Government

There is an essential need for the reader to understand that the institution of governments and authorities came from God. Paul, in his letter to the Roman church, writes:

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God, the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” -Romans 13:1-2

God is a triune God, so it stands to reason that He has established a triune system of authority in this present world and beyond. At the outset, in the Garden of Eden, before Adam and Eve procreated and established their own natural family, God, who is poignantly called “Father,” established a parental relationship with the Edenic couple. In so doing, the first form of government established in the original plan of God for man was the government of the spiritual family.

Subsequently, in the fourth chapter of Genesis, following their expulsion from the lavish garden, the scriptures tell us that Adam knew Eve his wife and they brought forth twins, establishing the second form of government upon the earth, the government of the natural family.

“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.” -Genesis 4:1-2

It didn’t take long for Adam’s sin to affect all of creation. The earth was soon filled with violence, which was intolerable to God. Therefore, God flooded the earth, saving only Noah and those fortunate enough to be in his company. The waters receded, and God spoke to Noah, presenting him with His own divine plan to bring order to what had become a world filled with the chaos of sin.

“And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he man.” -Genesis 9:1-6

Finally, in verse six of the previous passage, God instituted civil government as a means of bringing order to civilization. Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, speaks of the nature of God to bring order and to require order of those who seek Him.

“Let all things be done decently and in order.” -1 Corinthians 14:40

This phrase “decently and in order” very literally means “with honor, nobility, and through proper protocol.” So then we are to understand that God has an order—a protocol, which is noble and honorable for the spiritual family. God has an order—a protocol, which is noble and honorable for the natural family. God has an order—a protocol, which is noble and honorable for the citizens of every societal administration. This concept of “decently and in order” is complementary to the peace of God that is designed to preside over the corporate body of believers.

In principle, all three of these governmental systems designed and instituted by God Himself function the same naturally because all three have the same origin. What basic principles do they share? Firstly, they all share principles found in God’s love. The Bible tells us God is love, and therefore, we are to understand that everything which flows out of God, everything that has its origin in God, carries with it the principles of love.

Two Sides of Love

The scriptures reveal that God’s love can be dissected into two different categories: rewards and punishment. Most commonly, these two sides of God’s love are referred to as “love and justice,” yet this popular phraseology tends to suggest that love is altogether separate from justice. It is more accurately understood when we recognize that the concept of justice is, in fact, a description of one side of love. Another striking fact about love that further explains its connection to the concept of all three “governments” is that the New Testament explains love as an all-encompassing universal LAW. Jesus firmly stated that the LAW of the new covenant, the LAW of LOVE, superseded and encapsulated all the LAWS of Moses.

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” -Matthew 22:37-40

There are 210 distinct laws plainly written in the Bible, each carrying a blatant warning that if they are not obeyed, certain unavoidable consequences will follow. In the wake of excessive and inaccurate teaching on the subject of the “age of grace,” the following truth will be hard to accept by some. Nevertheless, here it is: 162 of these 210 commands are found, not in the Old, but in the New Testament. When we contrast this fact with what Jesus said concerning the law of love, that it encompasses and supersedes all other laws, we realize that God’s system of rewards and punishment share the same origin—love. The principle of science often referred to as “the law of first cause” harmonizes with this truth. Since we understand that God is the origin or “first cause” of all things, then we also understand that the only thing large enough to encompass all things must, in this case, be the origin of those things that are encompassed. Love is the supreme law because God is love, and He is the supreme Lawmaker.

One way of looking at love would be to say that 50% of what makes up what God calls “love” is the concept of justice. Take a dollar bill, for example. If you were to go to a cashier and attempt to purchase a soda for $1.00 using a bill that was only printed on one side, it would not be accepted on the basis that it was a poorly manufactured counterfeit. An authentic dollar bill has printing on two sides. Love, in this way, has two inseparable sides that must be embraced by man in order for such to be validated as the authentic “God kind of love.” Anything called “love” that does not embrace both sides in balance is a poorly manufactured counterfeit.

The concept of justice is consistently carried out in scripture through both rewards and punishment. The frightening thing is that popular church culture continues to push the envelope on this subject by presenting a one-sided concept of love in the pulpit. False doctrine that some have called “easy-believism” has upset the balance on this subject of love and inadvertently compromised the church’s spiritual power. It has done so by either discrediting or altogether ignoring what the New Testament says about the punishment side of God’s love revealed in the doctrines of church discipline. This is so prevalent that some reading this writing may not even know what I mean when I write about the doctrines of “church discipline.” I will explain this with great detail later. For now, let us establish this: it is God’s desire that the church remain relevant to the society that it is trying to reach. There is no question about that. It is foolish to think we should make it difficult for people to come to Christ by refusing to reach them on the level that they live. But it is an insult to God, of the worst kind, when our churches become relevant at the expense of teaching the truth, particularly the balanced truth about God’s love. The concept of “punishment” is case in point.

For example, it has become almost intolerable in many modern-day church circles to even suggest that the “God of love” would ever directly punish anyone, much less sanction the punishment of people by other people. This is the result of false teaching that only presents the “happy” parts of the Bible, holding no one accountable for their behavior. I believe the ulterior motive behind this temptation to ignore the subject of “hell,” in particular, is often carried out by deviant church leaders who seek, above all else, to have large tithing congregations. What appears to the untrained eye to be a minister with a “heart for the people” is actually a subtle and deceptive perversion of the genuine, for what is presented as a desire to “lovingly soothe the troubled flock of God” is little more than the act of itch-scratching. (I remember reading a story one time about an actual sheep farm where a boy took a lamb as a pet. This lamb, not too unlike most dogs and cats, loved to be scratched under its chin.) What is soon discovered by such deviant ministers is that their willingness to scratch is quickly welcomed by those who have terrible itching problems in the ears. This should not surprise us, for this last-day trend was foreseen by the Apostle Paul when he wrote to his apprentice in ministry.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” -2 Timothy 4:3

When a church ceases to teach the whole counsel of the Bible, they really cease to be a true church in the eyes of God. When they cease to be a true church, they forfeit their right to claim the promise of Jesus in Matthew 16:18 when He said to Peter, “…I will build MY church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” You see, when a minister stops cooperating with Jesus, he inadvertently makes that church the property of man and walks away from Jesus’ promise to “build HIS church.” When a minister no longer has Jesus as his “building partner, ” he is forced to “build” the church through concession with the desires of the people he has obtained and gimmicks that will attract those he has not. The false shepherd is content to scratch the itch, in contrast with the good shepherd, who is unsatisfied until he cures the “rash.”

