Over the next few weeks, I'm excited to share with you some key prophetic insights from John 21. It is a rich chapter especially in the context of where we are. The story in this chapter is after the death and resurrection of Jesus, however it is a scene where the disciples are still in a state of mourning and scattering. What happens in these verses serves as a prophetic strategy for us to be able to come out of 2020 as warriors and overcomers.
When we declare Jesus is Lord, it is a cultural and political statement.
The question we must ask ourselves is how do righteous men and women respond to those in authority who make unjust, immoral laws or decrees that fly in the face of our declaration? Especially when there is nowhere in the Bible that says that Kings are always right?
It isn’t that we want a conflict with civil government. However when civil government interferes with our freedom to gather peacefully than we have a duty to resist. Elected officials are equally bound to distinguish between good and evil in the area of civil government as are unelected citizens.
We can never forget that the world has been fashioned by God’s justice. Beloved we belong to God, not the government. We can’t sit back and accommodate what the federal, state or local governments say when they go against God’s law. Laws that dishonor God harm society.
If I am to give the state unlimited submission, then I am bound to obey every ungodly order even at the expense of my own conscience. Then what we have is two kingdoms which then substantiates dualism; a kind of dualistic ideology that justifies the disassembling of truth.
One can recognize what is wrong only if one has an intimate sense of what is right. For instance investigate occasions when religious leaders have questioned the ideology or actions of their government. This took place when those in power attempted to live beyond the reach of danger. Because they incorrectly believed that they were anemic when it comes to Heaven’s rule.
For instance if governing authorities are sanctioned by God with unlimited power and authority then any King, Governor, civil leader could justify any action wether good or evil. We as believers are not called to oppose government. We are called to oppose evil in government.
Governing authorities' responsibilities are to enforce God’s will and God’s law, not their own. Civil authorities have a conscience for what is acceptable but do not have a conscience to know what is evil unless God’s rule has been revealed. We as believers must be revealers of God’s rule.
Since when is a governor, health official, or mayor the head of the Church? I thought Christ is.
Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Our ultimate allegiance isn’t to the state our ultimate allegiance is to Christ. Because when we give the state unlimited authority it is an invitation for evil. Now more than ever in our generation we need to stand for what is right. We need to get our heads out of the sand and declare not ourselves but the absolute supremacy of Christ. We have to be willing to risk our security for the sake of divine justice. Otherwise our world globally will not know the preeminence of Jesus Christ.
God’s rejection of Cain’s gift had nothing to do with the gift, but the attitude of the giver. One example is when Cain rejects divine counsel because of being so self absorbed by his emotions. Swayed by the anger that burns within his soul, Cain can no longer reason. He incorrectly believes that he is alone and is given the right to sabotage his brother. He fails to understand his responsibility to care for his brother’s life. What he chooses and what he pursues is in opposition to the Lord’s gracious leadership.
The prophet sees the Lord’s vision for humanity. Because they feel fiercely, tears flow from their eyes because many aren’t even conscious that the word of God is disregarded. The prophetic message that is spoken isn’t to be shunned because the Lord has concern for all of His creation. Prophets aren’t worried about if their the minority because they have learned to maintain their loyalty to the Lord over popular opinion. They seem to live out of a much different kind of value system.
