All nations and kingdoms have customs (meaning unwritten codes of conduct and expectations that have become so ingrained in a people's consciousness that they take on the force of law). They also have social norms (meaning: manners, etiquette, graces and standards of behavior that are regarded as normative for the society). Violation of those norms cause one to be labeled as "anti-social" and sometimes even as "criminal".
Now, in the Kingdom of Heaven, the King's word is law and encompasses both customs and social norms. It is absolute and inviolable. Defiance of the King is not tolerated. Lucifer--"Satan"--and one third of the angels in Heaven discovered this the hard way when they mounted a coup against the King and were cast out of Heaven for the trouble. The writer John put it this way:
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Now you see, Adam and Eve made the same discovery when they found themselves banished from paradise. In short, as an outpost of Heaven on Earth, the Garden colony of Eden displayed the culture of Heaven. Culture is the culmination of all these elements: land, language, laws, constitution, moral code, shared values, customs and social norms. Culture defined a people. It is inherent; it comes naturally, which is exactly what the Lord God wants for His Kingdom citizens. He doesn't want us to strive to obey laws written on stone tablets or laid down in books. He wants to write them in our minds and in our hearts so that they will become second nature to us. That way, we won't have to think about living the Kingdom culture; we will simply do it.
Tomorrow, I want to share with you a little more concerning this subject in part 4.
Revelation 12:7-9
~~W.R. Luchie
Now, in the Kingdom of Heaven, the King's word is law and encompasses both customs and social norms. It is absolute and inviolable. Defiance of the King is not tolerated. Lucifer--"Satan"--and one third of the angels in Heaven discovered this the hard way when they mounted a coup against the King and were cast out of Heaven for the trouble. The writer John put it this way:
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Now you see, Adam and Eve made the same discovery when they found themselves banished from paradise. In short, as an outpost of Heaven on Earth, the Garden colony of Eden displayed the culture of Heaven. Culture is the culmination of all these elements: land, language, laws, constitution, moral code, shared values, customs and social norms. Culture defined a people. It is inherent; it comes naturally, which is exactly what the Lord God wants for His Kingdom citizens. He doesn't want us to strive to obey laws written on stone tablets or laid down in books. He wants to write them in our minds and in our hearts so that they will become second nature to us. That way, we won't have to think about living the Kingdom culture; we will simply do it.
Tomorrow, I want to share with you a little more concerning this subject in part 4.
Revelation 12:7-9
~~W.R. Luchie
