Understanding the culture of God’s Kingdom is a priority for living as a Kingdom citizen. Do you understand the Lord God’s thinking? His idea has several phases: Reclaim the earth for the Kingdom of Heaven. Create a Kingdom culture on the earth and, as a result, produce a Kingdom community throughout the earth. Note that I didn’t say this earth. That is because there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Ambassador John spoke of this in his revelation. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1
The Lord God will reclaim the Kingdom culture back on earth, lost when Adam and his wife Eve failed to live under the Lord God’s command and declared their independence by doing the one thing God told them not to do. Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Genesis 3:1-7 When we sin (disobedience), we are saying that what we want is more important than He is. We choose our will above His Will!
Adam and Eve failed in their attempt to become independent and self-rule. They thought they knew better than their Lord. It was a disastrous and utter failure. I have always thought to myself that after the fall of mankind they were incapable of governing themselves without being biased against others who were different. The carnal nature of mankind needed to find a way to feel superior to others. Their sin introduced strife and conflict among mankind. Only with the indwelling of the Governor—meaning the Holy Spirit—can man govern correctly.
But we know that nothing takes the Lord God by surprise. He knew all of this from the beginning of His creation. This is why, from the moment of man’s rebellion, He set in motion His plan to reclaim His Kingdom. Keep in mind, those who are born of His Spirit are an active part of a colony. Do you recall what King Jesus stated? Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 Once you are born into a country, you are automatically a citizen of that country. The same is true in the Kingdom of God. Being a member of a religious institution does not grant you citizenship in the Kingdom of God. You must be born again by His Spirit. That gives you citizenship into God’s Kingdom.
Throughout the New Testament He speaks of His Kingdom, not a religion. Remember, we are a colony of His heavenly Kingdom. If you recall, a kingdom is the governing authority of the King over His territory. He imparts His will, purpose and intent, producing a citizenry who reflect the King’s morals, values and lifestyle. In other words, we as citizens should show His total personality. When people see our lives, they should see King Jesus reflecting in all we say and do. His culture becomes your culture. You should reflect the “homeland” which is heaven and all of its principles and laws. This creates God's Kingdom culture here on earth. The predominant culture on this earth is that of the carnal (fleshly) world. Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ephesians 2:1-2
This is why living with a Kingdom mindset is completely challenging and different from a religious mindset. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:3-6
In God’s Constitution, rebellion against God’s law is called sin. That is exactly what Adam and Eve were guilty of in the Garden of Eden. Remember that all disobedience (against the Lord God’s Word) is sin and sin is separation from God. Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is His ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT
The Lord Jesus came to earth to put an end to our sin, and through His blood, to cleanse us of our sins—the rebellious behavior that was the inevitable consequence of our sin. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10
Keep in mind, Jesus the Christ came as a “second Adam” to reverse the consequences of the first Adam’s failure. Ambassador Paul put it like this in his letter to the Roman citizens:
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Romans 5:12-19 He also made this statement to the citizens of Corinth: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. . . And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45
Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in His Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
The Lord God will reclaim the Kingdom culture back on earth, lost when Adam and his wife Eve failed to live under the Lord God’s command and declared their independence by doing the one thing God told them not to do. Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Genesis 3:1-7 When we sin (disobedience), we are saying that what we want is more important than He is. We choose our will above His Will!
Adam and Eve failed in their attempt to become independent and self-rule. They thought they knew better than their Lord. It was a disastrous and utter failure. I have always thought to myself that after the fall of mankind they were incapable of governing themselves without being biased against others who were different. The carnal nature of mankind needed to find a way to feel superior to others. Their sin introduced strife and conflict among mankind. Only with the indwelling of the Governor—meaning the Holy Spirit—can man govern correctly.
But we know that nothing takes the Lord God by surprise. He knew all of this from the beginning of His creation. This is why, from the moment of man’s rebellion, He set in motion His plan to reclaim His Kingdom. Keep in mind, those who are born of His Spirit are an active part of a colony. Do you recall what King Jesus stated? Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 Once you are born into a country, you are automatically a citizen of that country. The same is true in the Kingdom of God. Being a member of a religious institution does not grant you citizenship in the Kingdom of God. You must be born again by His Spirit. That gives you citizenship into God’s Kingdom.
Throughout the New Testament He speaks of His Kingdom, not a religion. Remember, we are a colony of His heavenly Kingdom. If you recall, a kingdom is the governing authority of the King over His territory. He imparts His will, purpose and intent, producing a citizenry who reflect the King’s morals, values and lifestyle. In other words, we as citizens should show His total personality. When people see our lives, they should see King Jesus reflecting in all we say and do. His culture becomes your culture. You should reflect the “homeland” which is heaven and all of its principles and laws. This creates God's Kingdom culture here on earth. The predominant culture on this earth is that of the carnal (fleshly) world. Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ephesians 2:1-2
This is why living with a Kingdom mindset is completely challenging and different from a religious mindset. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:3-6
In God’s Constitution, rebellion against God’s law is called sin. That is exactly what Adam and Eve were guilty of in the Garden of Eden. Remember that all disobedience (against the Lord God’s Word) is sin and sin is separation from God. Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is His ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT
The Lord Jesus came to earth to put an end to our sin, and through His blood, to cleanse us of our sins—the rebellious behavior that was the inevitable consequence of our sin. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10
Keep in mind, Jesus the Christ came as a “second Adam” to reverse the consequences of the first Adam’s failure. Ambassador Paul put it like this in his letter to the Roman citizens:
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Romans 5:12-19 He also made this statement to the citizens of Corinth: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. . . And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45
Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in His Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
