The Law of the Kingdom of God is Love (Part 2)

Part 2 of this short series on the Kingdom of God is in audio form only. You can listen to the message by going to the link below.

The Law of the Kingdom of God is Love - LINK

The law of God's kingdom is love - but what does this mean? 

My Kingdom is Not of this World (Part 1)

When Jesus was arrested, he plainly declared that his kingdom was not of this world. If it were of this world, his servants would fight. What did he mean by this? Here is the passage.

[Jhn 18:33-37 NKJV] 33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?" 35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." 37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say [rightly] that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."  

Christ has a Kingdom

Christ’s kingdom is a real one. It has a king - the Lord Jesus Christ. [Isa 9:6-7 NKJV] 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of [His] government and peace [There will be] no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. In fact, in this same conversation, Jesus told Pilate, "You say [rightly] that I am a king.”  

Elders are a Means of Grace (Part 2) - Application of this Means of Grace

[Heb 13:7 NKJV] 7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of [their] conduct.

In part one of this topic, we examined the fact that elders given to a particular local church, to the specific members of that church, as a means of grace in their lives, for their equipping and maturation in Christ, for the work of ministry. We also saw that a "means of grace" is a particular biblical way God blesses us or brings grace into our lives. To read this post, go HERE. 

In this post we will examine how to employ elders in our lives, in biblical ways, so that we benefit (by grace alone) by this particular means of grace. 

Elders are a Biblical Means of Grace (Part 1)

[Eph 4:11-16 NKJV] 11 And He Himself gave some [to be] apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Elders and teachers are given to a particular local church as a means of grace to the members of that particular church. (The use of the term "teachers" will not be addressed in this post.) It is not the man, and his own abilities, that matters, but rather God's means of using that man in biblical ways to bless his people by his word and Spirit.  

By "elders" God means the actual men raised up in a particular local church, made up of particular individual Christians, and given to the members of that particular church only. There is no such thing as a "universal" elder. Elders are called to shepherd the flock that is among them. (1 Peter 5:2) They are not called to lead members of other local churches. 

The Assembly of the Church is an Irreplaceable Means of Grace

[1Co 14:23 NKJV] 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place...

[A short podcast series is being done currently and can be found HERE.]

Given that most churches are not assembling together on the Lord's Day during this trial, we thought it would be good to teach a little on what is and what is not an assembly of God.

There is a lot of information on the internet today about what churches are doing in place of meeting together, and this serves to muddy the waters a bit on this issue. Some are meeting in homes as families, some are meeting online. And others are getting together in small groups.

Why is this important?

The Lord tells us in his word how he wants the church to behave. The Scriptures are written, in part, for that purpose. [1Ti 3:14-15 NKJV] 14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, [I write] so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The Law of God is a Compass (Part 2): Safety

[This is part 2 of the Law of God is a Compass series. Find Part 1 HERE.]

The law of God is a compass that always points in the direction of safety.  There are myriads of ways we can sin, myriads of ways we can deviate from God's will. How do we know for certain if what we are doing is something the Lord wants us to do? How do we know for certain if what we are doing is pleasing to the Lord? How do we know for certain if something we are doing is sin or not? The law of God answers all of these questions for us.  

The law of God will always point us in the safe path, the path of God's will. When Paul defended the law in Romans 7 (yes - that is what he did there), he asks the question, What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." (Romans 7:7) 

How can it be that we can come into the presence of the Lord?

How can it be that sinners such as we, can be in the presence of a thrice holy God?

1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Heb 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Only by the very high price of Jesus on the cross. 

Isaiah 53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. 

How to Have a Delightful Assembly

One of the greatest privileges and blessings we have in Christ is to spend the day (or a large part of it) together in the presence of Christ. A day in his courts is better than a thousand elsewhere! (Ps 84:10).

But how can it become what God intended it to be - a delight?  Do we want to have joy on the Lord's Day, especially when we assemble?  The Lord promises it to us! (Isaiah 58:13-14).

