Exposition and Note by Sister Kim Frey
Chinese/culture Study 6
The Lord is giving us a chance to be a chosen people who will bring the spiritual reality of His Kingdom to this earth realm.
This culture is the only way to properly manage righteousness and peace that will bring true restoration. It’s a divine pattern and way, that starts in the inner man and then expounds into every aspect of life, from our own families and then into the world.
Throughout history, people have tried to find the best way to coexist and have meaningful relationships. Through human regimes and political forces, we have attempted to remedy the struggles of biases, class and other prejudices that our self righteous thinking has promoted.
On one hand, there are those who promote unity and understanding, while on the other hand, there are those who deny the existence of God and rely solely on their own abilities. Both of these regimes are a false construct, resulting in more division instead of unity. A new way of culture is needed; one that seeks and promotes spiritual intelligence rather than a lower realm of understanding, that leads to no where.
It is foolish to assume that human nature is inherently good and capable of selflessly dedicating themselves to this greater cause.
We are born with a sinful nature and lack the inherent ability to desire godliness. And due to this hereditary nature of sin, we need divine influence and grace to learn and model this example.
Many attempts of this were made in the Old Testament, through external displays, to inspire people towards godliness. But, even the most faithful in the Bible were unable to fully achieve this desire. This resulted in a culture where divine knowledge and wisdom were given, but the ideas of personal education, discipleship and community building were lost because there lacked a willing people.
Throughout the Church Age, our theological interpretations and attempts to build His church, have failed to produce the fruit of righteousness.
Like the Pharisees of religion, we have looked at the law but have not rightly divided the spirit of the law. Our self -fulfilling interpretations have planted a thorn in this true right way. We, humanistically, have bent the Word to meet our own needs and desires.
There seems to be a disconnect between how people interpret the Bible and certain cultural practices like discipleship and community building. A pattern is needed to display and live this way by example. This is the only way to truly inspire godliness and eradicate the sinful nature of mankind.
When Jesus came, he showed how man’s laws were just a shadow type and a solution to sin was presented. For this fulfillment, one must
be born again. This means a totally different reality and way of life. Impartation of this culture must be lived through the Spirit, in the invisible realm of the kingdom. Many are not able to comprehend this without a social construct and right religious setting.
When Jesus began to reveal rhetoric ways of His Kingdom, His teachings were viewed in two extremes. They were either viewed as theological concepts or as supernatural manifestations. Both of these, however miss the mark of the pattern He was showing. Although some level of understanding has been seen in small settings, it has yet to produce good fruits for the development of a strong culture or nation.
So, how do we start the initiation of this spiritual way of thinking?
With the arrival of Christ, a solution to sin was presented. He showed the ultimate pattern of how to start this right kind of culture; led by example.
The only way to truly govern and build this spiritual house/ culture is to be called by the Lord, taught by the Spirit, trained in discipleship and then walk out this righteous way in our lives.
This process of Sonship will naturally establish a culture of mutual respect and love. In this spirit led culture, all resources are shared, because it is understood that everything good is given by God and meant for the benefit of all His chosen people.
In this process of sanctification, the attainment of godly virtues must be learned. This is a kingly type of wisdom designed for those sent for this purpose. Jesus didn’t teach his disciples the ways of the kingdom in man’s traditional ways. He didn’t use religion to do this, rather He discouraged religious practices. He taught a living way, a pattern.
This starts with personal improvement by self discipline.
Then, one must learn HOW to learn. This is not theology or a set of laws, but rather a living reality shown through discipleship.
This living reality is not just something to observe, but must be practiced.
The life of devotion to this practice is how we worship and this is what changes a nation. The word is alive and active and spreads and expounds with all who encounter this glory. This is what rules and changes the government of the nations.
This is why it is important to long and strive for a society that aligns with these teachings.
There needs to be a deeper understanding of what Jesus was trying to accomplish beyond individual lives in order to truly influence society and build a flourishing community. His longing has always been to find a willing and godly people.
