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There are a lot of well-meaning Christians who believe the law revealed in the Holy Scriptures is no longer in force. Unfortunately this misguided belief has resulted in all sorts of uncertainty, volatility and unpredictability in how Christians live their lives, which when measured by our generation, is woeful.
Some may argue that Jesus is the standard of righteousness and not the law, and that of course is true. That said, the law was nothing more or less than a reflection of the very character of God Himself, and so while Jesus was the righteous one, it was because He in fact did obey all points of the law, which made Him the unblemished Lamb of God.
What we need to do as believers in our day and generations to come, is to go back to the law of God and start to first, read what they are, and from there work on ways to implement it in our own lives, and eventually to have it be embedded in our legal code. That means Christians and non-Christians alike are to be subject unto the law.
The challenge we have is we must diligently seek out first, what laws are still in force in the post-resurrection world, and whether or not the penalties of the law as revealed in the scriptures are still applicable. This is not as simple as it sounds, and it wouldn't surprise if it took many years before we get a solid handle on it.
After all, if there are penalties applied to those breaking the law, if we get it wrong people could be put to death for crimes where the death penalty is no longer in force. The very lives of people are at stake when looking at the penal section of God's laws, and for that reason we can't be flippant or lazy in searching them out before making them part of the conviction and implementation of the sentencing portion of any trial.
Even when looking at penalties in regard to lesser sentences, we can't be sloppy in our understanding there either.
The point isn't that we become paralyzed over some of these things, but to be sure we get it right. For example, how is a thief to pay back someone he stole from in our day if we don't know how to translate that from an agricultural society to a industrialized and information-based society? Those things have to be worked through, or at least the principle laid down for judges to be able to adapt to unique circumstances.
What would be the penalty for the theft of intellectual property, and how is it multiplied in a similar way it was recorded in the Scriptures for the theft of animals? There are numerous other scenarios that could be raised that have to be thought through, again, as to principle. We don't want to start figuring out every single thing that could possibly happen in the world and include in our law. In my opinion we need to find an observable and easily understood way of applying the penal section of various laws so they can be implemented across a variety of different ways, in the case of theft for instance, that it can happen.
In other words, if someone stole a dog from someone, how would that be penalized against someone that stole some money, broke a window, or any of a number of potential ways of stealing. What about the Federal Reserve and its money policies, where the value of a currency is debased, as it has been done in the U.S. from about 1913, where it is now worth less than 95 percent of what it was at that time. You get the point.
There has been some preliminary work done on the laws of God, but we definitely need a lot more voices from different backgrounds to give a full examination of the law and how it can be applied today and in the future.
The essential thing we need to work through with the law of God in all aspects is what has continued on after the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, and what has been discontinued.
Beyond the ceremonial laws, it's not as clear and obvious as to what still remains in effect - both as to the laws themselves, and to how the penalties for breaking them should be applied, and in the case of capital punishment, whether or not they're still in effect.
In our age of moral depravity and seeming lack of guidelines on how we are to live in this world in relationship to God and others, this is probably the most important thing we can now give ourselves to.
To make myself clear, the law has nothing to do with being saved, as that's by faith in Jesus Christ. But it does have everything to do with how we live out our lives individually toward others, and also in how we are to live in corporate settings like the church, family, business, government, and many other areas of life.
Ephesians 5:10-12
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
1 John 2:15-16
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Leviticus 20:23-25
23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people.
25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
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Probably one of the greatest manipulative lies circulating today, that is accepted by Christians, is that we are to be tolerant of everyone and the way they live. The idea of rejecting and challenging sin and people living in sin, is in itself, considered to be one of the ultimate "sins" by our corrupt culture, as tolerance has been put forth as the only acceptable response to almost anything that people do. To not be tolerant is now considered to be evil, even if that which we oppose is itself evil.
As the Bible teaches, woe to those that call good evil and evil good. The very essence of Jesus Christ and by extension Christianity, is we're not of this world, and those things of this world are to be not only rejected, but opposed as well.
