
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. Honor and dishonor, respect and disrespect. This is where we are in this present age. In the Kingdom we honor the Lord Jesus with our lifestyle and with obedience to His commands. We should never get involved in this world's system and the way they do things. Honoring the King isn't about the way you dress, or even how you speak. It is not attending church every Sunday or Wednesday night. It is about learning His Word (God's Constitution) and behaving accordingly. The Lord and King made this statement to a group of religious leaders while He was here on earth. Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”
Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”
Not obeying His Word is a dishonor and very disrespectful. By dishonoring Him, you cause many sincere people to stumble in their faith in the Lord God's Word. You will be held accountable for your actions and behavior. The Lord Jesus made this statement when answering the question "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom?" But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. Our focus should always be on obeying His principles. In doing so, we will always be citizens in good standing with the King and good ambassadors for the Kingdom.
Remember what ambassador Paul said to the believers in the city of Corinth: Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. If you will just follow the leading of the Governor (the Holy Spirit) you will be taught how to dress, speak and act in every situation. You needn't do it on your own. But first you must read and study His Constitution consistently. Why? Because there is a lot of misinformation out there that will lead you astray. Don't follow religious customs and trends, that have knelt to the whims of the current culture.
For example, having a sexual relationship and calling it love. Or living with someone and calling it a marriage without the marriage covenant. Remember, your body doesn't belong to you. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. It is my responsibility to remind you of this. Keep in mind, you stated that you were a child of the King. If so, why do you dishonor the King and His Kingdom through sexual perversions? Remember what ambassador Paul stated concerning the King's laws and principles. Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. You dishonor yourself and your King when you do.
If you are filled with His Word, you won't ask questions such as "What am I doing wrong? Or "Should we live together before we get married?" Or "Is homosexuality wrong in the sight of the Lord God? Doesn't He want me to be happy?" Or even "God made me this way and gave me these feelings so how can it be a sin?" These are questions people ask who fail to seek His Kingdom and are pursuing carnal desires.
Respect and honor in the Kingdom? First and foremost, respect God's Word and His precepts and commands. Then respect His greatest creation, mankind, and that includes yourself.
Remember, your faith is your greatest asset in the Kingdom.
Romans 13:1-2 Matthew 15:1-9; 18:6-7 I Corinthians 6:18-20 all NLT
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
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