THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
1) God gave man power when he gave him dominion. (Gen 1:26-27)
2) Man was created to exercise power and designed to manage it.
3) The motivating purpose for the creation of the human species was to dominate the earth and its resources.
4)Man is the Creator/YHVHs desire to extend his ruler ship from the supernatural realm to the physical realm.
5) The Creator/YHVHs plan is to do this through a family of spirit children whom he would call his sons.
6) The record of the creative act is found in Genesis 1:26-27
i) Genesis 1:26-27 (New International Version) 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
ii) Genesis 1:26-27 (King James Version) 26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
(1) 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
7) This is God's intent for the Ministry of man encompasses the total purpose, assignment, potential, passion, and design of man as an entity.
8) Here are the critical principles and bedded in this first mission statement of God.
a) Man was both created and made
i) Both of the words “created” and “made” are important and are distinctively different in the original Hebrew language
ii) The word “created” is from the Hebrew word “bara” which means to create from nothing.
iii) The word “made” is from the Hebrew word “asa” which means to form from something that that already exists.
iv) Man is the integration of the parts that were created from nothing and things that preexisted already.
(1) Man is spirit
(2) Man is created as a copy of God spirit, but given a likeness of flesh to have dominion through colonization of Earth.
(a) It is the spirit (image) that is the truth and source of judgment.
v) This describes the production of man's spirit being directly from the spirit of God
(1) Man is given a soul through which to receive the will of God (THE WORD OF GOD) and a body to manifest that will in physical form.
(a) The Spirit is the Seed (Male), Soul is the Womb (Female), and the Body is the physical manifestation agent in the earth.
(i) 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (See Above (a))
vi) Man is a composite of the nature, attributes, and characteristics of his Creator/YHVH source.
vii) The Creator/YHVH is the source of all mankind.
(1) In the Hebrew which Genesis was authored, the word “ABBA” translated and revealed later by Jesus Christ as “Father”, means “source”
viii) The Creator/YHVH is the source of all mankind, and mankind possesses his nature and likeness.
b) Man is made in God's image
i) The Hebrew word image here is not referring to physical likeness.
(1) The original Hebrew words for image are “tselem” and “demut”.
(2) The Hebrew words “tselem” and “demut” mean - the essential nature, copy, characteristics, in essence.
ii) These words tell us that man is a spirit being and the expression of God's moral and spiritual nature.
iii) These attributes make man like God in essence and nature.
iv) These attributes place man above and beyond all other earthly creation.
v) Man is created in the God class and is given the responsibility to exercise that quality as God's agent on the Earth through God’s Spirit within him.
(1) Eternal life is life and lifestyle at God's level.
(a) God gives men eternal life through Jesus Christ (whom is the Word of God)
(i) Eternal life is known as the abundant life that Jesus Christ gives us. (John 10:10)
(ii) John 10:10 (King James Version) 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly
1. Notice that anything that comes to tell man differently than he has the life of God is “THE THIEF”
c) God created man
i) The word “man” in Genesis 1:26-27 does not refer to gender as in male, but is the Creator/YHVH’s given name for the species of spirits that came out of his spirit.
d) The Creator/YHVH said let “THEM” have dominion over the earth
i) This statement contains the transfer of power and authority from God to man, from the realm of heaven to Earth, and from the unseen world to the visible world.
ii) It is the delegation of man's responsibility for management and ruler ship over the Earth.
iii) When the Creator/YHVH spoke these words, he establishes the conditions of his relationship to Earth through mankind.
iv) He established mankind as the only legal authority on Earth, with power of attorney to act on his behalf.
v) Man is a legal entity through which God exercises his supreme power and inherit rights as Creator/YHVH.
vi) Man is granted inalienable rights: incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred by his Creator/YHVH.
vii) Jesus Christ, our Lord, the embodiment of all authority, demonstrated and exemplified this perfectly and his earthly walk.
viii) Jesus is our example and embodiment of dominion and the standard by which we judge ourselves.
(1) There is no other legal judgment in heaven and earth by which man is judged other than the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2) He is The Word of God that was spoken in the very beginning, the mandate and mission of man.
(a) The Word of God is Jesus Christ (The Word became flesh and dwelt among us)
(i) in the original language “The Word of God” Logos 1. Logos defined as – The original intention that was spoken by God in the beginning.
(3) Jesus Christ is the standard, the Word by which we live and move and have our being.
