Law and Kingdom – The Kingdom Curriculum II (7)

Law and Kingdom

But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. Psalm 9:7, 8

The greatest promise, the one that encapsulates all the other precious and very great promises of God, is the promise Jesus held out when He said, “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Lk. 12:32). The Kingdom of God is the domain within which Jesus Christ rules unto righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. All who receive the Kingdom with gratitude and take up the pursuit of it as their primary calling in life can be assured that their lives will be pleasing to God and beneficial to others (Heb. 12:28; Matt. 6:33; Rom. 14:17, 18).

Central to Christ’s rule from His throne at the right hand of the Father are justice, righteousness, and uprightness, none of which can be realized apart from the Law of God. Jesus is advancing His rule on earth as it is in heaven by the power of His Spirit, working with His Word, in and through the lives of His people. Thus the power of Christ’s Kingdom (1 Cor. 4:20; Acts 1:8) expands with transforming glory wherever the people of God bring His Law, and all the rest of His Word, to bear in every area of life.

Christians are called, not to live according to the rules and rulers of this world. We practice another King, Whose name is Jesus (Acts 17:6, 7). Under His rule, in the power of His Spirit and according to the teaching of His apostles, we pursue the Kingdom by obeying the just, righteous, and upright commands of God’s Law, and by working to bring the blessings of the Law into every area of life where we have influence. The Kingdom of Christ has come, although the full expression of it awaits the new heavens and new earth; as citizens of that heavenly realm we thus fix our eyes on its King and His Law (Col. 3:1-3; Ps. 1) and pursue throughout our lives a course that seeks ever to bring holiness to completion in the fear of God (2 Cor. 7:1).

We pray for the Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10), and we live as though we expect to be judged by the Law of that Kingdom and to know the blessings and realize the promises that come from living according to its just, righteous, and upright ways. We will not earn our diplomas in the Kingdom curriculum in this life; nevertheless, we continue to study and learn, taking up the yoke of Jesus, in order to show ourselves workmen and citizens who need not be ashamed (Matt. 11:28-30; 2 Tim. 2:15).

Order your copy of The Law of God today. Go to www.MyParuchia.com, Publications, Waxed Tablet, to place your order and take up the Kingdom curriculum of our Lord.

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.