We know that Jesus was perfect in all His ways before God. What does it mean to be perfect in the eyes of our heavenly Father? Can we have such perfection?
When Jesus stood before Pilate being tried for His life, the man asked Him what He did to deserve crucifixion which the Jews, His own people, demanded. His answer was simple, “My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom was of this world my servants would come and fight.” Anyone that is found in this world that is not of the world religious/political system, but of the kingdom of God is an anathema to them and it. Just as Jesus was hated, called names and despised, so are they. This is why He said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19 KJ2000).
Jesus was not of the kosmos (world)– that system that controls the world and the satanic intelligence behind it. Jesus describe Satan as “the prince of this kosmos (world).” He said, “The prince of this kosmos has come and he has found nothing in me.” Satan could find nothing in Jesus to tempt Him over. If we have crucified the flesh and the lusts thereof, he can not find anything is us to use against us, either.
Jesus also told the religious leaders of that day, “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.” Jesus did not have an army, but the temple priests did. Peter drew his sword to do harm to the High Priest’s servant as Jesus’ self-appointed body guard and Jesus rebuked him. Today we see every nation and despot with his own army to protect and enforce its/his will, even big time preachers and evangelists have their own body guards. Even the ushers in churches are taught to operate in this capacity. Their actions show what kingdom they are of.
How many of those who call themselves “Christian” today are no different. Someone attacks their home country and all their patriotic juices start flowing and they desire to do harm back to those who attacked them. Look at the USA and the lust for war that was fanned to a furry by its “Christian” president and even from church pulpits after the attack of 9/11. What a contrast this is to the teachings of Jesus who said,
“You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you; That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love them who love you, what reward have you… Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48 KJ2000)
A Wilderness Voice 
Hallelujah! The title of your post is very timely. Indeed a question that every saint needs to seriously ponder. It’s been well over a decade since 9-1-1. Scads of so-called “Christians” still remain mesmerized, having little, if any, concept of His kingdom of agape residing and organically growing within. Prayerfully, your post will lead others to ask Him for, what I’m led to call, real time revelation. I pray, as well, that the evil spell that’s over this world will continue to be brought to light. Thank you for this thoughtful reminder.
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Dear Michael,
Thrilled to see your blog here – I shall be a regular and avid reader – thanks for letting me know.
xxx
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Amen!
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“In Him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your own poets have said, “For we are indeed His offspring.” Being then Gods’ offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent,” (Acts 17:28-30) Christians are horrified when their children, “go to war,” with one another and immediately correct them by encouraging them to, “love one another.” Make them hug or kiss and forgive. But then get all worked up when our country is attacked and go to war. What nonsense.
A great article Mike.
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Ken,
Thanks for your input. So true. Imagine the grief of the Father when He watches His children fight. As I read the whole context of your quote in Acts from Paul, it occurred to me that two existences are before us. We either will dwell IN Christ and “live and move and have our beings in Him” alone, or we will have our beings and put our trust in gold, silver and precious stones. As we watch the world economies collapse in the days ahead, where will our hearts be found abiding? “Everything that can be shaken, shall be shaken until only that which is unshakable will remain.” I pray that we each are found totally IN Christ and in no other for only IN Him will we remain unshaken.
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Michael,
Was glad to receive email that you have started this blog. Look forward to keeping up to date with what you’re experiencing as we continue our walk, following the Lamb wherever he goes.
Blessings,
Tom
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During this election year (2012), I have seen soooo many “right wing” Christians turn militant in believing the LIE that “government” is our savior. I have lost more friends over political issues, than over doctrinal issues. This is indeed sad. If we can’t love our neighbor concerning political matters..what chance do we have to love our enemies or those who persecute us and say all manner of evil against us? It is time to ask yourself, “who is my savior and Lord?” You cannot serve two masters.
Very good (and bold),article..thanks,
charlie
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Charlie,
Thanks for your comment. Jesus was and is not political. He told Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world. It is such a shame that those who are supposed to be of His kingdom are drawn away into the kingdoms of this world system which is totally under the Prince of this world. To argue politics is to offend those who should be hearing the good news of God’s kingdom and have their hearts won over to Him and His Christ. Paul wrote, “In Him we live and move and have our beings,” not in this world system are we to dwell. Because of offences the love of many will wax cold. Let us not be found as those who offend one of His little ones because of voicing our political and worldly views.
