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God's Spiritual Kingdom
RV99-02© Berean Memorial Church of Irving, Texas, Inc. (1993)
We are studying the executor of the scroll in Revelation 5:6-10. This is segment number eight. We have seen in this passage that the 24 elders
sing a new song of praise to Jesus Christ in Heaven. It is a song which is dealing with God's new creation, the church, the body of Christ, in
contrast to the old song which praised God's work in creation. Jesus Christ is praised here because His self-sacrifice on Calvary has provided
the ground of redemption for all mankind. The elders which represent the church in heaven are especially grateful for their place in the
unique body of saints which is called "the church." It is a position which they hold by the purely sovereign choice of God. So, it is with each
of us who are members of the body of Christ. We are that – the finest group of saints of all ages that has ever lived, with the maximum
privilege and opportunity of any saints that have ever lived. We are that by the sovereign choice of God.
Furthermore, church-age saints are declared by the singing elders to constitute a royal kingdom, and thus an enormously important truth is pointed
out in this heavenly scene – that we who are members of the body of Christ, the church, are also the nobility of all the ages. We are the
aristocrats of all saints. We have upon us, therefore, a burden that is distinctive and unique among all the believers of all nations.
So, in Revelation 5:9, we have read: "And they sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were
slain, and have redeemed to God by Your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and have made them unto our God a kingdom
of priests, and they shall reign on the earth." In verse 10, we are considering that expression – that point that is made in this new song,
that we who are members of the body of Christ have been made a kingdom, and that we will consequently, reign as kings upon this earth with Jesus
Christ.
The church-age saints are a spiritual kingdom. This is, of course, not the Jewish Messianic Kingdom, which is to be established on earth, and
which is still in the future – to be established during the millennium. One enters the spiritual kingdom of the church age by means of the
baptism of the Holy Spirit, which every believer receives at the point of salvation. With that act, he is placed into Christ, and thus there is
imputed to him the absolute righteousness of Jesus Christ. Today, without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you cannot go to heaven. If you do not
have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you have not trusted in Christ as personal Savior, and therefore, you have not been placed into union with
Him.
This is obviously a very critical doctrinal point. This is the reason that this point is so distorted by the charismatic movement today. If you
need any evidence that the charismatic movement is not of God, but is a satanic delusion, this one point is all you need to establish that –
their confusion on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and their constant cry to people to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit as if this were something
that every believer has not already experienced.
The reason for this confusion is that in the church age, God the Holy Spirit is the key personality. Satan very early on realized, as he saw the
formation of this unique body in God's plan (the body of Christ – the church), that if he could distort the doctrine of the Holy Spirit,
he'd have won it all. And in most of Christendom today, the confusion on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit has destroyed the effectiveness of
believers, and has brought great confusion and has hindered the moving forward of the body of Christ as a witness and as a testimony to the Word
of God.
So, this is a serious point. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is experienced by every believer, and among its important consequences are that it
then makes you a member of the royal family of God in the age of the church. No one is going to heaven today except those who have trusted Jesus
Christ for salvation, and who have received, consequently, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There is no religious system except biblical
Christianity that has any merit with God whatsoever.
So, do not be hesitant for one moment to take that position, and to declare without any
compromise that there is no value in any religious system which has a way of salvation that is based on any other principle except a grace gift
from God apart from human doing. The Roman Catholic system is totally refuted by God, and you don't have to apologize for that fact. It has no
merit in this world. It is a satanic system. The system of Mormonism is totally refuted by God. The systems of the religions of the world –
Islam; Buddhism; and, the whole gamut of world religions are human creations. They have no merit with God, and they have enormous demerit with
human beings, and it channels them into the lake of fire. Make no mistake about it that no religious system except biblical Christianity has
any merit with God whatsoever. It is not that biblical Christians have a better answer for securing eternal life. It is that biblical Christians
have the only answer for securing eternal life. You must take your position on that truth without compromise; without apology; without intimidation;
and, without fear. Some of you are capable of doing that. Some of you perhaps are not.
