ADVANCING THE KINGDOM
By Synthia Esther
Working towards advancing Gods kingdom begins and ultimately ends with working on ourselves. Personal introspection leads the way to acknowledge and evaluate our every motive, deed, word, vice and virtue. Until we come to realize that me, myself and I are at odds with God's kingdom due to our fallen sin nature, can we grasp the meaning of true evangelism. Genetics, the spirit, personality and behavior habits of those who bore and raised us, all play apart of developing the ego we feed and thrive on.
Man may take on the challenges of feeding the poor, preaching salvation to the lost, and setting other captives free through God's Biblical words of truth and love, however, true evangelism begins with the realization of one's own problems, insecurities, shortcomings and carnal nature. By rethinking our ego's self serving biased desires and cause and effect reactions in life, we begin to unravel the thread that binds our soul to sins ever consuming temptations. Man is held victim to his own demise when he ignores, dismisses or excuses his own sinful behavior. Romans 3:20, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."
Many Christians claim grace from God in regards to their lack of soul and spirit change and the sin they freely commit. Romans 6:15-16, " What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! (16) Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?"
While God's grace is ever present, often times remorse and repentance remains elusive as man continues to feed his ego's self-centered wants and desires. Instead of releasing the dark secretive ties that continue to bind and constrict their souls spiritual progress, they prefer to remain in denial. Denial continues to feed the ego's self-serving biased behavior. The longer one denies there is a problem the more apt they become in yielding to Satan's bondage, temptation and snares.
When a person begins the sacred spiritual journey to look from within for the answers to their spiritual decay, they grow and become conscious of past self-limiting behaviors and self-serving motives. Our souls desire in life should be to attain and accomplish becoming more like God, our Father, in spirit and in truth. Only then can the advancement of God's kingdom take hold in the hearts and lives of His children. Only then can God's children become the conduit of His love to all of humanity, regardless of race, color or creed.
For in the end of our life's journey on Earth, each of us will give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:12). Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification (Romans 14:19). Like Paul let us boldly confirm, "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" (Acts 20: 24).