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In this time of great deception we must trust His Kingdom and distrust the Worlds (Satan). One of the reasons I think it’s important to lover our enemy is they may not be our enemy and our “friends” may be our greatest threat. The church to me is synonymous with the World and those born into it are children of this world. The “church” is expert at making actors for Christ and because of that I look at that organization no differently than General Motors. Love your articles guys!!
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When considering what kingdom we are of, it may be of some value to include some thoughts considering the “Dividing of the Kingdom” that has happened to those who are called the “chosen” of God, the “Church.” When Israel entered Canaan and had begun to inhabit and possess the land, it was 467 years from the death Moses until the death of Eli. During that period there was a decline in worshiping God and a decadence that set into the priesthood.
Following the death of Eli and taking the Ark of God by Israel’s enemy, God chose Samuel to proclaim His word to Israel, until the time Israel desired a king like the one’s the nations around them had. We all know the result, when God gave them Saul, the people’s choice, and how he failed to keep his place as king and tried to function as a priest. God gave the kingdom to David, who was “His” choice for king. (There are a lot of details that are good to understand but will be omitted because of certain time and space limitations.)
We know how ten tribes of Israel took what was known as the “Northern Kingdom,” and continued to follow king’s who led the people into a downward spiral, farther away from worshiping God, who brought them out of bondage and gave them the land. The “Southern Kingdom,” comprised of Judah, Benjamin, and some who had joined them, is where the first order of priests, Aaron’s sons, functioned according to the Law that was given to them through Moses. David was anointed by Samuel, in the midst of his brothers, then anointed in Hebron as King of Judah, and it wasn’t until Saul had died and Israel realized it had been David who fought their battles, had taken them out and brought them in, (like the shepherd he was), and was God’s choice for king, that they came to Hebron and anointed David ___ King of Israel. During the time the kingdom was divided it is said of the Northern Kingdom that, “For many days they were without the One True God, a teaching Priest and without Law.” (Not “THE LAW” but Law, i.e., they were “Lawless.”
I’ll leave it to whoever may read this to decide whether there is any relevance, applicable to the “church” we see today.
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Reading about the rise and fall of Israel as a nation and its devotion to the Living God (and loss of it) is like reading church history. Jesus started out by paying off our debts for falling short of the glory of the Father and setting us all free of bondage to sin by putting in a us new heart and new spirit and writing His laws upon our hearts. Then he made us a kingdom of priests that we might all serve one another and His Father in love. God took Israel out of Egypt and set them free of their bondage to Pharaoh and brought them out to Mount Sinai to worship and sup with Him as a kingdom of priests. He made a covenant with them and they broke it before the “the ink was dry on the document,” if you will. Then they set out to worship the gods of the gentiles (see Acts 7:40-43). The fallen church has done the same. It has chosen to appoint priests and kings to rule over them in the place of Jesus and His Spirit in their lives. They want so to be like the other nations and governmental systems of this world system and refuse to walk before Him as a set apart people of whom Paul said, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” And Jesus prayed, “That they might be one, Father , even as we are one… that they might be one in us,” but the whole system of organized religion has returned to its Babylonian roots, unable to speak the same language found in the unity of the Father and the Son as they speak through the one unifying language of the Spirit. Just as it was in Israel of old, today there is a famine in the land… a famine of HEARING the words of the Lord and being lead into all truth by the Spirit of Truth.
Thus Israel was divided and the priests of God all bowed down before the image of their imaginations. Today we call it a man’s “vision for the church.” (See Ezekiel 8). But David was a man after God’s own heart. He boldly went into the tabernacle and ate the show bread. He boldly danced before the ark, He boldly took the ark and brought it up to Jerusalem and not to the tabernacle of the wilderness journey in Shiloah and once he had it there, put it in a three sided tent with it in open view to all of Israel and whoever should pass by… a foreshadowing of the ministry of Christ as a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, not the order of Aaron, who died on the cross and tore the veil of the Holy of Holies from top to bottom and opened the way for us to enter into Himself by faith and abide IN Him before the Father. What will we say when we finally stand before God and are found to have fallen short (the meaning of the word “sin”) of such a great salvation?
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