For that reason the idea of tolerance in regard to that which stands up in opposition and rejection of Jesus Christ and the commands of the Bible, is a sin itself. We are to stand on the side of the Lord Jesus Christ in all things, and those opposing Him and His teachings need to be opposed vigorously themselves.
The call for tolerance today is nothing more than an attack on Christianity and Christians, as it's an attempt to remove the laws and commands of God from public awareness or acceptance, under the guise of being accepting of others, and replace it with something that will be more intolerant than most of us have seen in our lifetimes - at least those born in the U.S. or some other Western countries.
The truth is God has separated us from other peoples, and we are to be a peculiar people that are totally different in how we believe and live. There is no point of contact in the sense of having anything in common with this world. It is the enemy of God, and we are not called to tolerate it in any way.
Not only did the Old Testament prophets thunder against Israel, and yes, numerous foreign nations, but in the New Testament what many consider one of the most important parts - the Great Commission, we are admonished to go and command the nations to obey everything Jesus taught them, including the commands or laws.
This command from Jesus is one that demands no tolerance for that which opposes the teachings of Jesus Christ and God the Father as revealed from Genesis to Revelation.
Even though the days we live in are dark, I see a great light ahead of us because we have been under assault and on the defensive for a long time, but we are starting to see rumblings of Godly resistance, and when we rise up as one in meaningful resistance to the evil in the world, it's my belief we'll see the tide turn and the glory of God start to fill the earth, as the Scriptures tell us some day it will.
One of the first things we need to do is cast off the manipulative suggestions we're required to be tolerant of sin and that which rises up against Jesus Christ. Until we do, we'll be confused and anemic in regard to providing an alternative for the people of this world to see.
Understanding we are to take dominion on the earth, Christians can get overwhelmed by the prospects, as we see the seemingly overwhelming effect of evil on all parts of life, and find it difficult or impossible (in our eyes) to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
But the truth is it's not difficult in any way to understand, yet it's not easy to put into practice what it is God commanded and expects of us in this area.
The first thing to look at to get a clear view of what we are to do, is to read Ecclesiates 12:13,14. It says this"
Ecclesiastes 12:
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
It doesn't get any clearer than that. This is very easy to understand, although hard to put into practice. The most important thing is to see that we are to fear God, and if we do truly fear God, the end result will be we grow into understanding and obedience to His commands through our walk with the Lord during our lifetimes.
The fear side is we are to know every thing we think, say or do will be brought into the judgment of God. That should provide us a healthy check and balance in how we live, as we rely upon the Holy Spirit to help us to increase in our obedience to God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
There is another extremely important part of the dominion equation for man, and it's revealed in the father of the faith: Abraham.
Genesis 18:
17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Training children the commands of God and to obey them is part of taking dominion
What's very important in this passage of Scripture is the reference to Abraham commanding his children to keep the way of the Lord. Not only does it bring understanding of what God is doing, but it is a crucial part of the nations being blessed in Abraham through Jesus Christ.
That's another way of saying in regard to taking dominion. Being a blessing to all the nations of the earth is to take dominion. A key part of that is to teach the laws of God to our children and command them to obey them.
Deuteronomy gives some more insight into the issue of raising children to know and obey God's laws.
Deuteronomy 6:6-8
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
Deuteronomy 32:46-47
46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
Living as examples of obedience
The first step in obedience is to ensure we have the commands and laws of God in our hearts. If they dwell within us, we will not have to work to share them with our children. It'll be an extension of who we are because they're within us.
That's essentially what Deuteronomy 6 is talking about. We are to make an effort to spend time with our children, and during those times we're to look for opportunities to apply the word and laws of God to their lives. It can of course be a special time of teaching while they're expected to listen, but also a natural part of interacting with them in various circumstances of life.
I believe that's what is referred to here in Deuteronomy 6. Children will learn as we spend time with them and spontaneously share the ways of God and His expectations with them. Along with direct teaching, telling stories with the laws of God in them is a good way for children to understand and ultimately to obey His commands.
