Theocracy, Theonomy and Ignorance

Every culture is a theocracy. It is ruled by some notion of a higher authority even if that authority is man. The word simply means 'God's Rule'. Every culture therefore, is religious in nature since it is based upon a certain belief system of right and wrong, which make up its laws. 
Law is the codification of religion. 

Thus, every culture is based upon a particular belief system.

The American Constitution was based upon Theocratic and Theonomic principles. Theonomy, means "God's Law". The Founders highly regarded and firmly held to the Law of God when deliberating the course of this nation, which structured the American system of Law, morality and ethics. Theocracy and theonomy are not alien to the American system of government as some may think. It is what most Americans hold to today.

Then there is ignorance. The ignorance of history and the meaning and intentions of words. The Founders wanted a God-fearing, law-abiding government. What they did not want was an Ecclesiocracy where the organized church ruled the civil sphere. However, that never translated into the Founders denying God His rightful place in the halls of Government.

The United States Constitution was crafted using  Scripture. Every concept found in the Constitution is taken from Scripture. It is a sad fact that America, as a nation, does not understand this principal truth.

Faith Without Hard Work Is Dead

There are certain characteristics which make up and define great leadership. Among these are passion, enthusiasm, confidence, and inspiration. For the Biblical leader there are a number of other characteristics which are essential, even foundational. That characteristic is faith. Although it is actually a gift from God, coming from the infusion of grace as a result of the new birth. Yet, it is also a character trait. Faith is a primary component of Biblical Leadership, and it is from this plateau that all other characteristics flow.

If one holds to the eschatological view of total and universal victory, one will labor to do all that is necessary to advance the agenda of the Kingdom of God, on earth in time and in history. This eschatological presupposition will itself inspire confidence to continue and not grow weary in the well doing of Kingdom work, no matter how incidental the work may seem.

Regardless of what that work entails it requires diligence. There is no excuse for not working hard. Leadership means hard work. Leadership is riddled with many trials and difficulties, all of which must be overcome through faith, obedience and effort. Hard work must be a major component of every leader. There is no such thing as an overnight success. True success come over many years and after many providential lessons. Genuine leadership embraces hard work.

It has been said that “read leaders rise early, read more communicate with many, plan ahead, organize others delegate appropriately, and push themselves to stay engaged.” 1

 Commentary by Mike Montague, Entrepreneur Magazine, September 2013

Passion Sharing

“You cannot teach hunger.” This is an old saying but especially true in the realm of Christianity. If an individual has not been regenerated by God the Holy Spirit, it doesn’t matter what you do, you will never be able to get that individual to embrace Kingdom Advancement. Biblical passion comes from God not from nagging, begging or threatening. If God is at work in the heart of the individual, that individual will be motivated to diligent and devoted service.

Share Your Passion

Passion sharing is a like a fact finding mission. You share your passion for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom with as many professing Christians as possible and see who “bites”. It is as simple as that. Just share your passion. Don’t nag. Don’t beg. Don’t even encourage. Just share, and let God do the rest.

Find the Proper Kingdom Niche

Among those that actually have the Spirit’s induced passion for the Crown

Rights of the King and the advancement of His Kingdom, will not exhibit it in the same manner. Not everyone shares the same Kingdom niche even though they share the same Kingdom passion. In fact, the areas for which they are  passionate about may not always coincide with yours. But that is not the point. The purpose of sharing your passion for the Kingdom is to find different  people with different “kingdom specifics” and encourage them to get to work with concrete strategies. This is what makes the Body of Christ unique. Everyone is called to a particular Kingdom niche. The Many, passionately working in various areas are actually working as One, in harmonious unison, for the ultimate Kingdom Glory. You are simply stoking the embers of their passion by sharing the flame your passion. 

The goal of Passion Sharing is to find as many different people as possible who can take upon themselves different areas of the culture that  need Christian reconstruction. If these folks have the passion of Christ they will be moved by Christ to undertake the necessary tasks for the fulfillment of the dominion mandate.

Refine Your Own Niche

You cannot do everything and you certainly cannot change everything God-ward. Furthermore you do not know everything. There will always be someone who knows more than you and who has a greater sphere of influence than you. Do not try to be the kingpin of Kingdom Advancement. Kingdom passion must be refined to each individual. This is where you must find your own niche and develop it. Don’t look at everyone else or what everyone else is doing. They have their niche. Now you need to find yours. Honing your particular skill will make you a master at it. This gives you a greater scope of influence and measure of power within your particular sphere of influence.

Grow Organically

Never stop learning. If the passion of the Holy Spirit is at work in you, He will stretch and refine  you. This is essential to the well-being of the Mission of the Kingdom.  There are many ways by which God teaches us. 

 First, God teaches us by way of His Word. We must be in constant study of His Commandments and Precepts. This is our standard of Law and Order without which we are adrift in the sea of humanistic chaos. 

Second, God teaches us by way of providence. We must be careful to assess what God is teaching us so we may profit from both positive and negative events.

Third, God teaches us through conversations with others of a Kingdom Mindset. As iron sharpeneth Iron, we can learn much from our fellow laborers. Despise not the knowledge or wisdom of others whom God has refined and groomed.

Fourth, God teaches us through insults and oppositions from the unregenerate. Never brush off entirely the words and objections of the wicked. Providentially, even they have something to teach us. Like Shimei who cursed King David, so too have these been moved by God to curse us. Learn from it.
 

Fifth, God teaches us by way of our mistakes, and the mistakes of others. We need to be sensitive to these as they are very powerful lessons for us to profit thereby. 

