Human Government (Noah)
Part 3 – The Kingdom of God, also called the Kingdom of Heaven, in which God is the supreme head. The Son will rule over the Earth as King fulfilling God’s plan, and the Son will rule with His saints as it is written.
“The kingdom of God is God’s governance with boundless power. An overlord, God with absolute Love for all His creations, who reigns the people with His spoken words. When God speaks His word, He acts on it, and when He makes promises, He keeps them. God is He who will never leave nor forsake us in times of need; God whose purpose is for us to be with Him, to submit to His righteousness and goodness. His Will for us to pursue and fight vigorously, aiming to have a heavenly life by denying the inherited nature we are striving to overcome. Our emotions of anger that surround us, a disgusting spirit of fear, the absence of happiness that makes sadness swallow us up and pushes us to fall back into the pit of darkness that we may not be able to recover, but with God who will push us up forward and lift us will never abandon us and always there in times of our needs.
We have to fight a good fight of faith. Our struggle will only benefit the tempter who only exists because of our lack of knowledge by allowing a space for evil to work in our minds. It begins the battle of mind allowing confusion and doubt to take control of the whole body later.
When we let evil possess us, our action’s effect will be evil continually. We must do it if we need to submit to God every day. Our life is not in this world but where God is, who can renew our spirit and change our evil desire through His Spirit. It will also reform our body perfectly as it was before the fall.
Our senses can feel His presence. We can smell the sweet aroma around us; we can see the abundance of His blessings; we can hear His voice like sweet music in our ears, and we can taste the happiness we never experienced before. These are senses of what heaven is. Once our heart becomes a welcoming vessel to His wholeness, the Holy Spirit will dwell in us, and our hearts will produce “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and patience. Against such things, there is no law.”(Galatians 5:22-23)
God still governs human experience through His Holy Spirit in us; as partakers of the divine nature, believers do not have to follow sinful nature anymore. ‘“3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to his glory and excellence,’ ‘4by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.’” 2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV.
With the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to say no to sinful desires and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. “13 No temptation has come your way that is too hard for flesh and blood to bear. But God can be trusted not to allow you to suffer any temptation beyond your powers of endurance. He will see to it that every temptation has a way out, so it will never be impossible for you to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
As we allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives, our imperfections due to sinful nature will function less imperfectly; our behavior and worthiness will witness God’s perfect works on humans. The way we face weaknesses under challenging situations will shine for His glory. “‘17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.’” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
The kingdom of God is where God’s supremacy reigns through his Spirit. Jesus said that when we obey the Will of the Father, we are part of Him. He will be our brother, and to your mother, He will be your Son. To be in this relationship is to respect and obey God’s sovereignty. We are commanded to honor our Father and mother in Exodus 20:12. -If we were commanded to honor our earthly Father and mother, what more does our Father in heaven expect us? We must respect His purpose and be obedient to His Will.
The kingdom means true Christian living where there is forgiveness of sins, true salvation, godly life, and following the guidelines of godliness in full. All we have gained in Christ is our gain in the kingdom, which has already started for quite some time but is unclear of its existence to hard hearts with itchy ears. The fullness of time is yet to come. However, the government of God, which is the kingdom of God, is no longer a secret, and it is revealed to those who are genuinely called, chosen, and elected sons of God.
The spiritual kingdom of Christ and the civil government: “Calvin finds no conflict between the two, since already on earth the kingdom of Christ established in us certain principles of the kingdom of heaven, which in a certain way, already in this mortal and transitory life, initiate in us an immortal and incorruptible blessedness” (Inst. 4.20.2). Ref: Research Gate
When the fall of men happened, we inherited one man’s sin. Although it is not the fault of our own, it has become part of our nature. This is the way God planned everything to continue the existence of humanity. God never changes His mind, but He can change the circumstances. Instead of death to Adam and Eve, He let them live, and humans multiplied them. We can ask why He planned it that way, but we cannot demand an answer. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways.” Isaiah 55:8-9 God establishes his kingdom in humans through the Holy Spirit to guide us in seeking His wholeness and righteousness. We cannot do it independently; we need guidance in the right direction.
