The Culture of God’s Kingdom
Internationally known teacher Jim Mackey has recently released a new book on “How the Twenty-first Century Christian contends with cultural assimilation and the redefining of Christianity.” Jim is a beloved favorite speaker here on Dallas Prayer Mountain. Here is a timely excerpt from his book .I could not say this better. – Robert Summers
The Culture of God’s Kingdom
The transfer of my right to rule to God is the fly in the ointment for most living in America’s egalitarian democratic culture; many still resist the idea of yielding their intrinsic my-life-on-my-terms mind-set.
This yearning of God’s heart is not to be exclusionary, but it is purposely intentionally separating. He provides the opportunity for all to enter His kingdom, but it will be on His terms.
God’s redemptive plan of forgiveness, reconciliation, and restored relationship unalterably passes through into kingdom culture.
The key to redemption is not primarily a sinner’s prayer, or even asking forgiveness of sin, but rather embracing the kingdom of God (the rule of God) and the lordship of Jesus. That is, redemption is the reversal of authority and rule in one’s life. Paul said in Romans that to be “saved” a person must openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in his or her heart that God has raised Him from the dead. Redemption then follows. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans 1:9-10
The beginning point of kingdom life is a transfer of rule. He is the Lord: not me, not you, not society’s persuasive culture. The first step in my redemption is to dethrone one ruler and enthrone a new ruler over my life, God’s culture of life is not our natural preference. It is a radical and extraordinary choice, a choice not everyone can make. Every generation has had multitudes who want the benefits of the King and His kingdom, but who are unwilling to embrace the fact that as sovereign Lord He mandates life in His Kingdom be lived in harmony with His nature and character.
The missing piece to our present-day all-inclusive culture is failure to abandon a lifestyle that is contrary to God’s nature: holiness. When Jesus spoke to the woman caught in the act of adultery, He was forgiving but also requiring.
Our dominant culture loves to use one short phrase Jesus spoke during this encounter: “neither do I condemn you.” However to take note of only one part of His conversation, the words of forgiveness, is misguided in its humanly inspired attempts to allow everyone into the kingdom. Their all-inclusive form of love is inadequate to produce a changed life. To omit Jesus’ “go and sin no more” requirement, or “stop doing what you have been doing,” is failure to grasp His broader intentionality: begin a new way of living…free, yet reordered.
-from Befitting Your Majesty by Jim Mackey
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