Here are some things we can do to bring joy to our Lord's Days assemblies.  Obviously, none of these work without the help of the Holy Spirit - hence the first one!

1. Pray for the Lord's Day - pray that the Lord would prepare the hearts of his people, that he would set our minds on Christ, that he would help us to come into his presence with joy, that we would deny ourselves in his presence, that we would delight in Christ and his works, that he would make the hearing of his word profitable, that he would help poor pastors who have the responsibility of preaching the word, that we would repent of sin, that we would call the Sabbath a delight, that we would set aside our love for the world and the things in it. (That's a good start!) 

You are Holy in Christ Jesus

Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 

The Apostle Paul, and the Holy Spirit (as the author of Scripture) makes a simple but profound declaration at the opening of the letter to the church in Ephesus. 

He greets those in Ephesus as "saints." What a simple but epic salutation!

We need to apply the biblical principle that while the apostolic letters addressed specific issues in doctrine and behavior to specific churches, the doctrines declared and the commandments issued apply to all churches and all Christians everywhere, for all time!

The Law of God Gives Believers Direction

It's a blessing for believers to walk in the law of the Lord. Ps 119:1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 

We are not saved by obeying the law, but by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Acts 16:30 Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."  

Go HERE for more on forgiveness by faith alone in Christ alone.

But once we're saved by faith alone in Christ alone, we are called to walk in the law of the Lord. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

The Biblical Characteristics of Disciple Training

Not only does the Lord command the church to train disciples to observe all that he commanded, he has also given us numerous principles (or characteristics) of how he wants individual disciples to be trained.

Put together like a mosaic, they paint a picture of biblical ministry in the life of believers, and it looks nothing like modern day program-oriented ministry we see everywhere in the church today.

Here are some of the biblical characteristics of disciple training, found in the word of God.  A link to the pdf document is found by going HERE.

                                        The Teacher/Disciple Model 

What commandments/principles/examples do we see in Scripture regarding teachers and how disciples are to be trained?

Note: Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, by hearing the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone. No one is saved by works, or by obedience to God’s commandments. (Romans 3, 5:1 etc…)  However, once a person is saved, is justified by faith alone, their calling is now to learn to observe all that Christ commanded according to the Great Commission. Christ commissioned the church not only to preach the gospel so that people can be saved by coming to faith in Christ, but also to then train those new disciples to walk in his ways according to his word.

The Great Commission:  This is found in Matthew 28:18-20 as follows:

Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

We Were Once Foolish - But Then God's Goodness Appeared

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy... 

We who are Christians are no different than anyone else. We were born into the world in sin, lived out our lives according to our own desires, and denied that Jesus was God. 

Paul talked about this in Ephesians 2:1-3. We were by nature children of wrath, just like everyone else. He echoes this in Titus 3:3 by saying that "we ourselves were once foolish..." 

Because of this, we should NOT look down upon others in the world, because they do not believe in Christ, or behave a certain way. This is in fact, hatred.

The Law Informs Us on How to Love

Jesus said,  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." (John 13:34)

If we've believed in Christ for a while, we've heard this commandment. Now, here's a diagnostic for you. 

Without referring to the word of God, how do you love your brother? What are you supposed to do to show love to your brother?

If we have an answer to this question, without referring to the word of God, then we have what's called an opinion. Because that's all that we could offer up as an answer to the question, "what are we supposed to do to show love to our brother" without the word of God as a reference. 

What Priority Should the Church Have in the Believer's Life?

What priority should the local church have in the life of a believer? It is given by the Apostle John in 1 John 3:16 as follows,

1 John 3:16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 

The church is not a club, a social group, a local chapter of some organization. It is the living, breathing, temple of the Holy Spirit. It is the elect from every nation. It is the very people Christ came for, lived for and died for. Matt 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 

The value of the church, to the Father, is Christ, for Christ is the price he paid for it. Is 53:10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 

Christ is the Motivation, the Holy Spirit is the Power, and His Law the Direction

The church so desperately needs clarity today on teaching on the law of God. So many pitfalls to fall into, so much error.