We heard many times in many places from church leaders about the word “good news.” Likewise, knowing that it means gospel, but few know it is an old English word meaning “god spell” or good news. The word kingdom also means government in the old English word cynedom. This means “government.” There should be no confusion if we call Christ’s teachings “the good news of the government of God.” The Kingdom or the Government of God is centered on Christ’s preaching. Randomly we heard it in today’s generation as being preached in the pulpit, ministers preaching is centered on salvation if not on tithing. The Kingdom of God is the influential subject in the New Testament, but for whatever reasons, the focus was changed wholly to salvation and thus forgetting the vital message of the good news. We have to understand as it is written, “Seek first the kingdom of God or seek first the government of God.” Ministers are either unaware of the importance of the good news to be delivered to believers or virtually ignorant of this most excellent teaching of Jesus Christ about the truth of the Word of God about the kingdom.
The good news is about the government of God that will lead to salvation, so it is essential to know and understand the kingdom’s message. “14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,” 15, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 (NKJV). Listening, reading, and understanding God’s Word are essential.
As said, when you read the Bible, you may hear the voice of God talking to you. However, sometimes unbelievers may react to that saying. Hence, the truth is there. If you know God, who has spoken before and still speaks today, there will be no doubt.
Everything that Christ said and taught has tied to the kingdom of God!
What is the kingdom of God? How do we seek the Kingdom of God? Is there a requirement to enter the Kingdom? What are we going to do in the Kingdom? Do we still have memories of the life we had in the past? Will there be a future to come? Are there days and nights? Are we going to get old? Are we still going to feel pain and suffering? Are we going to have bosses? Do we still have to work, eat, and sleep like people? We can generate thousands and thousands of more questions, but the response could also be thousands of false answers. We do not know the government of God until we get there. Therefore, what is suitable for us Christians is to read the Bible so that we can reference all our questions and believe that we will find all the answers to every question already written before us.
When Jesus said that the kingdom of God is at hand, He meant it is here. When you said you don’t see it is here, you have not gotten in there yet. That is why we do not only profess that we are Christians, but we have to confess. A genuine Christian bears the truth, and by possessing the Truth, the governance of God is present. We inherit the kingdom of God through knowledge and understanding exactly what it means to inherit and not to inherit; ‘“9 or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men’ ‘10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.’ ‘11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”’ 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV)
For example, when speaking to the rich young ruler, Christ uses “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” interchangeably. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 19:23). In the very next verse, Christ proclaims, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (verse 24).
It is crucial to understand how to inherit the kingdom. Jesus said that unless one is born again, he will not see the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:3). Paul said: Profession of faith is necessary and be saved (Romans 10:9–10). Binding and loosing in Matthew 16:19 said that the unrepented sinners would be bound and the righteous would be loosed. The power of the keys given to Peter and the apostles opened the door to three groups: the Jews, Samaritans, and the Gentiles (Matthew 16:13-20; Matthew 18:18-20) (NIV). In (Acts 2: 36-41) (NIV), 3,000 Jews accepted when they heard the word of God from Peter. In Acts 8: 5-17, the Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit, and Peter, with his authority, opens the gates for the Samaritans. Then, in Acts 10:34-35; 44-47, Peter brings the gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion; his household and others that were present receive the Holy Spirit, and the gates one more time we’re open for the Gentiles.
The power of the Key can let someone enter the gate either to those who lack faith or to the unbeliever. Faith is necessary, and without faith in Jesus Christ John 3:16, you cannot enter the gate to eternal life; faith is necessary to open the gate. Those who believe are not condemned while the unbeliever is already condemned-John 3:18. Those with hard hearts and rejected the good news cannot enter the gate of the Kingdom-Acts 8:23. God’s grace grants repented sinners through the work of Christ Jesus. Jesus’ warning: 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven-Matthew 5:20 NIV. When we repent deep in our hearts and do not ignore the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ, the gate of the kingdom will not be shut in our faces. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.- 1 Corinthians 15:58(KJV)
As Jesus explained to Nicodemus, to inherit the kingdom of God, one must be born again: John 3:1-8, while in 1Corinthians 15:50, Paul said: “50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” If we do not clearly understand what we are inheriting, what benefit would it be to us? If we have the knowledge and do not have the understanding, even if we have the key to open the gates for others, without wisdom, it might not be fruitful.
