Authority puts demands on our love.

Your identity in Christ is who you are, not who you will be in heaven. When Jesus said, the kingdom of God is near you, He meant here and now. If we lived in the understanding of our identity, we’d be a wholly different church.

Imagine the prince of a kingdom living his life. Would anyone question his commands? Would anyone ask, Who do you think you are? No, the prince’s father is the king. There would be hell to pay for abusing or disrespecting the prince. The prince has perfect confidence that what he says will be backed up by the authority of his father.

But we are not arrogant sons and daughters of the King. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. We are sons and daughters of the King with all His authority, but with all His love as well.

God’s authority is kind and gentle. His motivation is love, and if we are to look and act like Him, then we have to let go of old perceptions of what it means to be a Christian. Love the Lord God with all your heart, and love others as much as you love yourself. We have to start doing that.

When we walk in our identity as heirs to the throne with true humility and love, Jesus will be irresistible to a world in need.