God’s Kingdom Is Not of This World

Secondly he says what fellowship has light with darkness. This talks more about character light is truth and virtue.

Darkness is lies in sin. Children of light and children of the darkness together in a common cause that is supposed to have any redemptive value possible that 60% of Americans supported the traditional view of marriage, but a recent Gallup survey reported that now 70% of Americans support same-sex marriage for over 200 years the majority of the United States believe that marriage is between a man and woman, but all of that changed in a 15 year span. Unfortunately, the biblical view of marriage is just one foundational belief that society has jettisoned recently and who knows what will go next with so much in the culture that is upside down today.

Can the church make a difference. What role does the church have and could God have good and righteous purposes for all this chaos here. John MacArthur's encouraging answers today as he continues his look at the world versus the kingdom of God and now here's John Jesus said this in John 18, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world and my servants would be fighting so that I would not be delivered over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not of this world is no connection between the kingdom of God and the world, we heard the echo still hearing in our ears of the fact that there is a distinction between the flesh and the spirit those in the flesh cannot please God.

The flesh, the world. The kingdom of darkness one and the same. Then Jesus said in Luke 17 the kingdom of God is in your midst kingdom is here because the king is here he is here alive in his church so his kingdom is nothing to do with this world. His kingdom is here separate from the world want to help you to understand that in a very practical way.

I hope to begin with, turn to second Corinthians chapter 6 this is a deathblow to compromise second Corinthians chapter 6 and read it. Starting in verse 14.

See if this is all confusing to not be bound together with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness are what fellowship has light with darkness or what harmony has Christ with Belle Isle or Satan or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever or what agreement has the temple of God with idols for where the temple of the living God, just as God said, I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch what is unclean and I will welcome you and I'll be a father to you and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty in verse one therefore, having these promises beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

This is the most direct and powerful attack on compromise two kingdoms one is marked by righteousness light Christ believers in God. The other is marked by lawlessness, darkness both Lyle who is Satan. Unbelievers and idols. There is no possibility of those two coming together in any common cause that has any spiritual or eternal significance. No possibility.

None whatsoever.

Now one came as old mother's new one is earthly mother's heavenly one is deadly. The others life-giving one is material, the other spiritual. One is lying. The others truthful. Now Paul supports the command in verse 14. By looking into three areas which are be obvious the past, the present and future.

Let me just start with the past this very verb bound together is drawn out of that Deuteronomy 2210 passage that about the oxen, the donkey that reminds us of prohibitions in the Old Testament with regard to Israel. Let me just remind you of things that God said to Israel about being bound together with unbelievers, so that let's look at the past. Let's go back. For example, to the 23rd chapter of Exodus versus what is look at verse 31, 32, the end of the chapter affects your boundary in the promised land from the Red Sea to the see the Philistines, and from the wilderness, the river Euphrates will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand and you will drive them out before you.

That's pretty serious. God knew the impact of pagans living side-by-side. The Jewish people and so he told them you need to drive them out. This is your land.

I gave it to Abraham in a covenant promise you need to drive them out.

Verse 32 you shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. He wanted them driven out because they pose such a threat to the integrity of his people in the 34th chapter of Exodus again just after replacing the law, watch yourselves verse 12 Exodus 3412 that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land in which are going world become a snare in your midst, but rather your to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their showroom false worship location, but rather your to tear them down for you shall not worship any other God for the Lord's name is jealous is a jealous God. Otherwise, you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice and you might take some of his daughters for your sons and his daughters might play the harlot with their gods and cause your sons also play the harlot with their gods. You you you have no business making any alliance with the enemy. So don't be bound together with unbelievers and some new if it was very clear in the past. What about the present will look what he says.

Immediately after that in the present tense speaking to us what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness.

What fellowship has light with darkness. What harmony has Christ with Belle Isle or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever or what agreement has the temple of God with idols for the temple of the living God in the present tense, yet these five comparisons what partnership has righteousness with the lawlessness partnership.

The word Medicaid only appears here, but another form of it appears in Luke chapter 5 verse seven. Speaking of Peter's business of fishing the partners in his business. Another form of it is used in Hebrews speak of our union with Christ by saying you don't make common union with righteousness and lawlessness and lawlessness is a characteristic of unbelievers they are lawless by definition Matthews familiar passage rejecting the religious people where our Lord says, many will say to me Lord, Lord, we did this we did that on and say depart for me.

