There are people in the world who have had the good seed of the Kingdom sown in them, although there still are tares in them. There are other people in the world who have only the seed of Satan in them.
Can an individual who has the good seed of the Kingdom purge himself or herself from the seed of the wicked one? Definitely yes!
We would suggest that the division in the world is not between those who profess to be Christians and those who do not. The division is between that which is born of the Kingdom and that which is born of Satan. Receiving the Lord Jesus provides us with the opportunity to become a son of the Kingdom. If after having received the Lord Jesus we do not through the Holy Spirit cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, taking full advantage of the grace of God, but continue to live our life apart from the Lord, we remain a son of Satan. It may be true that there is no other truth in greater need to be proclaimed in the churches of Christ.
Is a believer in Christ who persecutes another believer reflecting the seed of the Kingdom or the seed of Satan? How you answer this question will reveal your understanding of the Kingdom of God.
When we think about wicked people we are apt to picture in our mind the rapist, the murderer, the thief. There are many such in our day. Some of them behave far worse than animals.
However there is another kind of wickedness that is more destructive in its consequences, and, in fact, is the origin of rape, murder, and robbery. The wickedness of which we are speaking appears throughout the Scriptures. It accounts for the murder of Christ and the vicious persecution of Christians. It is the desire of man to live in his self-will. As long as we live in our self-will we will reveal in our behavior the personality of Satan whether or not we profess belief in Christ.
Four characteristics of Satan. There are four characteristics of Satan's personality:
Satan does not wait on the Lord in order to discover His will and act on it.
Satan will never admit any wrongdoing on his own part but continually accuses others. He is the Accuser of the brothers, the Accuser of the true people of the Lord.
Satan lacks understanding of God and God's ways.
Satan is proud and arrogant, filled with personal ambition and the desire to be preeminent.
From these four characteristics of Satan (self-will, denial of personal wrongdoing and the accusing of others, lack of understanding of God, and personal ambition and the desire to be preeminent) proceed much of the wicked behavior of God's creatures in the heavens and on the earth.
The field is the world; the good seed are the children [sons] of the kingdom; but the tares are the children[sons] of the wicked one; (Matthew 13:38)
We can discern who is of the Kingdom of God and who is of the wicked one by looking for these four characteristics.
The sons of the Kingdom:
Wait continually on the Lord for His counsel concerning every thought, word, and deed. They love to listen for His voice. As they mature in the Lord they grow increasingly dependent on their relationship to Him to govern all that they are, do, and say.
Do not trust in human reasoning. They know that the natural mind is the enemy of God. They are blind and deaf to the world. They seek the fellowship and counsel of the Lord in every matter, great and small. They have learned that man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Walk in open confession of sin before God. They can learn from fellow believers and from unbelievers as well what their own sins and shortcomings are. They are quick to confess these and, by the Lord's help, to turn away from them.
Are slow to accuse others. They do not gossip. They do not slander other people. They rejoice at the success of a fellow member of the church and are grieved over his or her shortcomings.
Have a good understanding from the Lord. They do not strain out gnats and swallow camels. They emphasize justice, mercy, and faith rather than grace, religious ordinances, or any of the other devices that people use to evade the righteous ways of the Lord.
Many of the Israelites grieved the Lord because they did not understand God or His ways.
Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: (Psalms 95:10)
Are humble of heart, meek in spirit, ready to be instructed. They do not strive with others in order to force their own will but are gentle toward all men, apt to teach, patient. They are not filled with personal ambition and envy, attempting to supplant the position of others.
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: (Isaiah 14:13)
It is in the heart of Satan to want to lord it over his fellows. People who desire to be preeminent, to be exalted over their fellow saints, are reflecting the seed of Satan.
And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. (Luke 22:24)
What a terrible tare to be found among those closest to the Lord-the desire to be accounted the greatest! Personal ambition, envy, supplanting, competition, the lust to be chief, may be the worst sin of all. What horrible deeds have been performed throughout history both in the Church and in the world because someone desired to be exalted above his or her fellows! Not one trace of this satanic seed will be left in the Kingdom of God. All aspects of stubborn, unteachable arrogance will be hurled into the fire by the messengers of God.
To be continued.
Copyright © Trumpet Ministries Inc
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