Be Inclusive A very real problem within Christendom is the tendency to be

introspective and exclusive. Ministries tend to fell as if theirs is the only faithful tool God is using. Many feels as if theirs is the best, or the most influential, or the most profitable,  or the wealthiest, or the most popular, or they have the best conference speakers. These attitudes are destroying any possibility of unity and Kingdom advancement. While they seek to advance the Kingdom of God they are in reality stifling any real progress altogether. If the Christian community refuses to work together they will fall apart.

Passion Sharing includes and equips everyone motivated by God’s Spirit to give their all for the Kingdom’s Glory. An army of many must be built. It must be comprised of all kinds of soldiers from all walks of life, with various skills and knowledge, working in Biblical harmony with one another for the ONE Who has commissioned them to the battle. IN this way, and in this way only can the Dominion Mandate be realized.

Concrete Ideas

We all have ideas. In fact our minds come up with a myriad of ideas each and every day. Ideas are a dime a dozen. Many of them are simply fleeting thoughts and whimsical prospects which never see the light of day. That is to say these never come to fruition. However, those ideas which are actually developed, resulting in something tangible and usable, move both individuals and society forward so that they may become more productive. In order for ideas to become usable they must move from the abstract to the concrete. Abstract ideas are intellectual fantasies which amount to nothing.

Creative Thinking

Creativity is one of God’s communicable attributes. Man is a creative being. Man creates for many reasons. Either he is creating something to make him more money or something that will simply make his life easier or more productive. Whatever the particular motivation it is always self-ward. Unredeemed man creates for selfish reasons. His view is myopic and because of this self focus, man’s passion for creating is very strong. Man is ever thinking and scheming to develop something that will bring more meaning and productivity to his life.

Kingdom Creativity

Creativity is one of God’s gifts. This gift is given both to the redeemed and the reprobate. Each is given this gift for the sole purpose of advancing God’s Kingdom. All creative developments are especially offered to the saints so that they may develop various ways to bring the Gospel to the masses and promote a culture that conforms to the Law Word of God. 

The saints must be actively pursuing creative thought. They need to use the creations of the reprobate and turn those creations around to promote God’s Law-Word. What the saints lack is a proactive approach to creativity in how to use all things for the advancing Kingdom. 

The reason for this lackadaisical attitude amounts to more than just laziness, it smacks of rebellion especially in light of what the world has become. What we need are creative strategies to bring the theology and tactics of Christian Evangelism and Christian Reconstruction to the nations starting with our local community. We need to formulate ideas and then bring them into the realm of concrete practicality.

Methodology

In order for ideas to be solidified into concrete tactics a certain methodology must be developed. 

  1.  Brain storming. In order to initially formulate ideas you need to brainstorm. This usually happens when your mind is not busy with other things.  Leonardo Da Vince made it a practice to take a portion of the day simply to mediate on nothing. During that quite time he would clear his mind so he could think. It was at this time when he was most creative; and creative he was. He then developed those creative thoughts into concrete realities.The Christian must think creatively by asking “How better can I advance the Kingdom?” 

2.  Biblical Stimulation

Reading the historical accounts contained in the Old Testament is probably the best help for stirring the creative juices. Within these accounts the Christian can analyze strategies and tactics of Christian reconstruction which the Kings of Israel and Judah applied to the culture Christ-ward, and transpose them to their particular community.

3.  Historical stimulation

The next area of consideration comes from the history of the medieval age and the age of the Reformation. I mostly look to the societal structure and tactics of Geneva Switzerland during the days of Calvin and Viret, but especially during the days of Beza.

4.  Marketing Tools

I have found that reading certain marketing magazines and books stir the imagination. Whenever an idea interests me I try to assess whether that idea or concept can be used in the quest for Kingdom advancement. If nothing else, these stir the imagination and assists in bring those ideas into concrete formulation.

Motive, Standard & Goal

When contemplating the origin, logistics and end of the Christian life too many well meaning believers fall short in the articulation of it. In Chalcedon’s publication of ‘Foundations of Christian Scholarship’ (Ross House Books, Vallecito, CA.),  Vern  Poythress explains, in the simplest of statements, what the life- structure of the true believer looks like.

 

Motive

All of life’s action originates with a motive. At its root, motives are fundamentally religious. Man’s actions are a result of religious ideas. What a man believes, i.e. what he holds to as an ideology,  is sacred. It is this sacred personal ideology that he acts upon.  It motivates him to do those things which is moved to accomplish. The non believer constructs his life motivated by either money, fame, power, sex, emotion or any number of things which ultimately satisfies his lust for acceptance, and his desire to be self-authenticating. Simply put, man becomes his own God since he is his own justifiable reality wholly apart from God. 

Cornelius Van Till explains,

“In this vision, he [man] sees himself as God. He sees himself as alone being able to determine what can and cannot be. He is, according to his vision, the source of all possibility…To make room for his own faith, the self-authenticating man must remove the Christian faith.”  The Case for Calvinism (1964) pp136-37

What then is the motivation of the Christian? It is simply the love of God. It is the divine forgiveness out of divine love that constrains the saint to sacrifice his life for the service of God and for the Kingdom’s advancement. This love is not expressed abstractly. Rather it is an expression both God-ward and Man-ward. It is expressed by loving and ministering to those within the body of Christ and to those outside by the declaration of God’s Law Word.

Standard

 

While love toward God is essential as the motivating engine of the Christian it

does not stand alone. There must be a standard by which the Christian executes his commission. That standard is the Commandment of God as it is expressed in the Law and in the Gospel. It is the Law of God that dictates how the saint is to act in any and every situation as well as what strategies and tactics are to be used for the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ’s Righteousness.

Goal 

If the motive is love, and the structure is the Law’s unwavering standard, then the goal must be the Glory of God and the consummation of His Kingdom. This is to be accomplished through personal obedience diligently coupled with a consistent push to bring every institution of the temporal sphere into conformity to God’s perfect and inscripturated Law-Word so that the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of the Christ.