The Inadequacy of Law
*[See the Introduction at the beginning
of the first lesson in this series entitled God’s Saving Grace for an
explanation of the terms “zoe” and “psuche” which are also used in this
lesson.]
The Pharisees are an example
of how it is possible to practice conservative holiness standards without
actually being “right” in the heart. They were zealous for God’s laws, gave a
tithe on all their income, regularly fasted and prayed, consistently practiced
their special standards of dress and became dedicated leaders without ever
knowing the righteousness that comes from God by faith. As Paul would say,
“They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being
ignorant of God’s righteousness {“His” life of holy love}, and seeking to
establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of
God.” (
We were created as vessels
that God could use to display His glory. There is a righteousness in His nature
that needs to become a part of our nature. The righteousness that is in Him and
was revealed through Jesus can now be revealed through us by faith. Jesus
assures us that that those who hunger and thirst after this heavenly
righteousness will be “filled.” (Matt. 5: 6) And yet, there are many who fall
short of this life of promise.
Christians receive the gift
of the Spirit at their new birth. But they are still like a seed. There is
divine life planted within them, but there is still a covering that prevents it
from being revealed. The life of God cannot rise up into a display of the Son’s
heavenly righteousness until after the seed has been planted in the ground and
the old covering has been lost.
This covering is made up of
many things. But it is fundamentally the image that each individual develops
through his own works. It includes self-produced righteousness. This old life
continues to surround the new divine life and keep it hidden deep within the
seed. It is only after the seed has been planted in the ground, and there has
been a breaking down and loss of the old image, that God’s life of true
righteousness is able to come forth in its full glory. In other words, the Lord
cannot display His glory through those who are still living for their own
glory.
Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and
dies, it remains alone {it cannot share with Christ in the fullness of His
divine life}; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his
{self-originated “psuche”} life will lose it, and he who hates his {“psuche’}
life in this world will keep it {will keep his soul} for eternal {“zoe”} life.
If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me {through this death, burial, and
resurrection}; and where I am {in the heavenly “zoe” life}, there My servant
will be also. If anyone serves Me {through the Spirit}, him My Father
will honor. (John 12: 24-26)
When Adam separated himself
from God, he was separated from the eternal life. It left him with an empty
soul. Being separated from the life and identity that He had in God, he
experienced an inner sense of nakedness. This feeling of nothingness is what
has led to the natural inclination to put on a false covering. Because of the
Fall, man now has a self-exalting form of life that naturally seeks to build up
its self-image. It is this false image that needs to be removed before God can
turn the vessel into a display of His life and glory.
Before God was able to give
Adam a new covering, He had to remove the old covering that Adam had been put
on. Similarly, it is required that He come to each one of us individually for
the purpose of removing our old self-originated image. Only after this false
covering has been removed, can He cover us with His life of true righteousness.
We are now speaking of the heavenly Kingdom-life of “righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 14: 17) This heavenly life comes directly
from God through a supernatural work of His Spirit once there has been a loss
of the “psuche” life.
The instructions that tell
us to “put off the old man” are referring to this matter of putting off this
old self-developed form of life—the “psuche” life. Only when everything that
is self-originated has been removed, can we put on the heavenly life of Jesus
Christ. “Whoever loses his {“psuche”} life will find it.” (Matt. 16: 25)
That is, we will find His Kingdom-life of perfect love which enables us to
fulfill all the righteous requirements found in His Sermon on the Mount. We can
then do by nature what the law requires.
If indeed
you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that
you put off…the old man {with his self-image}…and that you put on the new man
{the divine life of Christ in bodily form} which was created according to God,
in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4: 21-24)
For in
Christ all the fullness of the Deity {the divine life that is shared within the
Triune God} lives in bodily form, and you have been given {access to} fullness
in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. (Col. 2: 9-10 NIV)
God gives His Spirit to His
children so they may “put to death” the old self-originated form of life that
has its source in the works of the flesh. (Rom. 8: 13) And until we come to the
place were we can honestly say, “I no longer live,” we cannot expect to have
Christ living through us with His heavenly “zoe” life. (Gal. 2: 20) Once there
is no longer an “I” to glory in the flesh, Christ will begin manifesting His
Kingdom-life of righteousness and peace and joy through the vessel.
King Saul is still living in
the hearts of many Christians. They do not believe that everything from their
self-life is as bad as God makes it out to be. They recognize the need for
doing away with their outwards sins, but they insist that King Agag himself has
some useful resources. And this is why the bleating of the old carnal nature
continues to be heard in the background. Yes, these individuals can work hard
through their own efforts to conform to high moral standards, as did the
Pharisees, but there is still something within their inner nature that prevents
Christ’s life of perfect love from being displayed.