I never knew you because of your lawless deeds. There's no partnership possible between the lawless and the righteous. Secondly he says what fellowship has light with darkness, lawlessness talked about behavior. This talks more about character. What fellowship has light with darkness. What China near light is truth and virtue. Darkness is lies in sin. Children of light and children of the darkness together in a common cause that is supposed to have any redemptive value impossible. There's no harmony possible because of behavior.

There's no harmony possible because of character light and dark, are mutually exclusive. Thirdly, he says let's go from the behavior to the character to the power what harmony by the way, the word harmony assume Funes is what Symphony is there between Christ and Belle Isle, which is an Old Testament name is about a dozen times for Satan really that is a very jarring statement. What harmony between Christ and Satan. None is unthinkable that Satan would be sought to aid in the cause of Christ. We have no we have no connection and behavior.

Character power or means what has a believer in common with an unbeliever, we operate by faith.

They operate by site. We operate by trusting power of God. They operate by manipulating people we operate in the spirit they operate in the flesh. We have nothing in common and behavior. Character power means and lastly identity that's a big word is in it. You get to invent your own identity. Okay, here's ours. What agreement has the temple of God with idols for your the temple of God.

That's who we are. Anybody attitude. You can tell him I know they can see it. That's who you are. You don't allow the kingdom of darkness to join with the temple of God, that sounds like first Samuel four where they took the ark of the covenant. Put it in the temple of Dagon and God's is and I can allow that crushed that idle we are God's temple in his temple is holy, so be bound together with unbelievers. Don't be bound together with those that are lawless, don't be bound together with those of the darkness.

Don't be bound together with the children of Satan. Don't be bound together with idolaters, and any common cause that is supposed to have some spiritual purpose and effect. You cannot advance the kingdom of God. That way, come out from them and be separate. Now that takes us to the future.

This is very powerful where the temple of the living God, just as God said, verse 16, I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.

Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate, says the Lord.

Do not touch what is unclean and I will welcome you and I will be a father to you and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. This is not a call to salvation. No because he just said where the temple right where the temple of God. So were believers and he calls us in chapter 7 verse 111 but he says I will I will I will I will four times and essentially those are drawn from a mosaic of Old Testament Scriptures.

I will I will I will I will and then in chapter 7, verse one. He calls those promises, promises. It's a mosaic of Old Testament promises to the people of God that there is coming a day, listen when God will walk with his people and he will be their God and they will be his people when he will welcome them and be a father to them and they will be sons and daughters to him was talking about talking about the coming kingdom turn to Revelation. Let's go to the kingdom. Chapter 19 after these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying hallelujah, salvation and glory and power belong to our God because his judgments are true and righteous, for he has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his bond servants on her and a second time they said hallelujah her smoke rises up forever and ever. This is the destruction that has been described in 17 and 18. The destruction of the world both its religion and its economy, and so they are saying hallelujah and worshiping God who sits on the throne and a voice came from the throne saying, give praise to our God all you his bond servants or slaves, you who fear him, small and great, and I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying hallelujah for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Then in verse 11 I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse and he was set on is called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and wages war.

His eyes are a flame of fire on his head are many diadem's.

He has a name written on him which no one knows except himself is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, his name is called the word of God and the armies who are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Saints and angels were following him on white horses from his mouth comes a sharp sword so that when they may strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron and he treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God Almighty on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, king of kings and Lord of lords. Chapter 20 and I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.

He laid hold of the Dragon, the serpent of old who is the devil and Satan bound him for thousand years threw them into the abyss shut it sealed it over him that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed. That's the length of the coming earthly kingdom of Christ when he returns, then he would be released for a little time and I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection over these the second death has no power that they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for thousand years. That's the fulfillment of the promise kingdom based on God's words. In the past, based upon his distinction between us and the world.

In the present and based upon his kingdom promises. Verse 17 then repeats the mandate therefore come out from their midst and be separate that is taken out of Isaiah 5211 department department come out be separate.

Do not touch what is unclean.

Now welcome you to my kingdom in time when that kingdom comes I'll be a father to you and you will be sons and daughters to me that's drawn really out of it. I think of first Chronicles 17 the first Chronicles 17 you have the promise of the kingdom, and it's so beautiful and I want to read it to you first Chronicles 17 and I'll read maybe starting in verse seven.

Now therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David thus says the Lord. I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be leader over my people Israel.

