THE Kingdom of God: The Kingdom of dominion

The Kingdom of dominion
           

 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 (NLT)

    

     In our passage today regarding the Kingdom of God, the Apostle Paul is informing us that the kingdom is not about the believer exercising his/her freedoms just because he can but exercising the freedom to love others above how much you love your own freedom to live. 

     As we have seen so far, the Kingdom of Heaven is personal yet interpersonal interactions.  Placing great value on personal responsibility and relationships that we enjoy is an important aspect of the Kingdom.  The Kingdom of Heaven is an incredible doctrine that reaches into vast understanding about the physical, emotional and the spiritual world.  Yet, among the many other teachings about the Kingdom we find at the center a greater sense of dominion over the created  order within, to cope with life in loving God and caring for others. 

Paul W. Harrison said, "Wherever God rules over the human heart as King; there is the kingdom of God established." 

      Loving God calls for a healthy look inside to overcome the false self to know God better.  When this happens the next task is to live in such a way that you place great value upon those you meet and come to know.    The false-self is disciplined and the true-self is empowered to live out the true will of God in a world that is set against God.

       In an address in New York City in May of 1982 Mother Teresa said, “ Nakedness is not only for a piece of cloth.  Nakedness is for human dignity, for respect.  Homelessness is not only for a house made of bricks.  Homelessness is being rejected, unwanted, unloved, uncared for, having forgotten what is human love, what is human touch.” 

      In extending the Kingdom of God into the world we must continue to govern our lives to be personal.   The world of email, instant messages and even quick and easy face-sheet introduction we endeavor to take dominion over the technology to keep our work human.  Remembering that human love is done in an intimate and personal way taking into account the closeness of human touch.