If you have been checking out my blog postings over the weeks, you have
undoubtedly discovered that I believe the Bible teaches that we all have been given the commission by God to extend His dominion over the whole earth. This means that we will bring our sphere of influence, whatever that may be, under the rule of Jesus Christ!
This will be a new idea for many new Christians and even older ones who may have grown up in a church which did not discuss this. Neither group were taught about the whole purpose of mankind, which God stated clearly as He created man (Genesis 1:26-28). Therefore, it’s certainly not surprising that the biblical view of the family, the foundational institution God has given us to achieve our destiny, is not taught by these churches, either.
Picture a young couple, who both grew up without a Christ-centered, functioning home, and heard nothing of a “purpose in life.” They have just recently discovered Genesis 1:26-28, and the importance of their family in fulfilling that commission. Is it any wonder that they are overwhelmed with questions: “What in the world do we do now, and how do we do it?”
They do not know about a father’s unconditional, sacrificial love for his wife (Galatians 5:25), or what the admonition that wives are to “submit to your own husband” (Galatians 5:22-24) even means. They haven’t a clue about how to train children in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
Keep in mind that the husband is never told to rule over his wife in the Bible but to rule with her. Together they rule over the family. However, as they rule, the husband must be the leader and his wife is his helper, never the reverse! The Bible teaches that he must always both LOVE her with unconditional, agape love, and LEAD her with strong, firm decision-making.
Sadly, this has not been the pattern we have followed, neither in our culture nor in the vast majority of our churches, increasingly so in the last century. Men have stepped back from leadership in the interest of “equal rights for women;” the fear of being accused of “toxic male leadership,” and our own desire to avoid conflict and please, just as Adam did with Eve in the Garden. So, fleeing from the epithet of being an “alpha male,” we have become “beta males” (I am even seeing the advent of some “gamma males”)!
The Bible clearly tells the church that it is to equip its own families to, first, give them a vision of a biblical family, and then, second, to realize this vision: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY (to your own families!), for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11, 12).
This cannot be done with classes during the week on “Husband – Wife Relationships,” or “Child Training,” as sort of tack-on extras. ALL of us need this, whether we have any “perceived problems” or not. I have found in family counseling over the years that those most in need of help don’t have a clue that they do. They certainly aren’t going to attend a weekly, night meeting they don’t think they need!
However, this “equipping” is the church’s first priority, as Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 above. It is not an extraneous, add-on meeting, but Sunday morning, prime-time material! Our churches will one day be recognized as family-centered, ministry hubs! Hallelujah!
Equally important in our vision of Jesus Christ ruling over the world through us, is our involvement in civil government. After we genuinely meet the Lord, He eventually affects all areas of our lives, even our politics. We ultimately realize that the “King of kings” (1 Timothy 6:15) politically rules over all other governmental agencies in every nation, through us!
Is the church ready to equip us to participate in this rule? If so, we must lay aside fear of “offending,” “driving off,” or “diminished offerings” in order to stand for what the Bible says about civil government and who should serve in it! The church’s concern is not personal, but always biblical—who and what will bring our government back to its biblical roots in the Constitution, and how can I be involved in that process, beginning at the local level? This is the church’s message!
And it is the Kingdom message. It is the answer to the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6: 9, 10).
But as Martin Luther so wonderfully emphasized, the Kingdom—living according to God’s holy, righteous Law—is only one of the two edges of the Sword of the Word of God. The other edge is God’s full-on, unlimited, Grace. Both must be present for The Truth to be preached! “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1: 17)!
This verse contains the marching orders for the church. “For the letter (the law) kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Teaching the Law of God (Kingdom) without the Grace of God kills us spiritually; teaching the Grace of God without the Law of God (Kingdom) pacifies us, removing us from the battle as a warrior in our attack on the Gates of Hell! But John 1:17 tells us that when both edges of the Sword of the Word of God, Law and Grace, are fully functioning together, we have the TRUTH—the KINGDOM OF GOD! LAW + GRACE = TRUTH! The Kingdom is coming!.
Recently, Keith Guimta published an article in the excellent on-line publication, The Stream. In it, he said, “The current version of the American evangelical Church little resembles the supernatural heritage of our first-century, post-resurrection gatherings. This should be an instantly unifying warning for all of us.”
Let’s get back to the church that preached both Gospel and Kingdom and changed the world!
