[review previous article] [advance to next article]
     Early in His three years ministry, Jesus told His disciples.  “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11).  Although the Jews thought they had been God’s kingdom for nearly 1500 years, the kingdom Jesus referred to was yet to come and indeed was a mystery.  In the last article we briefly considered two of the four elements of which a kingdom consists.  (1) The sovereign king — Jesus who is reigning on His throne in heaven (Acts 2:29-36; Hebrews 10:12; 12:2).  (2) His citizen subjects of which the apostle Paul declared he was one (Colossians 1:13,14).

     The third element of a kingdom are the royal edicts, the standard of law by which any king rules.  If there is one thing in which humanity excels, it is breaking the rules.  The Bible begins by recording this flaw of rule breaking — sin!  In 1446 BC God made a covenant with ancient Israel which consisted of 613 laws.  A couple hundred years later, the declaration made was, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 21:25).  A lot of what passes as “Christianity” are merely man’s ideas, not God’s sovereign instruction and commands.  Many think because God sent Jesus as His grace to set us free from the bondage and guilt of sin, a person can simply believe Jesus is the Savior and then go on living as he always did in the past.  How can Jesus have a kingdom, but no royal edicts?  He can’t!  The New Testament is the standard of faithful submission to King Jesus.

     The night before His crucifixion, Jesus promised to give His 11 disciples His standard of Christianity when He ascended into heaven.  How?  Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).  Jesus would send the helper from heaven.  In the same speech Jesus said the helper was the Holy Spirit — “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you”; “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26; 16:13,14).  Obviously, Jesus would declare His royal standard via the Holy Spirit, which was done via the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14).  However, the spiritual gifts would cease when the entirety of the New Testament was complete — “For we know in part and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away” (1 Cor 13:8-10).  The spiritual gifts by which the Holy Spirit delivered Jesus’ standard had been uniquely given to the apostles on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-11).  Only they could pass these gifts to new Christians (Acts 8:14-16).  Jude later declared the standard had been given — “… the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

     The New Testament is King Jesus’ standard by which He rules.  But where is the territory on which He rules?  There is more to this mystery!

[review previous article] [advance to next article]