Session 5 - The kingdom lifestyle
Over the years the Church has various terms to describe life in the kingdom of God. Whether we call this lifestyle Christian maturity, the life of holiness, full salvation or entire sanctification is probably not very helpful at this point in our spiritual journey so for the simplicity, we will simply refer to it as the kingdom lifestyle.
Many
sectors of Christianity have been focussed on eternity and what will occur
after death. While this is important I sense that many of those seeking a path
to true spirituality are more focussed on living a full and complete life in
the here and now. In a real sense living the kingdom lifestyle, life in all its
fullness, in our daily way of life ensures our eternal existence.
Many sections of the Bible deal with living a full and
complete life. The epistles offer
great guidance on Christian maturity but for this study, we will look at the lifestyle
patterns that Jesus left for us in his teaching and parables.
12 When
Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to
Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to
Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and
Naphtali. 14 This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “In
the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River,
in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
a light has shined.”
beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River,
in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
a light has shined.”
17 From
then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for
the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:12-17 – NLT)
There can be no doubt that the existence and operation of the
kingdom of God was one of the main themes in the preaching and teaching of
Jesus. Early in his ministry he announced its arrival and went on to explain
how we might become a citizen in that kingdom. He went to great lengths to
explain the kingdom lifestyle and gave numerous examples of how we should
conduct ourselves. If we had nothing other than the teaching of Jesus on the
kingdom of God we would still have sufficient guidance to live a kingdom
lifestyle.
Life in all its fullness
Unfortunately, there are many who feel that once they have embarked on
the kingdom lifestyle they are guided by a divine autopilot that will somehow
take them in the right direction and provide for their inner-life without any
input on their part. It is certainly true that when we are born again we are infused
with the power of God’s Holy Spirit, to guide and direct us in the kingdom
lifestyle. However, the kingdom lifestyle requires cooperation with the Holy
Spirit and the kingdom way is learnt through obedient decisions and ongoing
practice.
9 Yes, I am the
gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go
freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to
steal and kill and destroy. My purpose
is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:9 – 10 - NLT)
See Ephesians 2:17-18
17 He brought this
Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the
Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through
the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. (Ephesians 2:17-18 –
NLT)
This
kingdom lifestyle is only made possible because someone has paid the entry fee
for us. No one has an automatic right of entry into the kingdom of God; only
those who have sought and found the keys to belief in God and the new birth are
eligible. In the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, the entry fee is
paid for those who have received the keys. It is through the intentional giving
of his life that we find forgiveness and the right to the kingdom lifestyle.[1]
It
is important to understand that the words of Jesus in John 10:10 constitute the
offer of a gift; I
came to give … a rich and satisfying life... The
kingdom lifestyle is offered as a gift, and like all gifts can be either accepted
or rejected. The only action on our part is our decision to accept this third
key.
At times it is far from easy to embrace the kingdom lifestyle and
experience life in all its fullness.
The pace of living in the 21st century leaves many of us feeling
drained and empty, devoid of anything that resembles a life-force. There is a
sense in which technology and modern communication has put life on an
ever-accelerating treadmill which often depletes us of the energy we need to
sustain an inner life. When Jesus offered us life in all its fullness he also provided us with the necessary
resources to sustain the kingdom lifestyle.
13 Jesus
replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty
again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty
again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal
life.” (John
4:13-14 – NLT))
In his conversation with the woman at the well in John chapter 4, Jesus
provides us with a promise of an endless source that offered a dynamic
life-force.[2] But whoever drinks the water I give will never
be thirsty again. The water I give will become a spring of water flowing inside
him. It will give him eternal life (John 4:14). He clearly indicated that
not only would he be the door to a fuller life, but he would also provide the
life-force necessary to enjoy life in all
its fullness.
It is a living way. It leads through the curtain—Christ’s
body. And we have a great priest over God’s house. So let us come
near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith. We have been cleansed and
made free from feelings of guilt. And our bodies have been washed with pure
water. Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed. We can
trust God to do what he promised. (Hebrews 10:19 – 23)
The writer of the book of Hebrews saw this door as the crucial
entrance into God’s presence: So,
brothers, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. We can do this
without fear because of the blood of Jesus’ death. We can enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us.
