Lesson 8. Death to The World

Transcription

1 Lesson 8

2 LESSON 8 Lesson 8 Notes: Death to the World The Ruler of the Air When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, He sent them out from His garden into the world, which is Satan s domain. In the beginning of time, Satan was created to be the guardian cherub over God s creation: You were in Eden, the garden of God.... Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. (Eze.28:13-14 NIV) Shortly after creation, Satan became prideful because he was the guardian cherub. Consequently, he challenged the authority of God: Not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. (1Ti.3:6 NASB) In response to Satan s rebellion, God cast Satan down to the earth: But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (Re.12:8-9 NIV) Satan is the one who leads the whole world astray. As guardian cherub, Satan had authority over the world. In spite of his rebellion, God allowed him to retain that position of authority. Satan is not a god, but he is the spiritual ruler of the world. Jesus said: Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. (Jn.12:31 NRSV) When Satan was banished to the earth, he took angels with him. Initially, hell was created for Satan and his fallen angels. Hell was not created for man: Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Mt.25:41 NKJV) 108 Life By Death Life By Death 125

3 LESSON 8 For Further Thought: 1. How did mankind become a part of the kingdom of Satan? 2. What does being a child of the devil imply? 3. When did Christ establish His kingdom? 4. What does the Greek verb tense of the world has been crucified to me from Galatians 6:14 imply? 5. What does the Greek verb tense of I have been crucified to the world from Galatians 6:14 imply? 6. Who liberated Christians from the world? 7. What are the benefits of being a part of the kingdom of God? 8. What is the mandate for ambassadors of Christ? Some people suggest that more than one type of spiritual being exists under Satan s control. These people also believe that the cherub Satan, who is also referred to as the devil, has both demons (fallen angels) and spirits at his disposal. Similar to the Pharisees, some people believe that an angel and a spirit are two different creatures: The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. (Ac.23:8 NIV) The Pharisees believed in both spirits and demons, and the Sadducees denied both. However, their belief or unbelief does not make either of their convictions truth. The Scriptures teach that angels are spirits: Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? (He.1:14 NRSV) Angels are spirits because they dwell in the spiritual realm; men are physical because they dwell in the physical realm. Bodies of the spiritual realm are different than bodies of the physical realm. The term angel is used when it takes the physical form that people can see, but the natural state of an angel is a spirit that is invisible to man. In Jesus ministry, the terms spirits and demons (fallen angels) were used interchangeably because God considers them to be the same spiritual being: When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. (Mt.8:16 NIV) Jesus cast out the demons or spirits that were within Mary Magdalene. She had multiple demons evil spirits: And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons. (Lk.8:1-2 NKJV) The cherub Satan is also a spirit, for he is from the spiritual realm: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Eph.2:1-2 NIV) Therefore, Satan is the ruler over mankind in the physical realm and over his demons in the spiritual realm. 124 Life By Death Life By Death 109

4 LESSON 8 A Spiritual Hierarchy Since Satan is a finite spirit, he can only be at one place at a time. Hence, Satan roams the earth to keep informed of all that is happening: The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." (Job 1:7 NRSV) Because Satan is limited and able to know only what is around himself, he has a spiritual hierarchy of angels that is similar to the military: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph.6:11-12 NKJV) Satan, also called the devil, is a cherub, and the angels who follow him are called demons. The Scriptures describe four distinct divisions of demons: principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness. Principalities (fallen angels) rule over an area in the spiritual realm that is directly associated with a specific area on the earth. In the book of Daniel, the prince of Persia (the demonic principality who ruled over the area and people of Persia) prevented an angel of God from ministering to Daniel: He said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia. (Da.10:12-13 NRSV) An angel from God was detained from entering a principality s area of control. Since principalities rule over specific areas and people groups, some people call these angels territorial spirits. Like Persia, Greece had a territorial spirit (principality) that had authority over the country and its people: So he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Later, Jesus gave the seventy-two disciples His authority to drive out demons; therefore, Satan s realm had to submit to the disciples authority: The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Lk.10:17-20 NIV) Moments before Jesus ascended into heaven, He commissioned all Christians with the authority to go into all nations and to free people from the kingdom of Satan: And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Mt.28:18-20 NRSV) Christians are no longer of the world. Christ sent us into the world to be ambassadors of His kingdom. Consequently, we have the authority to offer freedom to those who are still prisoners of the world (Satan s kingdom): God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2Co.5:19-20 NASB) Therefore, we died to the world (Satan s kingdom) and are now part of the kingdom of God. Because God adopted us into His family and gave us citizenship in His kingdom, Jesus protects us from Satan and his realm: For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. (Ro.14:17-18 NIV) 110 Life By Death Life By Death 123