A lot of people want to be able to keep the camaraderie and goodwill of the religious systems of our day. They want to be associated with the
general society of our day on good terms, because that society has certain favors and benefits that they seek. If that's what you want, then you
will not be able to stand forthrightly and say, "I want to tell you that if you engage in these systems, you will pay for it for all eternity in
the enormous pain of the lake of fire." But if you love the praise of God more than you love the praise of men, you'll have no hesitancy of saying
that Christians do not just have a better answer for approach to God – they have the only answer. Good works and religious rituals which are
offered to God in payment for sin will keep a person from entering the royal family of God, the church, and consequently, from possessing eternal
life in heaven. The singing elders thus represent in heaven, the aristocracy of which we are all a part as members of this body – God's
spiritual kingdom, the church.
God's Spiritual Kingdom
So, we're going to begin looking now at this kingdom of believers and the significance of being part of God's royalty. Most Christians do not
think of themselves as being the aristocrats of God of all the ages. They do not think of themselves as being royalty. Consequently, we act like
a bunch of crumbs. We act like commoners. When we begin to understand our position in Christ, we'll stop acting like commoners. We'll stop acting
like run-of-the-mill creatures who is disoriented to anything spiritual, and just functions on the emotions and the power of the sin nature, and we
will start acting with the dignity that befits those who are members of royalty.
I suppose that one good way to begin is to keep reminding ourselves all day long just who we are. Just keep reminding yourself that you are a
prince or that you are a princess of the living God. You are a distinct, unique type of human being, never seen before the day of Pentecost on
the face of the earth.
Entrance into the Kingdom
The first thing we should consider is entrance into the royalty of God. This church-age royalty functions on the basis of Bible doctrine
principles. That is at the heart of everything that deals with church-age royalty. For example, in 3 Colossians 3:16, we read, "Let the Word of
Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to
the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." The royal family
of God functions entirely on the basis of the revealed Scriptures, and they bring glory to God in all that they do as they are obedient to the
doctrines of the Word of God.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we read that: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof or correction, for
instruction in righteousness." To what end? "That the man of God may be perfect (that is, mature – super grace), thoroughly furnished unto
all good works," in a position where he is able to function in the family of God to create divine good production. If you are not producing divine
good, you are missing your calling.
So, the first thing to understand about the family of God, which is entered through the new birth and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, is that
that royal body functions on the basis of doctrinal principles, and that's all its functions on. And if you are going to look inside of yourself
to see how to act as royalty, you going to come out a crumb. If you're going to look around you to society to see how you should act as royalty,
you're going to end up as a commoner like they are. There is only one way that you will rise to your heritage as a royal member of the family of
God, and that is through the Word of God. You're going to have to make your own decision because we are going to be under attack for that principle,
as the church has always been under attack – that there is some other way; there is some other means; or, there is some other fulfillment than
that which is found in the learning of the doctrines of Scripture, and our positive volition response to them, and the enablement that that then
gives the Holy Spirit to guide us.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Believers in past dispensations are not part of the royal family of God. The royal family in the church age, as we have indicated, is entered by
the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:5, Romans 6:3-4, and 1 Corinthians 12:13 all explain to us that we have been baptized into union with
Christ, and thus we share all that He is, and most of all, His absolute righteousness imputed to us. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a ministry
which is unique in the church age. It is never found in any other dispensation. It is a ministry which was designed to create royalty. That is the
purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is to create a royal family. The baptism of the Holy Spirit, therefore, was reserved for this age of
direct union with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Old Testament people were not directly related to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
We are. We are not just believers; we are not just born again; and we are not just related to God. We are in the family, and thus we are the
royalty of God. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the unique ministry of this age to create that royalty.
Church-age believers are joined to Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and thus we form His body with Him as our head. This is the principle
which is enunciated in Colossians 1:18, where the apostle Paul says, "And he (Jesus Christ) is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning,
the first born from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence." It is our head, Jesus Christ, who is the head of our royal family
who is to have the preeminence.