Jesus requires His
disciples to follow Him. It entails being emptied of everything that originates
in self. And we need
to say again with emphasis, it includes being emptied of self-originated
righteousness. The righteousness that man produces is like filthy rags in God’s
sight. It will inevitably fall short of the glory He intended to reveal through
His children. God created man to be a mere vessel that He could fill with His
own glory. But He will not reveal His glory through the vessel until we have
been emptied of the self-originated righteousness that man naturally glories
in.
Jesus emptied Himself of
His own glory when He came to live as
Your
attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature
God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made
himself nothing {becoming nothing in Himself}…he humbled himself and became
obedient to death… Therefore God exalted him to the highest place…
(Phil. 2: 5-7, 9 NIV)
Therefore
humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time… But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by
Christ Jesus {to be a vessel of His glory}, after you have suffered a while {in
dying out to your old self-originated form of life}, perfect, establish,
strengthen, and settle you {in the Kingdom-life}. To Him be the glory and
the dominion forever and ever. (1 Pet. 5: 6, 10-11)
We are lifted into the
life of heaven in direct proportion to how far we have sunk down into our
nothingness and permitted God to become “all in all.” God cannot be everything
in our life while we are still trying to be something. If He is to receive all
the glory, He must be permitted to be the source of everything we do.
Jesus chose to live as a
simple instrument in His Father’s hands. It permitted the Father to manifest
His life and will through the Son. And we must choose to follow Him along this
same course if we also want to be “honored” by the Father and lifted
spiritually into the heavenly realms.
The apostle Paul, after
learning about Jesus’ way of life, decided to follow Him. He wanted to
participate with God in the life that comes from heaven. He therefore chose to
count “as loss” everything that had once made him great in the eyes of
man—those human accomplishments that man naturally glories in. Because he
wanted to be lifted by the power of the Spirit into the Presence of God, he
fully submitted to the economy of God’s kingdom. He knew that “God has chosen
the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen
the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…to
bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His
presence.” (1 Cor. 1: 27-29) Once Paul became “nothing” in himself, he was in a
position to be lifted into Christ’s Kingdom-life and be filled with the
righteousness that comes from God by faith.
For we are
the circumcision {the ones who have had the self-originated flesh-life
removed}, who worship God in the Spirit {live by the Spirit}, rejoice in Christ
Jesus {for what “He” is doing}, and have no confidence in the flesh,
although I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he
may have confidence in the flesh {in the works that it can do}, I more so:
circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a
Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal,
persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless.
But what
things were gain to me {the things that could be worked out by my own efforts
and look good in the eyes of man}, these I have counted loss for Christ.
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord { for an inward and experiential knowledge of His
divine life}, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things {that I used to
glory in and find my fulfillment from}, and count them as rubbish, that I
may gain Christ {His heavenly life}…not having my own righteousness,
which is from the law {from my self-produced efforts to correct my life and
obey God’s laws in my own sufficiency}, but that which is through
faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may
know Him and the power of His resurrection… (Phil. 3: 3-10)
Paul has shown us how to
find the righteousness that comes from God by faith. Following the perfect
example set by Jesus, he gave up everything that had once made him great. Once
this covering was lost and he had become nothing in himself, he was in a
position to be honored by God and raised by the resurrection power of the Holy
Spirit into the heavenly life of the Son.
I have been
crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live {the self-originated form of
life had died}, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the
flesh {in a mortal body} I live by faith in the Son of God…for if
righteousness comes through the law {by merely trying to keep laws},
then Christ died in vain. (Gal. 2: 20-21)
In contrast to following
the examples of both Jesus and Paul, Christians in general develop their own
reputation through a self-produced form of righteousness. While each
denomination ends up with a slightly different set of standards, they still
tend to hold up their own standard as the real “righteousness.” And while this
self-produced righteousness enables them to receive honor from the people of
their denomination, God does not honor them by lifting them spiritually into
the reality {the conscious awareness} of His heavenly life. Consequently, they
fall short of the true glory of God.
Determining the Source of our Righteousness
Self-produced righteousness
has its source in the pride of life. It can therefore be offended. This is why
people who live in self-produced righteousness inevitably stumble into sin when
they are opposed. Something other than perfect love comes out of their mouth
because there is still something other than perfect love in their heart. “For a
tree is known by its fruit… For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaks.” (Matt. 12: 33-34)
It is possible to live by
many of God’s laws in a self-produced form of righteousness without having a
pure nature of love that can endure “all things” with meekness, humility, and
longsuffering patience. It is in this sense that we need to determine if our
righteousness has its source in God or if it is something we have developed
through our own efforts.