5 LESSON 8 Jesus ministry was to free man not only from Satan s kingdom but also from Satan s oppression that was throughout the world. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power after His baptism. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they too were anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power: And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (Ac.1:4-5 NASB) At Pentecost, the disciples received the Holy Spirit, Who empowered them to go into the world and to offer people wholeness. The Holy Spirit empowers us not only to live in holiness but also to stand against Satan and his kingdom: Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1Jn.4:4 NRSV) Since Christ lives in us by His Holy Spirit, we will be doing what Jesus did. In fact, we will be doing even greater things than Jesus did: I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (Jn.14:12-14 NIV) What did Jesus do? Jesus used His authority to directly confront demons so that people could be free from Satan s control: In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, "Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are --the Holy One of God!" "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. (Lk.4:33-35 NIV) The demon knew that Jesus ministry was to destroy Satan s kingdom. The kingdom of Satan acknowledged Jesus deity and had to submit to His authority. When Jesus called His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over Satan s domain: Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. (Lk.9:1 NKJV) 122 Life By Death Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.) (Da.10:19-21 TNIV) The spiritual prince or principality of Persia had authority over Persia and the Persian people. Hence, when the nation of Persia conquered the nation of Babylon, the Persian principality gained influence over Babylon. The spiritual realm dictates major world struggles. According to the book of Daniel, the territorial spirit of Persia was replaced by the spiritual prince (principality) of Greece. We know from earthly history that after the Persian Empire ended, the Grecian Empire was established. From the previous Scripture, we also know that the archangel Michael was prince of the people of Israel. Unlike demonic principalities, he was not contained to a specific area because his influence was exercised over God s people while they were in Babylon. Michael was able to deal with the principality of Persia in Babylon so that God s angelic messenger could proceed to help the Israelite Daniel. Therefore, demonic principalities control the demonic activity over specific regions, exercising authority over the people that live in their territories. The next demonic division is powers. These powers are not inanimate forces, but they are spiritual beings in the heavenly realms. Demonic powers are fallen angels that fulfill their agendas through the guise of religions: Now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Eph.3:10-11 NKJV) The religions of the world are not powerless because demonic powers (fallen angels) advance these religions. Through participating in false religions, people have allowed demons (powers) to control their lives. Even though these demons (powers) have power, they have less power than God and less authority than His church. However, the powers of these religions are greater than a mere man who is apart from Christ: And served their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with the blood. (Ps.106:36-38 NASB) Life By Death 111