Preeminence
So, here's one principle that we as royalty are to learn: The preeminence belongs to Him. It doesn't belong to any of us, and we should not, as
royalty, walk around trying to find the preeminence. This is the problem within the local church among believers. We always have the prima donnas who
are walking around seeking a place in the sun; seeking a place of exaltation; seeking someone to pray; seeking someone to appreciate them; seeking
someone to thank them for what they have done; and, seeking someone to help make their feelings acceptable, and to help make them feel better
about themselves and about everything else. They, in one way or another are shouting, "I want to be preeminent." The Word of God makes it very
clear that the preeminent member in our family is Jesus Christ, not any of the rest of us. If you are going to persist in that kind of an attitude,
you're going to be one of the lower echelons of the royalty. You're going to be part of the royal family that most of the family is a little ashamed
of, and is a little uncomfortable when we find you in our presence. We don't need the showoffs and the stars. All we need is to exalt our leader;
exalt the head of this body; and, exalt He who is the head of our royal line, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus was Himself born into royalty as the descendant of King David. The church-age believers, as being directly united to Him as His
body, and He, the head of that body, thus share His royal position. We share everything that Jesus Christ possesses. We are joint heirs with Him.
Because He was born into the royal family of Israel, and because in addition to that, He is with the Father, King of Kings and Lord of Lords of all
of the Father's creation, we, who are joined to Him, therefore, become part of royalty. Luke 1:30-33 describe that royal family of David into which
Christ was born.
So, that's the entrance into the family. Those who are born again in this age by the baptism of the Holy Spirit have been constituted royalty.
You have that position. That is what you are. However you may act, and whatever you may do with that position, you are royalty. On a human realm,
sometimes there are people who are born into royal families who appreciate the position to which they've been born, who have a great respect for
their heritage, and who are trained to take their place in time as leaders among men, and as those who are to instruct the commoners. They are to
instruct others as members of a royal family. And the family takes pride in the progress of that individual.
On the other hand, there are members of some royal families that they are extremely ashamed of and humiliated by, because someone is born in the
family who never rises to his heritage, and who forever acts like he is one of the low brow of the lowest levels of the commoners, instead of the
royal person that he is. It's not a matter of having blue blood. It's a matter of having character and performance accordingly.
The Nature of Church Royalty
So, let's look at the nature of church royalty as a guideline to enable us to act according to the heritage that we have and what we are.
Both Men and Women
First of all, both men and women in the church age are members of the royalty of God. That is a very important point to make. In Galatians 3:26-29,
the apostle Paul says, "For you are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ (by the
baptism of the Holy Spirit) have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither bond nor free. There is neither male nor female.
For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." We are in the royal
family of God apart from gender, and we have within that equal privilege. We have different varying responsibilities, and order of authority, but
we have equal privilege, and an equal place within the family of God.
Irreversible
Furthermore, the church age believer's royal position in Christ is irreversible, and thus his royal station is preserved for all eternity. That
is one of the points that we might say is unfortunate – that some people should not be royalty. There are some Christians who are not fit to
be royalty because of what they choose to be. But nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that once you are in the royal family of God, it is
irreversible for all eternity.
God Decides
Membership in the royal family of Jesus Christ is one that has come by special choice. You do not really decide to become royalty yourself. From
the human point of view, it does seem like that. But it is important to realize that you are selected by divine right. In the old world, centuries
past, one of the battles that had to be fought on the earthly realm of kings was whether kings are born into that family by divine choice. Therefore,
if they happen to be born into that family, it is by divine choice, and therefore, their word is supreme. That was known as the divine right of
kings. The king's law was above anybody else's law.