3 Governments — 1 Universal Law

The three forms of government God has placed in this world were designed to share the same fundamental principles because they have the same origin. Therefore, the justice side of love must be carried out in the local church ( government of the spiritual family), manifesting itself through both rewards and punishment. The justice side of love must be carried out in the home (natural family), through both rewards and punishment. The justice side of love must also be carried out in the civil government through both rewards and punishment. All three levels of government operate on the same transcendent principles.

In a culture where society claims spanking is the act of a deviant and uneducated parent, it is no wonder that many Christians, influenced by the world, shun the sane teachings of scripture that clearly express the subject of church discipline as a manifestation of God’s love. Even more so do some reject the “audacious” belief that hell is a manifestation of God’s love. “How could a loving God punish finite men throughout eternity for sins committed in such short-lived little lives?” some protest. “Surely it is not reasonable to believe that a God of love would punish a mere man forever and ever because of how he lived during such a short span on earth!”

To tell you the truth, hell is very much a manifestation of God’s love. Yes, you read correctly. Hell is a manifestation of God’s love. Allow me to illustrate: If your child were to be attacked by some sort of pervert and physically harmed during such an assault, you would immediately leap to their defense and agree whole-heartedly that such a criminal be punished for his crime. Furthermore, nearly all sane individuals agree that such a degenerate person should be separated from the rest of society for the common good of other innocent children who would no doubt be victimized, as your child was, in the event that such a person was left to run loose on the streets. It would be equally true that your desire to protect your children from evil by capturing, punishing, and ultimately separating this criminal from the rest of society would be an act of reasonable parental love.

The same is true of God our Father. The Father understands sin to be a crime that fatally wounds His children. Sin, to God, is much more dangerous and evil than any human agent of crime. For this reason, God must punish those who use their own free will to unite with sin and carry out sin’s endless transgressions. Ultimately, those who choose sin over Jesus Christ must have their free moral agency honored with permanent separation from heaven, where God’s children will reside.

A good and loving parent would NEVER entertain the morose idea of inviting a murderer over for dinner with their family. The protests from others would go something like this: “How could you expose your children to such a freak!? What kind of lousy excuse for a parent are you anyway!?” Nor would a good and loving Father God allow fellowship in heaven between those who have chosen to unite with sin and those who have shunned the same. In the moment sin is permitted to fellowship with those in heaven, God ceases to be a God of love because He would cease to be a God of justice. In this way, hell is very accurately called a “manifestation of God’s love.”

Punishments and Rewards

Love is expressed in this fallen world through both punishments and rewards. The Bible teaches that if we love our children, we will punish them when they do wrong. More explicitly, the Bible states that if we spare the rod of correction, so far as God is concerned, we “hate” our children. (See Proverbs 13:24.) The Bible places even-handed emphasis on punishments and rewards in the following passage:

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the NURTURE and ADMONITION of the Lord.” -Ephesians 6:4

There is a “nurturing” side to parental love and there is an “admonishment” side. A parent who only offers discipline and correction when a child does wrong, but neglects to offer praise and rewards when a child does right, mishandles their parental duty and ultimately provokes the child into more rebellion. This act is forbidden because it does not reflect how God rears His children. A similar charge could be made against those who only praise the child for doing right, yet neglect to confront when the child does wrong. This type of parenting breeds spoiled brats! So in the government of the natural family, love is manifested through both punishments and rewards. To fail to punish is to fail to love. Likewise, to fail to reward is to fail to love. Love has two sides. Any imbalance between punishments and rewards found in the natural family ultimately destroys that family’s corporate peace.

The principle of God’s love expressed through both punishments and rewards is plainly cited in civil government as well.

“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the PUNISHMENT of evildoers, and for the PRAISE of them that do well.” -1 Peter 2:13-14

If civil government were to function in no more than castigation and retribution, it would exist as an oppressive tyranny. Then again, if civil government merely exercised their power in the arena of commendations and rewards, it would produce an utterly perverted quagmire of socialism resulting in an impoverished welfare state. Any imbalance between punishments and rewards found in the governments of society ultimately destroys any hope for public peace.

These same principles are true for the institution of the government of the spiritual family, which is the government of the church. The church is required to function under the premise of New Testament LAW—the LAW of love. Love is meted out through both punishments and rewards. Herein lies the foundational problem with many local churches; they do not walk in the balance of love as the Bible commands. Contrary to the pop-culture of watered-down pulpits, which only presents the forgiving and embracing side of God’s love, God DOES require obedience to His laws, and we are plainly COMMANDED to uphold God’s standards by holding one another accountable for sin. The scriptures show us how to initially approach a brother in sin. The initial step is gentle, yet assertive. If this approach fails, “Plan B” is waiting in the wings. We will discuss how to “take it to the next level” later on in this writing, but to begin, let’s view the style of the initial approach as seen in the following verses:

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” -Galatians 6:1

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed .” -James 5:16

“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” -2 Timothy 2:25-26

As a believer, you are afforded the authority to caringly confront another who is taken in a fault. Why do you have this authority? Because the previous three verses give it to you. The source of all authority comes from God, and with respect to this issue of personal confrontation, authority to confront fellow believers is clearly granted to us in His Word. Being a true “peacemaker” requires us to be willing to confront one another when necessary, and it requires that we do so in the proper way. “Peacemakers” must learn how to follow the law of love which, in scripture, is presented in a very plain, balanced fashion with regard to the local church. Any imbalance between punishments and rewards found in the government of the local church (spiritual family) ultimately devastates that church’s ability to function in corporate peace.

To summarize what we have ascertained so far, the scriptures teach that when a child is not punished appropriately in the home, the entire family will be defiled. (See 1 Samuel 3:13 and Proverbs 13:24.) The scriptures teach that when a fellow- believer, fallen into gross sin, is not punished appropriately in the local church, that entire church body is defiled, for Paul warned, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” (See 1 Corinthians 5:6-12 and Galatians 5:9.) Finally, the scriptures teach us that when a criminal is not punished appropriately by civil government, the entire state is defiled. (See Numbers 35:30-33.)