A
new way
25 “Then I will
sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed
away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a
new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony,
stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.[b] 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so
that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. (Ezekiel 36:25-27 –
NLT)
The Bible continually emphasises that the kingdom lifestyle is a completely new and different existence.[3] Merely modifying our current behaviour patterns will not make them fit into a kingdom lifestyle. The kingdom lifestyle is a distinct and unique lifestyle, a lifestyle which is set apart from the normal lifestyle patterns of this world. When the door is opened to a spiritual rebirth, we become a new creation and must embrace a whole new way of living, and a whole new perception of God, others and yourself. Such a transformation is only possible through being open to direction by the Holy Spirit.
The Bible continually emphasises that the kingdom lifestyle is a completely new and different existence.[3] Merely modifying our current behaviour patterns will not make them fit into a kingdom lifestyle. The kingdom lifestyle is a distinct and unique lifestyle, a lifestyle which is set apart from the normal lifestyle patterns of this world. When the door is opened to a spiritual rebirth, we become a new creation and must embrace a whole new way of living, and a whole new perception of God, others and yourself. Such a transformation is only possible through being open to direction by the Holy Spirit.
This totally new way of living is quite the opposite to a world
that prefers consensus and compromise. That is not to say that the kingdom
lifestyle demands rigid perfection. It acknowledges that like Peter, we will
fail at times but that such failure is not final. Instead, the key requirement
is that we make the kingdom lifestyle our customary way of living, and deal
with any failure through repentance and forgiveness.
A
living way
It is a great tragedy of human existence that many people merely
exist rather than truly live. If life is to be worthwhile and have value then
it has to be more than just mere existence. Kingdom life is a living,
breathing, pulsating and vibrant life, packed with experiences, relationships
and fulfilment. As we look at the passage from Hebrews 10:19 – 23, we get a sense of a real and living lifestyle with a great
awareness of security because we are cleansed, free from guilt and sheltered in
the very presence of God.
We need to get away from the concept that this kingdom lifestyle
is a restrictive lifestyle and focus on the reality that makes us free to
become the person God created us to be. It is a path to inner discovery and
self-realisation that will open up new and exciting possibilities. God has a
destiny for everything he created, including you. In this kingdom lifestyle, we
need to embrace the concept of a God-given destiny as a focal point for our
spiritual journey. When we can come to the place of truly believing that we are
on this earth for a purpose, that God has a specific destiny for us to fulfil,
then life takes on a whole new significance. It is in pursuit of that God-given
destiny that we find real meaning and fulfilment in our daily living. To know
with a certainty that our life is going somewhere is one of the most secure
experiences a human being can encounter.
William Booth, the founder of The Salvation Army, was originally
an ordained minister in a branch of the Methodist Church. However, he had found
the ministry in that organisation to be too restrictive for the evangelical
conviction that both he and his wife possessed and in 1861 he resigned to
pursue an independent ministry. There followed a wilderness experience where
William Booth’s spirit was at a low ebb and he was to write to his wife that he
felt almost dead – powerless.[4]
Drawn to the poverty of the East End of London in 1865, William
Booth was deeply moved by the hopelessness of the poor and lost that inhabited
the gin-palaces of the area. Arriving home late one evening, flung himself in
an armchair and burst out; O Kate, I have
found my destiny.[5]
The discovery of his destiny was not only to change his life but was to impact
for good millions around the world whose lives would be touched by the
organisation he founded, The Salvation Army.
There will be times when we will be tempted to abandon our
God-given destiny, return to old behaviour patterns and try to persuade ourselves
that these made us happy. There are activities and ways that do not fit into
the kingdom lifestyle and we may well be tempted to turn back to them,
particularly at times of stress and difficulty. We need always to keep in the
forefront of our thinking that we have now embarked on the kingdom lifestyle
and that which is ahead of us is far more fulfilling and meaningful than past
behaviours.
Lifestyle
transformation
As
we have seen, the new birth is followed by a process of radical transformation.
The kingdom lifestyle begins with the renewal of heart and mind. This cannot
take place without agreement on our part. God, through the work of his Spirit,
will prompt, guide and direct our thinking in this process. However, the final
outcome still needs committed agreement on our part. God will never override
our free will.
One of the
great failings of the Christian church is that all too often it has opted for a
soft or simplistic theology, e.g.: as
long as you love Jesus that is all that matters. To be a citizen of the
kingdom of God we need to look deeper than simple catchphrases. Membership
in the kingdom of God is membership in the family of God, and those who are
family members are those who learn and follow God’s will for them. Doing religious
things, performing religious rituals, no matter how devout they may appear does
not make us citizens of the kingdom of God, nor will they keep us in the
kingdom.