We are born in human form, with a human family in a community that later became a group of communities rather than a nation. When humanity continued to multiply, they came together as one, with one thought of building a tower to reach heaven their way. Genesis 11:1-9. But the LORD scattered them, and an earthly human government was formed. Due to the wickedness that humans became. God grieved and gave them 120 years grace period for a human to change their way of living, but the wickedness continued, and when the 120 years were consumed, God sent a deluge that wiped out the human race and their livestock. Finally, God found righteousness in one man; Noah and his household were saved to start a new beginning for humanity.
Many human kingdoms, as we know as governments, were formed. Laws and regulations rule the kingdom over the people. The human government is ruled by either a President, Prime Minister, or a King living in a palace or mansion. On the other hand, God rules His kingdom in heaven, sitting on His throne and ruling the entire universe with Christ. (Isaiah. 66:1; Revelation. 3:21). Our inheritance is in the kingdom of God when we are born again. When we are born in the Spirit of God, we become part of the family of God and belong to the kingdom. The purpose of God for our life is to enter and not to deny our eligibility to enter the kingdom of God.
When we obey God’s commands, we should also obey and submit to the law of the land. “1All of you must yield to the government rulers. No one rules unless God has given him the power to rule, and no one rules now without that power from God. 2 So those who are against the government are really against what God has commanded. And they will bring punishment on themselves.” Romans 13:1-2 (NCV)
Daniel received knowledge and skill from God and understood all visions and dreams. He had the wisdom to understand that God’s government is in heaven and here on Earth. God’s power has no limitations, and His government is not the work of our senses. It’s not the work of our imagination or a mirage; it’s not a false idea but the truth of its existence. These are all real. (Daniel 1:17); with the wisdom of God, during Daniel’s time, he understood the kingdom of God was soon to come. He understood and spoke the same gospel that Christ preached. The Lord told Daniel, “9Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end” (Daniel 12:9); Daniel’s time comes to pass. When Jesus declared that the kingdom of God is at hand, there is no reason for us not to be elated that the word of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding we learned from Daniel came from God.
“17As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” Daniel 1:17 (KJV)
When you read Daniel 2:28-44, it is recommended to meditate on it. We must try to understand the significance of Prophet Daniel’s vision of things to come, based on King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Many human governments will come into being. There are governments compared to gold which is associated with wealth and prosperity, Love, passion, and compassion, ruled by wisdom like King Solomon’s kingdom. The government of silver often symbolizes riches and wealth, like gold is associated with prosperity, booming industries, and modern society. The bronze government was meant to signify a kingdom weaker than those of “Gold” and “silver.” When the government turns bronze, it may signify the coming end or God’s judgment. The burnished bronze in Ezekiel signifies people’s repentance of their sins. The iron government ruled by fist, power, strength, and confidence is a sign of people’s suffering under an iron fist, and unbelief or unrepentant will be cast in this kingdom.
Go Back To Introduction to Dispensation of Time
God will restore His government to Earth. A government that shall never be destroyed. The entire earthly kingdom (human government) will be consumed after His intervention. God’s plan is in progress at this time, and as a partaker of His divine nature, we are expected to be part of that intervention. Remember that this is a spiritual battle to overthrow the wickedness of the human government. We can go back to when humans continued to resist and ignored God’s warning and were given 120 years. The same thing will happen, and no one knows how long the grace period will be. However, those enlightened will know the timeline, and the pattern will be revealed. When human governments start to be weakened and some break into pieces (scattered), the government of God will be established and stand forever. This astonishing prophecy will be revealed to many chosen sons of God.
