God’s Will For The Earth

by Karla Perry

Jesus said that the meek shall inherit the earth. God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the promised land forever. Modern theology says that the earth will be destroyed and that we who believe shall live with Jesus in heaven for eternity.

When we are born again into the family of God our old man is dead and our new man is alive in Christ. When I came to Christ I did not physically die even though it is true that my old man died. I was raised with Christ a new creation. Baptism marks this transformation for the believer.

When Jesus ascended to His Father, He commissioned His disciples to go into all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them all He had taught. Obviously, we do not dunk nations in the ocean. Nor is this a verse a teaching on individual baptisms. Here “baptize” is in the context of nations. Jesus is saying that His disciples are to immerse all the nations in the truth of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Essentially take the Kingdom of God into all the nations and transform them in the power of the Triune God.

But, how does this work when we teach that this world will be destroyed? I used to sport this awesome tee-shirt that read “I am an alien; this world is not my home.” I believed my home is in heaven where Jesus is preparing a room in His heavenly mansion for me. One day I’ll get to go leave this earth and be in heaven. Let’s look at that verse a little more carefully. John 14 says that Jesus goes to prepare a place so that we can be he is. Therefore, we read in Ephesians 2:6 that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. Our abode is now in heaven.

The Kingdom of God is not of this world. It is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. It is completely foreign to the dark powers and forces that move the world. While it is not of this world, the Kingdom of God is for this world. It is to rule and reign here on earth as it is in heaven. It is the reality of God that we carry forth into all the nations liberating them as we immerse them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God has a plan for the earth. Revelation tells us that God will come to dwell among us – His temple – on the earth. Jesus taught us to pray that the will of God in heaven be done on the earth. His prayer will be made manifest. We shall see the glory of God that is in heaven transform the whole earth making it a new creation just as we are new creations. Paul writes in Romans that all of creation is groaning in eager expectation of the revealing of the sons of God. Creation has long been subjected to the Fall of Man, but Jesus took the power of the wicked one over the earth and subjected him to our authority by giving us His authority.

Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness offering him the nations of the world as his inheritance. Jesus did not circumvent the cross to receive His inheritance from the devil. He proceeded to follow the will of His Father even unto death, being crucified to deal with the debt of sin once and for all, and to resurrect victorious over death. Now, He gives us the authority to liberate the nations of the world in the truth. It is truth that sets us free, and it is truth that sets the nations free.

The Gospel is the good news that Jesus has liberated us from the curse of sin. We are now to go forth and bring that Good News, not just to every person, but to every institution of every city and nation of the earth. The Great Commission is our co-mission with God to see His heart for the nations realized on earth as it is in heaven. When we walk in the love and power of our King, people and nations are set free from darkness. We are not waiting for Jesus to come rescue us from a doomed earth. He is not our escape plan. We are not captives. We are free agents of the King. We are His hands and feet on this earth bringing about His glory. We are on a mission direct from heaven.

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