The Kingdom of God: a personal rant
The Kingdom of God: a personal rant
Jesus saves. But does Jesus save us from consequences when we max out our credit cards? How about driving our car cross country with no oil in the engine? Does Jesus save us from reaping the consequences of our actions when we have sex with the next door neighbor? If so, Jesus is the biggest enabler ever. Why even have consequences, if Jesus will just hit the delete button when we pray?
Jesus saves, by pointing the way out of the darkness. Not by eliminating consequences so there will be no payback, no suffering, as the result of our actions. Suffering is what we reap when we sow evil, or willful stupidity—and everyone reaps what they sow.
Confession is the beginning of redemption, then. But only when we confess with the intention of changing. Change is what redirects us from evil, towards righteousness. Not righteousness in some abstract sense. But right behavior, as exemplified by Jesus’ actions.
Paul wasn’t referring to good deeds as a method of getting to heaven when he spoke about grace. I once heard a pastor say that Jesus hates it when you try and do good works, in an attempt to fool God into letting you into heaven. When Paul was referring to works vs. grace, it was aimed at those religious Jews and proselyte gentiles who believed that rigorously keeping the law code and its rituals—offering the right sacrifices, on the right days, while ignoring the poor, widow and orphan—was the way to seek God’s favor. It was Jesus’ point of contention, as well.
Finally, The Kingdom of Heaven and The Kingdom of God were synonymous terms. They did not primarily mean heaven, the place up there, somewhere beyond the clouds. It meant, the rule and reign of God, in the hearts of men. In scripture, Jerusalem was the city of God. Israel were the people of God, and the Temple, was the house of God, the meeting place between heaven and earth. These ideas changed as the Jew’s conception of God deepens. By the time of Jesus, the rebuilt Temple of Solomon was a symbol of corruption—and nearing destruction for the second time. For Jesus’ followers, Jesus is the true meeting place between heaven and earth. Not the corrupt Temple system, which benefited the wealthy and powerful. The point of concern in scripture, both old and new testament, was always the earth, and the act of salvation was the redemption of God’s good creation.
Finally, (I really mean it this time) The values of this world, according to scripture, are money, power, and lust for whatever men deem valuable. The values of God are spiritual things, intangible things, such as mercy, self-sacrifice for the good of others, peace, humility, patience, and love. In other words, they are spiritual, precisely because they are not tangible things that can be traded for prestige and power. That is what’s meant when distinguishing between the priorities of this world, and the priorities of God, as he sits in his heavenly kingdom.
“Let God’s will be done on earth, as he directs from Heaven.”
Amen
Mark Magula
Jesus saves. But does Jesus save us from consequences when we max out our credit cards? How about driving our car cross country with no oil in the engine? Does Jesus save us from reaping the consequences of our actions when we have sex with the next door neighbor? If so, Jesus is the biggest enabler ever. Why even have consequences, if Jesus will just hit the delete button when we pray?
Jesus saves, by pointing the way out of the darkness. Not by eliminating consequences so there will be no payback, no suffering, as the result of our actions. Suffering is what we reap when we sow evil, or willful stupidity—and everyone reaps what they sow.
Confession is the beginning of redemption, then. But only when we confess with the intention of changing. Change is what redirects us from evil, towards righteousness. Not righteousness in some abstract sense. But right behavior, as exemplified by Jesus’ actions.
Paul wasn’t referring to good deeds as a method of getting to heaven when he spoke about grace. I once heard a pastor say that Jesus hates it when you try and do good works, in an attempt to fool God into letting you into heaven. When Paul was referring to works vs. grace, it was aimed at those religious Jews and proselyte gentiles who believed that rigorously keeping the law code and its rituals—offering the right sacrifices, on the right days, while ignoring the poor, widow and orphan—was the way to seek God’s favor. It was Jesus’ point of contention, as well.
Finally, The Kingdom of Heaven and The Kingdom of God were synonymous terms. They did not primarily mean heaven, the place up there, somewhere beyond the clouds. It meant, the rule and reign of God, in the hearts of men. In scripture, Jerusalem was the city of God. Israel were the people of God, and the Temple, was the house of God, the meeting place between heaven and earth. These ideas changed as the Jew’s conception of God deepens. By the time of Jesus, the rebuilt Temple of Solomon was a symbol of corruption—and nearing destruction for the second time. For Jesus’ followers, Jesus is the true meeting place between heaven and earth. Not the corrupt Temple system, which benefited the wealthy and powerful. The point of concern in scripture, both old and new testament, was always the earth, and the act of salvation was the redemption of God’s good creation.
Finally, (I really mean it this time) The values of this world, according to scripture, are money, power, and lust for whatever men deem valuable. The values of God are spiritual things, intangible things, such as mercy, self-sacrifice for the good of others, peace, humility, patience, and love. In other words, they are spiritual, precisely because they are not tangible things that can be traded for prestige and power. That is what’s meant when distinguishing between the priorities of this world, and the priorities of God, as he sits in his heavenly kingdom.
“Let God’s will be done on earth, as he directs from Heaven.”
Amen
Mark Magula