When human governments start to break apart, it is an indication that should not be ignored with God’s grace; the government, though broken, can still operate and, though weakened, still have the laws to obey. God may see some righteousness in us and spare us from destruction like, when God saw righteousness in one man Noah, He spared eight human lives to start a new beginning. The government should treat us justly and fairly as we obey earthly laws. The government should serve and protect their citizens from having a healthy relationship with them, as God protects us and guide us to a healthy and fruitful relationship with Him.
When the government violates its rules while we are obedient and submissive followers of the mandated laws, we must live up to ours and defend our rights. When the government intervenes and prohibits our rights to be obedient to God’s word and asks us to do something that does not conform to our belief, we can be punished by deliberately not obeying a government rule. In as much as we want to obey the government, our faith says otherwise. Our faith in a situation should be more substantial and sharper than the two-edged sword. Our total confidence in God’s power to protect us weighs more.
The Bible instructed us to obey the established authority. We must remember that God created the authorities to rule over us, removes leaders, and raises leaders. As Paul wrote: “1Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.” Romans 13:1-2 (NLT)
While Peter wrote, “13, therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who he sends for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.” 1 Peter 2:13-14 (NKJV).
The government exists to serve those they governed, and the governed, in return, must obey the law of the land for a peaceful and prosperous living. A government without the governed is like a car without gas. The government operates with the help of the citizens. The government must not abuse its power but instead look for the welfare of the governed. There are times when the government becomes oppressive and corrupt. Its citizens have to live with it and patiently wait for God to remove the oppressor. Remain in obedience when this thing happens. Peter wrote: “Enslaved people, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God”(1 Peter 2:18-19).
Remember the song “A house is not a home when there is no one living there.” The government needs our existence and cooperation to succeed.
We have to support the government by paying taxes to function. Jesus and Paul in their words; In Matthew 22:20-21, Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s, and Paul wrote: submit to authorities and pay our dues and in return, they will work on our behalf- Romans 13:5-6
In this life, many have desired to lead. In simple terms, to be a boss, and when that opportunity knocks, that opportunity is grabbed without hesitation. Leading a government without the guidance of the Holy Spirit is not the same as eating food and spitting it out if you do not like it. Some desire to lead to accumulate wealth, power, and authority and keep prestige at the highest level. True leaders have godly thoughts and fear God, put God first, a country he rules second, and third is himself. The first will be the last, and the last will be the first. We could be the first to submit suggestions but last for consideration. The poor will be rewarded equally with the rich, though the essential rewards in heaven are based on our labor on Earth. The absolute rewards of eternal life will be rewarded equally to all. God’s grace in Jesus Christ is the basis of this reward. God is, all in all, the beginning and the end.
Jesus has valuable instructions when it comes to leading others. This guidance will prepare those who desire to be a ruler and, at the same time, also want to have a good relationship with the people they want to serve. Are you ready to be a slave of your desire? Can you share your wealth with the needy? Can you serve humbly and honestly? When do you have to choose between the world and God? Are you willing to give up the power and prestige of the world? “25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 New King James Version (NKJV)
To comprehend the Kingdom of God is to listen and consider what Jesus preached about the kingdom of God at hand. His reign as King of Kings and Lord of lords and God’s absolute authority is above any other authority. His government is the only government and nothing else. He is the only God, and no one else besides Him. God’s rule has been in existence for quite some time now. We have had it since birth, and we must acknowledge it so our hearts can tell our minds to discern the presence of the kingdom of sanctification. The redeemed already passes the first step of sanctification, it is over, and the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ pays it off.
Some still are in the process due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the revealed truth, and some are due to unbelief even though they have already heard the Word of Truth. The sanctification of pre-perfection is a bit struggle because of our weaknesses. Lies, deception, and temptations surround us. Without the help of the Holy Spirit and confidence in faith in conjunction with complete submission to God’s Will, our sanctification towards perfection and fullness gives us the impression that it is out of reach.