Transversely, when a father learns what the Bible says with regard to rearing children and begins to apply it, it brings unprecedented stability and peace upon the whole family. When a pastor learns what the Bible says with regard to shepherding the local church and begins to apply it, it brings unprecedented stability and peace upon the entire flock. When a municipal government learns what the Bible says with regard to governance of the people and begins to apply it, it brings extraordinary stability and peace to the state and nation.

There is much to be said on this issue of love in the local assembly, in particular. Meanwhile, we should place ourselves in remembrance of the fact that Romans, Chapter 13 lucidly discloses that all three tiers of governmental authority originated in God. The same chapter also unmistakably says that when men resist governmental authority, God takes it very personally and states, “You are openly resisting Me!”

A Kingdom of Peace

The concept of authority has always been. The concept of authority will always be. Even during the millennial kingdom and ages to come, the institution of delegated authority will “decently order” God’s kingdom. When the scriptures teach us that during those days we will “rule and reign with Christ,” that is exactly what they mean. The standard of delegated authority and submission to that delegation will truly bring “peace on earth” and “goodwill toward men” as never before.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” -Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah so clearly establishes the inalienable connection of God’s coming millennial government and its chief characterization as an endless administration of peace. Isaiah says that Jesus will “order and establish” His kingdom with “judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever,” further illustrating the fact that justice is a manifestation of love and a hallmark prerequisite for kingdom peace. As Adam was originally created to partner with God in the business of this world before he fell into sin, so we, through the completed work of Christ, will pick up the baton where Adam dropped it so long ago, and partner with Christ in this kingdom of peace by each accepting the delegated roles of king and priest. As Christ rules supreme, we shall rule as princes.

“Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.” -Isaiah 32:1

“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” -Revelation 5:10

“But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” -Daniel 7:18

There will always be the principle of submission to authority. I believe the scriptures make it quite clear that governmental authority will be rearranged and reordered at the judgment seat of Christ. Jesus taught us that how we live here in this life determines how we shall live in the life to come. In other words, how we live life here determines where we fit in the delegated authority system of God’s kingdom eternally.

Some will no doubt oversee worlds, others one world; some nations, others one nation; some regions, others one region; some districts, others one district; some cities, others one city; some small towns, others one town; some villages, others one village; and on down the line of delegated authority.

If you still haven’t crucified your flesh and find the discussion of such biblical teachings on submission very irritating to the residual rebellion which still affects the formation of your opinions, you will not appreciate this next statement, even though to God it is glorious, perfect, and magnificent! Are you ready? Here it is.

Throughout the eternal ages to come, as we rule and reign with Jesus in His kingdom of peace both on this earth and throughout the universe, there will never come a day when you will be so “free in God” that you will be able to look at another one of God’s children whom God has set above you in spiritual rank, and say, “That’s just your opinion! I don’t have to answer to you. I only have to answer to Jesus!”

For just as it is true in this present world, it shall be true of the world which is to come; if you truly answer to Jesus Christ as Lord of life, then you must also answer to those whom HE HAS SET OVER YOU in His present-day kingdom, the CHURCH! I assure you that regardless of how self-sufficient and successful you may feel, if no one is actively “over” you, then you are kidding yourself to claim you are “submitted” to Jesus Christ; for you can’t enter His kingdom claiming bona fide citizenship while simultaneously refusing two of the very foundational traits used to authenticate man’s right to heavenly residence—humility and submission. I might also add that it is much easier to claim “humility and submission” when one stands before an all-powerful and perfect God. (After all, when compared to Him, your human frailty and shortcomings are beyond obvious. It requires a particularly heightened form of extraordinary pride for a man to demonstrate a lack of humility and submission before the Creator of the universe.) Transversely, it is much easier, and far more common, for men to show a lack of humility and submission when interacting with one another.

Having said that, what God requires as proof of the genuineness of your humility and submission is a willingness to express humility and submission, not only to Him, but TO YOUR FELLOW MAN. Only then, when we reveal the character of God in interaction with OTHER FLAWED HUMAN BEINGS can we claim, with any integrity, to possess the authentic, proper credentials that validate our citizenship to His kingdom.

To illustrate this truth, I walked up to my younger brother, Pastor Chace Gordon, during a Sunday evening service at my home church, and slapped him across the face. As he sat there, looking back at me with a bit of a startled smirk, you could hear the congregation gasp with shock. Some folks burst out laughing, while others sat in consternation waiting for me to explain my actions. I shouted at him, “You’re a Christian, right?” He responded with a bit of implied warning, “For now.” The congregation erupted with laughter. I retorted, “Then you MUST forgive me! You see, my relationship with your face is DIFFERENT than my relationship with you!” By now the congregation was thoroughly confused, yet I had their complete attention. I then turned back toward my brother and gave him another good whack across his face. (I admit this was quite fun. ) The church folks were becoming quite tickled to see his facial expressions. Once more I shouted, “Do you claim to be a Christian?” He responded, with a bit of a drone, “I suppose.” I said again, “Then you MUST forgive me! My relationship with your face is DIFFERENT than my relationship with you!” I continued, “Hold out the palm of your hand.” (Of course, he didn’t do it right away. He just sort of glared at me.) The people by now were roaring with laughter because they knew what was coming. I demanded again, “Come on! Get it out there! You Christians are supposed to offer a ‘helping hand,’ aren’t you?” Very gingerly, he held out his hand, and I proceeded to smack his palm real good. I shouted a third time, “My relationship with your hand is different than my relationship with you!”

The Bible clearly tells us that we are the “body of Christ.” In the same context, the Apostle Paul declares, “And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.” (See 1 Corinthians 12:21.) Moreover, Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 25:40: “…Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

My point is this: we cannot refuse our connection to parts of Jesus’ body and attempt to claim we love Him. Our relationship to His hands, His face, and His feet is one and the same with our relationship to Him. The church is the body of Christ. If we are submitted to Him, we must reveal submission to His church. The connection we are required to have with one another on this earth is INSEPARABLE from our connection with His lordship. This divine and wondrous relationship will carry on throughout the ages of infinity. We will always be “one” in Him. This, however, is only true of those who choose to be “one” with His church now—during life on earth.

