After being born again of the water and the spirit, a new life is the order for the new member of God’s kingdom. One can’t follow the sinful dictates of the world and be subject to Christ’s reign in the heart. Rightfully Jesus said that his kingdom wasn’t of the world. His way and the way of the world are at opposite ends of the pole. In Ephesians 2:19-22, Paul wrote to the Gentile Christians (the words certainly apply to life today): Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. The Ephesians were born of the water and of the Spirit and belonged to the kingdom and rule of Christ. 

Sinful living was a way of life in the Roman Empire and Paul and the other apostles had to confront it daily. The Colossians were reminded of their responsibilities in chapter 2:6-9:  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  Paul said walk in Christ which means to follow his reign and rule in their lives and to stay away from the rudiments (elements and instruction) of the world. Then in verse 20 he wrote: Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, …. Paul then continues his thought in chapter 3:1-4:  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. He went on to instruct the members not to return to their old life of sin in which they once walked and lived, verse 7.

The Word of God contrasts the old life under the dominion of the lures of earthly rule (Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: I Peter 5:8) with the new life in Christ as one is lead by God’s spirit through the reign of Christ in the new life. Paul wrote Romans 6:11-12: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  Being alive to Christ is allowing him to reign and such looking to Christ for his leadership will leave no place for sin to gain a foot hold. Either Christ will reign pointing the way to eternal life, or sin will hold sway and lead to eternal damnation. The decision is up to each individual.

One can’t be of the world and of Christ at the same time but we are in the world which is where we are to live until Christ returns. In the meantime, we are to do as Christ said, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) The world only offers the darkness of sin of the old life. Truly, Christ’s kingdom isn’t built in the mind of the worldly; the worldly can’t be part of his kingdom which resides in the heart of the believer unless the followers of the world repent; and when he said his kingdom wasn’t of this world, it isn’t any wonder that he met derision then and that believers meet derision now. Righteousness is a foreign word to those mired in sin and that is what Jesus brought to the world so that his salvation could be claimed by any who would obey. In the process, Christ condemned sin and that condemnation continues, and anyone who spurns sin and claims his righteousness and salvation will receive the wrath of the world.

06-14-2007 DEC

                Next Week   Not of This World Part III