God promises in Deuteronomy 32:46-47 that if we command our children to obey the words of the law, we will enjoy long life on this earth. Interestingly, in another part of the Scriptures the children are promised long life for obeying parents, which is a direct reference to being obedient to the word of God.
This works its way into the New Testament as well, as 2 Timothy 2:2 says this:
2 Timothy 2:2
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
It extends beyond the family to spiritual men, who are defined as those that are faithful and will teach others. This is a big part of dominion. It's the teaching and passing on the understanding of the law, and communicating the expectation God has for us to obey all of it.
Finally, this goes beyond individuals and families to the body of Christ as a whole.
2 Corinthians 10:5-6
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Everything that contradicts or stands in opposition to the revealed will of God in the Bible is to be cast down. We are to bring all our thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
The end result is when we do reach the fullness of our obedience to Christ, we will then fully enter into dominion and go on the offensive against all disobedience to the revealed will of God. This is the goal of dominion on the earth, and the people of God in Christ are called to engage in it.
This is a quick synopsis of taking dominion on the earth, and it's easy to see we are to hold the word of God in our hearts and train our children to know and obey the laws of God. Not only that, spiritual leaders are to train others so they may also teach the word of God in a faithful manner.
The idea is to build a continuity over generations, where those believing in Jesus Christ train their children to obey God, the leaders in the church train men to pass on the faith to others, and finally when the church in in obedience to the laws of God, it will rise across the world at a local level and teach the nations to do the same.
All of this is connected to the simple revelation in Ecclesiastes that we are to fear God and keep His commandments.
Taking dominion is nothing more or less than being faithful in this and passing it on to the next generation. This is ultimately what dominion looks like, and if there is another big move of God, the only way it'll have long-term legs is if these basic but full concepts are embraced and adhered to.
Of course we have to do a lot more research on how the word of God applies to all the areas of life, but it's not hard in the generation we live in to obey what knowledge we do have, as we work to learn more of what God has for us.
The promised blessings of God are directly related to honoring the covenant He made with us. That includes obeying His commands and taking dominion over this world. That is the heritage of the followers of Jesus Christ.
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When listening to an interview of the VP of National Right to Life Tony Launder, it confirmed what has been becoming increasingly obvious: the so-called pro-life movement is in deep trouble, as he refused to call abortion exactly what it is: murder.
It may seem shocking to some at first, but in reality, this has become representative of the pro-life movement specifically, and confessing Christians in general.
Our interview with the Vice-president of National Right to Life revealed that 1) He was unwilling to call it murder, 2) He has no plans on fighting for legislation that would call it murder, 3) He explicitly said that we should not use distinctly Christian language nor should we say 'repent and believe' in the fight, and 4) He is unwilling to agree with legislation that would end the slaughter of babies today if there is a risk that the higher courts will have a different opinion and attempt to strike it down.
In other words, this "sweet" man, as Durbin called him, says he wants to stop abortion, but refuses to identify it as murder. If it isn't murder, why should it be stopped then? What is it if it isn't murder? The obvious reason he was cowardly in not identifying it as murder is it would invoke the idea of legal repercussions for those engaging in the act. That doesn't fit into the effeminate Christianity dominating the U.S. landscape.
It's more important for people to talk nice when addressing issues than strongly calling it like it is.
Sadly, many are also embracing the idea of being called a "bully" or the usual Hitler taunt as representative of reality, when usually it's being used to silence the truth. Not only are evangelicals afraid to speak the truth, they've been conned and manipulated into believing their foes in regard to what is permissible to believe or say, and how it is allowed to be spoken, if it is spoken at all.
If you have a hard time believing some of this, think of a little while back when Donald Trump said women should be punished for murdering their children. It wasn't only the liberals that attacked Trump, but many vocal leaders in the fading pro-life movement as well.
That's not to say we shouldn't do everything we can to save babies now, but the end goal should be to once again criminalize abortion and call it the murderous act it is, including the appropriate punishments.