Workers of Iniquity

It is my personal belief that each time a man or woman bucks against delegated authority in this life, he or she drops another notch in the government of God that they could have enjoyed in the life to come. The Bible says:

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” -Galatians 6:7

You see, if a man lives his life on earth unwilling to submit to others, it is impossible to believe that God will require anyone to submit to that same man in the life to come. Rebellion in the life of a believer truly works men right down the “food chain” of God’s government until such men hit bottom. Then, at the judgment seat, they discover in terror that they have bucked their way right out of heaven. Jesus spoke of this issue in the following passages of scripture:

“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” -Matthew 18:3

Jesus goes on to say in another place concerning those who think they are “saved,” but are not:

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work INIQUITY.” -Matthew 7:21-23

The clincher of God’s rejection of these poor souls is that they not only believed they were saved, but actually functioned in legitimate good works. Interestingly enough, their claims to have “prophesied in thy name” and “in thy name have cast out devils” is neither corrected nor disputed by our Lord. These self-righteous men and women discover to their horror, in the public view of all saints present at the judgment, that though they truly believed they were in the family of God, they are lost forever. It is the premise for which they are dismissed to eternal damnation that should send chills down every believer’s spine. God rejects these at the judgment on the basis that they “work iniquity.” “Iniquity” is the Greek word “anomia,” meaning “illegality, a violation of law.” More specifically, this word “iniquity” is described as “lawlessness” by some scholars. Again, Jesus warns His followers of the same grave danger as He tells the parable of the master of the house:

“But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of INIQUITY.” -Luke 13:27

Which Government Has Been Violated?

The question we must ask here has to do with what form of “lawlessness” Jesus is talking about. Having established in this writing thus far that there are three forms of government present in our world, which “laws” have these poor souls so trounced and refused that they are justifiably damned to hell? Surely the government of the natural family is not the place where these sinners have so offended God. Surely we can’t believe that these deceived people are damned to hell on the basis of their insufficiency as parents. If God would reject men and women who worked good works, cast out demons, and prophesied in the name of Jesus, on the basis that they were not good parents, then what hope do any parents have? No, this is not the form of government in which these hellions have worked rebellion against God’s law. Could it be that these persons who are shocked by the gavel of eternal condemnation discover in revulsion that they are bound for hell on the basis that they have refused to obey the laws of civil government? In the context, this doesn’t seem plausible. Would a person who truly believed they were saved—who actively worked good works, casting out demons and prophesying in the name of Jesus on the weekends—simultaneously live a life of crime Monday through Saturday, and think that they were okay? This is absurd. If, then, it is not the government of the natural family whose laws have been broken in lifestyle, and if it is not the civil government whose laws have been so offensively ignored, then we are left with only one government, and within that government, one supreme law. These deceived men and women are sent to hell on the basis that they lived out their feigned Christian lives without ever submitting to God’s delegated authority found in the government of the spiritual family. By doing so, they committed an eternal crime against the supreme eternal law… the law of love. A refusal to submit to those over us in the Lord is a violation of love as it is described in the thirteenth chapter of Corinthians.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. ” -1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)

Greatest in the Kingdom

In principle, Jesus was teaching the disciples that rank in the Kingdom of God would be determined differently than how it is often determined in this present world. The disciples came and asked Jesus in Matthew 18:1, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” It is interesting to notice that Jesus did not rebuke them for asking this question about the kingdom, nor did He correct them for desiring to be a part of it. Rather, Jesus explained to them how their place in His kingdom (primarily characterized by peace) would be decided.

“But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” -Matthew 23:11

The question of how each man and woman is placed into the authority structure of God’s eternal kingdom is decided on a very personal level within each of our souls. Whoever better lives a life of submissive servitude will be given the greatest position in the kingdom to come. In other words, those who, in this life, best demonstrate submissiveness to authority, which is an act of God-like love, will be given the greatest authority over others in the next. It stands to reason, because those who walk in submission to authority here are prone to the production of peace. Those who buck against authority take such peace away. In this future kingdom, which is consistently and chiefly called a “kingdom of peace,” those who best walked in peace here will be placed into a glorious place of leadership by the Prince of Peace, who will rule and reign there.

“And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” -Daniel 7:27

When a man refuses to obey the law of love by yielding to rebellion, it could be said of him that by doing so he works his way down the chain of vacancies in God’s delegated authority system until there is simply no place for him found in the coming kingdom of God. After all, the Bible does tell us that “God would that all might be saved.” This is evidenced by the fact that ALL have their names written in the Book of Life at birth. It is only after choosing sin over God that such have their names “blotted out” or erased from the pages of the Book of Life. (See Revelation 3:5 and Exodus 32:33) We would also do well to understand that it is possible for one who has been saved to turn away from Christ and suffer the very same consequence through rebellion. (See Hebrews 6:4-8) The simplicity of what constitutes people of “rebellion” is that they won’t submit to and obey their leaders. Non-repentant, rebellious people are not qualified to enter heaven.

A fact demonstrated in the ministries of both Jesus and Paul has perplexed scholars for centuries. Both men, living in a culture ensconced with the institution of slavery, had such power and authority in their teachings, yet neither of the two condemned slavery in any recorded address either public or private. However, both men took the time to teach slaves how to be slaves, “as unto the Lord.” Today we all agree that slavery, in principle, is wrong. Christianity has been recognized as the single greatest influence, largely responsible for the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation into law in the United States. This proclamation, given during the administration of President Abraham Lincoln, eventually freed slaves from coast to coast. Yet, the two most prominent men of the Bible NEVER took the opportunity to condemn it, but instead taught how to be proper Christian slaves? Why? How could this be? 1 Timothy 6:1 instructs the slave to treat their unsaved and consequently unfair masters with proper respect and due service. 1 Timothy 6:2 instructs how slaves should treat their CHRISTIAN owners!? What? CHRISTIAN slave owners! Is this possible?

In the worldview of God, it is far more important for a man to serve in bondage with HUMILITY AND SUBMISSION than for a man to embrace independence haughtily, unwilling to submit to anyone in the name of “personal liberty.” Again, it is difficult for us to fathom many spiritual truths because we have been so indoctrinated with the philosophies of democracy. This little nugget of truth serves as a good reminder that we have great need of a theocratic mentality in order to even comprehend scripture, much less run the local church.

