THE BLOOD AND KINGDOM
Colossians 1: 12-14
The buzzword or the religious phraseology of charismatic Christianity today is the word “Kingdom.” It’s being talked about almost every where but few can really grasp its concepts and principles.
The Bible that we read is filled with Kingdom facts. From Babylon to the Medes and Persians. From Judah and Israel to the Greeks and Romans. The Bible is filled with Kings and their Kingdoms.
In our culture, it is imperative that we go further than simply talking about Kingdom but we must teach and preach it. The reason for the continual emphasis on Kingdom is due to the fact that our culture knows very little about how a Kingdom functions. We, for the most part, have been exposed to democracies but we have not seen Kingdoms. The absence of Kingdoms leaves us at the hands of the instructors to tell us what is meant when we say Kingdom.
The Bible that we read is a library with sixty-six volumes that speak about a King and a Kingdom. It is not just a book about religions and rituals. It is a library of books about the establishment of a Kingdom that is to be domiciled on earth with heaven as its model.
The longer Christ delays his return, the further away we get from understanding Kingdom. People learn by observing models. In the days of the Bible, Kingdom was more easily understood because there were multitudes of models in the earth. Today there are no physical Kingdoms left so we must be deliberate in our constant teachings on the subject.
Over the past two thousand years religion has become the acceptable substitute for Kingdom. Myles Munroe says that religion preoccupies man until he finds kingdom. Religion pacifies man until he is mature enough for kingdom. Kingdom is the mature Church. The need of today is to give less glory to religion and more glory to Kingdom.
Jesus himself warned us of being religious and not Kingdom minded. In Matthew 5:20 he said “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom.” Christianity is a well-known, well-established religion. Most of our Pastors and Christian workers know how to verbalize our religion but few of us know how to speak to the matters of Kingdom.
Citizenship Defined
What is Kingdom? Myles Munroe gives us a good definition. Kingdom is the governing influence of a King over his territory impacting it with his personal will, purpose, and intent, producing a culture, values, morals, and lifestyle that reflect the King’s desires and nature for his citizens.
Naturalization Defined
What does it mean to be a citizen of the Kingdom? Kingdom citizenship is citizenship through naturalization. The origin of the term "naturalization" is that it gives to a resident alien almost all of the rights held by a natural-born citizen.
In general, basic requirements for naturalization are that the applicant hold a legal status as a full-time resident for a minimum period of time and that the applicant promise to obey and uphold that country's laws, to which an oath or pledge of allegiance is sometimes added.
Verses 13 and 14 of the text say “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear son. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sin.”
In recent months immigration has become a hot topic in our country. Debates have raged over the status of millions of illegal aliens, mostly from Mexico. Rallies have been held both in favor of and in opposition of border controls. It is a major topic for the current political candidates. Some legislators have proposed granting all illegal aliens who are currently in the United States and placing them on a short track to United States citizenship. Others insist that the United States detain and deport as many illegal immigrants as they can find and then increase patrols at the United States and Mexican border to prevent further immigrants from crossing over.
It seems that masses of people from south of the border are anxious to get into the United States. They risk their lives to get here. They subject themselves to imprisonment and other tragedies as they take the risk of coming to America. There is something uncontrollably appealing about escaping Mexico and becoming a citizen in the most prosperous nation in the world. But America says no. America says aliens can not simply decide to come to America and become a citizen. Citizenship in any nation or Kingdom is highly protected and restricted.
If America can be protective of its borders and refuse to allow illegal entry, the Kingdom of God likewise imposes entry restrictions. There are requirements for Kingdom entry.
What is naturalization? Naturalization means that a person is born in one country or nation and then moves to another country or nation. After meeting certain requirements in the new country or nation, that person can be declared a citizen through naturalization. The laws of naturalization differ from country to country or nation to nation.
The only way to get into the Kingdom of God is through naturalization. Remember, naturalization says that you are a birth citizen of one country and after meeting certain requirements, you become a citizen of another country. The text is clear. We have been born in a kingdom of darkness and then translated to the Kingdom of God, having received the redemption through His blood. We are now naturalized citizens of His Kingdom.
Ephesians 2:19 says “now, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, you are citizens along with all of God’s holy people.” Even though we have been born in sin and shaped in iniquity, He has delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into His Kingdom through His blood.
Dualization Defined
Not only is Kingdom citizenship through naturalization, but it is also dual citizenship.
The thirteenth verse says that “He hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us in His Kingdom.” He did not deliver us from the presence of darkness but from the power of darkness. The great tragedy of Kingdom citizenship is our failure to accept our dual residence. While we are yet residents in the earth and earth citizens, we are also citizens of the kingdom. Therefore, we have to learn how to operate under two sets of rules.
There are laws of the earth or government and then there are laws of the Kingdom. The dominate law for us is not the law of the earth. We are first committed to the law of the Kingdom. Earth may allow or prohibit something different than Kingdom. When the two laws differ, we must adhere to the law of the Kingdom.
Earth law allows divorce but Kingdom law does not.
Earth law is often situational whereas Kingdom law does not change based on situations.
Earth law evaluates greatness based on what a person has. Kingdom law evaluates greatness based on what a person gives.
Earth law is motivated by titles and degrees. Kingdom law is motivated by service.
Earth law puts self first. Kingdom law puts God first.
Earth laws say work and pay your bills. Kingdom laws say work and pay your tithe.
Earth law is based on a constitution. Kingdom law is based on the Bible.
Citizens of the Kingdom are under the law of the Kingdom even though we have a dualistic citizenship.
Whenever I travel to Africa, I have to fill out certain documents that register me with the United States Embassy. Even Africans who have come to America and received citizenship must still be registered with the African Embassy in America. In the event that something happens while I am in Africa, the United States Embassy is to know where I am and get me out quickly. Not only is the embassy responsible for getting me out in the event of an emergency, but if I need any news from home I can go to the embassy and get the information. The embassy informs me on the things I can and can not do in that foreign country. When I go to Africa, I don’t stay at the embassy. I only go there to register and get news from home.
The embassy in not the place that I came from. It is a representation of the country that I am from. I go there to register, get information, and if something happens, the embassy in my first way out of the situation.
The Church is to the Kingdom what the embassy is to a county. As citizens of the Kingdom we are residents also in a foreign country. We join the local Church because it registers us at the embassy. We should not take lightly our membership in the church. The Church is our embassy registration. Just like going to Africa, we don’t live at the embassy. We go there for registration. We pay our fees there. If we need to hear from home, the embassy can help us. We go there for information and to see if there is a word from home. And just in case something happens such as war breaking out, we get out first because of our registration at the embassy.
Inheritance Defined
Kingdom citizenship is through naturalization. Kingdom citizenship is dualistic. And Kingdom citizenship is citizenship of inheritance. Verse twelve says “giving thanks to the father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of light. We have been qualified by the blood to share in the inheritance. An inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles and other assets to someone else in the vent of death. That’s why Jesus has died. He died that we might be qualified to receive an inheritance. His death released property, titles, and other assets. Paul said “thanks be to the father who has qualified us.
SOURCES
Hisholychurch.net/ekklesia.htm
Mueller, Walt. Understanding Today’s Youth Culture. Tyndale House. Wheaton, Illinois. 1994.
Munroe, Myles. Rediscovering the Kingdom. Destiny Image. Shippensburg, PA. 2004.
Munroe, Myles. Understanding the Kingdom. Destiny Image. Shippensburg, PA. 2006.
Wikipedia.org
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