Love {the
love that has its source in God} suffers long and is kind; love does not envy;
love does not parade itself, is not puffed up…does not seek its own, is not
provoked, thinks no evil…bears all things…endures all things. Love never
fails. (1 Cor. 13: 4-8)
Therefore,
as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness,
humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another. But above all
these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. {In other words, put
on Christ’s life of righteousness.} (Col. 3: 12-14)
For to this
you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example,
that you should follow His steps…who, when He was reviled, did not revile in
return…but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. (1 Pet. 2: 21, 23)
But I say to
you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate
you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you
may be sons of your Father in heaven. (Matt. 5: 44-45)
Those who are filled with
Christ’s Spirit naturally reveal the fruit of His Spirit. His love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control
will continue to flow out of their heart like “rivers” of Living Water. (Gal.
5: 22-23) This steady flow of life from heaven makes it possible to
consistently manifest His nature of holy love—the righteousness that comes from
God by faith. “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness,
righteousness, and truth.” (Eph. 5: 9)
Jesus said we will find hypocrisy
in those who produce their own righteousness. It is exposed by the way they
judge others with a critical spirit concerning certain pet beliefs, while they
neglect “the weightier matters of the law” such as “love and mercy.” (Matt. 23:
23) Yes, they can be very adamant about certain laws, but their basic nature is
contrary to perfect love. And we are afraid there is going to be a day when
these people discover, to their own horror, how their lack of mercy, along with
their critical and overbearing spirit, have put out some flickering wicks in
weak Christians. They have actually turned them away from the true Christian
faith. “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come {in a
fallen world}, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” According to
Jesus, these legalistic offenders would have been better off tying a millstone
around their neck and jumping into the ocean before they caused one of His
little ones to stumble. (Matt. 18: 6-7)
James has clearly described
the wisdom that comes down from heaven. (Jam. 3: 17) It comes from the life of
Christ when He has become our “wisdom” and “righteousness.” “The wisdom that
is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (v. 17)
In other words, if these characteristics have not yet become an innate part of
our inner nature, then we have to assume that we are still not sharing with
Christ in the righteousness that comes from God by faith.
Self-produced
righteousness, which has its source in the pride of life, will inevitably
result in partiality, contentions and divisions. This form of life is nothing
more than human politics. After various individuals and groups determine what
they consider to be the right way to live, they then try to press their
opinions onto others. It naturally results in the divisions and favoritism we
now find in churches and nations. It is how “mere men” naturally act. “For
where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving
like mere men?” (1 Cor. 3: 3)
Those who receive the
righteousness that comes from God by faith will no longer behave like “mere
men.” Having lost their self-life, they are lifted by the power of God into His
heavenly life where they become “perfect in one” with each other. (John 17:
22-23) These children of the Father bear His image of holy love in everything
they do. They are “peaceable,” “gentle,” “willing to yield” and “full of
mercy.” Their whole purpose in life is to lead others into the heavenly
Kingdom-life that comes down from above. And they know it has nothing to do
with self-produced righteousness.
Those who die to their own
righteousness are in a place to live by the Spirit alone. It is by living
through the Son, and sharing with Him in His eternal life of love, that we can
all remain in harmony with God and with each other. It makes it possible to “be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1 Cor.
1: 10) And while our knowledge will tend to differ depending on our spiritual
growth, when we all die to our own righteousness and opinions, we can then be
led by the Spirit into the same truth.
Therefore
let us, as many as are mature {spiritually}, have this mind; and if in anything
you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you {when you are dead to
your own opinions and give Him sufficient time}. Nevertheless, to the degree
that we have already attained {to God’s life of heavenly love}, let us walk by
the same rule, let us be of the same mind. (Phil. 3: 15-16 NIV)
The Righteousness that Comes by Faith
Those who have truly
received the righteousness that comes from God by faith recognize the heavenly
source of their life.
Because it becomes an unfailing “righteousness and peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit,” it is clearly recognized as supernatural. All credit therefore
goes to God. These children of faith are never in a position to criticize
others for falling short of the same heavenly standard of righteousness. Their
desire is not to teach law, but to help others find the same supernatural life
that comes down from above by faith.
We will never have the kind
of childlike faith that is needed to be lifted spiritually into the heavenly
realms while we are still living by a self-produced righteousness. This life of
heaven can only be received as we live by absolute dependence upon God.
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted {in your thinking too} and
become as {dependent} little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom
of heaven.” (Matt. 18: 3) This Kingdom-life will only be revealed in those who
have died to the old self-originated form of life that was fostered on the
world by Satan.
