THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD
AUTHOR: ELIZABETH RÍOS BRINGUEZ
MAIN TEXT: LUKE 9:23
INTRODUCTION
“And He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”Luke 9:23, translated from Reina-Valera 1960
Jesus teaches that true Christian discipleship requires complete and daily commitment. Following Christ means setting aside pride, selfish desires, and our personal will in order to live in obedience to the will of God.
This calling includes three fundamental aspects:
Denying oneself: This means renouncing pride, selfishness, and the desire to control our lives without taking God into account. It means allowing the Lord’s will to occupy first place.
Taking up the cross daily: This means facing with faith the difficulties, challenges, and sacrifices involved in remaining faithful to Christ. It also represents the daily renunciation of sin and everything that separates us from God.
Following Christ: This means imitating the life of Jesus, obeying His teachings, and walking along the path of love, humility, mercy, and service to others.
THE MEANING OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD
The government of God is manifested through:
The lordship, authority, dominion, power, majesty, and sovereignty of God as the supreme King.
The work of God within human beings when believers voluntarily submit their lives to the direction and government of the Holy Spirit.
Living under the government of God means recognizing that He has authority over our thoughts, decisions, desires, attitudes, and actions. Believers stop living according to their own will and begin walking according to God’s purpose.
SPIRITUAL CLASSIFICATION OF HUMAN BEINGS
“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he understand them, because they must be spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord? Who will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”1 Corinthians 2:14–16, translated from Reina-Valera 1960
This passage presents two spiritual conditions:
THE NATURAL PERSON
The natural person lives guided only by human reasoning, emotions, and abilities. This person does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God because they cannot be understood spiritually.
To such a person, God’s message may appear strange or meaningless because divine truths can only be understood through the work of the Holy Spirit.
THE SPIRITUAL PERSON
The spiritual person is someone who has received the Holy Spirit and allows God to direct his or her life. This person possesses discernment to understand the truth, recognize God’s will, and distinguish between what is right and what is wrong.
The spiritual person does not depend exclusively on the standards, values, or thoughts of the world because the Lord grants spiritual wisdom and understanding.
Having the mind of Christ means learning to think, love, serve, forgive, and act as Jesus did. It means allowing our thoughts and decisions to be transformed according to the character and will of the Lord.
THE PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION
“And such were some of you; but you have been washed, you have been sanctified, you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”1 Corinthians 6:11, translated from Reina-Valera 1960
Before knowing Christ, many believers lived under the dominion of sin. However, through Jesus Christ, they were washed, sanctified, and justified.
To be washed means to be cleansed from sin. To be sanctified means to be set apart for God, and to be justified means to be declared righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.
Sanctification is the work God performs in the lives of believers to separate them from sin and transform them according to the character of Christ. This process takes place through the Word of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the believer’s daily obedience.
SANCTIFICATION CAN BE INSTANTANEOUS AND PROGRESSIVE
INSTANTANEOUS SANCTIFICATION
“And such were some of you; but you have been washed, you have been sanctified, you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”1 Corinthians 6:11, translated from Reina-Valera 1960
Instantaneous sanctification occurs when a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. From that moment, the person is set apart for God, forgiven, and accepted as part of His people.
This does not mean that the believer has immediately reached perfection. It means that the believer now belongs to God and begins a new life under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION
“Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every contamination of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”2 Corinthians 7:1, translated from Reina-Valera 1960
Progressive sanctification is the continuous process of spiritual growth through which believers learn to turn away from sin and become more like Christ each day.
This passage calls believers to cleanse themselves from everything that can contaminate the body, mind, and spirit. This includes our actions, thoughts, desires, words, intentions, and attitudes.
Perfecting holiness does not mean earning salvation through our works. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace. Holiness is our response of love, gratitude, and obedience for everything Christ has done for us.
The fear of God is not a fear that forces a person to hide from the Lord. It is a deep respect, reverence, and recognition of His holiness, authority, and power. This holy fear leads us to turn away from disobedience and live in a way that is pleasing to God.
JESUS GOVERNS THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER
During the process of sanctification, Jesus Christ must govern every area of our lives. When we allow Him to direct our thoughts, feelings, decisions, and actions, we learn to live truly under the government of God.
Living under the government of God involves:
Submitting our will to the will of the Lord.
Obeying His Word.
Renouncing sin daily.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our character.
Serving others with love and humility.
Persevering in faith, even in the midst of trials.
Recognizing Jesus Christ as Lord over our entire lives.
CONCLUSION
The government of God begins in the heart of the person who decides to deny himself or herself, take up the cross daily, and follow Jesus Christ.
Sanctification is an essential part of this process. God sets us apart for Himself when we receive Christ and continues transforming us daily through His Holy Spirit.
For this reason, believers must allow Jesus to govern their lives completely. Only when we submit to His will can we grow spiritually, live in holiness, and reflect the character of Christ before others.
Living under the government of God means recognizing that we no longer belong to ourselves. Our lives, thoughts, decisions, and future are in the hands of the Lord.
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