The Divine Order of Things

There is an order to all things that is pleasing to the Lord. Since we understand that God in His sovereignty designed that there be three governments operating at the same time in this present age, then it is important to understand how these three are designed to work alongside each other. If we are going to understand this, then we should first consider the “order” in which they were established in the beginning:

1. Government of the Spiritual Family

2. Government of the Natural Family

3. Civil Government

First and foremost, God established the government of the spiritual family. This government was God’s original perfect plan for the ordering of the universe. Had Adam and Eve chosen to refrain from sin, the family of God would have multiplied without any contamination. All of humanity would have “walked with God in the cool of the day.” God would have remained physically visible to man, and the joy of our relationship with the Father of heaven would have been awe-inspiring. Moreover, the government of the natural family would have never been recognized in the way that it is presently. We understand, through what Jesus said of the next life, that the natural family will cease to continue as we now understand it. This is not to say that when we arrive in heaven we will lose the beautiful love that we shared in our families back on earth. Rather, our present relationships will pale in comparison to what we shall become.

“For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.” -Mark 12:25

Also, had Adam and Eve passed the moral test, civil government would have surely never been born; for civil government was born out of lawlessness, to bring order to a fallen and chaotic world.

The government of the spiritual family was and still is the sovereign choice of God and the supreme government to come. We currently live in a strange dispensation; because through Jesus Christ, the institution of the spiritual family was reestablished in the earth. Lost through sin, this government was left unreachable by mankind between the time of Adam’s sin to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the government which we presently refer to as the “Church,” of whom Christ is the Head. Our dispensation is unique and strange in that, through Christ, all three governments (spiritual, natural, and civil) must coexist. This is a marvelous plan and one that can work if the church will take its place “seated in heavenly places.”

Secondly, after sin’s expulsion and the Edenic couple’s loss of relationship with God, the government of the spiritual family was replaced with a subordinate level of government, the government of the natural family. God instituted this form of government in the wake of Adam and Eve’s verdict of death. He knew that the only way humanity could continue to exist would be through Adam’s posterity, so the government of the natural family was founded for procreation and the continuation of the human race. With the promise that someday man would be elevated through a Savior and allowed to return to the original plan of God, spiritual family government, God instituted sacrifice. Sacrifice pointed Adam’s offspring toward the promise of One who would “crush” the serpent’s head. Ultimately, sacrifice was the pathway through which all mankind could eventually recover the right to participate in the kingdom of God as a part of God’s spiritual family government.

So the natural family was established inferior to the spiritual family, and no sooner had Adam explained to his twin boys the importance of sacrifice than this form of government began to break down. Cain and Abel embodied the breakdown of the government of the natural family when one of the brothers disobeyed God’s requirements for sacrifice. Cain wanted to serve God on his own terms and was unwilling to submit to God’s SPIRITUAL governmental authority. By refusing to offer proper sacrifices, Cain turned away from the very bridge that would someday restore man’s hope to enter God’s spiritual government. Abel, however, was eager to serve God and longed to return to the government of the spiritual family that his parents once enjoyed.

God honored Abel’s submission to the laws of the natural family. He honored Abel’s recognition of the only valid pathway through which man hoped to return to the higher spiritual government. But God refused Cain as a “worker of iniquity” —more explicitly, one who desired to serve God “on his own terms.” The breakdown of spiritual family government in the Edenic couple’s sin led to the breakdown of natural family government when Cain killed his own brother in a fit of rage and jealousy. In Adam’s sin, the government of the spiritual family was violated. Then through Cain’s sin, the government of the natural family was violated.

Cain’s murderous action caused spiritual fallout across human civilization which resulted in human history’s first anarchy. Man literally went out of control and all but completely ignored the institution of sacrifice as the only hope for man’s return to the government of the spiritual family that once reigned in the Garden of Eden. Genesis tells us that the earth was filled with crime, perversion, and murder…with the exception of one lone prophet of God named Noah.

God wiped out universal anarchy with the infamous flood of Genesis, Chapter 7, sparing only Noah, his immediate family, and the remnant of animals aboard the ark. As soon as Noah hit dry land in Genesis, Chapter 9, God instituted the third and lowest form of government—human, civil government.

Thousands of years later, through Jesus, God’s spiritual government was not only restored, but improved as it took on the form of what is now known as the church of the living God. Today, as natural families find Jesus Christ through the ministry of the church (spiritual family) and begin to submit to the law of the spiritual family—love—the natural family is realigned and discovers its own proper order. Parents learn from the spiritual family how to “decently order” their natural family through the law of love. When this marvelous bonding takes place between these two forms of governments, the natural result is an effect which sweeps across the landscape of human, civil government. Municipal government begins to be shaped by the influential authority of the natural family. Why? Because they have discovered eternal truth by submission to the spiritual family. When these three forms of government find their proper alignment, a lasting peace presides and brings order and decency to an otherwise chaotic, crazy, and sin-laden planet.

The Perspective of Jesus

The government of the spiritual family was the highest form of government at the dawn of time and it remains the highest form of government today. The government of the church takes precedence, in the eyes of God, over the government of the natural family and civil government. This fact is consistent with the entire Bible and is firmly reinforced by Jesus in Matthew, Chapter 12:

“While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand with-out, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” -Matthew 12:46-50

Jesus clearly believed and taught that the government of the Kingdom of God was supreme, even over the physical government of the natural family. If we are to honor the teachings of Jesus Christ, we must submit ourselves to this fact. Additionally, the divine order among these three governments that coexist in one world is made compulsory by the law which states:

“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” -1 Timothy 3:15

Source of Authority

Romans, the thirteenth chapter, confirms that all three forms of government originated in God. So we are to understand that the government of the spiritual family derives its source of authority from the written laws of God concerning how the spiritual family should conduct itself. Furthermore, we are to understand that the government of the natural family derives its source of authority from the written laws of God concerning how the natural family should conduct itself. Lastly, the third and lowest form of government—civil government—derives its source of authority from the written laws of God concerning how it should conduct itself. Unbeknownst to many who serve in civil government, the Bible addresses jurisprudence, taxation, social responsibility, law enforcement and any number of other subjects directing the flow of proper municipal governance. Finis Dake writes, “No activity is ignored in its [the Bible’s] pages. In matters of government, the home; in fact, in every sphere it is unequaled for wisdom and instruction. Nothing can be added or taken away. It gives instruction to the lawmakers and gives counsel to the magistrate. It cautions the witness, requires an impartial verdict of the jury, and furnishes the judge with the sentence. It tells the wife how to manage the home, and the husband how to rule the household… It prescribes and limits the power of a sovereign and master, and commands subjects and servants to obey…It defends the rights of all, and reveals vengeance to every oppressor.”

