Too earthly minded for any heavenly good...

“A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.”

– C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

I have heard, with increasing occurrence, people in the body of Christ make reference to "bringing Heaven to Earth." I don't know exactly where this idea came from; however, I can assure you that it is, most certainly, not biblical. I can make some assumptions as to what possible passages from scripture might allude one to think in such a way, but this line of thinking is contrary to the whole truth of scripture. When examining the context of scripture and measuring these passages against the Bible as a whole, one would see that this teaching is not simply wrong, but heresy.

The main idea of this doctrine is that Christians have access to supernatural power through the work of Christ on the cross. It teaches that Christ's blood, not only paid for our atonement, but also paid for our divine healing. That "true believers" shouldn't be succumbed to illness or decay because our healing was paid for on the cross, that no believer should die of sickness, etc. The secondary teaching of this doctrine is that the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost served a purpose to embolden and empower Christians to walk in authority over sickness, disease, and all manners of evil. The wrapping that holds this doctrine together is that since we are made in the image of God, we possess power and authority given to us through Christ. Here is a link to a pastor preaching this heresy. If you choose to listen it, please listen with care and measure what is said with the word. Below I will detail my response to much of what he is teaching in this video.

First, I'll start with the use of the part of the "Lord's Prayer." At the beginning of the video, we see a quote from this prayer. I would rather people not use my words out of context, I would assume that God feels much the same. So, let's look at the prayer as a whole to determine what is meant by the line "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)

Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."

Directly preceding this prayer, Jesus says, "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." This statement is a allusion to God's sovereignty. The prayer is a prayer of praise and faith in God as our sovereign king. Then, after the prayer, Jesus says, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." This was a reminded of the second half of the prayer regarding forgiveness and its importance.

We have to first understand that Christ's mission was to bring salvation. In this prayer he points to the two most important factors in our salvation: God's sovereignty in regeneration of our souls through the Holy Spirit and Justification of our sins through our forgiveness demonstrated on the cross. As we have been given forgiveness, so also should we extend it to those to wrong us. This is the Christian life. A life of love. Christ was demonstrating this principle in his prayer, not charging us to "bring heaven to earth."

"Our Father in Heaven" shows us how to direct our prayer to the authority of God who resides in the heavenly realm wrapped in his almighty glory. "Hallowed be your name" points to the power of his name, his authority. A king's power was known by his name, his name carried authority with any directive sent from his chambers. The name is the vessel of the King's power. "Your kingdom come" is reference to the imminent return of Christ in kingdom glory. This is a real event with real power. Until that day, "give us this day our daily bread" to keep us dependent on your provision. Give us today's bread only, so that we will not become prideful and self-indulgent in our excess nor bask in despair at our lack. But fully satisfied in you. "Forgive us our debts" and remove our sin. We choose to do the same with our neighbors as we "forgive our debtors." "Lead us not into temptation" is to confirm that the Holy Spirit will be our strength. The "spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Help us to "watch and pray" that we may not fall into temptation but "deliver us from evil" so that we may be free from our sin and bondage, made free in Christ with an eternal reward in heaven.

Jesus said, "my kingdom is not of this world" but elsewhere referenced that the "kingdom of God was in [our] midst." A kingdom is the realm of the king's authority and is inclusive of his subjects. Jesus said in John 10, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” The kingdom of God is in our midst because we are called to his kingdom as sons and daughters who hear his voice.

At the end of Matthew, Jesus says "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" followed by a charge to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." Though Jesus is fully God, he is not the God-head, which is God the Father. Jesus operated from eternity in power and authority, yet here makes reference, not to authority being handed back or an authority to be shared with men, but to a new authority as the judge of mankind on the day of judgement. He specifies "heaven AND on earth" in order that the disciple know that his following words were empowered by an authority which transcends heaven and earth. His next words are "go THEREFORE and make disciples.." Notice the word "therefore," meaning "because of this" or "and so." Jesus did not say, "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to US." He said "ME." How dare we draw a conclusion from this passage that we have any right or claim to such authority. We are imperfect beings who will not see glorification until we meet God face to face in heaven.

Our commission, our job, our assignment is to make disciples and see souls claim Christ's blood as their salvation. "As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." We are sent to make disciples by proclaiming the Gospel. Paul said, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Our charge is to seek Christ, who is our goal, who calls us heavenward. What we have to understand, is that power is God's to wield. We pray, we obey, but we do not command a sovereign God to operate the way we determine he should operate. God is sovereign over his will, his eternal plan, and even in our salvation, especially in our salvation. We have too many 'christians' seeking signs and wonders rather than the Christ. So many are seeking these "off the map" teachings and they do not know what the Bible says. "The Gospel is the power of God for salvation." This is our goal. This is our aim. Christ, him crucified, his resurrection, his atoning blood, his power for salvation. We seek HIS glory and not our own. How disgusting!

The word says, "an EVIL and ADULTEROUS generation seeks a sign." We see in the epistles, "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Whether sick or well, do you trust God who is sovereign even over your suffering? "Consider your trials joy..." When healing glorifies God, we see healing. However, when our satisfaction in Christ glorifies God more than our healing, that is our commission. To hold Christ as our highest treasure, this should be our ultimate aim. This is the will of our heavenly Father.