This will help us
understand why Paul spoke of the foolishness of trying to become like Christ in
His nature of perfect love through human efforts. The reader should prayerfully
examine the following Scriptures to determine if this is not the reason why
their own nature has remained separated from the “rivers” of Living Water that can
now well up into a continuous display of Christ’s eternal life. (John 4: 14)
But I fear,
lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may
be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ {the way of faith}.
(2 Cor. 11: 3-4)
Are you so
foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect {in holy
love} by the flesh {through your own human efforts to be righteous}? (Gal. 3:
3)
You have
become estranged from Christ {you have separated yourselves from the simplicity
that is in Christ and the grace that would make you like Him in holy love}, you
who attempt to be justified by law {by trying to make yourself right}; you have
fallen from grace {the grace that imparts God’s divine life of heavenly love}.
For we {as Christians in this age of fulfillment} through the Spirit eagerly
wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. (Gal. 5: 4-5)
For what
the law could not
do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son
{that we might live through Him}…that the righteous requirements of the law
might be fulfilled {NIV-fully met} in us who do not walk according to {or by}
the flesh but according to {or by} the Spirit. (Rom. 8: 3-4)
But if
you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law… But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law {there is no longer a need
for law to produce the right actions}. (Gal. 5: 18, 22-23)
What shall
we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness {through their own
works}, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;
but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness {through their own human efforts
under law}, has not attained to the law of righteousness. {They have not become
like God in holy love.} Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it
were, by the works of the law. (Rom. 9: 30-32)
God has explained through
His Word the kind of righteousness He requires from His children. This includes
fulfilling all the moral requirements revealed by Christ in His Sermon on the
Mount. These teachings depict the standard of love that exists in His heavenly
kingdom. But human beings cannot produce this heavenly life. Those who
attempt to conform to these standards through their own efforts, and remain
honest with themselves concerning every requirement, will inevitably experience
the bondage described in Romans seven. In order to live as God requires, it is
necessary to enter into a full participation with Christ in His divine nature.
Some people think that
Christ came to do away with the law. Through their own self-deceit, they have
set themselves free from the condemnation that would occur if they compared
their life to Christ’s teachings. But they are only deceiving themselves.
Christ came for the very purpose of enabling us to fulfill all the righteous
requirements of the law. (Rom. 8: 3-4) His life of holy love filling the soul
becomes “the fulfillment of the law.” (Rom. 13: 10)
Then there are those who
make themselves look good on the outside and often think they are doing quite
well. As Jesus described the Pharisees, they are able to clean up the outside
of the cup. They make it look quite good. But there is still something wrong
within their heart. This is why these human efforts to conform to outward
standards are not sufficient for God. They remain like filthy rags in His
sight. The Lord requires complete obedience to all of His kingdom teachings.
These eternal spiritual laws involve standards that need to be supernaturally
established within the heart through a work of grace, by faith. They cannot be
established in us by any other means.
We should also note that
those who still have a nature that continues to break even one of Christ’s
spiritual laws {including any law against love – such as partiality} remain
guilty of breaking the whole law of His kingdom. In effect, because they have
not had the Kingdom-life fully established within their heart, there is still
something within their nature that continues to come into conflict with the
life of perfect love that exists in Christ’s eternal kingdom.
Do not think
that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets {God’s moral teachings}. I did
not come to destroy but to fulfill… For I say to you, that unless your
righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees {people
who were fully devoted to making themselves appear righteous}, you will by no
means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5: 17, 20)
You have
heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell
you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek,
turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your
tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go
with him two.” (Matt. 5: 38-41)
If you
really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality {which is
a violation of perfect love}, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as
transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one
point, he is guilty of all. (Jam. 2: 8-10)
When the Living Word – the
Eternal Son – is manifesting His life within our inner being, we can then do by
nature what the law requires. For example, a bird does not require a written
law to tell it to fly. It simply responds to its inward nature. We can live by
the same simplicity when we are fully sharing with Christ in His divine nature.
His unfailing love naturally fulfills all the requirements of the law.
Can we begin to see how
showing “partiality” is sin and breaks the very essence of the law of the
kingdom of God? It comes from a nature that is contrary to the nature of God.
And yet, those who are still living according to the spirit of this world
naturally show partiality. It inevitably flows out of their self-seeking
nature.
The wisdom that comes from
above, which is “without partiality,” is implanted within our heart and becomes
an innate part of our new divine nature when Christ becomes our righteousness.
It is not a matter of trying to conform to the law. The law is inadequate. We
need to be examining ourselves to see if we have permitted Christ to establish
His undivided Kingdom-life within our heart so that we can do by nature what
the law requires.