The three authority structures created by God to order this fallen world (the government of the spiritual family, the government of the natural family, and civil government) work together like a well-oiled machine when all three operate within their biblical parameters. The problems begin when one area fails to obey its scriptural mandate. The Bible gives thorough instructions to all three forms of government. To the spiritual family is given a beautiful and comprehensive blueprint for building an efficient, healthy, and powerful local church through peace. To the natural family is given a thoroughly furnished set of guidelines on how to parent, as well as how to be a husband or wife. To the civil government is given unparalleled sensible instructions and parameters by precept and example. All three derive their right to exist from the written Word of God, but cease to function in peace when those parameters are sidestepped, ignored, “re-interpreted, ” or misaligned.

For example, it was never in the plan of God for the civil government to care for the needy, the hurting, and the unemployed. The mentality which places responsibility for these types of things upon the government is inappropriate according to the parameters set for civil government in the scriptures. (This is one reason why socialism is such a poor form of government and should never be endorsed by Christians.) You see, social programs are the duty of the spiritual family government (the church), not the civil government. When one form of government fails to carry out its predetermined role in the earth by shirking responsibility, the other two are left trying to fix a problem they were never equipped by God to deal with. The results are disastrous. The function of civil government is clearly shown in the scriptures to fulfill the purpose of providing order and protection for the citizens by carrying out the “ministry of retribution.” This is to be contrasted with the church’s purpose of carrying out the “ministry of reconciliation.”

“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he [civil authority] is the MINISTER of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the MINISTER OF GOD, a REVENGER to EXECUTE WRATH upon him that doeth evil.” -Romans 13 3-4

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us [the church] the MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. ” -2 Corinthians 5:18

When the government tries to deal with social troubles, it creates new problems in society as quickly as it alleviates others. Why? Because in doing so, it has left the boundaries of its source of authority. For example, look at the devastating effect the socialistic welfare system has had upon both the Indian-American and African-American communities. All one need do is simply drive through a predominantly ethnic neighborhood to see the tragic results of the socialist welfare mentality. Welfare is the result of a doctrinally anemic church failing to obey its complete purpose in the earth. It is not the design of God for the civil government to be the sole source for solving social problems.

“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.” -Acts 4:32

While the phrase “had all things in common” has been incorrectly presented by some as evidence that “socialism and/or communism are forms of government endorsed by God,” in the light of what we have uncovered so far, we should early understand that this verse actually describes the characteristics of a church walking in the power, not of socialism or communism, but of corporate peace. This particular church is said to have been “of one heart” and “of one soul,” and neither portrayal, historically speaking, has ever been true of socialistic or communistic societies. Furthermore, the phrase “had all things in common” is a direct reference to this body of believers’ unselfish state of mind, not their political persuasion. After all, how is it that the local church is said to attain the power of unity on a corporate level?

“Endeavouring to keep the UNITY of the Spirit in the BOND of PEACE.” -Ephesians 4:3

The Government of the Socialist

Socialism is contrary to the ways of God because it attempts to reach a utopian state where ALL people are provided with life’s necessities through the elimination of social classes, specifically what is called the “hierarchy.” It is believed by the socialist that the redistribution of wealth upon all men in equal sum is the most righteous act of a government. Since heaven itself is based upon the principles of a perfect “hierarchy,” little needs to be said with regard to this fundamentally blatant error. This idealist concept of providing “free” food, housing, healthcare, and education, however well-meaning it may seem, flies in the face of God’s love laws, primarily by rewarding sin. To say that “ALL men are NOT industrious” would be an understatement, and God forbids that lazy men should be pampered and rewarded. Jesus’ words entirely trounce the socialist mindset when He states the following:

“For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.” -Matthew 13:12

Socialism strives for a pseudo-equality, yet it was Jesus, after all, who taught that men WOULD NOT live equally in heaven, but that there would be those who were called the “least” of the kingdom as much as there would be those who were called the “greatest.” (See Matthew 5:19.) If this is true of heaven, and heaven is perfect, then the socialist may be among the most arrogant of their kind, for they suggest the ability to outperform the very kingdom of heaven in the arena of what they call “fairness.”

In these ways, socialists actually create poverty by undermining incentive and rewarding inactivity with unearned income benefits. Since it is the sinful nature of man to follow the path of least resistance and self-gratification, men who are guaranteed income (only on the basis of having been born) are less likely to produce inventions, cures, and technology for the betterment of others in society, all of which are produced through diligence and hard work. When they need only to enjoy eating, drinking, and merriment in order to live a comfortable life of government handouts, why would they subject themselves to the strain of an occupation? Consider the Apostle Paul’s words as he addressed persons in the early church who mooched off the church community.

“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

Socialism is also wrong in that its tenets assume that “wealthy” people (apparently anyone who has more money than a socialist) are inherently “greedy” and must have made their money through the exploitation of the poor. As quickly as the socialist accuses the capitalist of being “greedy” one might just as easily remind the socialist of his own intrinsic envy. While there have no doubt been men who have made money at the expense of others, the scriptures teach us that men can also achieve prosperity through hard-working obedience and perseverance, while simultaneously caring for the poor in a spirit of generosity. Cornelius, the centurion of Acts 10:1-2, is case in point.

The Government of the Church

Furthermore, socialism is contrary to the design of God for civil government because it attempts to replace the function of the church in the earth with itself. The Bible provides the church, not a socialist civil authority, with the guidelines for administering financial and social assistance. For instance, 1 Timothy 5:9-13 establishes the requirements by which widows are to be enrolled in a church relief program. They are as follows:

1) The widow must be at least 60 years old and can only have been married once.

2) They need to have maintained a good reputation among the rest of the church family.

