formed, our relationships are selected and our ministry is inspired. For the wise virgins, the anointing of the Holy Spirit was with them always. On the other hand, the foolish virgins were living from their own strength and power. They did not press in to the most vital relationship of all, the one with the Author of Good Himself. They believed in Jesus, but they slumbered. Were they more caught up in worldly culture than in the Kingdom culture? In the Kingdom, the way of life is to “love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul and mind” (Matt. 22:35-40). As we get to know God in this intimate manner, we connect to Him as a branch to a vine so to speak. Then as we learn to remain in Christ, we will mature spiritually (John 15:4-6). We will bear the fruit of the Spirit and our lives will visibly start to change. We will be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we give ourselves “to know” the Author of Good.
From this intimate place, we will be taught, trained and equipped for the specific work of service, the ministry to which God has called us. He will lead us by His Spirit and while we make our plans, He will direct our steps (Proverbs 16:9).
I believe that while the foolish virgins were slumbering, the wise virgins were sleeping.
The word “slept” in that verse means, to lie down to rest or to sleep. Were they resting in their God-given task? Were they simply living godly lives, doing what they were directed to do by God? Remember, it is not a heavy burden to minister to the Lord (Matt. 11:28 - 30, Psalms 4:8).
Notice again what Jesus said in the parable.
“ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”
(Matt. 25:10-13, NKJV)
Churches are made up of individuals. Might the foolish virgins represent churches that have not received the apostolic and prophetic ministries that Christ has sent to them? Could there be a lack of prophetic inspired vision as well as a lack of a proper apostolic foundation and blueprint for building in these very churches?
We must get ready for the Bridegroom.
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”
(Rev. 19:7-9, NKJV)
In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus told us not to worry about who our neighbor was, but to go and be one. He made it clear when a priest and a Levite passed up the opportunity to help a stranger in need that no title makes one righteous. But when the Samaritan showed mercy and helped the stranger, Jesus was revealing how we are to be a neighbor to those in need (Luke 10:30-37).
In the book of Acts, the early church manifested the government of God by their righteous deeds because they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31-37). These two scripture passages give clear insight into what the Bible means when it refers to the righteous acts of the saints. The bottom line is, if we are truly under the government of God, our behavior will change.
”You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
(Matt. 5:13-16, NKJV)
Arise; shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
(Is. 60:1-3, NKJV)
Those whose lives have begun to change because of the influence of the government of God are the true subjects of His Kingdom. They are His disciples, His learners, His citizens. In coming to know God they are learning His ways. They are discovering how to discern good and evil from God’s perspective, and as a result, they are walking in obedience to His ways. Of course, they are not living this life under their own power but by the grace that God provides.
The war between the Author of Good and the Author of evil is not really a war between God and Satan. It is really a war taking place in our spirit as each of us struggles daily with choices that will reveal which author we will serve.
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”
(Luke 6:45-46, NKJV)
The question we face is which government we will be subject to. We will subject ourselves either to the Father of Good or the father of evil.
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
(John 8:42-44, NKJV)
To come under the government of God, we must first become citizens (Acts 2:36-41). Jesus is Master and King. Once we acknowledge this truth, we must offer to Him our lives. Repentance requires it. Being sorry for our rebellion is not enough. We need to repent, be baptized in water and the Holy Spirit and experience spiritual re-birth. It is at this point that we must acknowledge that our past lives were rebellious in nature and that we are now committing ourselves to live a new life, one filled with the Holy Spirit, the source of our ability to overcome the pull of this rebellious state (sin). When we commit ourselves to Him, God will forgive our rebellion and lavish His grace upon us. Grace brings both the desire and the power to live life His way; it is His favor toward us that we have not earned by anything we have done. To put it simply, we get what we don’t deserve. In The Message version of the Bible, Peter says in verse 40 and 41: “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!” That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up.
