2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
The identity of the Church (the Body of Christ) has been a mystery from the beginning, even to the Church itself. The world has fostered an image of the Church, that they can see and identify. The Church started out being something that is far different than what it is today. The Super-natural flow of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Father, aren't displayed the way they were in the beginning.
As the world's culture began seeping into the Church and controlling the flow of the Holy Spirit, changing everything. We were no longer moving in God, but were contained by the world's regulations and confines. Satan couldn't stop the power of the Holy Spirit and God's Word, but he began bringing the world's culture into our definition of being Christians. The world didn't "mind" us being here, just as long as our behavior could be controlled by their confines.
The Father and the Head of the Church (Jesus) were to be in charge of the Church, so satan needed to stop this ability to flow with the Holy Spirit. The Church were governed by the world given laws, instead of the God-given Laws. God has always had laws of morality and government in the earth, though most governments thought it was their own idea. We find the pattern for God's authority on the earth, in Romans 13:1-4 (Amplified) which says, "Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God (by His permission, His sanction) and those that exist do so by God's appointment Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authority resists what God has appointed and arranged (in Divine order). And those who resists will bring down judgment upon themselves (receiving the penalty due them) For civil authorities are not a terror to (people of) good conduct, but to (those of) bad behavior. Would you have no dread of him who is in authority? Then do what is right and you will receive his approval and condemnation. For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong (you should dread him and) be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer."
The civil laws placed on the land, weren't for the new creation who was walking in the Commandment of Love, because he is to be a blessing to the land and walk with God. These civil laws were created to contain the ungodly or natural man who didn't know God. What the world has done with these laws or rules of satan, have also contained the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Church was given the authority by Jesus, to hold these civil laws to a Godly standard. Jesus said in Matthew 18:18 (Amplified), "Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth, must be what is already forbidden in Heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in Heaven."
If the above scripture is true (and you know it is), then the Church (the new creation) were to responsible for even the civil, God-given laws of the land. When the laws of the land are ungodly, then the Church has been invaded by the world's culture and is left accepting its ungodly rule. The civil laws of the land, were to place God's rule in the lives of even the unsaved. The Church is supposed to live our lives by God's Word and His Spirit and to walk in Love. We're to bring His Love into rule over the nations. Psalm 2:8 (Amplified) tells us, "Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as your possessions."
The above scripture is speaking about the coming Messiah and about those who are to be joint heirs with Him. As the Body of Christ, we have received through Jesus, the son ship rights and privileges of His inheritance. Romans 8:17 (Amplified) says, "And if we are (His) children, then we are (His) heirs also; heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (sharing His inheritance with Him); only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory."
This "suffering" isn't what the world teaches, but it was the rejection Jesus suffered by those who were outside the family. Just because we're Christians, doesn't mean we are exempt from the wiles of the devil. Satan's goal is to contain the Church, by carnality, worldly thinking and rule, in order to make us impotent in the works of the Spirit. The attacks against Jesus (His suffering) were made in order to stop the working of the Father, through Him.
The attacks from the religious order to the civil authorities, were the greatest suffering that Jesus endured. The Church has fallen into this same form of containment, even to the displaying of the cross and the celebration of Jesus' birth, Christmas. We can't display the nativity, without having side-by-side and equal displays of other religions, including atheistic displays. We've been schooled in being politically correct and are made to remove Christ from public places. We must say, "Happy holidays," instead of Merry Christmas. The Easter bunny and Santa now have been made on the same par as the True Reason for the Season, Jesus.
Throughout the centuries, we've been invaded by the world's culture and reasonings, to the point where the Church has been reduced to social clubs in many venues. The world's sins are now issues or diseases, so that no one has to take responsibility for their actions. The thought and teachings of Jesus have been watered down by the world's culture, and we're racists if we say that "Jesus is the Only Way to the Father." All of these things sound loving and accepting to the world's ears and sadly, to the ears of many in the Church.
We were never "of the world," but only "in the world." Our purpose here in not to co-exist in harmony, but to bring God's Presence into a world that doesn't know Him. We're not supposed to be just another religion, but we're to bring Life into the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Only the Super-natural release of the Holy Spirit, can change a world that is controlled by spirit forces. The Church's enemy is still an outlaw spirit who opposes God and His family. The Church has come to the place of trying to deal with spiritual forces, by natural things and that isn't enough.
I'm not speaking of rebellion, but of revival. I'm not speaking about governments, but the spirits that govern. We don't wrestle with flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces, according to Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified) which says, "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents) but against the depotisms, against the powers, against the (master spirits who are) the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the Heavenly Sphere (Super-natural realm)."
We must listen to the Voice of the Holy Spirit and deal with the new world culture that is creeping into the Church, with the power of the Holy Spirit. The enemy is no less subtle now, than when he approached Eve in the Garden. He has set up strategies to contain the Church, that are not easily seen, only by the Spirit. In these Last Days, we must become more aware of the Holy Spirit's leading and the Spiritual application of God's Word. Our power lies in Wisdom from the Holy Spirit, through God's Word. This isn't the time to become carnal thinking, but to get "Wisdom and with all our getting, get understanding," like Proverbs 4:7 (Amplified) says.
The Church must understand the True meaning of Love. The "love" the world wants us to display, isn't the Love the Father declares we should display. His Love was to separate those out from the world, bringing them into His family. Today's culture accepts all people into the family, but Jesus said we're to be born into the family. One is by the Spirit, while the other comes from the culture. The world's idea of love, is not discriminating. God doesn't care about race, color, male, female, tall, short, rich or poor, or anything else. He cares about bringing salvation to all who will receive Jesus and enter into the family by His Spirit. You must be born-again, not by some god, but by the One True and Living God.
No comments:
Post a Comment