For where
envy and self-seeking exist {along with its natural tendency toward
partiality}, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. (Jam.
3: 16-17)
The Way Up is Down
Enoch set the first example
of how to be exalted into the heavenly realms. He is another Old Testament
spiritual type recorded in the Scriptures to reveal a spiritual lesson to
Christians in this age of fulfillment. We are told that Enoch “walked with God”
and was taken up because “he was not.” (Gen. 5: 24) This was the same example
set by Jesus. (Phil. 2: 5-8) Enoch was in a place to be lifted by the power of
God once he had laid down his “psuche” life and had become nothing in himself.
When there was nothing self-originated in him – nothing coming out from himself
– he could be raptured up into the heavenly realms with God. Those who enter
into this raptured state within the heavenly realms, enjoy His conscious
presence as they share with Him in the spiritual blessings found in His
spiritual life. (Eph. 1: 3)
Those who are still trying
to be someone special through their own activities need to recognize this as
the reason why they are not yet sharing with Christ in His heavenly life. God
never permits this flesh-life to come into His Presence. Like Paul, you will
need to count as loss your heredity, your schooling, your titles and all other
accomplishments, your zeal, your righteousness, and everything else that you
have used to create an image for yourself. Only then will you be in the place
where you can come to “know {Christ} and the power of His resurrection.” (Phil.
3: 3-10) It brings you to the place where you too can be raptured spiritually
into the heavenly realms. (1 Pet. 5: 6, Col. 3: 1-3)
We should also note that
God cannot be deceived. He can see into the heart. And He will only reveal His
eternal “zoe” life in those who have become nothing in themselves. You will
need to come to the place where you can honestly say, “I do nothing of Myself”
(John 8: 28) and “I do not receive honor from men” (John 5: 41), before you can
expect God to lift you spiritually into the heavenly realms with Him, where you
can share with Him in His glory.
The
self-originated form of life is what keeps people bound to the earth. It was
when Jesus had reached the lowest place of nothingness that He could be exalted
into the highest place in the heavenly realms. Similarly, it was because Enoch
“was not” that God “took him.” God lifts us with His power into higher levels
of spiritual life in direct proportion to how far we have sunk down into our
nothingness. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He
may exalt you in due time.” (1 Pet. 5: 6)
God chastens and scourges
His called-out children for the purpose of removing their independence and
self-sufficiency. He needs to prepare them to die to their self-originated form
of life. Those who learn from these lessons will have an opportunity to enter
into the “walk of faith” that enables them to consistently receive the
righteousness that comes from God.
For whom the
Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives {into the
heavenly realms}…that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no
chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless,
afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those
who have been trained by it. (Heb. 12: 6, 10-11)
Three Levels of Christian Experience
We do not want earnest
believers to question their current relationship with the Lord. Paul wrote his
epistles to Christians who were living far below their privilege. But they were
still “brothers” in Christ. For example, he prayed that the Ephesian Christians
would receive the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation” that would enable them to
know Christ better. (Eph. 1: 17) The “riches” and the “power” that was available
to them was far beyond what they had come to know. With this thought in mind,
it may be helpful to point out three different levels of Christian experience.
The apostle John describes these three different states in his first epistle.
(1 John 1: 12-14)
We begin with the first
level. He said, “I write to you, little children, because your sins are
forgiven you for His name’s sake.” This is a reference to new believers who
have begun to look to the shed blood while still captive in Egypt. They are in
a new state of credited righteousness that enables them to avoid the “death”
that was still resting on the Egyptians. Believers in this state have been
referred to as “servants” by John Wesley. Jesus, using a similar term, refers
to them as slaves who have entered the household. But He also points out that
they cannot remain captives to sin, as Paul depicts in Romans seven, and expect
to go on living in the house of God forever. In effect, it is an Old Testament
form of salvation, and they will need to receive the New Testament gift of the
Holy Spirit that supplies power over sin if they hope to avoid falling away. It
is not possible to find “life” while remaining in Egypt, which represents the
world.