This begins with a remnant, or small group of Sons of the King, training in His divine process of Sonship. We have been set in place to recover the ancient foundations of how to properly build this culture in His Kingdom.
This high calling requires a virtuous life.
Virtue is similar to the biblical notion of being a godly person.
The life of a godly person is worship.
The lingo and framework of this definition are not important, rather we need to understand the essence of virtue.
In the Chinese culture, there are 6 elements of a virtuous life and how they relate to governing the people.
- wisdom
- compassion
- sanctity (holinesss)
- righteousness
- faithfulness-the Chinese character for “faithfulness” combines symbols that represent balance and righteousness, emphasizing the importance of sticking to moral standards. Faithfulness is seen as a prerequisite for being considered a godly or virtuous person. To cultivate this virtue, one must have proper training and alignment.
- peace
All of these virtues will outwardly be displayed in relationships. So, commitment and trust in these relationships are vital. When they lack these qualities, society as a whole cannot thrive.
In our modern Western society, we lack these qualities. This is seen in the vast number of broken marriages and the genuine lack of trust we have in our leaders.
It is important to learn from both negative and positive experiences. Both help us appreciate the value of certain things.
Take the concept of discipleship, for example. In Christianity, there is a lack of emphasis on its purpose or even importance.
Instead,the focus is on dispensing information and teaching, rather than practicing and living out the teachings.
This often leaves individuals to figure out how to apply these teachings on their own, without a sense of discipleship or mentorship.
In order to restore our society, we need to restore this way of learning through discipleship. In these relationships, there is a common understanding of how to live out the teachings and a mutual agreement on how to improve and learn together.
There needs to be a shift from merely imparting information, to doing life and practicing virtue together.
In our Western society, we primarily focus on words and speeches. But the Kingdom
Culture needs to value actions and lead by example.
We must have a shift in our consciousness; from solely focusing on actions, to considering the way those actions are performed.
This shift requires deeper introspection and analysis of our underlying motives and beliefs that drive our actions. It requires self-reflection and an objective assessment of our progress, with repentance being a healthy and necessary aspect.
To truly understand and embody virtuous principles, we must go beyond superficial understanding, and actively engage with this knowledge in our daily life.
We must really peer deep within to understand what drives our thought process and why we do the things we do.
For example, the mere act of thinking and talking about justice and righteous living don’t actually change anything. True change can only come with provision of guidance on how to practice it in everyday life. This is how we “practice what we preach”.
Our society is lacking in discipline and accountability. It is through these processes that we can become a virtuous people, a royal priesthood.
This lack of discipline has created a self- centered, apathetic people.
To resist this, we must find the beauty and joy of a life that lets go of worldly attachments and embraces the freedom found in the Spirit. God’s plan and desire is to show love through this life of obedience and devotion.
Often times, we become too busy and distracted with worldly things. This hinders us from fully enjoying and experiencing the work of the Spirit.
We live in such a fast paced society where we often multitask just to keep up. But, the Lord is asking for a single- focused vision on His purposes. This reminds me of the paper shared months ago called “The Tyranny of the Urgent”.
“Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.”
Jesus set the pattern for His life’s work. He prayerfully waited for His Father’s instructions and for the strength to follow them. Jesus had no divinely-drawn blueprint; He discerned the Father’s will day by day in a life of prayer. By this means, He warded off the urgent and accomplished the important.
Prayerful waiting on God is indispensable to effective service. As we wait for directions, the Lord frees us from the tyranny of the urgent. He shows us the truth about Himself, ourselves, and our tasks. He impresses on our minds the assignments He wants us to undertake. The need itself is not the call; the call must come from the God who knows our limitations.
“The LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14).
If we are too busy to stop, take spiritual inventory, and receive our assignments from God, we become a slave to the tyranny of the urgent. We may work day and night to achieve much that seems significant to ourselves and others, but we will not finish the work God has for us to do.
“I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me his own. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. So let all who are fully mature have this same passion, and if anyone is not yet gripped by these desires, God will reveal it to them. And let us all advance together to reach this victory-prize, following one path with one passion.”
Philippians 3:12-16 TPT