The arguments about women not being held accountable for their murderous sins are anemic. It's like someone hiring a hit man and the person hiring them weren't murderers because they didn't pull the trigger. I've seen these types of arguments all over the place, where people are arguing because the woman didn't perform the abortion itself, she wasn't guilty of murder. How would that be different than a woman bringing a toddler to someone to have killed, while she didn't lift a hand to participate in the act? Does that make her innocent of the crime? Of course not!
For now we should continue to do everything we can to save unborn children, and work toward criminalizing the action and punishing the abortion providers. Murdering children is the worst kind of child abuse there can be. Look at the mangled bodies of the murdered children if your sensibilities are offended by these statements.
Church leaders need to speak out against the murder of innocent children, calling it exactly what it is. If that doesn't happen, then ministries outside of the Church will have to take up the challenge, as should individual Christians. Unless we do, the infanticide holocaust will continue.
Amazingly, the "nice" Mr. Lauinger was one of the most vocal opponents to a recent piece of legislation in Oklahoma which would have defined abortion as murder and make those performing the abortion punishable for their actions.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. ---- Acts 4:32-35 32 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. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Socialism is a grand failure representing one of the great evils of history, as it is based upon envy, covetousness and theft, taking away the resources of others by force. Those wielding governmental power then redistribute those resources to the people they approve of and deem worthy of receiving them.
Before I get into the Biblical rebuke of socialism, it's worthwhile to develop a definition in order to understand what is being talked about.
In the pure and original sense of the word and practice, it meant the government control of production. With that in mind, socialism has been for the most part rooted out of the world, with a few die hard countries like North Korea holding onto it, even while its people suffer from the failed theory and practice.
More recently it has been understood and defined as forced wealth redistribution, with governments using their taxing power and other means to extract wealth from the productive and create welfare programs that push people into dependence on the state, which essentially becomes their god and provider. This has yet to be dealt with by followers of Jesus Christ, who are confused over the issues that mixed together in such a way that makes it hard to understand how best to deal with the issue of helping those in real need.
Those who don't like to give their own personal resources to others, love to abuse or misuse a couple of scriptures in the book of acts - which are those listed above - in order to justify the confiscation of capital and resources of others. Since these are the go to scriptures for those trying to punish the productive and attempt to make them feel guilty for God's blessing upon them, we'll start there. These must be understood in order to have an accurate idea of how God works and what He expects of us when looking to help people.
Framework of the scriptures in Acts
The first thing to look at when considering the context of these two portions of scripture is the historical setting it was taking place in.
Jesus had prophesied Jerusalem was going to be destroyed, and listed the characteristics that would accompany that destruction in the Gospels. Since He decided to launch the church in the city of Jerusalem, He had to give a warning to His disciples on what to expect further down the road when the city would be judged. Not understanding that disallows understanding what is meant in the scriptures we're talking about.
Let's start with Acts 2:44-45.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. This first mention of the event was a general description. It tells us they had all things in common, and the reason for that is a significant number of productive believers with various resources and possessions sold them and they were distributed to the believers in the city.
In Acts 4:32-37 it gets into more detail.
32 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. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
There are a number of things to take note of here. The first and probably most important is all of this was done voluntarily, and there was absolutely nothing of the state or government being involved, as socialism requires.
Alongside of that is the fact if it weren't for capitalism and the private property it entailed, there would have been no means of selling of goods and resources, because no one would have had extra to take those steps.
Capitalism and productivity led to the available resources, which in this time of crisis and changing world order, allowed property and homes to be sold so everyone could live while they waited for the right time to leave before the prophesied attack on Jerusalem came.
The implication is there was no further buying of properties of any kind because it was going to be destroyed in the not-too-distant future; although the specific time no one knew. This created a unique time in history that had to be dealt with by extraordinary measures.
Also of importance is those holding the properties had no incentive to keep them because of the insider information given to them by Jesus concerning the coming destruction. After the battle was over there would be little if anything left to salvage, including the temple. Their land and houses would be worthless if they survived in any form. The owners received market rates for their homes before the devastation came. Through that Jesus took care of His people in preparation for fleeing the city before the siege began.