(4) The word of God is mankind's dominion, because he indwells the believer personally, to execute the rule and authority of his sons. He is the King and the kingship of the one who born from above.
e) Let them have dominion
i) By this statement the Creator/YHVH expresses clearly and emphatically why he created man.
ii) The statement clarifies his expectation of man's behavior and quality of life here on earth.
iii) The statement establishes man's assignment and the standard of success for his existence.
iv) The Creator/YHVH using the word “dominion” lays the authoritative foundation for the kingdom concept as it relates to God's purpose and plan for ministry.
9) In order to understand the kingdom concept, it is necessary for us to have a fundamental understanding of the root of this concept of “dominion” as it pertains to the kingdom concept.
10) The Creator/YHVH’s first declaration of man's purpose for creation is found in the word “dominion”.
11) The word dominion must be understood in order to see God's purpose in the Ministry of man.
12) The Hebrew words dominion or rule are synonymous and derive their meaning from the same root words.
13) The root words which the concept of kingdom dominion comes are rendered as follows.
i) “Dominion” and “rule” –are the Hebrew words “mashal”, “mamlakah”, and “malkut”.
(a) The Greek language derivative of these words is”basileia”
ii) The definition of the words mashal”, “mamlakah”, and “malkut”:
(a) To rule, sovereignty , to reign, kingdom, to be king, kingly royal rule, to master
iii) The Hebrew word “mamlakah” also signifies the area and the people that constitute a kingdom.
(a) The concept of King is also considered the embodiment of the kingdom.
(b) The King is viewed as the symbol of the kingdom proper
(c) The King personified the glory of the kingdom.
14) Therefore the definition of dominion taking all the above in mind is:
i) To be given dominion means to be established as a sovereign, kingly ruler, master, Governor, responsible for reining over a designated territory, with the inherit authority to represent embody as a symbol, the territory, the resources and all that constitutes that kingdom.
15) The above definition defines the original purpose and will of God for mankind's ministry and existence.
16) Man was created to minister with dominion mandate over the Earth, giving him the responsibility for representing and embodying the kingdom government of God on earth.
17) Mankind's ministry is God's earthly agency for kingdom ruler ship and influence.
18) Mankind's ministry is intended to embody the nature of God on earth and serve as his divine representative in the physical world.
19) Man was created and commissioned with dominion to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth.
20) God's design for kingdom on earth is totally distinct from the structure and ideology of earthly kingdoms established by men.
21) The proclamation by the Creator/YHVH in Genesis 1:26, for man to have dominion over all the Earth, were given to the entire species of mankind for ministry.
22) This precept renders all mankind “rulers” or kings in Earth.
23) Mankind is created rulers and kings; mankind is a kingdom of kings.
24) Our Lord Jesus Christ is designated in the government of the kingdom of heaven on earth as “King of kings”
i) Canon law evidence of this concept is found in the scripture (Exodus 19:5-6) (1) Exodus 19:5-6 (New International Version)5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'
25) God's original intention was to extend God's ruler ship, will, and nature from heaven to earth.
26) The intention of God was to manifest his character, wisdom, Righteous judgments, and purposes in the Earth found through the administrative leadership of mankind’s ministry on earth.
27) Man was created with the gifts and divine nature to execute God's will on Earth.
28) God's purpose was to have his will (The Word of God) ministered on Earth through his representatives’ mankind.
29) When God created man, the first thing he gave him was his image and likeness, but the first mandate and assignment he gave him was dominion through God’s very own spirit within him.
30) God made man and ambassador, envoy, and citizen of the kingdom.
31) The nature of this dominion mandate is recorded in (Genesis 1:26-28)
i) God gave man dominion over the earth
ii) God gave man dominion over creation and Earth not other men.
iii) God never gave man dominion over heaven,
(1) Heaven is the original kingdom through which we colonize God's creation Earth
iv) God never gave man a religion but he gave him a relationship and administration.
v) God never promised man heaven, he promised man his administration of ruler ship in Earth.
32) God's original intention is kingdom ministry
i) To establish a family of spirit sons, not servants
(a) The distinction between spirit son and servant is important because servants of the crown are not allowed to share in the same opportunities in education, work, leisure, and financial prosperity as do sons.
