The Kingdom Consciousness of a True Disciple (part one)
By Jay Wegter
In the culture of relativism and immediacy, the world is seen as a place of competing values. But that is not God’s view of the world—He ‘scoffs’ at man’s rebellion as He sees judgment coming (Ps 2:1-5). The further mankind moves from God’s pattern, combined with man’s efforts to bring in utopia; the more culture will decay and implode. The reason why is because there is but one reality—God and His relation to His creation. When that single reality is rejected (as if sinning can create a new reality), it sets in motion a death spiral. The rising generation is told the opposite: that Christian worldview is but one of many competing viewpoints in the mishmash of options out there. Our Christian young people are over-stimulated. They take almost no time to meditate on Scripture, fixing their minds on things above (Col 3:1-3). As a consequence, their spiritual affections are left desolate instead of burning with spiritual passion for the things of Christ. This places them in a position of frustration and exasperation with their spiritual lives. The assumed values of shallow church culture set the spiritual bar very low—as if to say, “You are righteous and moral if you are not pregnant, not using drugs, and not in jail.” Highly dichotomized, compartmentalized, disconnected lives are the result. What is lacking is a well-worked out, functional biblical worldview which equips for discernment and decision-making in every area of life. Without this comprehensive worldview, our youth will not be able to successfully navigate through the maze of soul-destroying lies in their path. Satan is the god of this world; the ‘impostor king’ who is the default god of every unbeliever on the planet (2 Cor 4:4). His kingdom platform is constructed of soul-damning lies cast as true freedom. Those lies about freedom include: You have the right to be anything you want to be. You have the right to be happy your way. You have the right to have your preferences. You have the right to never be disrespected. You have the right to live a self-directed life. You have the right to choose your own values. You are the ultimate judge for choosing right and wrong for yourself. These are the assumed unquestioned ‘rights’ in our age; but according to Scripture they are the marks of a person deceived by Satan. This unquestioned autonomy is how the imposter king holds his lost subjects. This is how Satan’s dominion is manifested in the love of the world. The devil’s hold is not commonly through druid circles, the black arts, or sorcery. He binds his subjects through the worship of self and self’s idols. Our Christian young people will not be able to oppose and resist the deceptions of our age unless their affections are engaged in the things of God. So many Christian young people today find that their Christian life has been reduced to a set of duties. The energy they expend in an effort to keep themselves from certain sins may be present, but the great themes of Scripture have not captivated their imaginations. This produces a huge disconnect between their outward religious morality and the contents of their imagination and inner longings. The life of the mind, their imagination and fantasies are not invaded by the glory of God. Their drowsy spiritual eyes do not see God’s big picture —His ‘glory story’. We can express the diagnosis as follows, “I will give God my morality, but I will keep my imagination myself. I get to choose where I get my meaning and inspiration.” But, we respond, if Christ is Lord of all—then, He is also Lord of our imagination. That means Christ’s will for you is that you have an enthralling vision of God’s redemptive story, a transforming vision of His Kingdom plot, a heart grabbing view of who God is towards you in Christ. True worship is intimately tied to your thought life, it’s what you dwell on, and it’s what captures your desires and longings. It’s what fills your imagination with wonder, awe, longing, and admiration. As God’s ‘glory story’ captures my imagination, I will begin to understand that as a Christian God has invited me into His Kingdom plot. Christ calls His disciples to immerse themselves in gospel of the kingdom realities (Mt 13). We escape into movies, hungering to feed our imagination because we’re so blind to the immensity of God’s redemptive plot. Think with me for a moment. Redemption in Christ is the greatest recovery effort in time and eternity. Salvation in Christ is restoration from the ruin caused by Adam’s sin and ours. This redemptive story is why there is a universe, why there is the human race. Your part in this divine plot is mind-boggling—for believers are so closely united to Christ, that what He does publicly from now will involve His church (Rom 8:18-23; Rev 2:25-28; 19:11-16). How we need God’s glory story—His Kingdom plot, for God has brought you into His Kingdom plot. Christ is at the center of this glory story.
Our ability to know, reflect, represent, and enjoy God was completely lost when human sin entered; but salvation has restored our ability to be staggered by God’s glory. Our meditations and imagination must be filled with the Kingdom realities that Christ is forming a new humanity that will be raised above anything Adam ever could have been (Heb 2:5-8ff.).