If these people had been living under the evil of socialism, there would have been nothing to take care of the lives of God's people as they looked for the signs of the coming judgment and war. Thankfully Jesus isn't a socialist.
Considered nothing they had as their own
In Acts 4:32 its says 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."
A cursory glance would suggest this was some unique attribute to be commended. In one way it probably should be. But consider this. The reason why they didn't considered the possessions they had as their own was because they weren't. Believers with resources sold their goods and the Apostles distributed them according to the needs of the people. They didn't work for what they had, by the grace of God and compassion of His people, they received what they needed.
There was no claim on their resources because of the sacrificial giving of God's people. So the idea they didn't consider anything their own isn't necessarily a great thing; it simply represented what was under the scenario of that time period.
Where the eternal and godly value lie is with those that voluntarily sold their resources in the first place to help the new and growing number of believers.
Why it became a crisis was because many of those that believed were visitors from around the world that were in Jerusalem. This created an emergency because of the large number of believers staying in the city, which would put pressure on job availability because of there being so many new people now living in the city.
On the day the church was born there were about 3,000 more believers added, and it grew consistently from there. While all new believers couldn't have stayed in the city, a large number of them apparently did, which again, was part of the crisis that developed, along with the upcoming destruction of Jerusalem by Jesus Christ.
I'm laboring on this point in regard to no one considering anything as their own, because it has been used to support the very socialism the Holy Scripture rebuke. Everything about what happened was the exact opposite of socialism, which was the voluntary giving. If it isn't yours to give and no sacrifice is required, it has no eternal value. God also wouldn't get the glory. Forced redistribution of wealth using the state as the mediator of that redistribution is evil, and ends up making it the god of many people who depend on it for their sustenance.
As a matter of fact, as the move of God unfolds as revealed in the scriptures, Paul later rebukes those that don't work, saying if they don't work, they aren't to eat.
The reason the Jerusalem church wasn't rebuked for participating in a similar lifestyle was because of the upcoming destruction of Jerusalem and the unique situation of the birthing of the first post-resurrection church, which soared in numbers from the pent-up waiting of the Messiah being fulfilled.
Those people via the disciples were also told about the war against Jerusalem and were take diligent watch and be ready to leave the city as the time approached. It was a special grace allowed them as the prior order was dissolved and the New Creation to spread across the earth. A major impetus of that was when they fled from Jerusalem.
Let them quit these gospels of envy, hate and malice.
Let them abandon the utter fallacy, the grotesque, erroneous,
fatal blunder of believing that by
limiting the enterprise of man,
by riveting shackles of a false
equality...they will increase the well-being of the world.
~ Winston Churchill
Private property ownership and voluntary giving saved first post-resurrection church
There is a hatred of private property around the world because those that are envious and covetous aren't in control of what can be done with it. If the government owns property, those with agendas, without having to spend any of their capital to develop it, or in many cases, just leave it bare and unproductive, can direct the usage of the land. They can't do it with private property, which enrages many of them.
In the case of the early church, capitalism of that time, private property, and the productive, saved the believers from mass starvation or being forced to leave Jerusalem under unfavorable conditions. There is no doubt private property and the voluntary selling of that private property saved an untold number of people living in Jerusalem.
Socialism had no part in it, and it never has in history. One thing socialists have learned is it can't exist outside of capitalism and private property because it is a parasite feeding on the productivity of others. If it totally destroyed capitalism and entrepreneurs, it would quickly die because it offers nothing but the theft of the resources of others.
State ownership of production is quickly going the way of the Dodo bird, but forced wealth redistribution still must have a stake driven into its heart.
Conclusion
Even though there was voluntary giving in Jerusalem by those that held private property and resource, over time the numbers of the church and lack of resources challenged the ability to have needs met.
After Paul visited Jerusalem he was asked to remember the poor, which was no doubt a reference to the poor believers in Jerusalem.