6 LESSON 8 The Bible teaches that the idols of the Canaanites had a demonic power associated with them. The Canaanite religion of Baal worship was under the demonic power Baal. However, not every physical idol of Canaan had a demon attached to it. Paul taught that the actual physical idol is powerless; however, some idols do have demonic entities attached to them. It is the demonic entities that have power: Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord s table and the table of demons. (1Co.10:19-21 NIV) The form of the physical idol is shaped to personify the attributes and characteristics that the demonic power of the religion claims. Therefore, when people choose to participate in false religions, they place their lives under the control and influence of the religion s demonic power. Another division of demonic spirits is the rulers of darkness. The main task of the rulers of darkness is to blind people from the Gospel and to propagate lies. Hence, these deceptive demons are appropriately named rulers of darkness. We must understand that an inborn darkness exists within man because man is unspiritual and incapable of seeing and understanding spiritual truth: The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1Co.2:14 TNIV) A non-christian cannot perceive the spiritual world because he is incapable of understanding spiritual things. Man s inability to perceive spiritual things is natural. However, the rulers of darkness generate a spiritual darkness not only to prevent man from recognizing the truth but also to promote false teachings to divert people away from the truth. This spiritual conspiracy attempts to keep people from perceiving all that Christ accomplished for mankind: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2Co.4:4 NASB) 112 Life By Death Ambassadors of Christ When Jesus died on the cross, He accomplished more than just our freedom from the world. He also empowered us to free others from the world. Satan s agenda is simple: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (Jn.10:10 NKJV) Satan came to steal, destroy, and kill. When Jesus started His ministry, the demons knew that it was the sign of the end of their world domination and that Jesus would destroy some of their work through the establishment of His kingdom: Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." (Mk.1:23-24 NRSV) The Bible states that the regular ministry of Jesus involved freeing people from demonic oppression. Jesus brought complete wholeness to people s lives. Jesus defined His ministry in the following verses: The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Lk.4:17-21 TNIV) Jesus came to earth to proclaim freedom to prisoners, yet He never visited a jail. The prisoners that the above prophecy addressed were those who were held captive by sin and Satan. When Peter preached the Gospel to the Gentiles for the first time, he summarized Jesus ministry: You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. (Ac.10:37-38 TNIV) Life By Death 121

7 LESSON 8 Jesus will protect us from any attack from Satan s kingdom because the world died to us: We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. (1Jn.5:18 TNIV) Because Satan s kingdom (the world) died to us, Satan lost his rights over us. The Scriptures teach that once we were born again, we became God s children through Christ: He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will. (Eph.1:4-5 NRSV) When we were physically born, we became children of Satan. But when we were born again, we were adopted by God. With human adoption, once the official papers are signed, the biological parents no longer have any rights over the child. All authority for the child is given to the adoptive parents. In other words, once the adoption is completed, the biological parents authority over the child terminates, just as if the parents died. Once we became children of God, we ceased to be children of Satan; and his parental rights were null and void. Since Christ s crucifixion, everyone is either a child of God or a child of Satan: This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. (1Jn.3:10 NIV) The Scriptures clearly teach that because we are children of God, we are not the children of Satan. After a child is adopted, his biological parents might try to reassert authority over him, but the law defends the adoptive parents guardianship over the child. Similarly, Satan might try to convince us that he still has power over us; but Jesus promises to protect us from Satan s abuses. The Scriptures are adamant that we are the children of God: See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. (1Jn.3:1 NRSV) Therefore, we were crucified with Christ; the world was crucified to us; and we were crucified to the world. Crucifixion only happens once! 120 Life By Death Satan, who is the god of this age, is accredited with blinding unbelievers minds; however, Satan himself does not accomplish this deed. A comparable example would be George Bush. He never killed one Iraqi but was accredited with the killing of many Iraqis. The commander-in-chief is always responsible for his subordinates actions. Because Satan gave his mandate to the rulers of darkness, he is responsible for their actions which prevent people from comprehending God s truth. The Scriptures claim that people reject the Gospel because of a personage: For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn and I would heal them." (Jn.12:39-40 NIV) An evil spiritual being blinds people s minds and hardens their hearts. Blindness prevents a person from seeing and understanding while hardening prevents him from accepting what he perceives. The rulers of darkness teach false doctrines that divert people from God s truth: Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. (1Ti.4:1-2 NRSV) Therefore, the rulers of darkness propagate lies of alternative reasoning and generate obscurity that hinders understanding, in order to prevent people from receiving Christ. The last division of Satan s spiritual beings is the spiritual hosts of wickedness. The spiritual hosts of wickedness are in the heavenly places; and they enslave people through sin, contrary to the rulers of darkness who blind and deceive people: For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. (Ti.3:3 NASB) In Ephesians 6:12, the phrases spiritual hosts and in the heavenly places distinguish the wickedness that is of human origin from the wickedness that the spiritual realm promotes. Levels of natural wickedness are generated by man s sinful nature, but levels of depravity are generated by a spirit of wickedness who actually possesses a person. Sexual immorality, sex outside of marriage, is a natural form of sin; but rape and pedophilia result from demonic possession. To be angry with Life By Death 113

