My Life and Books (17) Two Standards

An important discovery for me was that God has different standards for citizens of the Kingdom and the people of the world living close to a Kingdom Community.

• Citizens of a Kingdom Community have freely submitted to Jesus by listening to the Holy Spirit and obeying his word.

• Residents of a Kingdom Community live within the same neighbourhood, but they have not accepted the gospel or chosen to follow Jesus. They may want to receive the blessings that flow from participation in the Kingdom Community, but they are not full citizens because they have chosen not to surrender to Jesus.

Citizens will support the work of the Spirit by loving and sharing with the residents of their neighbourhood. They will provide justice, support and protection for anyone with a need, free of charge and control.

• Citizens of the Kingdom will be expected to live by the gospel standards, because they have received the Spirit. Their law is Jesus’ new commandment.

  Love one another, as I have loved you.

  Turn the other cheek.

  Give to those who ask for help.

  This type of behaviour should be normal for Christians, but it will not be expected from those who have not chosen to follow Jesus.

• Residents within a Kingdom Community who have not chosen to follow Jesus will be expected to live according to God’s Laws for Society.

  No stealing or theft.

  No assault or murder.

  If they want the benefits of living in a Kingdom Community, they will have to accept God’s law. (The same law will apply to citizens who have fallen away from their faith.) They will often benefit from Christian love, but they will not be expected to live by Christian standards.

The leaders of the community will say to the people living among them something like this.

We do not expect you to live according to the standards of Jesus, but you will recognise the need for good law. We are offering you the best set of laws possible. We will apply them if you are willing to accept them. That is all that you need to do to have a part in this community.

That is an offer that would be hard to refuse, as this standard will not be too hard for most people.

The laws for society in the Torah were designed to be rolled out to the world (but Israel failed to demonstrate their efficacious. These laws were God’s perfect standard for the people of the world and for the children of Israel before they received the fullness of the Spirit at Pentecost.

The Sermon on the Mount is God’s perfect standard for people who have chosen to follow Jesus and receive the fulness of the Holy Spirit. This standard is only for the church, not for the world.

• The Torah is God’s standard for justice.

• The Sermon on the Mount is God’s standard for love. It does not replace the laws for society but enables them to be fully fulfilled.