3) They must have reared their children properly according to the biblical standard set for Christian parents.

4) They must have been hospitable to strangers and entertained guests in their home. (Give and it shall be given unto you.)

5) They must be humble, with a servant’s heart, evidenced by their willingness to wash the feet of other believers.

6) They must have a reputation for having helped others when they had needs.

7) They are required to have shown diligence in their work ethic.

These seven prerequisites for social assistance further illustrate God’s system of law called “love.” The side of love which embraces and accepts a person is seen addressing the need for caring assistance to be given to widows who have endured the loss of their loved ones. But the side of love which brings about justice in the eyes of God also reveals what kind of widows the local church should NOT assist. God’s love is not only seen through acceptance but also in His rejection. You see, love would never reward sin. Love does not give handouts to persons who have reaped a harvest of poverty through the disobedience of laziness, only to clamor for relief in the name of “Christian love. “Therefore, when a local church gives financial assistance to persons known for gossip and discord, the pastor responsible for giving them aid is, in the eyes of God, endorsing sin by applying inappropriate assistance. It removes consequences that would otherwise serve to train the sinner “the hard way.” These biblical principles which address social action aren’t “hard-hearted, ” “unloving,” “harsh,” “begrudging,” “self-righteous,” “bigoted,” or any of the other wrongful titles they are often given by the willfully ignorant, for they are the will of God Himself, and He is the antithesis of all the choice words just listed.

Imagine the enormous lawsuit the A.C.L.U. would file against the federal government if they attempted to abide by these God-given requirements before handing out social aid packages, and I think you’ll understand the problems that we get into when we support socialistic political platforms. Take these seven stipulations placed upon church widows seeking financial and/or social care that were given by the church fathers and contrast them with the stipulations set forth in the American welfare system, and you’ll find pointed disagreement. You see, God WILL NOT TOLERATE the rewarding of sin. It was and is expected today, that as a member of the church, you SHALL NOT receive financial assistance or otherwise when you have not lived right. Yet as America has succumbed to the socialist influence of Europe, the more children that an American woman has out of wedlock, the more financial aid she is given.

Consider the results of the natural family shirking their responsibilities. Men (in many cases boys) with the self-control of a stray dog, impregnate women for whom they care nothing about and leave them to rear their children fatherless. When the children aren’t reared properly, because the mother has become the breadwinner by default, this causes problems in the community. So what happens? The government and/or the church must step in and attempt to salvage what is left of the poorly trained children; otherwise, they are left to face a hostile world without the necessary tools for success. It is neither the church’s nor the civil government’s place to meddle with child rearing. The outcome is rarely a glorious story of miraculous human achievement; it is often a story of utter failure.

The scenarios are endless. Corporate peace is only practical on a large scale when these three governments have found their proper place in the world and stay in line with the Word of God. So how does this realignment take place? It begins with the highest form of government and works its way down the line until all three are realigned. The CHURCH MUST FIRST TAKE THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE, “seated at the right hand of the Father” in Christ Jesus. The cross of Jesus was the beginning of the restorative realignment process. The Bible prophesies that this process will finalize in the grand culmination of Christ’s return to the earth at the close of the tribulation. It is then that He will set up His earthly millennial kingdom.

To this some have said, “Why should we bother with trying to correct a world that the Bible predicts will be uncorrectable outside of the return of Christ?” The answer is found in asking another similar question: Should we continue to preach and act against murder when we know that we will never be able to prevent it from occurring? How many murders do you suppose have occurred since the day God inscribed that particular one of the Ten Commandments? Perhaps God wasted His time? Here is another question: Should we continue to support the efforts of law enforcement to stop drug trafficking when we all recognize the reality that the problem is bigger than what law enforcement is able to handle? The answer, of course, to both of these questions is a resounding “YES!”

It is true that “universal peace” will never encompass the globe until the return of Christ. So why should we display such a characteristic? Why should we “waste our time” trying to improve a failing world? Because Jesus, speaking to folks who lived in the same messed-up world as you and I do, said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” It is our very nature. It is who we are. It is a sign in the road on the way to destruction that flashes “TURN AROUND” to the endangered pilgrim. And if it be the choice of my neighbor to run toward his own destruction, then let it be said that he did so with me pulling, kicking, and screaming behind him the entire way.

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” -Galatians 5:14

A Present-Day Mandate

As we study the scriptures peering through the lens of Bible history and Bible prophecy, we can begin to understand what needs to take place in the timeline where we live. For example, as I pointed out at the beginning of this chapter, the order in which all three forms of government were created is a reflection of the order in which they should be prioritized by the believer today. Jesus recognized and taught that the government of the spiritual family was to have first place in the lives of Christians. Why did He teach this? Because when He came to earth, spiritual government had been reduced to a seething brood of ignorant, self-absorbed religionists. The institution of the spiritual family was at best third place in the mentality of man and at worst nonexistent. In the beginning, it was through the entrance of sin into the world that the three God-ordained forms of government were reversed from their proper order. The most preeminent form of government in the eyes of man became civil government; after that, the natural family; and lastly, if at all, spiritual government. God’s divine order was turned on its head.

This same mentality, brought on by Satan himself, is prevalent today—perhaps even more so in these last days in which we live. What’s worse is that many Christians don’t even recognize that this mentality has gripped them as much as the unbeliever. This is evidenced by many Christians who believe their child’s tee-ball games are important enough to miss church if necessary. After all, that’s what “good” parents do, right? WRONG! I’ve experienced folks who let their teenager miss a youth service on a Wednesday night so that they could go see a movie at the theater instead! Not only do such parents fail to teach their children proper life priorities, they actually go so far as to reinforce a secular worldview. It doesn’t stop there either. Later, the same parents want to bring their kids in to me for counseling because they “can’t figure out what’s wrong with their teens!”

Furthermore, before sin entered the garden, the divine order of man, created in the image and after the likeness of God Himself, was firstly spirit; secondly soul; and lastly body. But upon the introduction of sin into the world, the divine order, just as with God’s plan for government, was diametrically reversed. After the fall, Satan reversed God’s order and upset the original plan of God for man. The natural order of all things became (and still is for those who resist God) firstly, body; secondarily, soul; and lastly, spirit. It stands to reason then that the entire Christian experience, now in our day, could be summed up as a voyage toward the accomplishment of placing our upside-down thinking, walking, and talking back into its proper biblical order. We have a present-day mandate as the church to bring order to chaos, clarity to confusion, and peace to the storms. The hindrance against our mandate is that we cannot bring peace to others until we first have reordered our own personal lives.