8 LESSON 8 someone is a natural form of sin, but to kill someone in a fit of rage results from demonic possession. We must remember that not everyone who does wickedness is demon-possessed. Besides possessing people, the spiritual hosts of wickedness also tempt both Christians and non- Christians; for temptation is common to all people. The presentation of a choice to sin is a temptation regardless of the intensity of its enticement. Temptation is not a sign that we still have wicked hearts, for Jesus was tempted like we are even though He did not possess a wicked heart. Satan, through his spiritual forces of wickedness, places temptations directly into our minds even though he does not enter us. The Bible states that Satan is responsible for all temptations: For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain. (1Th.3:5 NASB) Satan directs the spiritual hosts of wickedness to place in our minds the temptations to sin against what God has commanded: Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (1Co.7:5 NRSV) Satan strives to enslave us by wickedness and to make us victims of wickedness. His goal is to prevent us from achieving holiness. Spiritual hosts of wickedness have been given the mandate to keep humanity in the depths of depravity. These spirits worked in all of us before we were saved: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Eph.2:1-3 NIV) Therefore, spiritual hosts of wickedness are responsible for tempting people and trapping them in sin. If these demons actually take possession of a man, they will directly control him in order to perpetrate horrific acts against humanity. Once Adam and Eve left the garden of Eden, they entered Satan s domain. Consequently, all of mankind were born into Satan s realm and 114 Life By Death citizenship, the world considers us its enemies, people who betrayed their allegiance to Satan: I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. (Jn.17:14-16 TNIV) Christ was not of the world; and because we Christians are in Christ, we too are not part of the world (Satan s kingdom). The Scriptures declare that we are aliens in this world: Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. (1Pe.2:11 NIV) Just as Christ was not of the world, we are not of this world: I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (Jn.17:14 NASB) Satan is very possessive and hates those who leave his kingdom. He strikes out against all who rebel against his authority. However, even though Christians were chosen out of the world, they are to remain in the world to minister to the people who still need to be rescued from the world (Satan s kingdom): As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. (Jn.17:18 NASB) Christians are not of the world. A radical difference exists between being in the world and being of the world. Of course, Christians are in the world as long as they physically live; but Christians are not of the world (Satan s kingdom). Christ prayed: I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. (Jn.17:15 NRSV) Christians will be in the world until Christ returns, but they are protected from Satan s kingdom: I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name the name you gave me so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. (Jn.17:11-12 NIV) Life By Death 119

