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Frank Viola | Beyond Evangelical
Official Blog of Author & Speaker Frank Viola. Digging below the surface and moving beyond the shallows in today's Christianity.
The Presence of the Future
Agree With Your Adversaries
I have bought many copies (and given them away ) of your amazing and refreshing books . I traveled to hear you speak in Newmarket Canada, and I follow as best I can by computer. But I have a Mac. Is there any chance Epic Jesus ( or your other audio podcasts ) will ever be on iTunes? Please! Ebooks For iPads?
I am sure there are others of us out there… But the revelations are so brilliant — thanks!
Sheila: Thanks for the kind words. All of my messages on the podcast are on iTunes. Go here: http://www.ptmin.org/audio-mp3s – it’s the first link.
Frank: So I listened to your podcast, and there is a big “Hallelujah!” in my spirit! We just need to take care of eating and drinking Jesus, and His life gets dispensed into us. Then we spontaneously express Him in our daily living. Amen! That’s better than a turkey asking “WWHD?” That was great.
“Lord, keep us eating and drinking you.”
I also think this point about the kingdom not being the result of political process is such a salvation for many well-intentioned Christians.
One analogy that has helped me with understanding the kingdom (because i find it hard to wrap my head around most of the time) goes like this: the verses in John 3 about the kingdom indicate that this kingdom, as opposed to most of the kingdoms we’re familiar with, is completely related to life.
In biology, the word kingdom is used to talk about organisms that have the same charicteristics. For example, the dog kingdom contains only animals that look and behave like dogs. There is no way to enter that kingdom except to be born into it, no matter how much you whisper. Likewise, the kingdom of God is totally a matter of life and can only be entered or be built by God’s life.
Clark: I really like this! Life is a subject that Jesus talked just as much about as He did the Kingdom. http://ptmin.podbean.com/2010/10/04/living-by-the-indwelling-life-of-christ/ Indeed, the two cannot be separated.
Great post Frank! I believe we in the church have the opportunity to live in the deposit of the Kingdom in this age, but the full manifestation will come when Jesus returns and ushers in the full manifestation of His rule. Until then, the frustration and longing-for-more is what He uses to drive us together and unto Him.
Also, I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in Mark 8; “beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod”. I’ve always taken this to mean “beware of the false leadership of the religous and political leaders”. We can live in and amoung these systems, but shouldn’t have any heart-strings tied to them.
good stuff. while i agree kingdom is like mustard seed in that it often grows slowly and out of sight… the expression of that is going to differ all over the world.
The kingdom can be preached and lived with great force… its just that the force need not be directed at overthrowing political powers but rather resisting them IF the situation warrants. eg early anabaptists and chinese housechurch.
The world too often takes notice for all the wrong reasons but there are some reasons worth outwardly challenging those who consider themselves rulers, be they religious or political.
When church and state mixes or the state is persecuting christians then living in the realm of the kingdom of God is very noticeable and can cause a huge stir.
To further the analogy, at some point that mustard seed grows into a very big tree which is noticeable… which is exactly what happened, from a few disciples to millions over past 2000 years.
I think today we are far removed from NT times. We label someone in the streets preaching as misguided, when truth is Jesus got out there in the markets amongst the people.
Thank God for many men and women who have given their lives and spoken for those who had no voice.
Frank,
Thanks for posting this. I’ve been wrestling with this issue for a while now. One of the most groundbreaking revelations that shed light on this issue of the Kingdom is when I began to identify Jesus as the new Israel, as opposed to the nation that currently goes by that name, and Christ as the Kingdom. When one takes this view, the mysteries of the Bible unfold in such a fresh new way that brings into view the Christ that is truly all in all.
I have one question. Where did the idea surface that we can apply the blessings and cursings of Deuteronomy to the United States? So many are warning of the Judgements to befall America if we do not turn with fasting and praying to turn this nation to God. I am at lose sometimes because so many people i respect and love in the Lord are in agreement with this way of thinking. I’m not ruling out the fact that I’m completely wrong either.
Otto: I’m not sure, but I would suspect that they view those texts as applying to God’s dealings with all nations. Namely, that sin will bring the demise of a nation and repentance can bring restoration. That would be my guess.
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing this brother.
The first time I ever heard this my view of the Kindgdom was profoundly changed. I used to think that God was all about getting His politicians elected (usaully republicans lol) to “usher in” the Kingdom to come.
I also thought that we, as Christians, were responsible for keeping America a so-called “Christian Nation.”
It was very freeing and eye-opening when I first heard one of your messages about this.
Good ariticle Frank.
simply a great post Frank…simply great! thank you!
I have been reading alot of T Austin-Sparks lately (thanx for the reference) and presently I am reading a work of his on the revelation of Jesus Christ. In it he writes extensively about Gods divine plan in the government of creation by Jesus through the Church. Your post drives some of the finer points home and makes me think of all the “old man” things that must be purged so that the new man rules all in all. Thanxs again.
“…the Kingdom of God does not seek to change the political order of things by fleshly effort. It rather makes changes in the spiritual order that affect the lives of men and women at a deeper level.”
Thank you for sharing this. I think it is a message that especially needs to be heard right now considering the recent election. There’s nothing wrong with voting, but I know several people who feel that it is a Christian’s duty to do so, and try to improve our political system…that it’s another way for us to advance the kingdom. But, as you said, the Kingdom is advanced in the spiritual realm. If anyone will examine history, they can see that whenever believers put significant focus on the political process, things get VERY messy.