Jesus began setting these three forms of government back in their divine order in His own teachings long before He went to the cross and reordered them supernaturally. For example, Jesus was speaking to a group in Matthew, the twelfth chapter, who had a consistent viewpoint of themselves both personally and corporately. Personally, they viewed themselves as first and foremost physical bodies. They recognized they possessed a soul, and some of them even admitted to having a spirit. (Unless they were Sadducees, who denied the existence of the spirit world of angels and demons and rejected the doctrine of the resurrection.) Corporately, they viewed the concept of government the same way many Christians sadly do today. Firstly, they recognized civil government; secondly, the natural family; and lastly, the place of religion. How do we know this about them? By observing their clashes with a living Messiah who thought the very opposite.

Throughout nearly the entire 3 ½ years of Jesus’ public ministry, any time He spoke of His “kingdom,” what thoughts immediately went through the minds of the people who heard Him, including His own disciples? “All right! This guy is going to overthrow the Roman Empire and restore the glory of the nation of Israel!” We see in Acts 1:6 that even after His resurrection, the disciples believed His kingdom would begin on earth immediately.

“And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.” -Luke19:11

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” -Acts 1:6

This was one of the accusations during His pre-crucifix trial, brought against Him with the hope of incriminating Him as a rebel against Rome. When the chief priest heard Jesus admit He was a “King,” he dramatically tore his robes in a contrived religious display of horror. (See Matthew 26:65.) Apparently, this accusation stood out in the minds of His captors, for not long after pressing upon Him a crown of thorns and a purple robe of royalty, they labeled the cross with sarcasm:

“THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” -Matthew 27:37

The humanistic worldview of mankind in the days of the early church saw the government as the supreme authority, not God. In fact, the society Jesus confronted in the Roman government was given to emperor worship!

“But the Jewish leaders were jealous, so they gathered some worthless fellows from the streets to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. ‘Paul and Silas have turned the rest of the world upside down, and now they are here disturbing our city,’ they shouted. ‘And Jason has let them into his home. They are all GUILTY OF TREASON against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, Jesus.’ The people of the city, as well as the city officials, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. But the officials released Jason and the other believers after they had posted bail.” -Acts 17:5-9

When we read the story of Matthew, the twelfth chapter, we find Jesus directly dealing with this fallen mindset in His own followers concerning the proper relationship between the government of the natural family and the government of the spiritual family.

“While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand TOWARD HIS DISCIPLES, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” -Matthew 12:46-50

And again in Matthew, Chapter 10, Jesus stated one of the harder sayings of His preaching ministry:

“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” -Matthew 10:37-38

Again, it is written:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” -Matthew 6:33

Back on Course

In review, the divine order of God’s government was reversed in the mentality of humanity through the distortions of sin’s influence. From the time of Noah, civil government seems to have taken first place in the hearts of mankind. But then came the cross of Jesus Christ. For nearly 3 1/2 years, Jesus traveled throughout the regions preaching the doctrines of the “Kingdom of God.” As we have previously demonstrated, He often made a deliberate attempt to address the reordering of governmental priority in the hearts and minds of those to whom He spoke. The crucifixion paints a portrait before our eyes of the supernatural restoration of the government of the spiritual family that had been lost so many thousands of years before Christ came as the second Adam. In His sacrifice, the bridge to God’s original plan was finished; man was enabled to cross over to a restored relationship with the Father, joining himself to the lost government of the spiritual family.

Picture it with me. Jesus Christ is the ultimate representative of the divine government of the spiritual family. His life epitomized the original purpose of Father God when, before sin, He walked with Adam in the cool of the day. Satan, no doubt believing that he was victorious once again in thwarting the plan of God, watched joyously as Jesus suffered in anguish, struggling to raise Himself to inhale another gulp of air. It appeared civil government was successfully asserting itself, once again, against the divine representative of the government of the spiritual family through the unjust murder of the Son of God. Not too many feet away stood Mary, the mother of Jesus. Conceive with me, if you will, that she is the chosen representative of the government of the natural family. For it was to Mary that Simeon prophesied in Luke 2:35:

“Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

As she looked upon her flesh-born son and wept with unimaginable horror, it appeared that civil government, once again, had successfully asserted itself against the government of the natural family. And yet, as hard as granite, the Chief Cornerstone, the Stone of Stumbling, knew in Himself that what appeared to be defeat was only the beginning of victory, for it had already been spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “…and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Dear readers, that day came and went. Christ arose! The divine order has been reestablished in the throne of the King of Kings. As we read of the kingdom that is yet to come, the millennial kingdom, we recognize there will only be one government in that day, for this was always God’s intention. The government of the spiritual family will preside over the world. What will become of the other two? They will no longer be necessary in the glorious millennial kingdom. Again, with regard to the natural family, Jesus said:

“And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.” -Luke 20:34-35

With regard to the abolishment of all human, civil governments in the time of the millennial kingdom, the prophet Isaiah writes:

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. -Isaiah 2:4

The gripping truth, ladies and gentlemen, is that you and I are living in the line of time between the cross and the fulfillment of the prophetic verses you have just read. While we await the time of the removal of all governments (except His Sovereign Theocracy), we realize that all three forms of government must coexist until that time. And while we recognize that this is His plan for us in this time of the age of grace, it is of utmost importance to recognize that the realignment has already begun. We only await its perfectmanifestation!

Right now! In this very moment! If you have surrendered your life to Him, you have ALREADY been seated in a place of authority FAR ABOVE all other governments. If only, by faith, we will believe this and pray from this position, what an extraordinary difference we can make in the present world until He comes! We are God’s governmental ambassadors—the chosen of the Lord—heirs of His Kingdom, which shall never pass away! Hallelujah! Now, in this time, we have been equipped with the very power of His coming earthly kingdom—peace! It’s not merely in the “sweet by and by,” for it is written of you as it is written of me:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) And HATH [this is past-tense] RAISED US UP TOGETHER, and MADE US SIT TOGETHER in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” -Ephesians 2:4-7