Posted: 10/25/2016 at 3:32pm | IP Logged

In kingdom relationships, we serve Christ by our right conduct, peace and joy through the Holy Spirit and God takes pleasure in us.

For the Kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking, but of right conduct, peace and joy, through the Holy Spirit; and whoever in this way devotedly serves Christ, God takes pleasure in him, and men highly commend him. Romans 14:17-18 WNT

Our doing what is well-pleasing is God being through us.

God works in us through Jesus Christ by the Spirit.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Php 2:12-13 KJV

Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. Heb 13:13-21 ASV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Gal 5:22-26 KJV

Kingdom relationships that serve Christ and are pleasing to God

Right conduct—righteousness is foremost in kingdom relationships.

Righteousness in Romans 14 means right conduct, just it is put in the WNT. This meaning indicates godly character in our walk before God and man. Right conduct is a result of God pleasing character motivated by our desire to please God our Father. Christ is our example of proven character and our leader and God’s grace helps us grow up in all ways into Christ. The Holy Spirit helps us walk in righteousness. And, one another relationships in the kingdom of God stimulate right conduct.

God has shown His grace. It brings salvation to all people and trains us to say no to ungodliness and worldly lusts. to use good judgment , and to live right and godly in this world as we look for the blessed One who is our hope, for our great God and Savior Christ Jesus to show Himself in glory. He gave Himself as a payment for us to free us from all wickedness and cleanse us to be His own people, eager to do good works. Titus 2:11-14 AAT

And now, little children, abide in him [Jesus Christ]; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 1 Jn 2:28-29 KJV

Right conduct helps create the environment of peace and joy through the Holy Spirit. And, we get to live in that environment. See: Character—Saints Growing Up In All Ways Into Christ; HEART of New Creatures Created in Christ Jesus

Peace

Peace is a result of our brothers and sisters in the Lord doing right. Peaceful relationships flow from God our Father. This peace comes to us because God has made us right with Himself, bringing inner inner peace. Just as He planned, God also established peace among His kingdom people. God made us right with one another by making us a new order of mankind—new creatures, born again, regenerated Jews and Gentiles.

The moment we believed, God made us new creatures created in Christ (Eph 2:10). God joined new creature Gentiles with Jews as His new order of mankind in Christ Jesus, “to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.” Now, we gentiles are fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household. We are. being built together as a temple built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets and Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone; build together by the Spirit for a dwelling in which God lives.

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph 2:12-22 KJV

The uniting bond of peace is the unity given by the Spirit.

I, then, the prisoner for the Master’s sake, entreat you to live and act as becomes those who have received the call that you have received—with all lowliness of mind and unselfishness, and with patience, bearing with one another lovingly, and earnestly striving to maintain, in the uniting bond of peace, the unity given by the Spirit. There is but one body and but one Spirit, as also when you were called you had one and the same hope held out to you. There is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all, who rules over all, acts through all, and dwells in all. Eph 4:1-6 WNT

We serve Christ and God takes pleasure in us when we “live and act as becomes those who have received the call that you have received—with all lowliness of mind and unselfishness, and with patience, bearing with one another lovingly, and earnestly striving to maintain, in the uniting bond of peace.”

May we thrive in kingdom relationships of peace, serving Christ and pleasing God.

Joy

When our son was little, he’d be sitting in his highchair eating breakfast with us and joy would well up in him and he’d come out with a big exclamation—BE-BA! His joy came from Him soaking up our love. God our Father gives us joy by pouring His love into our hearts. He gives us joy from being His children and heirs. He gives us joy by joining us with one another in the communion of His saints loving one another.

If you stay in Me and what I say stays in you, ask for anything you want, and it will be done for you. You glorify My Father when you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you. Stay in My love. If you obey My commandments, you’ll stay in My love, as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and stay in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full. This is what I order you to do: love one another as I have loved you. No one has a greater love than he who gives his life for his friends. You’re My friends if you do what I order you to do. I don’t call you servants any more, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. But I’ve called you friends because I’ve told you everything I heard from My Father. You didn’t choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that doesn’t pass away and to have the Father give you anything you ask Him in My name. This is what I order you to do: love one another. John 15:7-17 AAT

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Cor 13:14 KJV