“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” John 1:12
Be still. Let that sink in.
When we turn to Jesus and accept His offer of salvation, God gives us an inheritance of eternal life with Him. That makes us royalty. Not my first reading of this scripture, but on this day it pierced my heart.
As I let that resonate, I was elated. Soon I was dismayed. I heard myself asking, am I living worthy of this free gift God has given me?
I would have to answer that honestly and say, not nearly as much as I should be.
So I took a journey. First, stop was an old movie about the making of a princess. The Princess Diaries, from 2001, was a cute, clean, fictitious movie about a shy, geeky 15 year old named Mia. Mia’s grandmother arrives in California to teach her how to be the princess of Genovia. Mia fights against the path she is asked to take, but in the end she accepts the position. During her acceptance speech, she shares her awakening. “And then I realized how many stupid times a day I use the word I. And probably all I ever do is think about myself…”
While this is a sweet and heartwarming story, Mia’s realization that she was selfish and needed to think of others is a cliffhanger… Three years later, the Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement tells the story of the need for the princess to find a husband or she cannot become queen. The movie is dubbed a “riotous sequel.”
The story of Mia is fictitious, but shows us what happens when we move and work on our own without the adoption into God’s kingdom and accepting His ways and thoughts.
How does a reborn person pursue their destiny? Jesus tells us. “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:39.
And Peter explains, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” 1 Peter 2:9
Since it is true that believers have a new life principle (chosen generation), a new access to God (royal priesthood), a new government (holy nation), and a new owner (His own special people), it will affect the way the believer lives life. (Guzik).
How are those who come to the royalty of our Lord supposed to live?
1 Peter 2:11-12 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, [12] having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Abstain from fleshly lusts: We can only abstain from fleshly lusts as we live as sojourners and pilgrims, as those who recognize that this world is not their home, and that they have a home and citizenship in heaven. (Guzik).
Which war against the soul: Peter understands that these fleshly lusts… war against the soul. To be a Christian means to fight against the lusts of the flesh, and the battle continues as long as we live in this flesh. (Guzik).
Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles: This kind of godly living makes our conduct honorable among those who don’t know God yet. Though we can expect that they will speak against you as evildoers, they can still be brought to glorify God by seeing our godly conduct. (Guzik).
Also, when we become part of the Kingdom, we are to show proper submission to the government.
1 Peter 2:13-17 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, [14] or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. [15] For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—[16] as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. [17] Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man: As Christians we should be good citizens, submitting to government… Unless they order us to do something in contradiction to God’s law. Then, we are commanded to obey God before man (Acts 4:19). (Guzik).
Furthermore, we should live in the power of the Holy Spirit who gives us the wisdom and discernment needed to control the lusts of the flesh and continually do the good works set out for us by our Lord and Father.
Galatians 5:24-25 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
We are living in a fallen world, and we need to be a beacon to those who have not met or accepted Jesus as the true Messiah. There is so much that can be said simply by the way we conduct ourselves.
Daniel, along with his friends, was a great example of this.
Daniel 1:8-9, 20 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. [9] Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. [20] And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
Through Daniel’s faithfulness to God in every circumstance, King Nebuchandnezzar finally recognized God as the Most High Sovereign God.
Daniel 4:37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.”
Most of us do not have a calling like Daniel had, but that does not mean we cannot pattern our lives as he did. His life was a great example of fighting the lusts of the flesh, submitting to government, honoring all people, pursuing peace, and holiness, and remaining connected to God, and keeping our conduct honorable among non believers.
Hebrews 12:14-15 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:” and remember the words of Jesus, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5.”
I pray as I and all royalty of heaven travel this temporary life into eternity that we stay connected to the Vine and follow the instruction of our Father, so those who do not know Him will be drawn to Him.
“The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Numbers 6:26
Janice S.