Once we become citizens, life will not be business as usual. The converts in Acts 2:42-47 committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, living life together, enjoying common meals and praying. Their lives changed. The believers lived in harmony with each other, sharing what they owned, selling their property and pooling resources so that every person’s need was met. Worship in the temple became a daily exercise followed by meals together that joyfully celebrated what they had discovered in the new realm of the Spirit. Their example didn’t go unnoticed by those around them, and because they lived boldly others were drawn to the light and saved as well.
How fortunate we are that because of Jesus’ sacrifice we are now eligible for all the benefits of citizenship (see Psalm 103:2-6). The Mystery (God’s purpose for humanity) that has been hidden in God is now revealed.
Eph. 2:13-22 explains it well. The relationship God wanted with humanity from the beginning is not for just a few chosen people, but is offered to everyone. The cultural walls developed over many years that separate us as people groups from one another, have been torn down and replaced in Christ with a common focus-Jesus Himself. We are united in Christ. His righteousness and governance are establishing a common culture, a heavenly one. He showed us that the law is impossible to keep through self-effort; but that as we yield to His work in changing our hearts, we then become a new creation with a fresh start. Jesus’ death on the cross reveals that He died not just for those who loved Him, but also for those who crucified Him. His death which saved us from eternal loss, also exemplified the character attributes that should be found increasing in all who are children of God – a broken spirit, a humble and contrite heart evident through our obedience. He paid the penalty for our pride. Yet to achieve such godly love (Greek, agape) in our own lives is impossible on our own. But when God opens our eyes to really see what Christ did for us, it inspires us to reach after that same level of love. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us to transform us into His likeness. The revelation of God’s love (The very nature of God Himself) draws us to embrace each other even in spite of our differences. He showed us the way to keep His commandments: we must die to ourselves. The quarrels and fights among God’s people will increasingly diminish when we turn from our own selfishness. Such a response always brings peace with God – a peace offered not just to His chosen people, but to everyone. But we who have been reconciled to God have had the hostility and opposition between us put to death. Because of this, we are no longer illegal aliens, but citizens and members of the household of God. In the coming years, we will see an increasing number of apostles and prophets pouring into us the anointing oil of vision for the architecture of the house being built, with Jesus being the cornerstone, the Architect and central focus of their message. The house of God is indeed growing into a holy temple and we all, with our gifts and callings, are being fitted together as living stones for a habitation fit for God Himself. Collectively as the church we will express the fullness of Christ – both the righteousness of God (Love)- the moral thread of heaven’s culture; and the governance of God- the economic thread of community and the dispensation of His provision. These two threads are intertwined, fit perfectly together, and are remarkably strong, sufficient to hold the fabric of the House of God together. This House is being built for and by the Creator and King of all, and its material is a people who will come under His authority. A place where God is quite at home!
Jesus taught us how to pray. He knew of the conflict between the Author of Good and author of evil. He knew that the author of evil had been seeking to establish his government, his kingdom on the earth. This has been true since the beginning. But God will never allow Satan to take what does not belong to him.
Jesus also knew that fear gripped the people of the earth. Fear of man, fear of survival in a temporal world. He knew that His creation didn’t know who they didn’t know. (i.e. they lacked a personal relationship with God) He knew that if He came and injected Himself in the middle of this mess, He would be able to bring forth a remnant of disciples equipped in the knowledge of the truth. He knew they would experience pain in the transition from the temporal to the eternal. But He also knew that the remnant, by keeping their eyes fixed on Him, would grow to maturity in their faith, and that by grace, their faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, would bring them forth as sons and daughters of God. What an awesome destiny! What a name we carry! What an awesome inheritance set before us (Rom. 8:15-19)! When He was asked how we should pray, here is what Christ taught.
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen!
(Matthew 6:9-13, NKJV)
Jesus is returning with a host from heaven to consummate His kingdom on the earth! God will fulfill what He planned from the beginning. He is making all things new! We all face a choice of culture. Which one will you choose? As a nation which culture will we choose?
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