Leaving the old kingdom

Exercise:

Read these Bible passages: Isa.37:16; 60:12; Gal.3:22; 26-28; Phil.3:20

From the very beginning of human history men formed their own kingdoms. I live in the kingdom of Norway and I thank God for all the good qualities in our welfare state. Many foreigners are trying to get citizenship in our nation, but at the moment/at this moment in time it is quite difficult. Non-Norwegians we call foreigners or aliens. They do not speak our language, they do not know our culture, they are different from us and we look on them as outsiders. This way of thinking makes us very much like the rest of the nations of the world. We all tend to think of ourselves as the norm, the centre of life, the people that matter the most, etc. Nationalism and racism are very dangerous attitudes that all people can potentially fall into. Continually we see tragic consequences of these attitudes in the numerous ethnic conflicts we are informed about on television.

Into this reality of nationalism, racism and communalism, God is saying that his kingdom transcends all the kingdoms and cultures of the world. The kingdom of God is greater and more important than any other kingdom. In fact the word of God says that if we place our own culture or lifestyle above the kingdom of God, then we have no future because then it has become our idol. Then we have broken the first commandment given by God - that we shall have no other god beside him - and then we are doomed! When we become believing Christians we pledge our loyalty to the kingdom of God, and we have to put aside our loyalty to the culture in which we live in order to live according to the standard of the kingdom of God.

The word of God teaches us to submit to all human authority (see Rom.13:1-7; 1.Pet.2:11-24). Just as we are supposed to obey all the laws of our nation, we as Christians also have to be loyal citizens of the kingdom of God. Maybe this is difficult to understand, but you need to realise this, the sooner the better. When you commit yourself to God, when you are born again and enter the kingdom of God, then you must end all your loyalty to a culture or a lifestyle that is contrary to God’s standard (for living). To do what is right in your own mind or in the mind of your culture is very dangerous if it is against the laws or commandments of God. In the kingdom of God, God rules! He is the one who defines what is right and wrong. In the Bible we find his will on all important issues clearly stated.

Exercise:

According to Isa.37:15 who has the ultimate power and control over what is happening to the nations of the world?

What happens according to Isa.60:12 to the nation, the people group, or the culture that will not serve God?

Which distinguishing marks(?) names/labels/characteristics/groups/features(?) have been removed for those in Christ, according to Gal.3:26-29?

Learn this Bible verse by heart:

But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we eagerly await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Phil.3:20)