9 LESSON 8 and its authority, we remain dead to the world. The verb has been crucified is in the passive voice because Christ accomplished our crucifixion to the world when He allowed the world to crucify Him. Jesus was the strong man in the following verses. He overpowered and disarmed Satan and then took Satan s possessions human souls. Jesus prophesied about His victory over Satan: When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. (Lk.11:21-22 NRSV) We did nothing to accomplish victory over Satan s kingdom because we are the plunder that Christ took from Satan. Christ triumphed over Satan s kingdom through the cross. Because we were crucified with Christ, we also triumphed over Satan s kingdom (the world): And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Co.2:14-15 NKJV) Many Christians are ignorant of the fact that they were physically born into Satan s kingdom (the world). Many Christians also do not know that God rescued them from the world. Only by an act of God did we obtain freedom from Satan s tyranny: I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. (Jn.17:6 NIV) God took us out of the world (Satan s kingdom) and gave us to Christ: If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. (Jn.15:19 NASB) The Scriptures state that God is the One Who chose us to be His citizens. Ever since Christ established His kingdom, mankind has been a dichotomy: the world versus the church: I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. (Jn.17:9 NIV) The Greek word ekklesia is translated church or called out. God called us out of the world and into Christ s kingdom. Therefore, we are no longer part of Satan s kingdom. Because of our change of became part of his kingdom the world: Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother s were righteous. (1Jn.3:12 NIV) Because Cain belonged to the devil, he killed his brother Abel. The Scriptures refer to Satan as the ruler of the world, the ruler who works disobedience in man: You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. (Eph.2:1-2 NRSV) Satan has worked disobedience in everyone descended from Adam. The Scriptures state that Satan actually controls the whole world, manipulating people to sin: We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. (1Jn.5:19 TNIV) Everyone born of Adam is a subject of Satan s kingdom the world. Jesus acknowledged that Satan has a kingdom: If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? (Mt.12:26 NKJV) Since all mankind were born part of Satan s kingdom, the Scriptures call mankind the children of the devil: Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. (1Jn.3:7-8 NRSV) Everyone is a child of the devil at birth. We did not become children of the devil through our sin, but our life of sin proved that we were children of the devil. We did not have to do anything to become children of the devil; for Satan was our father when we were born into the world: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. (Jn.8:44 NIV) Therefore, Adam and Eve made us not only slaves to sin but also children of the kingdom of Satan. 118 Life By Death Life By Death 115

10 LESSON 8 The Kingdom of God Satan owned mankind since Adam; but Jesus came to destroy the devil s work: He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1Jn.3:8 NKJV; He.2:13-15) Satan is the archenemy of Christ. Once Jesus became our Lord, we entered into the kingdom of Jesus Christ; consequently, we were rescued from our dictator Satan: For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Co.1:13-14 TNIV) Many Christians do not know that Jesus came into the world to establish His kingdom. Jesus told Pilate plainly that He was born to be a king. Jesus was a king: "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world. (Jn.8:37 NIV; Jn.19:19) The early church clearly taught that Jesus was a king: They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus. (Ac.17:7 NASB) Jesus established His kingdom at Pentecost. Speaking to a crowd, He said that some of them would not die before they saw His kingdom established: And He was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power." (Mk.9:1 NASB) During the lifetime of these people, Christ established His kingdom on earth. His kingdom is not a separate country in this physical world, but rather God s kingdom is scattered throughout the world: Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, Look, here it is! or, There it is! For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Lk.17:20-21 NASB; Jn.18:36) The moment that we pledged allegiance to Christ by making Him our Lord, we became citizens of the kingdom of heaven: 116 Life By Death But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Php.3:20-21 NIV) Today, some people change their citizenship from the country of their birth. Some countries do not allow dual citizenship. If a person becomes a citizen of one of these countries, he automatically renounces his citizenship in the country of his birth. Consequently, his native country has lost all authority over his life. In the spiritual realm, there is no such thing as dual citizenship. When we became citizens of Christ s kingdom, we automatically renounced our citizenship in Satan s kingdom. We ceased to be part of the kingdom of Satan, and Satan s kingdom ceased to have authority over us. When Jesus called us into His kingdom, He did not merely call us to eternal life; instead, Jesus called us out of Satan s kingdom: As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1Th.2:11-12 NRSV) We are more apt to think of Christ s body as a church rather than a kingdom; nonetheless, Christians form the kingdom of Christ: To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. (Re.1:5-6 NRSV) Christ made us part of His kingdom on this earth. The Scriptures teach that the world lost its authority over those who belong to Christ. Because Christians were crucified to the world, the world was forced to relinquish its authority over their lives: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. (Ga.6:14-15 TNIV) Death carries a sense of finality. In the previous verse, the Greek verb tense of has been crucified is in the perfect tense, passive voice, indicative mood. The perfect tense describes an action that was completed in the past, done once and for all without the need to be repeated. An example of the perfect tense is physical death. Once a person dies, he cannot die again. Similarly, since we died to the world Life By Death 117