Since our present spiritual life is being tempted, it is given that the kingdom is part of our journey. Paul said: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17, (ESV). God is a Spirit, and His power has been proven above all powers here and in heaven; we have to trust Him. His ways are not ours, but through Him, we will get this hard-fought battle over in the future and reach the pinnacle of the kingdom of glorification, where true joy can be felt without end. We will be purified, perfected, and declared the whole as God is holy and perfect.
We use the interpretation of the Scripture about the Kingdom of God using the opinion of the past as a weapon for today’s battle against much more potent, more powerful, and modern weapons of lies, deceptions, and temptations. Principalities of darkness also work in spiritual activities in heavenly places. They acquired the knowledge after the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ-Ephesians 3:10. Paul added: “15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” Colossians 2:15 (NIV).
The devil becomes crappier and uses different tactics and approaches by picking their easy target. They are like lions waiting to devour their defenseless victims, especially the unbelievers, the immature Christians, the skeptics, the divider of the truth, the young, and the new converts. We have to use the wisdom of God in this battle. We can retrieve the weapons of offense and defense from the chosen vessel of the living Word, “the Bible’’ that we may hear the voice of God for instructions.
The weapons of the old are not working because we are occupied with the distractions made new by the friends of darkness. We are more focused on our physical challenges than on keeping the good fight of faith. The battle of the mind is where the center field of the devil attacks, so we have to stay intense and firmly defend our faith and give no space for the devil to confuse us. Be forewarned and forearmed in our spiritual conflict. 10-18 We put on God’s complete armor so that you can successfully resist all the devil’s methods of attack. For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. Ephesians 6:10-18 J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
Jesus Christ has delivered us from the power of darkness through redemption and forgiveness of our sins and re-established us to live this new life, strengthened by God’s infinite resources. Colossians 1:13-14 J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
“1:11Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter1:11 (NLT) “34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who my Father blesses, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.’” Matthew 25:34, (NLT)
A Christian is either chosen, called, or elected follower of Jesus Christ and obeys the Will and rules of the Father. Christ preached and taught about God’s government being established on Earth. Christians have to submit themselves to this government of God. Jesus emphasized that obeying the Rule of the Father will bring a brother-like (brotherhood) relationship with Him. We can call ourselves Christians, and there is no problem with that, but what kind of Christian can you call yourself? Christians that have their own rules and not of God; self-righteous Christians, grasshopper Christians, immature, judgmental, to mention a few. True Christians are those that obey God’s commandments and rules. Jesus Christ made this very simple, and Paul quoted Jesus saying that the entire law is fulfilled in one word: Love (Galatians 5:14). Love is the law of Christ.
What would be the feeling of letting Love take over for a moment? Imagine the absence of hatred, anger, pride, prejudices, envy, and possessions. We will become more truthful to ourselves, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit will flow without ceasing in our body; the joy of peaceful living, patience in understanding others, kindness and goodness in helping the needy, no quarrel, no lies, and backstabbing make us more faithful, gentle, and more subdued. Christians should obey the law because the law is made to protect Love. God loves us even before we love Him.
In refusing to allow anyone to see our burdens, we are letting pride overcome us. Christians are not self-made; we cannot be self-reliant all the time; we should not even think that since we are self-sufficient, we do not need to seek God, which will lead us to fall into the trap of praising ourselves instead of focusing and thanking God. As Christians, we need to let others use the gift that God gave them. Christians love helping each other in need, especially when the burden becomes overwhelming. We should not get tired of doing good things for others as long as we can. Christianity means responsibilities and fulfilling to carry the weight of that responsibilities – we fulfill the law of Christ – LOVE.
Is the kingdom of God spiritual or physical existence? Who are we, and what do we do in the kingdom? Is the government of God (kingdom) in existence now, or is the government to come?
Spiritual existence can be revealed through the essence of God and can be found embedded in all of His creations, as we are created in His image and likeness. An infinite array of glorious living is the reward that every believer will enjoy. The essence is a thing that makes a thing a thing, and God and no one else has that attribute – the essence of Love and wisdom. He is the only source of all that is good and true. As partakers of God’s divine nature, the Holy Spirit will help us discover our desire to see His face.