1. It is important to note that sons serve the will of the father, in this way only are they servants.
2. Kingdom spirit sons only do the will of the king of his over them.
a. This is why the one born from above is a king under the Kingship of His King (Jesus Christ).
i. This is where we get the term “King of kings and Lord of lords”
3. They do not speak on their own behalf, or offer their own opinion. They speak and a half of the kingdom government.
4. They administered the will of the government from which they came.
5. They represent an embodiment of the government which is known as an embassy.
(b) God's original intention established mankind as sons
ii) To establish a governmental kingdom (Government not religious service)
iii) To establish a kingdom of kings, not subjects
(a) God's kingdom on earth is different from earthly kingdoms in that there are no subjects. It is a kingdom of only sons.
(b) In the kingdom of God on earth the ministers are not subjects but citizen members of the royal family.
(c) In the kingdom of God on earth, every man is related to the King.
(d) God's original intention of dominion made it clear that man was a sovereign agent of the government of heaven. Within this agency he was not to be subject to any other government. Rather he was to be seen as an ambassador and envoy of God's ownership and authority.
(e) Those were subject are never considered the same class or status as the royalty, it is because of this that man cannot be subjects but only sons.
(f) A son in the kingdom cannot be subject to any other government.
(g) Subjection to another government would result in treason.
(h) The acts of treason in the government of heaven are punishable by death. (i) God's original intention is not to rule us but to have a family of sons that share in ruler ship through his indwelling spirit.
iv) To establish a commonwealth of kingdom citizens
(a) The intention of the kingdom of God is to establish citizens’ not religious members.
(b) The kingdom is a government and a nation; it does not have members, only citizens.
(c) The Lord Jesus Christ never intended that those who believe in Jesus as Messiah and King be referred to as Christians.
(d) The term Christian refers to a whole host of people and some of them have no connection to the kingdom of God.
(e) The word Christian has become a religious term devoid of any significant meaning as it relates to the kingdom of God.
(f) The kingdom of God is built upon the concept of legalities, which extends to its citizens, offering them the rights and privileges that are guaranteed by the King.
(g) The term Christian refers to a people who adhere to some religious group, considering themselves members of the group, which they perceive as religious and spiritual relationship with an organization or fraternity.
(h) The term Christian refers to an individual who adhere and sympathizes with the Christian faith, and is identified both inside and outside the faith as a religious entity.
(i) The concept of the kingdom is completely opposite to the concept of religion. The kingdom consists of a king with citizens.
(j) Citizenship is a legal entity with rights and privileges protected by constitutional commitment of the King and his government.
(k) The term Christian is a religious people, they practice religion.
1. The definition of religion is to pursue a deity for the meeting of one's needs. a. Our King Jesus Christ forbids the pursuit of needs in (Matthew 6:33), but rather tells us to seek first the kingdom and his righteousness and then all things shall be added unto us.
2. Religious people have no rights or privileges or government.
3. Term Christian was originally a derogatory label given by pagans to followers of Christ, believers through the centuries have generally accepted the term which literally means “little Christ”
4. The term Christian occurs only twice in Scripture (Acts 26:28-29) (1 Peter3:20-21)
5. The restrictive religious connotations of the term Christian have distracted many people from the original purpose, message, and mission of the kingdom of God.
6. The term Christian tends to mentally lock a person into a religious mold and limits the reality of the truth about the kingdom. It blinds them to the truth. So instead of seeing, they are not are able to see. Instead of hearing they are not able to hear.
7. The Bible refers to man's relationship to God with these phrases:
i. Servants (This is another word for representative minister as a government minister) Saints, Ambassadors, Sons of God, Citizens of heaven, Kings, God's workmanship, and Children of God ii. The Bible references other terms of endearment, but nowhere is the born from above one (Citizen by birthright) officially recognized as a Christian.
(l) The kingdom citizen are legal people-- legal in that by virtue of spiritual birth each individual in the kingdom has the rights and privileged blessings as citizens of the heavenly kingdom.
(m) God’s intention was always sons who are citizens of this kingdom, possessing the legal right to be part of his family by birth.
(n) Citizenship is always considered a privilege in all kingdoms and nations and is usually reserved for those born into a nation or kingdom.
(o) Birthright is the guaranteed form of son ship and is resulting in rights of citizenship.
(p) In our King Jesus Christ these precious rights are conferred to everyone who trusts in him:
1. Philippians 3:20-21 (King James Version) 20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
2. John 1:12-13 (King James Version) 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
v) To establish an personal and administrative relationship with man
vi) To extend his heavenly government to Earth through colonization
vii) To extend his influence to Earth by his ambassador, envoys, and ministers
