Keeper of Values (3)

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Romans 14.16-18

When God calls
As we have seen, God is continuously calling us into His Kingdom and glory (1 Thess. 2.12). When His calling becomes the primary default value in our conscience, it will shape the way we think and feel about our daily lives, so that seeking the Kingdom and glory of God will become the defining orientation toward all we do.

Human beings live for the future. We’re cognizant of our past, and we make our way in life through the present. But humans are future-oriented creatures. That is, we’re always seeking something that lies just ahead of us a bit. Seeking describes a basic orientation to life.

So the question, where the proper functioning of the conscience is concerned, is not whether we shall have seeking as a value, but in particular, what we will seek as the defining value for all our seeking?

Happily, Jesus has sorted that out for us, hasn’t He?

Kingdom, power, righteousness
Jesus instructed us to “seek first” the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Paul explains the Kingdom of God in terms of power (1 Cor. 4.20) and righteousness, leading to peace and joy, and a way of life that is approved by both God and men. The ability to realize this power for those ends depends on the work of God’s Spirit within us, as He makes us willing – hear that conscience word? – and able to do what is pleasing to God (Phil. 2.13).

We must work to settle Kingdom-seeking into our conscience as the defining value. God is calling us into His Kingdom, and we want to seek that Kingdom in response to God’s calling, so that we may know the transforming power of God’s Spirit at work within us, willing and doing and remaking us into the very image of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3.12-18).

So, what does this involve?

Seeking the Kingdom
Obviously, seeking the righteousness, peace, and joy of the Holy Spirit – the Kingdom of God – must begin in our own soul, how we think and what we cherish. When seeking the Kingdom has become a settled value in our conscience, we will devote our minds to the task of understanding the righteousness of God’s Law and the work of God’s Spirit. We will make time to read, study, and meditate on these critical components of the Kingdom to which God is calling us, so that we understand them clearly and learn to process our ideas, thoughts, and plans through a called-to-the-Kingdom filter.

But we’ll also need to hone our affections to desire the Kingdom first, foremost, and in all things. As we discover the beauty of the Kingdom, the promises available to those who seek it, the wisdom and beauty of God’s Law, and the exceedingly-abundant-beyond power of the Holy Spirit to transform and use us in God’s Kingdom (Eph. 3.20), we will find that our heart becomes more firmly set on heeding this calling of God to enter His Kingdom and glory more deeply and consistently.

As our mind and heart are devoted to seeking the Kingdom, seeking the Kingdom will become a settled value in our conscience, and we’ll find this value beginning to be reflected in our words and deeds. We’ll talk about the Kingdom more freely and eagerly, and ask others about their experience of seeking the Kingdom and knowing its power for righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. We’ll find ourselves explaining the Good News of the Kingdom to people who probably never think about such matters, and we’ll do so not apologetically but gladly, boldly, and even urgently.

Then we’ll begin to look for ways to bring our actions each day more into line with the Kingdom we are so earnestly seeking. We’ll want to do more Kingdom kinds of things, like Jesus did when He came to bring the Kingdom near to human experience. Old thoughts and affections having been transformed in our Kingdom-seeking souls, we’ll find that we have more love for people, want to be more helpful and encouraging, and look for ways to embody Kingdom verities and values in every area of our lives. We’ll go out of our way to meet new people, and we’ll initiate more conversations that might lead to Kingdom outcomes in others.

We’ll have Kingdom of God on the brain and in the heart, once we’ve settled the value of seeking the Kingdom in our conscience; and we’ll find, increasingly, that we are choosing our words and deeds with a view to expressing and advancing the Kingdom of God into every area of our lives.

Those who know themselves called to God’s Kingdom and glory, and who cherish that calling as a high privilege and glorious adventure, will set seeking that Kingdom and glory as a prominent value in their consciences.

For reflection
1.  What kinds of activities go into seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?

2.  Is this a part-time or full-time calling? Explain.

3.  What are the greatest hurdles you need to overcome in seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?

Next steps - Transformation: How would you describe your approach to seeking the Kingdom and glory of God at this time? Can you think of some ways you might improve this?

T. M. Moore

This is part 4 of an 8-part series on Purifying the Conscience. To download this week’s study as a free PDF, click here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.