I been with you wherever you've gone and have cut off all your enemies been in before you make you a name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth will appoint a place for my people Israel and plant them so that they may dwell in their own place and not be moved again, and the wicked will not waste them anymore is formally even from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel will subdue all their enemies, and moreover I tell you that the Lord will build a house for you when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your father's says to David that I will set up one of your descendents, the Messiah, after you will be of your sons and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build for me a house and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father and he shall be my son and in the wonderful words of the apostle Paul. He extends the promise of God to the Messiah to be his son to all who are in Christ to become sons and daughters of the King in the kingdom. The promise of God to the king as a son is extended to all of us as sons and daughters were headed for the kingdom.

Folks, I'm glad. So one response is acceptable. Verse one. Therefore, having these promises we need to said you can't fix the world.

11 for this cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God to make alliances with the world. Get rid of filthiness mullahs MOSFETs. That's only here in the New Testament, but in other literature, we find that it had to do with unholy alliances to make unholy alliances, perfecting holiness, the vervet patella which means it's it's eschatological. It's in the final sense we're headed toward perfect holiness, perfect worship.

Live your life in that direction. We need no alliances with Satan to advance the kingdom. We don't have a calling to make people more socially acceptable. On the way to eternal hell are messages, repent and believe the gospel.

You are a chosen race, your royal priesthood, your holy nation. Here people for God's own possession so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. That's what we do.

We don't take up the world's go nowhere causes. We understand their issues in life, they are never going to be resolved until on a global sense. King arrives to fix everything and reign in righteousness and justice in the meantime, we can't do anything in the spiritual sense, except bring the gospel that transforms the sinner you were once, not a people, you know, the people of God you not receive mercy. Now you receive mercy because I urge you, as aliens and strangers abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation once a day visitation the day when God visits in judgment you live a life proclaiming the excellencies of the one who called you out of darkness into his light.

You live a life of excellent behavior and people will see that life here that proclamation in one day, when God visits they will be taken with you into glory. Slander here.

Let's pray. Father, we thank you for the clarity with which your word speaks, we thank you that the calling that we have is unmistakable. Peter also said to be carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness but grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.

Men. This is grace to you with John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. He's titled this brand-new series, the world versus the kingdom of God. Just as I listen to you teach on this passage, a question comes to mind because were fighting for righteousness in the world. Is it okay to partner with people who aren't Christians, but who share our perspective on moral issues, or would that violate the command that you looked at today. Don't be yoked together with unbelievers. Why think it's pretty clear if you saw a mother and a child being approached by a car. They did know the car was coming. You wouldn't say well I'm a Christian and maybe are not Christians. I don't have any obligation you did you grab the mom and the child and you'd yank them to safety mean that's that's the kindness and that's loving and doing good to all men, especially to the household of faith.

But I think we do good to all men. I think if you're in a school system and the leadership of that school is bringing transgender grooming into your school and drag queen story time, I think you're a good neighbor.

If you rise up with other neighbors and say we want to allow this. I want to help protect your children. I think this does not mean isolation anything noble anything good, anything that produces well-being anything beneficial we we need to be leading the parade and I think history would show that because morality as we note in the Western world is a product of Judeo-Christian biblical ethics and biblical instruction. So we know that there is a common grace element that God gives to people through his law and through the love and affection and care and concern of his own living people in the world. So I think as far as life in the world.

We need to be those who do everything within our power to protect the people around us to be gracious and kind to fight the battles that threatened them on a temporal level like you wouldn't say that if a Christian wanted to be a policeman that was wrong because that's joining with the human government know there is a role that government plays and a policeman is actually a servant of the Lord, servant of God says in Romans 13 saw in so far as we help and demonstrate love and show the same kind. I think the illustration is the same kind of affection for the unconverted. The Jesus showed when he healed the multitudes. This is amazing. He didn't ask them to to believe in him before he healed them. That was the compassion of God. That's very different than cooperating in a spiritual enterprise where where working together in the spiritual realm of the kingdom of God with people who aren't even part of the kingdom yet.

Thank you John that's a timely answer and friend. If you are benefiting from John's current series if it's helping you see how you can make a difference for the kingdom. In today's difficult world would love to hear about it. Jonathan note and send it our way today you can email your feedback to letters@gty.org again. That's letters@gty.org or if you prefer regular mail right to grace to you. Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 and remember to take advantage of the thousands of free resources.

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