Most
assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave
does not abide in the house {of God} forever, but a son {those who have
overcome sin} abides forever. Therefore if the son makes you free {from sin},
you shall be free indeed. (John 8: 34-36)
The apostle John refers to
the next level of Christian experience as a place where the believer overcomes
both the temptations of the devil and sin. “I have written to you, young men,
because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have
overcome the wicked one.” John Wesley refers to these overcoming Christians as
“sons.” They represent the believers who have miraculously crossed the Red Sea
and have gained a real victory over the devil and the world. While they came
out of Egypt in fear, they find a deep inward peace with God after experiencing
this miracle. They receive the gift of the Holy Spirit the moment they fully
surrender to a Spirit-directed way of life. Everyone who is born of the
Spirit experiences a new hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is
representative of entering the wilderness testing period. They are no longer
driven by a fear of the law, but are moved forward with a new desire to share
with God in His life of righteousness. And these are the only ones who have the
promise of being “filled” with God’s life of true righteousness. (Matt. 5: 6)
The apostle John refers to
the final group of Christians as those who have come to know the eternal life
of God. “I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is
from the beginning.” These are the believers who have counted “all things
as loss” and have received an inward revelation of the heavenly “zoe” life.
Once the wilderness testing period has had its opportunity to take the
self-life out of them, they come to the place where they can be spiritually raptured
into Christ’s heavenly presence. His “rivers” of Living Water begin to rise out
of their inner being into a display of His everlasting life. (John 4: 14) They
have truly come to know Him who is from the beginning—the Eternal Life.
We do not criticize those
who are still at the earlier stages of grace. God is working in their lives.
But, as the “young men” typically express to the “little children,” everyone in
these first stages of grace need to press into the full salvation that is now
available to everyone who believes. We can now become like God in His nature of
holy love by sharing with Him in His eternal life.
And this is
the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
(1 John 5: 11)
Fight the
good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called…
(1 Tim. 6: 12)
Therefore
you shall be perfect {in love}, as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matt. 5:
48)
Human Governments and God’s Government
The fallen world needs a
system of laws to maintain some degree of order. People who still live by their
own will {self-will – the essence of all sin} need something to restrain their
selfish nature. God has therefore provided law, along with human governments,
to restrain the evil that naturally rises out of people who live for
themselves. “Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person
{those who walk by the Spirit in holy love}, but for the lawless and
insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners.” (1 Tim 1: 9) In other words, the
law is needed to restrain people who are still living by the flesh.
Written laws are needed
until Christ is able to establish His heavenly Kingdom-life of perfect love
within the heart. Once the heart has become “one” with God in His life of love,
there is a new divine nature that naturally fulfills His spiritual and moral
laws. (Rom. 13: 10) The anointing with the Holy Spirit teaches the believer
everything he needs to know to remain in an abiding relationship with Christ’s
heavenly life. (1 John 2: 27) It is the Presence of Christ that actually
produces the new life of “true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4: 24) “But
if you are led by the Spirit {and living under His anointing}, you are
not under law.” (Gal. 5: 18) “He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:
13) “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and
truth.”
God will one day do away
with the human governments He has used to maintain order in a carnal world.
These human means are incapable of producing the perfect order that is required
in God’s heavenly kingdom. The only governmental system that can produce
perfect order is Christ’s Kingdom-life, which needs to be established within
the heart. (John 17: 22-23) Once He is reigning without rival on His throne
within the heart, His “rivers” of heavenly life will flow from under the throne
and well up into a constant supply of “righteousness {perfect love} and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
And he
showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal proceeding from the
throne of God and of the Lamb. (Rev. 22: 1)
Many Christians, because
they are still living by law, have a natural tendency to place their hope in
human governments. They assume that better laws will make sinners into better
people. And while these laws can be used to help restrain some forms of sin,
these efforts do not change the inner nature of man. Turning people away from
certain sinful actions and even leading them to live by high moral standards,
does not produce the eternal Kingdom-life within the heart. It actually
misleads them into thinking they are righteous. And yet, because they are not
walking by the Spirit, they remain “sinners” on their way to hell. (Rom. 8:
13-14) As we have previously said, even if there is a tendency to still show partiality,
it reveals a fallen nature that will continue to break the foundational laws of
the kingdom of God. (Jam. 2: 8-10) Full salvation entails changing the inward
nature.
Because the people of the
world are spiritually dead and laws themselves are unable to change their inner
nature, Jesus specifically sent His disciples into the world to preach the
gospel of the kingdom of God. Only when His Kingdom-life has been fully
established within the heart can a person live as God truly requires.
