In every country, the citizens have certain rights—things that they are allowed to do, and also there are things that are illegal, that they are not allowed to do, and if they still do them, they are liable for punishment.
These rights are according to the laws of each country.
In the kingdom of God also we are bound by the laws which God has made. We have things that we can do, they are acceptable; also things that we are not permitted to do, they are illegal. They may be allowed by worldly standards, but not according to the laws of God’s kingdom.
When we become citizens of God’s kingdom we make a solemn vow to obey all the laws of His kingdom. After this we are bound by these laws, and if we do not obey them faithfully, we will receive punishment.
People in the world who have not made this solemn vow to obey God’s laws are not bound by them. They can break them and not receive punishment immediately.
In the time of ancient Israel, the surrounding nations were sun worshippers; Sunday was the day of their worship, and God did not punish them for it. God’s law said, “Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one who defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among His people.” Exodus 31:14
In the Laodicean message we read, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent.” Revelation 3:19
People in the world speak lies freely, and they get away with it. But if we, the citizens of God’s kingdom speak a lie, what can happen? Ananias and his wife had promised to give to the church the money they would receive from the sale of their house, but they decided to keep part of the money to themselves; they lied to the church and to God that what they gave was the whole amount that they got for the sale of their house. As Peter rebuked them, they fell to the ground and died. (Acts 5:1–10)
The Bible is clear; the 144,000 have no guile in their mouths. (Revelation 14:5)
In the world some people have won millions in the lottery. But we read in the Spirit of Prophecy, “Satan sets in operation schemes that will produce in the minds of our brethren a great desire to try their fortunes, as in a lottery. . . . Then if one is successful, he is elated over the fact that he gained a few hundred dollars, that he decides to keep on getting money if he can. He continues to invest in real estate or in mines. The device of Satan is successful; in the place of increased funds flowing into the treasury, there is a withdrawal of means from our institutions, in order that the owners may try their fortunes in the mining business or in land speculations.” –Counsels on Stewardship, p. 238
“Then there is some lottery business connected with it, and one young man that goes there, obtains a gold watch. What then? The watch may be genuine gold, it may be no fraud, but ah, there is a fraud back of that, and that is the snare. If he has gained this once, he will want to try it again. Oh, I would rather, if it had been a son of mine, have him lying in his coffin than sporting that gold watch.” –Counsels on Stewardship, p. 241
The devil knows how to play his game. So vastly different are the laws of heaven than the laws of the world. We do not have the right to spend our money in lottery tickets or in the stock market, or in real estate, or in land speculations.
In the world, people hate one another. Friendships are broken and if offended, they try to get even. This right we do not have.
God will punish everyone according to their evil doing. We read, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:19
Do not rejoice when God is punishing your enemy. “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.” Proverbs 24:17
“However unjustly we may be treated, let not passion rise. By indulging a spirit of retaliation we injure ourselves. We destroy our own confidence in God, and grieve the Holy Spirit.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 171–172
Also we have no right to speak the language of this world. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6. “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” 1 Peter 1:15
We need to learn our rights in the kingdom of God which are so different from the rights in the worldly kingdoms.
We have the right to love, but we have no right to hate. We have the right to forgive, but we have no right to bear a grudge. We have the right to defend others, but we have no right to defend ourselves. We have the right to carry a cross daily, but we have no right to lay it down.
If someone hit us on the cheek, we have the right to turn to him the other cheek, but we have no right to hit back at him.
Do we consider the laws of the kingdom of God to be fair and righteous? If we do, then we need to keep them and practice them.
If someone does not obey them, then he has no right to be a citizen in God’s kingdom. Someone can be a member in the church of God but belong to the kingdom of Satan, and God will not allow a lawbreaker into heaven.
What makes us a special people, and what is our greatness? We read, “And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?” Deuteronomy 4:8
Our greatness is the law of God. Our greatness is to love our enemies, and forgive all men. Our greatness is to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.
If we obey the laws of God, and live by our rights, then we will have the right to go to heaven and a right to eternal life. “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. AMEN
Timo Martin