He decided to convey it to the churches he worked with, and as 2 Cor. 8:3 says, they gave “according to their ability, and beyond their ability, of their own accord.” Giving of their own accord was another way of saying they gave voluntarily.
Another interesting aside to this is not only didn't the government of the period have anything to do with it, church government and leadership didn't coerce believers to give. They were told about the situation and needs and asked to give what they could if they were so disposed. Never was it as a result of pressure, otherwise it would lose its eternal value when God rewards each according to his work in this lifetime.
This type of giving gives glory to God, and is the type Jesus referred to when He said if we give to the least of their brethren, they're giving unto Him. That's the value and power of voluntary giving. Having the resources to give is the result of productive people serving the Lord as best they can with the abilities they've developed.
It's more blessed to give than to receive the Bible teaches us. That blessedness comes from the individual resources people are managing and freely and cheerfully sharing with others.
The followers or Jesus Christ must resist, reject and pray against the socialist evil that forcibly takes from the productive and redistributes the capital to people and projects lining up with their worldview and agendas, such as planned parenthood and welfare programs that keep people in slavery, if they're allowed to live by the murderous abortion mills in the first place.
Again, private property as a result of productivity, along with Christians willing to voluntarily sell their lands and homes in order to meet the needs of their brothers and sisters, is what saved the first believers in Jesus Christ. It will do the same today, while promoting the freedom adhering to Biblical requirements and principles bring about.
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1Cor. 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. There is no doubt that in the last two chapters of the Bible, where New Jerusalem is fully revealed, it was a picture of Jesus Christ and what His goal was for His people in history. The fact it was shown coming down from heaven wasn't some type of future event being unveiled, or a post resurrection scenario, but a revelation of what God was bringing down to the earth in and through those who put their faith in Him. It is the fulfillment of part of the prayer Jesus taught us to pray: "thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This is what Jesus had in mind when sharing the prayer with His disciples. What I want to talk a little about in this article is that Jesus Himself, as an individual, was in reality New Jerusalem coming down from heaven, in the sense everything revealed to John concerning it was personified in Christ. The only difference is this city was the result of His people being conformed to His image corporately; the two were now one ethically. In Ephesians it talks about the eternal purpose of God, which means what God had in mind for mankind even before He created the heavens and the earth. New Jerusalem is what I believe He looked upon as the blueprint, in the spiritual sense, when He began His creative work. This is what was considered in the counsels of the Godhead before time. There are also references to the fullness of God throughout the scriptures, and that is what we're seeing here in accord with the pre-creation, eternal purpose of the triune God.
The Lord Jesus came from heaven, and that has more than simply location in the thought of God. It has to do with the will and kingdom of God being manifest in His humanity. He as in individual was what New Jerusalem was and is to become as a corporate manifestation of His glory and reality. This is to come down to earth, as the book of Revelation so clearly states.
Everything we see as part of the city - within and without - is part of His extraordinary purpose He had from eternity. It wasn't meant to stay in eternity or even heaven, as the creation itself testifies to. The fact there is a physical creation means it was built for a purpose. That purpose is revealed in its fullness in the Bride of Christ.
We see walls, gates, precious stones, a throne, Tree of Life, river, golden street, among other things. All of these are part of what make up this amazing city, and that is meant to be expressed in every locality in the world. There are numerous things these various items represent, but I'm only trying to give a tiny glimpse into the magnitude and depth of what it is God has had in mind for His people.
All the things of this city described by John as they were revealed to him represent a different aspect of Jesus Christ. It's the manifold wisdom of God moving toward the end He had in mind from before the foundation of the world.
As we move forward to subdue the earth in His name, we need to look at this as our guideline for a vision. We'll of course have a wide variety of ways that will be expressed by different believers, but the elements of this city are to be where we are to draw our inspiration and working model from.
Our vision is a heavenly vision, even more, an eternal vision inherent to the Godhead, which I'm sure gave them an impetus and great pleasure to bring it into being.
