Kingdom Principles

Kingdom Principles

In the Roman Empire, the senate—the ecclesia —was like the cabinet in a modern democracy. The senate was the powerhouse. These individuals were handpicked by the emperor to receive his thoughts, his desires, his passion, and his intent. Their job was to take the mind of the king and turn it into legislation that could be implemented in the kingdom. In other words, they were to know his mind and see that everything he wished was carried out. This meant that they had to stay in close contact with him. They had to talk to him, and he had to give them information about what he wanted in the kingdom. The fact that Jesus used ecclesia to describe the body of follow ers that He was establishing tells us two things. First, the word church itself is a political rather than a religious term. And second, this entire discussion about keys and about binding and loosing is not a religious but a political discussion. In effect, Jesus was saying, “In the same way that Caesar is lord of his government, and has created his senate, his ecclesia , his cabi net, I also will build My cabinet on the fact that I am the Christ, the “anointed king,” the Lord of lords and Son of the living God.” He said to Peter, “Upon the ‘rock’ of your confession of who I am, I will build My government . I will build My senate, My cabinet, My administra tors who will carry out My wishes and My will.” So Jesus established not a religion but a political force. The ecclesia , therefore, is a secret group entrusted with secret information critical for the operation of the Kingdom. This group will be so powerful that even the “gates of hades will not overcome it.” Another way to translate that phrase is, “the gates of hades will not prove stronger than it.” Even hell itself will not be as strong as the ecclesia that Jesus is establishing. What is this “secret information” that Jesus gives His cabinet? He says, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” He gives them—gives us—the

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