Mere Missions

114 • M ere M issions : M oving F orward to M ultiply

have been made a kingdom and priests to our God and shall reign on the earth for eternity (Rev. 5.10). It is impossible for anyone who has made this radical decision of obedient faith and to be reconciled to God and adopted as His child, to not show and demonstrate the reality of this new transformation as a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5.17) and transference from the dark prince and his kingdom to the Lord Jesus and the Kingdom of God (Col. 1.13). God begins His work of sanctification through the person of the Holy Spirit and will bring it to completion on the eschatological day when Jesus will present the redeemed, perfected in holiness, unto God (Phil. 1.6). The expectation of God is that the rule and reign of His Kingdom be reflected in His adopted children. They are to bear fruit (Matt. 3.8) and perform the deeds (Acts 26.20) that reflect a turning from one direction in life to the direction that points towards the Kingdom of God. This character of Jesus must be recognized by all (Matt. 7.20) through the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5.22-23) in their life. We are to keep in step with the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5.25) and to walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2.6). It is expected that we, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Rom. 13.14). There should be proof of one’s love for the Family of God (2 Cor. 8.24; Col. 3.12-14). This is the Good News revealed in Christ to all of humanity. Jesus’s cry to all is still the same, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11.28-30). He now has called the priests of His Kingdom to be the blessed feet that will bring this incredibly good news to the world, beginning right where we are (Rom. 10.15).