Jesus
came…preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mark 1: 14-15)
The law and
the prophets {the means for constraining sin by written laws} were until John
{the Baptist}. Since that time {since the end of the Old Testament
dispensation} the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing
into it. (Luke 16: 16)
Let the dead
{those who follow the systems of this world} bury their own dead, but you go
and preach the kingdom of God. (Luke 9: 60)
There arises
another Priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment,
but according to the power of an endless life… For on the one hand there is
an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and
unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect {in holy love}… (Heb. 7:
15-19)
Therefore
you shall be perfect {in holy love}, just as your Father is perfect. (Matt. 5:
48)
And the
glory {the life of perfect love} which You {the Father} gave Me {the Son} I
have given them, that they may be one {living as one in the Kingdom-life of
holy love} just as We are one {in life and nature}: I in them, and You in Me;
that they may be made perfect in one…that the love with which You loved me
{perfect love} may be in them, and I in them. (John 17: 22-23, 26)
Even the American
government, which did incorporate some godly principles within its
constitution, is totally incapable of spreading the true kingdom of God. Even
if it had adopted every moral law of the Old Testament, it would still need to
be destroyed when Christ comes to establish His kingdom in the world. Its
foundation, and the resulting structure, has been wrong from the very
beginning.
There are also religions
such as the Muslim religion which have incorporated laws from God’s word. But
because they are also mixed with other beliefs that are in conflict with God’s
perfect law of love, they remain in conflict with God. Even the best system of
laws cannot produce the way of life in God’s kingdom. While there is nothing wrong
with the godly laws these various systems incorporate to correct human
behavior, they do not result in a manifestation of Christ’s eternal
Kingdom-life.
The American government has
never emphasized the “gospel of the kingdom of God.” It knows nothing of
the righteousness that comes from God by faith. Instead of teaching people to
deny themselves and lose their “psuche” life so they may find Christ’s “zoe”
life in the heavenly realms, it encourages people to pursue happiness by
developing a worldly form of life. It is therefore in direct conflict with
God’s truth. It also promotes universalism by giving approval to many
different religions. Jesus clearly spoke of being the only way into eternal
life with the Father. But the American government has never insisted that
Christ is the only way. Like the government that Paul confronted in Athens, the
American government has legalized the worship of many different gods.
At this point we should
also note that God requires His children to remain submissive to government
leaders. That is, they are to remain submissive up to the point where it would
lead to a separation from the “light of life” found in God’s kingdom. We have a
duty to obey the laws of the land wherever God has placed us. “Render therefore
to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
(Matt. 22: 21)
We also need to come to
grips with the fact that God places some of His children in lands that have
governments that are quite different than the democracy found in America. And
if our form of Christianity only fits in America, it is not real Christianity.
The teachings of Christ fit in with every government, even if they are as wrong
as the Roman government in the time of Christ or the Japanese government of
World War Two. Of course, while we remain submissive, we never attach our
loyalty to these corrupt human governments.
Let every
soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except
from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore
whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who
resist will bring judgment on themselves. (Rom. 13: 1-2)
Some Christians can expect
to be placed under governments that are much more corrupt than others. But it
is irrelevant. As we live as pilgrims and strangers in this world, we can still
show forth the glory of God wherever we live. If we are placed within a country
that is very corrupt, there is still a need to show forth the light of God and
draw poor lost sinners into His eternal Kingdom-life before it is too late. In
fact, the more severe the circumstances and the greater the persecution, the
more clearly Christ’s eternal Kingdom-life can be revealed in our daily walk.
It was after the Centurion had witnessed all that Christ went through on His
way to the cross that this member of the Roman government began to recognize
the light of eternal life in Him. Similarly, the first century church was most
effective in the work of spreading the true gospel of the kingdom of God when
persecution was the greatest.
While submitting to the
laws of this world, let us also remember that we cannot “serve” two masters.
(Matt. 6: 24) Jesus was very specific about this truth. There are only two
basic systems of government. Since the governments of this world are in basic
conflict with life in the kingdom of God, Christ will soon destroy them. We
therefore need to choose today which one we will serve. Since God expects to
receive “all” glory, we must avoid becoming involved in an idolatrous worship
of human governments.
Jesus
answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world,
My servants would fight… But now My kingdom is not from here. (John 18: 36)
And in the
days of these kings {these human governments} the God of heaven will set up a
kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to
other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand forever. (Dan. 2: 44)
Christ comes to “break in
pieces and consume” every other loyalty when He truly establishes His undivided
kingdom within the heart. God becomes “all in all” wherever He reigns without
rival. This is the true “heart purity” that makes it possible to consistently
know the conscious presence of Christ’s Kingdom-life within the soul. “Blessed
are the pure in heart {who have allowed Christ to “break in pieces and consume”
every other loyalty}, for they shall see God {as an inner revelation of holy
love}.” (Matt. 5: 8)
Most Christians have not
yet come to personally “know” this inward kingdom of God within the heart. That
is why they still become so emotionally excited over human governments. We can
even find them exalting these governments in the very worship services that
should be exclusively devoted to God, who is the “all in all.” (1 Cor. 15:28)
Much to God’s displeasure,
His called-out people have always had a desire to have some other king over
them. He has granted their requests because there is a need for some form of
government to control their self-willed and self-originated way of life. But we
are now living in the age of fulfillment when we need to permit Him to
establish His undivided kingdom within our heart before it is too late. His
reigning Presence will make the heart pure. And true “heart purity” does away
with all other loyalties.
