Kingdom Principles

Kingdom Principles

rights and expectations need to be protected, and that is the purpose of laws. A country’s laws always reflect its constitution because they are derived from its tenets. They not only protect the standards and ensure their fulfillment, but also prescribe penalties for any who vio late the standards. In order to develop a better understanding of the overall king dom concept, it is important to have knowledge of the origin, nature, and function of laws in a kingdom. And as I have through out this book, I will continue to use the Kingdom of Heaven as the primary model. The Bible, the Kingdom of Heaven’s constitution, establishes the standards for life in the Kingdom. Unlike other con stitutions, however, it also lays out the penalties for noncompliance. In addition to being a constitution, then, the Bible is also the law book of the Kingdom of Heaven. We often think of laws as unpleasant and inconvenient demands that restrict our freedom and limit our options. In reality, laws are designed to free us to pursue unlimited options by providing a safe environment where we can live in peace, security, and confidence. True freedom is always circumscribed by boundaries, and laws define those boundaries. Within those boundaries we are free to thrive, prosper, and reach our full potential. For example, looking again at a passage we examined in a differ ent context in Chapter Three, consider some of the positive benefits we derive from the laws of the King:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the sim ple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether right eous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the

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