Living According To Our Kingdom Culture

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DAILY VITAMIN 
- Living According To Our Kingdom Culture 
"Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]." (Romans 12:2 AMP).
     One very exciting portion that gets me every time I study the scripture is Felix's thoughts as recorded by Luke in Acts 24. The scripture says "Felix, who knew Christians didn't go around starting riots..." (v.22 TLB). It may not have meant much to you before now, but isn't that amazing? And thank God more for those models of the faith who gave Christ a good representation before Felix and all the peoples. We need more of them nowadays; and guess what? It's what He expects of us too.
    Yes! We have the life of Christ in us, but unless we reflect that life through our everyday actions, we'd only be playing the part of a phony. Even Jesus said what good is a light if it is hidden; and so calls us to be lights everywhere we go by nature and in application (Matt 5:14-16, Ephesians 5:8).
     So, we aren't to just have the life, we must live the life. Little wonder why Paul said "I try with all my strength to always maintain a good conscience before God and man" (Acts 24:16 TLB). In another place, he says our lives should be exactly like the very Gospel- able to reveal who Jesus is and what He's like to people around us (Phil 1:27). In other words, there are some things you can't just do now that you're a Christian. All things may be permitted, but not all are permitted for you. Like they say, regardless of how bad things get, a lion will never eat grass. It is just against its nature as it is against our God-nature to do certain things. And so to Timothy, he says "Run from these evil things and work instead at what is right and good..." (1 Tim 6:11 TLB). 
     There is a Kingdom culture that must be adhered to and exhibited in your life. You can't belong to Jesus and live like the world does. There has to be a difference. That's why He said we are in the world (to live in it so as to help it), but not of the world (to live like it). Our ideologies and way of life are from above, and are inscribed in the Word, and not from the world. Jesus is our role model. You couldn't have overcome sin and still live in it. We must at least try to live in accordance with our new nature and identity in Christ; for it is how we please Him (2 Peter 3:14). It is how we prove we are His friends and people (1 John 1:6).
"The person who has been born into God's family does not make a practice of sinning, because now God's life is in him; so he can't keep on sinning, for this new life has been born into him and controls him- he has been born again" (1 John 3:9 TLB). 
    Jesus lived as the Father desired Him to, we must as well; because it's in our natural conformation in Him to do so. Hence, don't conform to the world's way; be transformed into and through the culture of God's Kingdom. In short, live as He does- holy and right at all times, starting from right now.

Confession:
I am a bona-fide citizen of God's Kingdom and family through Christ Jesus. My life reflects it; my actions prove it; and my words support it. I walk in the very image of Christ, and in line with my calling in Him. I have no entanglements to sin or worldliness anymore. All my life speak of His glory and person; for that is who I am: the perfect reflection of His glory and Person by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in me. Glory to God! 

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