Monday, July 11, 2011

Establishing the Kingdom

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
(Philippians 2:5-8)

In this passage of scripture we see two incredible things that had taken place in the Son of God. First, we see that He emptied Himself in His divinity; and second He humbled Himself in His humanity. By the time the LORD came into the world He had emptied Himself of the all the glory and power that He shared with the Father and became an ordinary person of this world. He was fully God yet fully man and as a Son He willingly submits to the Father’s authority...
"O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.
(Matthew 26:42)
I  am going to the Father, for My Father is greater than I. (John 14:28)

This act of submission reveals two things; The Father is the position of authority and the Son the position of obedience to the Father’s authority. For people to become obedient it is a simple act of humility. For Christ it is no simple matter. The one of whom all things were created through had to let go of all that authority, glory and power accept human limitations of time and space, become a servant and even humble Himself further and “became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Although Adams act of disobedience had stripped him of the authority that God had given to him on the earth, both authority and obedience have come together in Christ. This is why it is so important to continually grow in faith, not a general unspecified faith in Christ but rather a directed unwavering faith that is totally convinced that Christ has fully and perfectly revealed the Father’s will, purpose and nature through His actions, teachings and commands and has provided the fullness of redemption in all of its forms. In other words Christ’s obedience has totally restored humanity and has established Gods authority on earth to all who come to Christ, that is through the church. We see this played out in the scripture...

Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18)
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

Jesus is the Head and beleivers are the Body of Christ. It is now up to the Body of Christ, the church to exercise faith and enforce what Jesus has established on the earth by using His name which carries His authority.

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