HOLINESS ESTABLISHED IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

1
HOLINESS ESTABLISHED IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

• HOW THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD SUSTAINS THE
  MORAL LIFE AND PROVIDES UNDERSTANDING OF GOOD AND
  EVIL

2
ARE WE TO DO WHAT JESUS SAID?

• Luke 647-48
• James 125
• I John 24
• Luke 640 46

3
THE GOSPELS HEARD TODAY DO NOT PRODUCE
DISCIPLES.

• THE GOSPEL OF MERE FORGIVENESS.
• THE GOSPEL OF LIBERATION.
• THE GOSPEL OF SERVING THE CHURCH YOU TAKE CARE
  OF YOUR CHURCH AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
• ALL FAIL TO PRODUCE APPRENTICES TO JESUS IN
  KINGDOM LIVING.

4
JESUS GOSPEL

• LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD NOW IS AVAILABLE TO
  ALL WHO TURN THEIR EXISTENCE OVER TO HIM WHO
  GIVE THEIR LIFE TO GOD.
• THE MEANING OF REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE
  HEAVENS IS AT HAND. (Matt. 417 107 Luke
  1120)

5
WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS?

• IT IS THE ACTIVE AND MANIFEST PRESENCE OF GOD
  GOD REIGNING.
• IT IS WHERE WHAT GOD WANTS DONE IS DONE. THY
  KINGDOM COME
• IT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND JOY IN THE HOLY
  SPIRIT. (Rom. 1417)
• THE BIRTH FROM ABOVE TRANSFERS US INTO THE
  KINGDOM OF GOD. (John 35 Col. 113 Luke 1232)

6
LEARNING KINGDOM LIVING

• WHEN THE LIFE OF GOD MOVES IN US, WE ARE DRAWN TO
  LEARN ITS WAYS IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIFE.
• THE DISCIPLE (APPRENTICE, STUDENT) OF JESUS IS
  LEARNING FROM HIM HOW TO LIVE HIS OR HER LIFE AS
  JESUS WOULD LIVE THAT LIFE IF IT WERE HIS. THEY
  LEARN HOW TO LIVE IN THE KINGDOM.

7
The Three Main Aspects of Discipleship

• Learning to do as He did and taught.
• Learning to handle the ordinary events of daily
  life within the principles and power of Gods
  rule. (e.g. a business, a committee meeting,
  etc.)
• Learning to act in Gods power.

8
CHRISTIAN BUT NOT DISCIPLE!

• TODAY THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT YOU CAN BE A
  CHRISTIAN WITHOUT BEING A DISCIPLE. JUST A FACT!
• THAT MEANS THE CHRISTIAN DOES NOT LEARN HOW TO DO
  THE THINGS JESUS SAID.
• THE MORAL SUBSTANCE IS DRAINED OUT OF
  CHRISTIANITY AS A SOCIAL REALITY.

9
LOVE, THE HEART OF MORALITY

• LOVE WILLS THE GOOD OF WHAT IS LOVED. LOVE IS
  NOT DESIRE!
• FOR JESUS LOVE IS THE BASIC CHARACTER OF GOD AND
  THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. (Mark 1229-31 Rom.
  138-10 I Cor. 13)
• ALL THE THINGS JESUS TAUGHT US TO DO ARE
  EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE.

10
The Good Person A Matter of the Heart

• The morally good person is a person who is intent
  upon advancing the various goods of human life
  with which they are effectively in contact, in
  a manner that respects their relative degree of
  importance and the extent to which the actions
  of the person in question can actually promote
  the existence and maintenance of those goods.

11
NOW MORAL KNOWLEDGE HAS DISAPPEARED

• OUR TEACHING INSTITUTIONS, CHURCH AND
  SCHOOLESPECIALLY HIGHER EDUCATIONPROVIDES NO
  KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, RIGHT AND WRONG.
• A RESULT OF THE SOCIAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE BASIC
  TEACHINGS OF CHRISTIANITY FROM THE DOMAIN OF
  KNOWLEDGE INTO THAT OF FAITH AS AN IRRATIONAL
  LEAP OR MIRACLE.

12
WHAT KNOWLEDGE IS

• YOU KNOW SOMETHING (E.G. GOOD AND EVIL) IF YOU
  ARE ABLE TO REPRESENT IT AS IT IS ON AN
  APPROPRIATE BASIS OF THOUGHT AND EXPERIENCE.
• KNOWLEDGE CONFERS THE RIGHT TO ACT, DIRECT
  ACTION, TO FORMULATE AND ADMINISTER POLICY, AND
  TO TEACH.

13
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

• MORAL DIRECTION WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE BECOMES
  POLITICAL CORRECTNESSSIMPLY A MATTER OF PUBLIC
  PRESSURE.
• POLITICS DOES NOT REQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OR TRUTH,
  ONLY ADVOCACY.
• INCREASINGLY TODAY OUR SOCIETY IS GOVERNED BY
  ADVOCACY TRIUMPHANT.

14
RECLAIMING KNOWLEDGE

• TODAY THOSE WHO SPEAK FOR CHRIST MUST KNOW THE
  TRUTH OF WHAT THEY SPEAK AND PRESENT IT AS
  KNOWLEDGE OR REALITY.
• THEY MUST STAND AS TEACHERS OF THE NATIONS THEY
  DISCIPLE.
• THE GREAT COMISSION OF MATT. 2818-20

15
Three Parts of The Great Commission

• Make disciples, apprentices to Jesus in kingdom
  living.
• Submerge them in the Trinitarian life that flows
  in the community of disciples of Jesus. Baptism
  symbolizes this.
• Teach these disciples to do showing them how to
  do everything Jesus said.

16
SPIRITUAL RENEWAL COMES IN THE FORM OF OBEDIENCE

• THE HOUSE BUILT UPON THE ROCK OF HEARING AND
  DOING IS A LIFE OF DOING WHAT JESUS SAID.
• THAT IS WHAT FILLS OUR LIFE WITH THE REALITY OF
  THE RULE OF GOD.
• THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE ABUNDANCE OF GRACE AND OF
  THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL REIGN IN LIFE
  THROUGH THE ONE, JESUS CHRIST. (Rom. 517)

17
TOMORROW EVENING

• HOW THE INWARD DIMENSIONS OF THE
• PERSONALITY ARE TRANSFORMED TO
• YIELD ROUTINE, EASY OBEDIENCE TO
• CHRIST.