Physical existence is something perceptible by touch, a tangible thing. Through other senses, its existence can be seen and heard. Through our constant connection and involvement, we may experience a relationship more significant than ourselves and with Him. Life becomes meaningful and more than worth living. The physical existence of the kingdom for those who obey the Will of the Father is called brothers, sisters, or mothers of Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God is the belief that God reigns supreme and Jesus Christ is King. God’s authority is recognized in this kingdom, and His will is obeyed. The concept of a Kingdom of God is not primarily one of space, territory, or politics, as in a national kingdom, but rather one of kingly rule, reign, and sovereign control.
God is not far, He is near us, and He is even in us-Acts 17:27 Seeking the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness is seeking His presence. His presence will shine upon us and bring blessings and peace. God is omnipresent that gave us access to Him in times of need. He is near to everything and to everyone-Philippians 4:12. He is omniscient and knows our humility and sincerity in seeking Him. He knows everything about us, and hiding our iniquities instead of asking for forgiveness will only damage our relationship with Him. Omnipotence regards God as having supreme power, an all-powerful God. The Kingdom of God is the supreme governance of One True God with His people gathered together in one Spirit in obedience to a specific purpose and will to achieve the promise of Salvation. God can do what He wants. He rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked. God is an all-loving God that wants us to be in the kingdom as kings and priests – Revelation 1:6.
Go Back To Introduction to Dispensation of Time
God, the Creator and King of the Universe, gave Adam and Eve dominion over everything on Earth (kingdom) (Genesis 1:26,28). Due to Adam’s failure to obey the only ordinance God gave him, humanity became imperfect, and even the government fell into imperfection. Government corruption has become rampant, causing injustice for the less fortunate and favoring influential people. Many Ministers that are supposed to be role models in godly work and teach believers to join the effort in making the Earth a better place to live turn the opposite due to financial weakness and the dream of a luxurious lifestyle. But those who are strong in faith still believe that when believers come together in unity and transparency, it will make a better government, either church or state. As a result, peace, prosperity, and happiness will be achieved, and the harvest will be abundant.
Our present generation is now driven by greed, power-hungry, rebellion without a cause, violent protest, and the rich oppose the government. They use their money to make the country unstable and reject the leaders that God elected to rule. The unbelief is now being elected, taking the oath with the book of their own choice, rejecting the traditional Bible. Many want to turn this freedom-loving government into anarchy through lawlessness and violence against authority. It’s a worldwide trend and is most likely financed by wealthy people.
Many leaders have already made their positions a career, not considering their health and age. They choose to stay not to serve but to keep in power and protect their own interests. Many attempted to be politicians for one thing- to enrich themselves and obtain power. Regardless of how leaders conduct themselves, they must be respected. But the newly elected officials should not succumb to temptations that they may witness and turn ungodly. By respecting those corrupt officials, we respect God, who placed them in that position.
The human government was created with a divine purpose, installed and declared by God to protect and serve its people from wrongdoers. Obey and be Saved (Salvation). Our salvation is part of our obedience to the law (will), justified by our faith and sanctified through our work. Unfortunately, this corrupt world where we live is full of temptations and deceits and can lead people to fall backward.
Education can be a big part of achieving knowledge and understanding. The arms of the government are extending that opportunity to everyone through community colleges, low tuition fees, guaranteed educational loans, and some special programs. However, we should not also forget that education starts at home. Our parents are our educators at home. The first thing they will teach is to fear God, which means to respect and not offend Him, and the rest is about Love and protection of their children.
Human government entrusts us with many freedoms – freedom of speech or expression, faith, gathering or fellowshipping, freedom of wants, and any freedom we think will not violate the law or harm the environment. To sum these up from a biblical perspective:
1. To Serve and Protect (Protection)
To serve- “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despised the other. One cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24 ESV. One example that comes into my mind is dual citizenship. Where will your loyalty be?