Of course, that was one of the things that was fought out in the American Revolution and in the American Constitution, and through writings like
Lex Rex, and the work of John Witherspoon that established the fact that the king's law is not supreme, God's law is above man's law. In the royal
family of God, you do have this interesting analogy that you are there by divine right. It is because God chose you, among all the human beings of
all the ages, and said, "I want you to be part of the royalty. I'm appointing you a prince in My family. I'm making you a princess in My family."
It isn't because of something we have chosen. It is a right that we have by divine choice.
Ephesians 1:4-6: "According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him;
in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will." That's the
only reason. The good pleasure of God's will decided that you were going to be part of this royalty: "To the praise of the glory of His grace,
through which He has made us accepted in the beloved;" that being Jesus Christ.
Then notice Ephesians 1:11: "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things
after the counsel of His own will. You are a member of the royal family as a result of the sovereign choice of a God who works after the counsel
of His own will. It would be impossible to answer: why you, and not somebody else? As we look upon some of us, we wonder why indeed.
John 15:16 says, "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit
should remain, and whatever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you." The Lord Jesus Christ said, "I have selected you. I
have chosen you here specifically for service, and that that service might be of a type that is productive, and that will last."
A Royal Wedding
At the rapture of the church age, when the church is called up to meet the Lord in the air, all of the nobility of the church age (the body of
Christ) then becomes His bride, and consequently, there will follow a royal wedding. From time to time, we have in recent years seen the royal
wedding in England. You probably did not watch that scene with a full appreciation that you should have, because you were watching a preview of
what you yourself will be a participant in. It was very exciting to see that couple walking down the aisle in St. Paul's Cathedral, especially
if you've had a chance to visit the place, and to walk down that yourself.
If you ever should, I would suggest you start at the door (it's very,
very long), and you walk down that aisle with those black and white squares in the floor, and you just practice marching as a member of a royal
wedding party. Just practice marching so that you'll know how to do it when the time comes for the royal marriage in heaven. If one of the priests
asks you what you are doing, just explain to them that you're a member of the royal family, and you have a wedding that you have been scheduled
for, and you'll be married in cathedral-like surroundings, and you are simply practicing and acclimating yourself to such an awesome experience.
(And then try to disappear if you've explained that to him.) But in any case, that's exactly what's ahead.
Once the church has been raptured, then comes the royal celebration of our wedding to Christ. Then we become not just His body, but also His bride.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 tells us about that event: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words." Following that event,
the marriage will take place in heaven, and then will come the 1,000-year celebration in the millennium of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
In Revelation 19:7, we read, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him (to Jesus Christ), for the marriage of the lamb is come, and His
wife has made herself ready." That's what we are doing now. We, as the body of Christ, are as a woman who is betrothed to be married, and is
preparing herself for her wedding day. We are preparing ourselves for our wedding day. The garments that we are preparing are the garments of our
divine good production. It is what the Bible describes as the righteousness of the saints. That is what we will be wearing as our wedding garments.
During the tribulation era here on earth, the royal family will be in heaven, being prepared to share in project footstool with Jesus Christ here
on earth at His Second Coming. At that time, all of the earth will be put under the authority of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus
Christ. And we will be with Him as His bride, exercising that authority over the whole world. Every human being will be under your royal authority.
We have looked at these Scriptures before. We just mentioned them: 1 Thessalonians 2:12-13; Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:13; and, Colossians 2:14-16 all
describe project operation footstool, when Jesus Christ will come to the authority over the whole earth, that is His royal right.
The mark of royalty and the church age is, among other things, the permanent indwelling of God the Holy Spirit. It is this provision that enables
us to act like the royal people that we are. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "What? Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is
in you, whom you have of God? And you are not your own, for you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit,
which are God's." The members of the royal family have the Holy Spirit permanently indwelling them so that they can live up to their rank.
The Sealing of the Holy Spirit
The church-age believer's position in the royal Kingdom of God is also permanently secured by the sealing of the Holy Spirit. This is part of the
purpose of the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is to ensure that your place in the royal family is eternally secured. Ephesians 1:13-14,
therefore, say, "In whom you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also, after you believed, you
were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest (the down payment) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession under the praise of His glory." The Holy Spirit is the down payment of what you will be physically and in every respect: spiritually;
emotionally; and, mentally, after Jesus Christ comes for us at the rapture.
