I’ve been writing about kingdom culture and the need for it enough that people are asking what kingdom culture is.
Jesus says the kingdom of God and His righteousness are to be sought after. What would you suppose “His righteousness” is? After you finish with “right standing” as your definition, consider that “righteousness” is right behavior in a person and “right culture” in a kingdom. The big push to avoid talking about behavior should be exhausted by now. We should be ready to talk about doing right as a means to an end of learning more about what is right. From that revelation, we recognize what it wrong without a great deal of study.
We’ve lost kingdom culture and don’t even know we’ve lost it.
Normalizing Sin
Paul says, “Do not mix up together with anyone called and identified as a brother who is sexually immoral, covetous, idolater, abuser, addicted, or fraudulent. Do not even eat with that person.” (1 Corinthians 5:11)
Paul says, “Do not normalize these behaviors in they are not compatible with kingdom culture.” Instead, judge people by their behaviors if they are part of the kingdom. While we cannot judge people who are not part of the kingdom, we have an obligation to recognize kingdom norms and avoid any mixing that would produce a blending with people whose lifestyles include these behaviors.
“God will judge those without. Expel those with these behaviors from within.”
The point is that kingdom has cultural norms. The point is not Law and Prophets since they reach ultimate in the kingdom culture established by Jesus. We are not engaged in avoiding adultery, lying, theft, or blasphemy so God can come and stay awhile. We are fully partnering as citizens with kingdom inheritances and matching spiritual DNA with Jesus Christ in His kingly rule.
To influence the cultures of the earth, we must first establish kingdom culture and maintain its influence with specific and intentional order.
Paul says, “If you normalize sinful behavior contrary to the fulfillment of God’s expectations, design and definition of relationship, breaching kingdom principles, processes, and protocols, you normalize sin.”
The Mountain of the Lord
To influence the mountains of cultural influence, we must first establish the mountain of the Lord. The mountain of the Lord is the real expression of a spiritual people who live kingdom lifestyles. The mountain of the Lord represents the Lord.
Representation of the Lord carries with it representation of His intentions, or the will of the Father. We represent what Father wants so the rest of the world has immediate witness-able access to “what-Father-wants.” That is only available in heaven unless and until someone who represents Jesus releases it in the earth.
We have discussed the mountains of cultural influence and strategies for influencing those mountains, but the only influence of earth’s cultures that can possible represent the Father is the culture of the kingdom.
We have lost kingdom culture and we don’t even know we’ve lost it.
