CITIZENS OF HEAVEN The government of Heaven is

“CITIZENS OF HEAVEN” The government of Heaven is a Monarchy ruled by a Divine King. An Absolute Monarchy is totally different from a democracy.

Democracy Government People have all authority and set up whatever government they choose. Our Constitution was written so that laws can be changed as the thinking of the people changes. Kingdom Monarch People The monarch has all authority and the people have only such rights as he chooses to give them. He makes the laws and the citizens must obey them whether they approve or not.

Laws Changed in our Democracy 1807 No Women Voters 1920 19 th Amendment Permitted All to Vote 1920 Alcohol Sales Prohibited 1933 Prohibition Amendment Repealed Before 1967 Abortion Illegal 1973 “Roe vs. Wade’ legalized it everywhere. 1900 All Gambling Illegal 2013 Some form legal in all but two states Before 1962 Fornication was illegal in 16 States. Now All laws against it have been repealed Before 1962 Homosexual practices illegal in all states 2003 All laws forbidding it were struck down Now laws allowing “homosexual marriage” Early 1900’s every state required cause for divorce Now all states have “No Fault Divorces. ”

Have Changing Laws Made Life Better? • 80, 000 annual deaths now attributable to alcohol use • 31% of all traffic deaths last year involved alcohol • CDC: Alcohol Abuse Costs U. S. $224 Billion a Year • Gambling is a $40 billion dollar a year industry in US • New Study Pegs Cost of Crime At $1. 7 Trillion Annually • Since 1973, roughly 50 million legal abortions in U. S. • Since 1960 number of unmarried couples living together has risen from 500, 000 to around 7, 000. • 60% of women giving birth in their early 20 s are unmarried. • Since 1962 the divorce rate has doubled.

Two Worlds Government by Human Desires Government by a Divine King “For many walk, of whom I For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Phil. 3: 21 -22) have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— who set their mind on earthly things. (Phil. 3: 1820)

In contrast with changing laws and changing governments-- “BEHOLD YOUR KING” Unchanging He does not change! “Jesus Christ the change! same yesterday, His laws doisnot today, and forever. ” (Hebrews 13: 8)

THE NEW TESTAMENT IS HIS UNCHANGING LAW 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3)

HOW CAN LAWS MADE TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO BE RELEVANT TODAY? Ahasuerus to have a second decree Our had King is All-wise! written and distributed to counter-act the His laws arewhich perfect all time! first one was afor mistake Proof from the Natural World

He Is Lawmaker in the Natural World Wisdom Evident • “All things were made Laws Unchanging • Space exploration is through Him, and without possible because laws Him nothing was made do not change. that was made” (John 1: 3). • Man is helpless to • “Who being the brightness change them. of His glory and the • They do not need to express image of His be changed. person, and upholding all • No mercy for violation things by the word of His of natural laws no long power…” (Heb. 1: 3) ago they were made.

He is King in the Spiritual World “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28: 18 -20 These are the laws of the kingdom! He has…conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1: 13).

The New Testament Is Our King’s Law For All time! It is wise and does not need changing. It is not affected by the preferences of His citizens!

We must choose! The. World Our King Has Spoken • Man and woman equal (Gal. 3: 28) but • • Equal Roles for Women • Drunkenness respectable • Abortion moral • Gambling sanctioned • Fornication almost expected • Homosexuality acceptable • No Fault Divorce Legal • • not in roles. (1 Tim 2: 12, 15; 3: 2, 12) For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles —when we walked in…drunkenness, in a revelries, drinking parties…” (1 Peter m e r s 4: 3). w ll a r e o s f e “…he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, e h T m a s while yet in his mother's womb. " (Luke e ! h e t m 1: 15) ti “whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matt 7: 12) “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, [a] nor sodomites, …will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6: 9 -10) “Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and

THOSE WHO RESPECT THESE LAWS WILL BE CONSIDERED STRANGE “They think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ” (1 Peter 4: 4 -5)

Is it possible that we have misinterpreted these scriptures? YES! But, It is dangerous to “reinterpret” scripture in an effort to make it fit changing cultures!

God sends a “strong delusion” to those who do not believe the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness. ” (2 Thessalonians 2: 11 -12) Some “untaught and unstable people twist [Paul’s writing] to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. ” (2 Peter 3: 16)

Two Ways to Study the Bible Studying to Justify what Learn What We want to God Wants Believe and Us to Believe Do. and Do

“BEHOLD YOUR KING” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King? ” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” (John 19: 14) What will you do with Jesus?