Positional Sanctification
It is positional sanctification that places every church age believer in the heavenly palace today. That's good to remember. It isn't just that
you're going to be in that palace, but you are positionally there today. Ephesians 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ." Our spiritual blessings are in heavenly places now. We have access
to the heavenly palace.
People who live in slum areas live in housing which is decrepit. The windows are broken, and things don't work. The place is treated in a trashy way,
and they have a tendency to act accordingly. If you've ever been in a major city, and taken the occasion to drive through a slum area, you would be
struck by the fact that the people act according to the appearance of the surroundings.
Since you know that you are a member who lives in a royal palace, finer than anything that any royalty here on the face of the earth has ever
imagined, it should also affect our conduct. We again should act as people who have been elevated by our very surroundings. The church-age
believers have that position in the heavenly palace today.
The objective of church-age royalty is to train for our role as royalty by achieving super grace maturity. That is the ultimate goal of royalty
– to achieve super grace maturity, with all the capacity that that involves and that that implies. Therefore, it is the purpose and the
responsibility of the royal families of the church-age to train their children to grow up, and to take their places as royalty. If our children
are reared in such a way that they just become lowbrow commoners, then we've missed our calling.
Training of Children
This is an enormous area of truth. I'm very tempted to stop here now, and run a series of studies on the training of children for the position of
royalty. That is a fascinating study. The Bible has a great deal to say about that, and would be a very valuable treatise and guideline to parents
on how to rear their children so that they are prepared to be royalty. You can see this in youngsters about you. It's easy for us to look at
children, and we have a lot of contact with them here at Berean Church. We can see that some children, by the very way they act; the way they think;
and, the way they perform, are not being trained to be members of royalty. They're being trained to be commoners. I see it in all kinds of
activities. One of the keen ways that I've observed this is when we have a work project around here.
For example, on Saturday mornings, we have all
of these chairs that you're seated in. They did not put themselves there. ... We have never
been able to work out the evolving of the seating arrangement by itself. It does take a cause to perform it. So, we have to haul these chairs out,
and put them up. There are kids who walk in here for band practice, and they step right in, and they know what to do first thing, and they start
putting up chairs. We've got others, over the years, who will walk in that door; they'll see that the chairs haven't been set up; and,
they'll head for the washroom. And they'll have a big problem that will take them about 30 minutes to resolve there in the washroom. Or they'll
evaporate outside for a while. Then I'll see them peeking around the corner to see whether all the chairs or the rugs are out, and the books are
up, and then they'll come sashaying in with their instruments.
That is common. That is cheap. That is not royalty who has been reared to serve, and
to carry responsibility, and to be part of the team. There are many ways that it is evident that we are not rearing children for the heritage that
they are destined to have as members of God's royal family.
Of course, the royal family of God is going to be engaged in the overthrow of Satan and his demons at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is
one of the exciting things which is ahead for us – that we who are royalty are going to be the agents of the overthrowing of Satan and his
demonic agents. In 1 Corinthians 3:13, we read, "To the end He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." We will be returning with Jesus Christ with all His saints.
And Revelation 20:1-3 tell us what we will be returning to do: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit,
and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him 1,000 years, and cast him
into the bottomless pit, the pit of the abyss, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the 1,000
years should be fulfilled, and after that, he must be loosed a little season." This incarceration of Satan is something that you will have a part
in. You will be part of the agents that will put Satan in this prison, incapacitating his demonic hosts. Perhaps the way God has worked it out,
who knows but what there is one believer for every demon who is to be imprisoned, and who is to be thrown out of capacity on the earth? And you
yourself perhaps will have the privilege of disposing of one demon directly.
So, that's the nature of the royalty.