Protect- For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11 ESV
2. To Punish and Forgive (Forgiveness)
Punish- For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. “For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”- Romans 13:4 ESV
Forgive- If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15 ESV.
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, and forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 ESV; Mark 11:25 ESV; 1 John 1:9 ESV
3. To Obey and Save (Salvation)
Obey- Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 ESV. More for obedience; Ephesians 6:1-3 ESV; Titus 3:1 ESV
Save- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV; Being saved is the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV; The prayer of a righteous person has great power. – James 5:16 ESV
4. To Educate and Train (Education)
Educate- Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord Ephesians 6:4 (ESV). You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 11:19 (ESV)
Train- “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” “And so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” Proverbs 22:6 ESV; Ephesians 6:4 ESV; Titus 2:4-5 ESV, We always depend on God’s blessings for His word is our rest. We are not sufficient to do the work without the grace of God.
5. Bondservants to Freedom
Enslaved person- For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery-(Galatians 5:1 ESV). And Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45 (ESV)
Freedom- “The Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” Colossians 4:1 (ESV)
“There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 (ESV)
No one is above the law, but influential people’s sinful natures treat this like trash. *The rule of law implies that every person is subject to the law, including people who are lawmakers, law enforcement officials, and judges. *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_law
For the human government to succeed through obedience, God told us to submit to the human government. Respecting the human government is respecting Him who placed them in those positions. Evil has done significant damage to human perfection and continually doing damage to this time, trying to destroy what God has instituted. Fleshly desire is evil’s strength to manipulate our minds to corruption. Money becomes their tool to fool people into deception. Money can buy everything from living poor to living rich, from working to make a living to letting money work for them. That’s how the devil manipulates people’s minds offering a luxury lifestyle! They fall into the trap – of the Love of money, which is the root of all evil.
People are given a choice between corrupt governments and without government. I believe the wise choice is to have a corrupt government. Why? Because the absence of government will rise to anarchism, where monarchs rule. Most of the time, as history told us, they rule with an iron fist, implement high taxes, rations foods, subdued freedom, and the poor become poorer. It is an unhindered rule, no Laws, no opposition, and political chaos, and could lead to the survival of the fittest. So why God allows corrupt officials to govern? Human reasoning is straightforward. We are sinners that deserve to be punished. Is that the proper logic? Of course not; God loves us and does not want us to experience what happened before us; living without a government is living in hell, where pain and suffering are unbearable to humans.
“Give me liberty, or give me death!” is a powerful quotation attributed to Patrick Henry, where people were crying for peace and liberty. Give me liberty or death; that’s how vital freedom is when you lose it. You prefer to die than to suffer the unbearable sorrow, pain of living, and hunger for a savior that will lift us from misery. God is just near us, acknowledge Him, and He will acknowledge us. We are blessed to be in this chosen generation to witness the unveiling of rewards of the Truth of living a godly life.
Many are called, but only a few responded, and for us who responded may reveal the face of God shining upon us, and peace and glory follow through. We are partakers of the divine nature of God, equipped with the knowledge of Him, He will show us how to bear the unbearable, and He may proclaim the responders who overcome the obstacle of life and choose to stay in believing that God is all in all. He gave us more than enough to keep the faith and showed signs and wonders that He is God. When God is on our side, no power in the world can harm us, and they cannot even get close to prodding us as New Testament heroes of faith of this generation. Your names are written in the book of life.
As the final word for this topic, Paul said, “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 the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.’ ‘For the authorities does not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong.”’ Romans 13:1-3 (NLT).
Thank you, Lord, for the revelation that you gave to some of your sons and daughters, that with these revelations, they may encourage some who are not under your garments to come to you with gladness. Thank you for letting us know that you are always near us and will never abandon us in times of our needs. Thank you for your mercy and grace. In the name of your Son Jesus, we celebrate his victory over death and bringing us close to you. Amen.
1)Innocence 2)Conscience 3)Human Government 4)Promise 5)Law 6)Grace 7)Kingdom
