Kingdom Thinking – Part 4

Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Kingdom thinking embraces a Biblical worldview that takes in all of life. There is no Agnostic Greek view of Scripture that regards only spiritual things as important.
Scripture clearly brings out that the earth is the Lord’s and not Satan’s. Satan might have usurped Adam, but God is the Creator. Psalms 24:1,2 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”

 

We also read that the Word became flesh and because of that the material world is sacred as well. Genesis 2:15 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

In Romans 12 Paul states that we need the renewing of our mind. In this passage in Romans we have an alternative. One way, is to be conformed to this world or age – to its standards its values and its goals. Or, we can be renewed in our mind which will enable us to discern and accept God’s will. If we want to live straight, we have to think straight. If we want to think straight, we have to renew our minds with the truth in God’s Word. (Romans 12:1,2)

When we come to Christ it means we become a new creature for a total renewal. When Adam fell in sin it was total depravity that came into the world. It does not mean that every human being is as depraved as he could be, but it does mean that our humanness, including our minds, has become distorted by the fall. What Paul is referring to is not only a renewed mind, but the mind of Christ. “Your attitude (mind-set) should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

This type of mind is not necessarily concentrating only on ‘spiritual’ topics, but is able to think through the most secular topics within a Christian framework. Harry Blamires said: “A mind trained is informed and equipped to handle data of a secular controversy within the framework or reference which is constructed of Christian presuppositions.”

Dr. David, head of New College, Berkeley – in his book called, “The Opening of the Christian Mind,” brings out six characteristics of what a Christian mind is like:

1. “Theological — focused on God and his incarnate Word.
2. Historically informed by the past, responsibly alive in the present and thoughtful about the future.
3. Humanist — deeply concerned for persons.
4. Ethical — submissive to God’s moral standards.
5. Truthful — committed to God’s self-revelation in nature and in Scripture.
6. Aesthetic — appreciative of beauty as well as truth and goodness. In other words, the Christian mind is centered around God, history, persons, ethics, truth and beauty.”

This is why it’s important to have a full grasp of the Bible. Reading the Bible through every year would be very important.

The Bible divides human history in two different eras, which are marked out not by the rise and fall of empires, dynasties or civilizations, but by four major events — the creation, the fall, the redemption and the end. It is interesting because these four things, especially the first three, lay down the basis for a worldview; a biblical worldview. If a worldview cannot answer the first three questions that these different eras have mentioned then it is a worldview that does not meet the needs intellectually or in any other way.

What are these questions?

Where did we get our universe, and why is man different from the rest of creation?

Secondly why are we in such a mess?

Thirdly, what is the solution?

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