Kaka D. Iralu
The central message of Christmas that Jesus came to the world to save sinners from eternal hell to eternal heaven is beyond any dispute. But it is also indisputable that believers will have to live their redeemed lives on earth until they die and go to heaven. Earth therefore is the believer’s territory where they will have to live and practice their salvation and their Christianity. As for heaven it is not the believer’s territory and the believer cannot bring any change to heaven from earth.
In the ultimate plan of God, the earth was always meant to be our territory. In Psalms115:16 the word of God says: “The heaven, even the heavens is the Lord’s; but the earth had he given to the children of man.” (See also Isa. 45:18, Acts 17:26).
With regards to the message of Christmas, yes, the Angel of God told Joseph that Jesus will save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). But the same Angels also told the Shepherds that Jesus was also born to bring peace on earth (Lk. 2:14).
Coming back to the territory issue, we know from the Bible, that the earth was created for men to have dominion and rule over it (Gen. 1:28). But we also know from the same scriptures that ruler ship of this earth and this world was transferred to the Devil when men fell in the Garden of Eden (Gen.3:17-19; Lk 4:5-7).
According to the whole plan of God, or as stated in Acts 20:17–“The whole Counsel of God, “God in sending Jesus to the world had a dual objective and mission. 1. The first mission was to save sinners and give them eternal life. 2. The second one was to restore back to men his God ordained kingdom on earth which he had lost in the fall. As for the first mission, since many have already written on the theme during this Christmas season, I will concentrate only on the second.
To begin with, surely God did not send his son into the world to save us from it and then destroy the world because the Devil is ruling over it. Such an act would be to nullify his own counsel of creating the world for us to have dominion and ruler ship over it. On the contrary, towards the end of his ministry on earth Jesus said: “in regard to judgement...the prince of this world now stands condemned ( Jn. 16:11).In another instance, when the 72 disciples returned from their mission and said: “lord, even the demons submit to us in your name,” Jesus replied them: “I have seen Satan fall like lightening from heaven” (Lk. 10:17-18). Then in John 16:33 he said: “Be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” This means: We lost our God given kingdom on earth. But Jesus has restored that kingdom back to us. God now wants his kingdom to come back into the world through us. He also wants his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt.6:10).
Finally, after his resurrection, he said: “ All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them ALL THE THINGS that I have taught you” ( Matt. 28:18-20). Now, ‘all the things’ also include all the things that I have just quoted above.
The final question is: What are we doing with this restored kingdom of ours? Are we engaged in it so that God’s kingdom will come to earth in our politics, our economy and our social lives, or are we just talking about heaven from earth?
A second sequel will soon follow this article. With all best wishes to all readers for a very happy new year.
