Living a Christian Life and Church Life
Under the Government of God
for the Economy of God
Message Two
Living a Christian Life under the Government of God
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
1 Pet. 1:16-17 Because it is written, “You shall be holy because I am holy.” And if you call as Father the One who without respect of persons judges according to each one’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear.
4:17 For it is time for the judgment to begin from the house of God; and if first from us, what will be the end of those who disobey the gospel of God?
5:6 Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time.
Word of Appetizer
Why do we need God’s governmental dealings?
The preciousness of Peter’s writings is that he combines the Christian life and God’s government, revealing that the Christian life and the government of God go together as a pair. Although we have been born of God to have a spiritual life and to be a new creation, we are still in the old creation; for this reason, we need God’s governmental dealings. In order for the Christian life to grow, we need the discipline of God’s government.
Spiritual Burden
The preciousness of Peter’s writings is that he combines the Christian life and God’s government, revealing that the Christian life and the government of God go together as a pair.
As believers in Christ and children of God, we should live a Christian life under the government of God. We should pass the time of our sojourning in holy fear, that is, in a healthy, serious caution that leads us to be holy in all our manner of life.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
The Epistles of 1 and 2 Peter are on the universal government of God.
The preciousness of Peter’s writings is that he combines the Christian life and God’s government, revealing that the Christian life and the government of God go together as a pair.
When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He lived a human life that was absolutely under the government of God, and He committed everything related to Him to God’s government.
The Experience of Life
As holy children, we should walk in a holy manner of life; otherwise, in His government God the Father will become the Judge and will deal with our unholiness. The judgment, which is carried out by the Father, is not the future judgment but is the present, daily judgment of God’s governmental dealings with His children; therefore, in this age we, the children of God, are under the daily judgment of God.
While God judges us in His government, He cares for us faithfully in His love; as we are suffering His disciplinary judgment, we should commit our souls to the faithful care of our Creator.
Practice and Application
As believers in Christ and children of God, we should live a Christian life under the government of God; we should pass the time of our sojourning in holy fear, that is, in a healthy, serious caution that leads us to be holy in all our manner of life.
We should be humbled under the mighty hand of God, which carries out the government of God; to be humbled under God’s mighty hand is to be made humble by God; however, we must cooperate with God’s operation and be willing to be made humble, lowly, under His mighty hand.
