Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Mentor's Guide, MG16

/ 1 0 9

D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

II. The Church Is the Locus and Agent of the Kingdom.

A. As locus , the Church is the focal point of God’s redemptive activity.

1. A foretaste of the Kingdom of God: an eschatological community , 1 Cor. 10.11

a. Obedience to all the commands of Jesus

(1) Matt. 7.24-27

(2) Matt. 28.19-20

b. Experience of the powers of the Kingdom to come in the here-and-now, Heb. 2.3-4

3

c. Presence of the future Kingdom in the present evil age, Eph. 1.13-14

2. Foundational conflict and tension between the Church and the world

a. Different sources of authority: Christ versus the devil, 1 Pet. 5.8-9

b. Different sources of power: the Holy Spirit versus fleshly lust and greed, Acts 1.8; 1 John 2.15–17

c. Different ends and purposes: the glory of God versus the fulfillment of personal lust, Eph. 1.5-6 - . . . he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved (cf. 1 John 2.17).