With lack of clarity, there is a lack of understanding, and ultimately lack of love for God and for our neighbor. 

One area where clarity would help us greatly is in understanding the mechanics of obedience. By this, I mean the motivation for obedience, the power to obedience and the direction of obedience.

It is great error and perhaps even heresy to confuse these. For instance, if the law is our motivation, we may become Pharisees in our faith. Or, if we believe we can obey on our own power, self-righteousness is a danger, and so on.

So, let's quickly consider all three of the above. 

The Sabbath and Work

One of the defining characteristics of the Sabbath is that it is a day without work. The remaining days of the week are there to accomplish all of the good work God gives us to do. 

Exodus 20:9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 

The first thing we see God doing, in Genesis, is working. He declares it to be work in Genesis 2.  God worked for six days. He is a God who works.

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Since God is a God who works, when he made man in his image, he gave him work to do. Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.  

Work not only reflects God's nature (as he is a God who works) but is also something he gave Adam to do before he fell into sin. At this point in history, nothing had been soiled by the fall. Consequently, the work that God gives man to do, in and of itself (and within whatever other boundaries God puts around it in his word) is good. (It is sin that makes this good work difficult.)

What about Love?

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Are you a disciple (a learner) of Christ? If we say "yes," then Jesus says that it will proven by our love for other disciples. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

You see, it's by that standard that we are proven to be disciples of Christ. Do we love our brothers and sisters in Christ?

John echoed this truth in 1 John 4:20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Fully and Forever Forgiven!

Acts 10:43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."


As we look at our lives, we can easily recall things we've done wrong. And the pain that goes with those wrongs is usually not far behind.

Everyone has this - regret. Things we wish we hadn't done or said. We wish we could have them back. 

It gives us no comfort to know that God is perfect in his recall of these very same things. Considering the words we say, the Lord said this, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak..." (Matt 12:36)

And the Bible also tells us that Jesus will be the one judging for all of these things said and done. James 4:12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. 

Where can we turn to find relief?  

To the very same one - Jesus Christ!

Not only is he the righteous judge, he is also the Savior! 1 Tim 1:15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 

What is the Purpose of the Sabbath Day?

There is sadly much debate about the Sabbath day today in the church, whether it applies to the church and so on. We will not address the debate yet, but instead simply look at the original purpose stated in Genesis, when it was created by Jesus Christ. 

We should remember that fact - that the Sabbath Day was a day created by Jesus Christ for particular purposes. In Mark 2:28, Jesus himself said, "And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." And Paul tells in Col 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. 

God made the world in six days. Everything that he was going to create, he did create in those days. And then he created the seventh day.

On this seventh day (in succession), in Genesis 2, we begin to see the Lord's purpose for this day. 

Gen 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Before one can draw conclusions about the day (whether it still applies or not), they must first understand the purpose of it. From the above, we see a number of things which teach us God's intent for the Sabbath.

What Would Jesus Do?

Remember WWJD?  What would Jesus do? It was a slogan we heard a few years back; we saw it on hats and t-shirts and such. 

But have you ever thought about it? What would Jesus do?

The Bible supplies the clear answer, which is this - he would keep his Law!

No doubt about it, what Jesus would do is obey his own law, and that is in fact what he did. 

Heb 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 

Sin is any transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4).  Jesus never sinned, which means what he always did was keep his law.

And thanks be to God that he did. Because he kept the law perfectly, he was qualified to be our sin-bearer. Also, his perfect keeping of his law (or his righteous behavior) was put on to our account the moment God saved us. 

The righteousness that we now have, in position, by faith alone, is the righteous deeds of Christ. He took on our sin. We took on his righteousness by grace. 2 Cor 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We can rejoice because God looks at us and sees Christ's perfect obedience to the law. 

WWJD? The answer is the law of God. And because of that, we may stand before the Lord. 

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.