We are not implying that it
would be disloyal to Christ to have employment within a human government or to
even make use of these human governments. We are to live and work in the world,
and we are to show due respect to the employers and the governments that have
authority over us. Again, we are expected to pray for these leaders, even when
they are evil, and be submissive to their laws that do not cause us to sin.
What we need to realize is
that we are ambassadors of Christ in a foreign land. While we must honor the
laws of the land, our one true citizenship is in the eternal kingdom of God.
Our only purpose for remaining here is to represent Christ and to turn
individual souls from the kingdoms of this world to His eternal kingdom before
their souls are lost forever. It is because these governments are
functioning “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of
the power of the air” that they will eventually need to be destroyed. (Eph. 2:
2) While they have been appointed by God as a means to restrain the worst
outbreaks of human selfishness, they still remain under the sway of the devil.
Let us therefore choose to die to the world and find our life from Christ
alone.
We know that
we are of God {because we have overcome this world}, and the whole world
lies under the sway of the wicked one. (1 John 5: 19)
Brethren,
join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a
pattern {example}. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell
you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ {because
they refuse to die to the world and its self-originated form of life}…who set
their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven… (Phil.
3: 17-19)
If then you
were raised with Christ {had your citizenship changed}, seek those things which
are above, where Christ is, at the right hand of God {on His throne in His
heavenly Kingdom}. Set your mind on things above {where Christ reigns}, not on
things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
(Col. 3: 1-3)
Where is your citizenship?
Worldly governments are for the spiritually dead. That is why we need to
overcome the world and find the eternal Kingdom-life before leaving this world.
The spiritually dead, who still have their loyalty to the governments of a
foreign {this} world, cannot enter into the eternal kingdom of God.
Christ’s governmental
system is far above the systems of this world. In fact, it is so strange to
earthly thought processes that no one could understand what Jesus was speaking
about when He first came to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God. Even His
first disciples remained confused during their three years of intensive
instruction. We also find them still confused after His resurrection and an
additional forty days of instruction with the Spirit dwelling within them.
(John 20: 21-22; Acts 1: 3, 6) It was not until He had established His
Kingdom-life within their hearts on the Day of Pentecost that they could begin
to understand what it was all about. And it is for this same reason that people
of the world will not fully understand us when we begin telling them about the
Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Therefore
the world does not know us, because it did not know Him {since we have our
citizenship in another world}… And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies
himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3: 1, 3)
All human governments
naturally create division. It is not possible for all Christians to be “perfect
in one” while loyalties to human governments exist within their heart. (John
17: 22-23) The people of various countries will have their differing opinions
about who has the best government. These various opinions and earthly loyalties
naturally lead to “envy, strife and divisions.” And because it results in
“partiality,” it also results in a breaking of the fundamental laws of the
kingdom of God. (Jam. 2: 9-10) It reveals how the people are still living like
“mere men” under the power of a carnal nature. (1 Cor. 3:3) “For there is no
partiality with God.” (Rom. 2: 11)
We also acknowledge that
Christ Himself has come to cause a division between light and darkness. He
intends to separate people from this world system and draw them into His eternal
kingdom where everyone becomes perfect in one. But He cannot do this while
people remain attached to the ways of this world.
Nothing reveals this
carnality more than patriotism. If a member of another government finds himself
in the middle of a lustful call to patriotism, which is a gross display of
“partiality,” he will inevitably sense that he is no longer “one” with the
group—even if it takes place in a church setting! May God help everyone to see
how feeding the “psuche’ life on the evil food of partiality strengthens the
“pride of life.”
The God-given truth that
has been incorporated into laws will never pass away. However, the way of
living by law, including the Old Testament governmental system must pass away
before it is possible to find the heavenly life that makes everyone “perfect in
one.” The presence of this Kingdom-life within our eternal soul is our only
hope for revealing the true glory of God, and proving to the world that Christ
is the one and only true Savior.
For on the
one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its
weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect. (Heb. 7:
18-19)
And the
glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are
one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one {sharing in
the same Kingdom-life of holy love}, and that the world may know that You have
sent Me {as the true Messiah who has the power to set people free from the
world – with all of its self-sufficient and independent ways, the flesh – with
all of its opinions and self-seeking ways, and the devil – and all of his
lies}… (John 17: 22-23)