Preparation for Church-Age Royalty
The nature of royalty, and living up to that nature, requires preparation. So, the next factor that we have to consider is some preparation
for church-age royalty. The church-age believer is a member of God's kingdom. He is a spiritual aristocrat. Consequently, he has to learn to act;
to speak; and, to live like royalty. As God's royal nobility, the Christian has many privileges which are not possessed by unbelievers, and which
are not possessed by believers who insist on acting like commoners. God's privileged nobility, however, must avoid the arrogance of the world with
its confidence in man's ability to make it without God.
Socialism
At the heart of an expression that is very popular in our day, the concept of socialism, is enormous arrogance. Socialism is the ultimate satanic
expression of arrogance – that man, through his capacities and through statism (through government), can control and bring about blessing
for mankind.
While I was in Chicago last week, I was listening on the news to the United Auto Workers convention here in Dallas. One of the things that was
proposed by that organization (and I think by its new president) was that the United States should set up a national planning committee so that
they would decide where the resources go, and how much should be built of this and that, so that there could be a control for prosperity. There
was a time in this country when you would not have dared to stand up and make a remark like that. That's pure cold socialism. That's unadulterated
socialism: statism; the arrogance of government; and, the arrogance of man's thinking – that human beings can take God's resources, and
order them in such a way for blessing for everyone else. But we go back to Genesis, and right off the bat, God says, "I've created a divine
institution of volition. You exercise your will, and you're responsible for the consequences. I've established the marriage relationship, one-on-one
hetero marriage, and I have established the family group." Now God said, "I want you to create prosperity on the basis of those institutions. I want
you to dominate. I want you to bring under your control My creation." That mandate has been given to individual family groups to benefit; to bless;
to prosper; and, to use what God has created.
Then here comes the head of a national labor organization with the greatest expression of arrogance that is possible in the human realm –
the expression of achievement through socialism. You wonder whether these people have any brains at all. All you have to do is look around the
world today, and you see that every country on the face of the world today that practices socialism is an economic basket case. And to the extent
that our country has practiced it, we are a basket case. It is unbefitting of royalty to practice and to promote the arrogance that is
characteristic of the world. Royalty has a position, but that position does not entitle us to exercise the arrogance of the old sin nature. A
genuine aristocrat is that by virtue of his superior standards; his devotion to duty; and, his achievements – not because he has been born
into that position. He is an aristocrat in truth because of what he is by character, through the Word of God; what he is by devotion to duty, for
the Lord's glory; and, what he is in terms of being an achiever.
There are some Christians who just don't know how to achieve. They don't know how to achieve spiritually, and they don't know how to achieve in the
rest of their lives. In the masses of humanity in our society, the commoners don't know how to achieve. It is the commoners who are falling for the
arrogance of the sin nature to call for a government in a socialist system to make it for them. A genuine aristocrat is that by virtue of his
superior character and performance. Aristocrats have a duty to God to fulfill their heritage, and to bring the blessings to mankind for which God
raised them up. We do have that duty as God's royal family. It is our place to bring blessings to mankind. The first blessing we have to bring is
to point people to the Word of God; to point them to the authority of the Bible; to teach them what it has to say; and, then to encourage them to
function on it.
Therefore, Christian homes and Christian schools should see themselves as training grounds for preparing the heirs of God's noble family, the body
of Christ, to assume their places of titled privilege and responsibility. And we do have titled privilege and responsibility. Those who are born
into the royal family of God, and who prepare themselves to be able to live like royalty, are those who are prospered by God. You are prospered
above the commoners; you are prospered materially; you are prospered emotionally; you are prospered in your social relationships; you are prospered
intellectually; you are prospered in your appreciation of the refined (the cultural) things of life; and, you are prospered in every way. Because
you parents are prospered that way, your children are the inheritors of that prosperity. Those of you who are adult Christians, and you act like
commoners, and you are self-centered and cheap and unbefitting your status – your children unfortunately reflect the same pattern, and they
suffer the same consequences.
