THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIAN TRADITION

 

Chapter 28

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The Administration of the Earth

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Text

Acts 17:6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”

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Acts 17:22-31 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

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TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

 

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

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Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 

 

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

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Memory Verse

Matt. 16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offence to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

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​​​​​​Introduction

Who is really running things down here?

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Nothing happens without heaven’s backing. The earth has an Owner: Jehovah God. He made it, He owns it. He keeps it (Gen. 1:1-2, Acts 17:24-25).

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But God is Spirit (John 4:24), so He does not run things through physical systems. He runs earth through spiritual realities that show up in the visible world.

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If you want to understand how earth is managed, you have to think spiritually, not just physically (Gal. 5:25, 2 Cor. 5:7, 16-17).

 

The bottom line is that every event on earth - good or bad - is backed either by the Holy Spirit or by an evil spirit, and neither moves without King Jesus’s approval (Matt. 16:13-23, 28:18).

 

Objectives

To understand how God administers the earth through the Spirit.

 

To learn to tell when something is from the Holy Spirit versus an evil spirit.

 

To understand why Jesus has the final say over everything.

 

Presentation

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1. How the Holy Spirit Works Through People

 

(1) The same Peter who received revelation from God (Matt. 16:16-17) also spoke Satan’s words a moment later (Matt. 16:22-23).

 

(2) You can tell a Holy Spirit influence by two things:

 

It lines up with God’s written Word (Matt. 15:3, 22:29). God will not contradict Himself.

 

It produces love and good for others (1 John 3:16-19, 4:20-21). The Holy Spirit leads to life, not destruction.

 

(3) When Scripture gives a beneficial command, it is not just Paul or Peter talking. It is God speaking through them (2 Cor. 4:7). The vessel is human, the message is divine.

 

2. How Evil Spirits Work, and Who Is In Charge

 

(1) Whether it is God’s Spirit or Satan’s spirit behind something, nothing manifests on earth without Jesus allowing it (Matt. 16:13-23).

 

(2) Jesus defeated Satan and took the “keys” of authority from him (Col. 2:15, Eph. 4:8). Now Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matt. 28:18)

 

(3) So even when bad things happen, they are within the limits Jesus sets. Nothing slips past Him. That is why we can say: “Nothing manifests or fails to manifest on earth without King Jesus’s approval.”

 

Conclusion

The earth is under administration. God runs it through the Spirit, using people as vessels. Satan tries to oppose, but he is already defeated. Jesus is King, and He approves what happens. Our job is to stay aligned with the Holy Spirit so that we are vessels that He can use.

 

Evaluation Questions & Answers​

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1. When men witness for Christ, who do you see talking?

   • You see the person speaking, but the real speaker is God through that person (2 Cor. 4:7). As with Peter at Pentecost - Peter’s mouth moved, but the Holy Spirit gave the words and power (Acts 2:4, 14).

2. State two ways to determine a good or Holy Spirit.

   • Does it agree with Scripture? The Holy Spirit never contradicts the written Word (Matt. 22:29).

   • Does it produce love and benefit for others? The Holy Spirit’s fruit is love, goodness, peace (Gal. 5:22, 1 John 4:20-21).

3. Why are all things possible with God?

   • Because He is the Owner and Keeper of everything (Acts 17:25). Nothing is outside His power and authority. With Him, limits are removed (Matt. 19:26).

4. When did Jesus finally defeat God’s opposition leader - Satan?

   • At the cross and resurrection. Col. 2:15 says He “disarmed the powers and authorities” and made a public spectacle of them. Matt. 28:18 shows that after rising, Jesus declared all authority was now His.

5. Nothing manifests or fails to manifest on earth without King Jesus’s approval. Explain.

   • Jesus now holds all authority (Matt. 28:18). Satan cannot act beyond what Jesus permits, as in the case of Job (Job 1:12).

   • Good things happen because Jesus allows and empowers them. Bad things happen only within the boundaries He sets, and He uses even those to work out His plan (Rom. 8:28).

   • He is not surprised or powerless – He is in control.​

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​​Prayer

Lord, thank You that You are still running the earth and nothing escapes Your control. Help me to be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit and to recognize His voice. Keep me from being used by the wrong spirit. I trust that You are King over everything in my life. Amen.