It wasn't meant to be something invisible hidden away from the eyes of the human race or angels. It's meant to be seen. This is why we're identified as a city set on a hill by the Lord, as well as the light of the world. This are descriptions of things that are meant to be seen, not hidden from the sight of the world or His saints.
One way I've thought of it through the years is like a single man and woman looking for a spouse. They could write down some of the characteristics and attributes they would like in a husband or wife, but instead of seeking to make it a reality, they sit around content reading those descriptions for the rest of their lives, instead of getting married. In like manner we aren't to only read these things and be content with having the knowledge of what God is ultimately after. We're to pursue making it a visible reality in this world.
If all God wanted were to have invisible stuff around, He would have stopped at heaven. But He didn't. He continued on to make earth. Again, referring to a man, it would be like having the idea of the type of woman he would like to marry in his head, but never pursuing her, which means he would never take part in seeing her for the first time.
There's a reason men are visual in regard to women. It comes from God Himself. I'm not talking about lust here, but an appreciation of the beauty of a woman. It is meant to attract a man in a wholesome way. There's also a reason women make themselves look nice in anticipation of attracting a Godly man. That is expressed in the city which was also called and defined as a bride adorned for her husband.
The purpose of God is that He will have a people conformed to His image. That wasn't only something that was meant to remain invisible or hidden from view, but to be seen in order to glorify God. What was revealed in New Jerusalem is why the outer walls and gates looked so attractive. Both are desired and required by God.
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Since the time of the fall, the curse of God in response to disobedience and unbelief by choosing another as god, was ultimately evidenced by much confusion among the nations of the world. This was personified in Babylon, which means "confusion."
The word confusion itself is defined as an inability to think clearly concerning people, places or even time. It's obvious when transferring this to spiritual understanding, it represents the ongoing state of the world in general, and in many cases, believers in Jesus Christ and the church.
This is why at important times in history, or even in the heavenlies, we see Babylon being contrasted with Jerusalem, or in the Revelation of Jesus Christ - New Jerusalem.
One of the major reasons this is the case is God is showing what Babylon and its confusion permeates the world with, and how His response in New Jerusalem is an answer to that confusion. New Jerusalem represents the fullness of God as He had pictured it being expressed in a people from before creation. It had an inward element, and also an outward element which is meant to be seen by the world.
When we think of God restoring things, no matter when it has been, is, or will be in history, there is one area will always define anything he is truly initiating: He will always focus on something that has been mixed with truth or distorted because of the church and individual believers allowing it to come into their lives. It starts with a thought and eventually will work itself within and then without. That process is irrefutable among human beings of all kinds, including many of those professing a belief in Jesus Christ. This is the principal of Babylon and all of its outworking in the earth.
That brings us to the wall of Jerusalem, as revealed in Nehemiah's day, and the wall of New Jerusalem revealed in Revelation. There are several features of these walls of importance, and we'll look at the walls themselves and the gates of the walls in this article.
Probably the most important part of the walls is they are a boundary to separate Jerusalem, or the people of God, from Babylon and its confusion. If the wall isn't in place for the benefit of the city of God, Babylon encroaches upon it, and ultimately will take it over. This is one of the reasons they're mentioned together at times in the scriptures.
A boundary of distinction from the world
So the first thing to consider and learn is a wall signifies separation from the world. Paul said it about himself individually when saying he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him. There could never be any mixture. They were diametrically opposites of one another, and could not coexist without the people of God losing their testimony. Without this wall, those professing faith in Christ are overwhelmed and permeated with confusion, losing the salt and light effect they were to have on the world.
Without a doubt the scriptures teach Israel, and now the church, are meant to be a totally different people than those in the world. This is the fruit of this wall if it's built correctly. Consider the fact Israel was exiled and held captive in Babylon for 70 years before some were allowed to go down and build a wall. This alone should underscore what God thinks of mixture with the world and the resultant confusion. Jesus stated He would rather have us hot or cold. If we're lukewarm He'll spew us out of His mouth. In other words, those without a distinct way of life from the world make Him sick to His stomach.