Therefore, in 1 Timothy 6:11-16, the apostle Paul says, "But you, man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness; godliness; faith;
love; patience; and, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life unto which you are also called, and have professed a good
profession before many witnesses. I command you in the sight of God, who makes all things alive, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate
witnessed a good confession, that you keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in His
times He shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, who only has immortality dwelling in the light
which no man can approach unto, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen."
This is a declaration of the one with whom we are associated – the only potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That's why we're
royalty along with Him. We are called, therefore, to live a life that rejects the world's system of values and the world's way of doing things.
We have to get our thinking straight through the Word of God, because right thinking produces right motivation, and right motivation results in
right actions. The victory of our Lord Jesus Christ over Satan on the cross brought Him the honor, as the God-man, to be seated in heaven at the
Father's right hand on the Father's throne. The founding of the royal family of God took place at that point.
Standards for God's Royalty
Therefore, there are some standards for the members of God's royalty, and it's going to take us a little while, having prepared for royalty, now
to be able to live up to the standards of royalty. It's going to take us a little while to examine the standards that befit the royal family of
God. This is the Christian life now in its finest expression. This is the Christian life point-by-point, whereby we may examine ourselves, and test
to what degree we are functioning as nobility. Christians are spiritual aristocrats who have been born into the family of God because they are
associated with Jesus Christ. However, Christians come from a variety of backgrounds. Some Christians are cultured, and some are uncouth. Some
Christians are educated, and some are ignorant. Some Christians are rich, and some are poor. Some Christians are skilled, and some are unskilled.
Some are emotionally stable, and others are emotional yo-yos. Some are rational, and some are irrational. Some are logical, and some are
scatterbrained. Some are organized, and some are disorganized. Some are generous people, and others are greedy misers. Some are well-mannered,
and others are boorish.
So, we've got them all on both sides of the picture. Christians come from all that kind of background. All of us are going to have to be formed
into nobility, whatever our background and character is, when we come into the Christian life. All of us have to learn doctrine in order to learn
how to think. All of us have to learn how to make decisions as royal people. All of us have to learn how to conduct ourselves with dignity as
royal people. All of us have to learn to talk like royalty. There's a way of talking that is unbecoming a royal personage. All of us have to dress
like royalty. Here is an enormous problem that a lot of Christians have. They just don't know how to dress as befits one who is a member of the
royal family of God. People are very much concerned with how Christians who represent the living God dress.
When the Queen of England recently visited the United States, I heard many comments on her attire. I was amazed at how many women had comments
that I heard, and even men on how the queen dressed. They have very definite opinions as to what was befitting the costuming of royalty. We have
to learn to be motivated as royal personages.
The Christian nobility of the church have divine privileges which have never been granted to the commoners of other dispensations. The children of
Christian royalty have to be trained to fulfill their royal position in the church. The basic training of royalty centers on the Word of God. Right
thinking produces right motivation, and right motivation produces right actions. So, the functioning as an aristocrat of God is not so much a matter
of what one does, but is a matter of the thinking behind what you do. Right thinking depends on doctrine which is stored in the human spirit, and
the filling (or the controlling) of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, nothing must prevent the learning of the whole counsel of the Word of God –
not to prevent it to ourselves or to others.
That's why when some youngster in the service is disorderly, it is your royal duty to knock the crown off his head, and to stop what he's doing.
You do not have the right to deny the royal family of God the one thing that distinguishes them from commoners, and that is the learning of
doctrine. It is the one thing that commoners hold in contempt.
The members of the royal family of God are expected to move from spiritual infancy to super grace living. Therefore, we gather for the training in
the Word of God without subjectivity and without strife, but objectively listening; making our decision to believe or not believe; and, acting
accordingly. That is the beginning point of establishing the standards for royalty.
From there, next time we shall go into detail on the standards that befit a royal lifestyle.
Dr. John E. Danish, 1982
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