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Christ put GOVERNMENT into his Church. Most of those who
have gone out from the Church have gone because they resisted the
GOVERNMENT of CHRIST in the Church.
Brethren, how does God look at this world? It is common for
us to look at it as we have been seeing it in our lifetime, in our
little PART of this world. God sees the WHOLE world from its very
foundation. It was founded through one man. Adam followed his
wife, who was deceived by Satan, into rebelling against the
GOVERNMENT of God. God had commanded him not to eat of the
forbidden fruit. The penalty was DEATH. Actually Adam followed
the GOVERNMENT of Satan. As the archangel Lucifer, a cherub, Satan
had been placed on the throne of the earth (Isaiah 14:13) to
administer the GOVERNMENT OF GOD over the earth. But Lucifer
rebelled and became Satan. But he is still on that throne. Adam
had the opportunity to reject Satan and obey God. IF he had taken
of the tree of LIFE, Satan would have been abolished and Adam made
immortal, ruling on that throne. But Adam accepted the government
or rule of Satan over his life and that of his children. So God
CLOSED OFF the tree of life (the Holy Spirit, impregnating with
immortal life) until Christ, the second Adam, 4,000 years later.
Adam's decision was the FOUNDATION of this world. At that time it
was decreed that the "WORD" would come as Savior of the world and
be slain for human sins (Revelation 13:8). It was also decreed at
the foundation of the world that all men should once die and after
that the JUDGMENT. Also, that as in Adam ALL die, so in Christ
should all be made alive by resurrection (Hebrews 9:27, I
Corinthians 1 5:22).
This world became Satan's world. Satan became the god of
this world (II Corinthians 4:4). Adam's first son killed his
brother and lied to God about it. A world developed, swayed by
Satan--a world avoiding and rejecting God.
God's law is the basis of God's GOVERNMENT. Law is merely
rules that regulate one's way of living. The world has rules or
laws regulating all sports and games. God's law regulates human
RELATIONSHIPS--with God, and with neighbor. God's way is LOVE--
outflowing concern for the GOOD of others--humility, obedience to
God, cooperation, serving, sharing with neighbor. Satan's way
(this world's way--human nature) is the way of rebellion,
competition, strife, violence, disagreement.
Satan is STILL on that world throne. A civilization was
developed by MAN, cut off from God's Spirit. Satan is the prince
of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). Just as thoughts in the
form of sounds, words and pictures can be transmitted
instantaneously through the air by radio and TV, so Satan transmits
ATTITUDES and IMPULSES through the air, and this works in the
people of the world with the contentious, self-willed way of "GET."
Satan injects this selfish nature into babies in the first months
of their lives, and parents do nothing to teach them otherwise.
You and I grew up that way.
Into such a world Jesus came. HE DID NOT SET OUT TO REFORM
THIS WORLD OR MAKE SATAN'S WORLD A BETTER WORLD. He did not come