The person who embarks upon the kingdom
lifestyle embraces a way of living that is distinctive and unique. Once we decide,
of our own volition, to become citizens in the kingdom of God we are people who
are set apart as members of a new and holy nation.[6]
Let us understand that this word
holy is at times incorrectly
perceived. It does not mean something or someone who is detached or completely
aloof in some sort of spiritual seclusion. Its correct interpretation is from
the Greek word hagios, which simply
means something that is different, separate. Within this idea of the holy nation is the idea of separateness
and difference in attitude, behaviour and standards. As William Barclay says; It is not a question of retiring from the
world; it is a question of living differently within the world.
17 “Don’t
misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or
the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their
purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear,
not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is
achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others
to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But
anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the
Kingdom of Heaven. 20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better
than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you
will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven! (Matthew
5:17-20 0- NLT)
Life in
the kingdom of God is radically different from the values of the society that
surrounds us. The outcome of life in the kingdom is perhaps best defined by
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in the
passage which we have come to call The Beatitudes. There is a sense in which
these ought to be the guiding principles of this kingdom of God. The word beatitude
is not found actually in the Bible. It simply means blessing and comes from the Latin word for ‘blessed’. Note that
these verses deal more with attitudes, that is, what we think in our hearts and
minds, or our outlook on life. During his Sermon
on the Mount Jesus spoke about an inner righteousness based on faith and
obedience to God’s Word and pointed out that the synthetic righteousness
portrayed by the Jewish leaders was not acceptable in the kingdom of God.[7]
The Beatitudes
are the best introduction to the kingdom lifestyle. Keep in mind that prior to
the Sermon on the Mount Jesus had
been signalling the coming and availability of the kingdom of God. (See Matthew
4:17, 23) Now he begins to tell those listening how they may encounter and
enter it. After pronouncing that it has arrived he outlines a vision of the
kingdom lifestyle. (See Matthew chapter 5) The Beatitudes reflect attitudes to which those in the kingdom of God
should aspire. They are the ideals that those who would inhabit the kingdom of
God should work towards. To be blessed is more an experience of hope and joy, independent
of outward circumstances. To find hope and joy is surely the pinnacle of life’s
experiences.
Jesus was
adamant that mere actions and image will not be sufficient in the kingdom of
God. We can put on all the pretence of a holy and righteous life that we can
muster; we can do all the right things that brand us as Christians but it is
more a matter of intention and heart-attitude that really identifies us as citizens
of the kingdom of God. We must be just as concerned about our attitudes, which people
don’t see, like our actions, which are seen by all. We
need to be aware that attitude is fundamentally based on our belief systems.
What we believe within our inner being largely dictates our attitudes, even at
times when we are quite unaware of it.
At times we will find that the values of
the kingdom at odds with our own expectations and belief systems. Jesus used
many of the parables to teach us about God and his kingdom. These contain clear
guidance for the kingdom lifestyle, something we will explore further in our
next chapter.
BIBLE
BACKGROUND
John 10:10
Ephesians 2:18
John 4:14
Hebrews 10:19 - 23
Ezekiel 36:25 – 28,
Romans 12:1 – 3,
Ephesians 4:20 – 24
2 Corinthian 5:17
1 Peter 2:9 - 10
Matthew 5:17 - 20
Matthew 20:1 - 16
PERSONAL
REFLECTION
Ø Can I accept the idea of
the kingdom lifestyle as being the way for me? In what ways will this change my
life?
Ø Am I willing to have my
thought life and behaviour patterns changed by the regenerating
power of the Holy Spirit? What will I do to facilitate this?
Ø
What steps do I need to take to embark on a life in all its
fullness?
Ø
Do I believe that God has a destiny for my life?
Ø
What
expectations do I have about fulfilment in the kingdom lifestyle?
Ø
What
will I do to move towards the ideals Jesus outlines in the Beatitudes?
ACTION
PLAN
Ø I am willing to have my
thought life and behaviour patterns changed by the regenerating
power of the Holy Spirit.
Ø List the steps I need to
take to facilitate this.
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[1] Ephesians 2:18
[2] John 4:13-14
[3] Ezekiel 36:25 – 28, Romans 12:1 – 3, Ephesians 4:20 - 24
[4] David Bennett, The General: William Booth, Xulon Press, p 343.
[5] David Bennett, The General: William Booth, Xulon Press, p 354-355.
[6] 1
Peter 2:9 - 10
[7] Matthew
5:17 - 20
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