No compromise from Nehemiah
This is confirmed in Nehemiah, where the wall has been torn down and the gates of the city burned. The point is the very existence of God's people is to represent the person of God in His character and obedience to His commands; we are to be conformed to His image, which is in reality as a people, is what New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven represents. One of the things it's identified as is the Bride of Christ, which refers to union with God through obedience. If there is no obedience, whatever feelings people may have are irrelevant. "If you love me, keep my commandments," Jesus said.
A people walking as Christ walked is the goal, as John stated in his first epistle. That's the boundary. Nothing was meant to interfere with that. If it wasn't of God, it didn't belong in the city.
The gates
The gates, especially in New Jerusalem, highlighted the fact this wall was meant as a boundary.
City gates represent judgments by men of God concerning what is allowed or acceptable in the city. This is why they were called elders in the Bible. In a spiritual sense, if the gates are properly operated, the wall surrounding the city of God grows and is almost impenetrable. If the gatekeepers are sloppy, lazy, incompetent or worldly, not only will the barrier shrink, ultimately, as in the time when Jerusalem was sacked by Nebuchadnezzar, the gates and the walls are destroyed, and the house of God will be in ruin.
This is why I say, no matter what the emphasis of God may be in any particular time in history as to recovery, it will always include the separation between the people of God and the world or Babylon. That's what any type of recovery will consist of.
Jesus was very clear about this in Matthew 5:13, where it said this: "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." There is no ambiguity there.
The gates also represented righteous judgment. If there was no righteous judgment, unrighteousness would flood the city.
Men of God and the walls of the city
One has to understand the walls surrounding Jerusalem and the walls of New Jerusalem are symbolic of a spiritual truth. Not only do they represent what was mentioned above, but men of God leading God's people should be one with this boundary. They should embody and personify the wall, then build that around God's people.
With that in mind, it has to be concluded the wall of Jerusalem and Nehemiah were representative of the same characteristics God was looking to recover. It always starts with a man or men of God. It's embraced and permeated in their lives first, and then by example, demonstration and teaching, it is imparted to followers of Jesus Christ.
What this means is these types of men have the jealousy of God's testimony consume them, and the display and respond with a holy jealousy to see God glorified as He was meant to be in His people. Men like this won't put up with mixture of any type, and will challenge inconsistencies they see in God's people as measured against Jesus Christ and His word. The idea of compromise isn't in the vocabulary of men like this.
I'm not talking about curmudgeons or grumpy people here, I'm talking about those who weep and labor until they see Christ formed in a people (Gal. 4:19).
Conclusion
The followers of Jesus Christ are called to be a peculiar people, a people completely different than this world; a new creation. This is what these walls represent. There is a lot more to consider with them, but that is the essence of their meaning.
We are to be a testimony of who God is in this world, as we bring the Gospel to it and teach it to obey all that Jesus Christ has commanded us to in the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation.
Discerning the condition of those proclaiming to be Christians isn't hard. First you look at the gates and judgments and teachings being made there, and then at the type of wall, if any, built to show the world we are nothing like them or it. If we are full of mixture, as this generation is now, there will be little in the way of identifying what this wall represents in the thought of God for His people.
This is part of what even the angels desire to look into. It is the visible representation on earth of the invisible God dwelling in heaven. Being examples and light to the world, we are then to teach the world the expectations of God for them, and put His commands into the code of law to put restraints on their behavior.
Nothing but God is allowed in this city, and the gates and walls are there to ensure everything else is kept out. That's what God is working toward on this earth, and even though it'll never be totally fulfilled because tares will grow with the wheat, over time, we will see the wheat start to prevail and tares diminish.
This will take time, and God's people must first enter into obedience, as the scripture says. "And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:6)
Or as Paul concluded in Romans 1: 4-6:
"And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: "By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: "Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:"
We are to seek God's will and requirements and walk in obedience to them, and from there be ready to tell the world God expects the same of them. Only a people distinct and separate from the ways of this world will have an impact. That wall must be built. Rise up like Nehemiah men of God and get to work.
