{"id":1320,"date":"2015-04-24T11:11:06","date_gmt":"2015-04-24T16:11:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/?p=1320"},"modified":"2015-04-24T11:11:06","modified_gmt":"2015-04-24T16:11:06","slug":"two-kingdoms-our-rebellion-destroys-true-pleasure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/2015\/04\/24\/two-kingdoms-our-rebellion-destroys-true-pleasure\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Kingdoms: Our Rebellion Destroys True Pleasure"},"content":{"rendered":"

Consider once again the\u00a0\u201cTwo Kingdoms\u201d Gospel presentation:<\/p>\n

Here is a truth I have come to know.\u00a0 God created the world as His Kingdom, and all was very good. But Satan rebelled, desiring worship that only God deserved. He set up his own kingdom, at war with God\u2019s kingdom of light. The first man and woman, deceived by Satan, chose to rebel also. Since then, all of us have joined that rebellion against our rightful king.<\/p>\n

Satan\u2019s kingdom is the kingdom of darkness. He deceives people, saying, \u201cYou don\u2019t have to serve me, just serve yourself!\u201d Yet as we serve ourselves, we end up destroying all that is good, even all true pleasure. That is Satan\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s kingdom of light has overcome the kingdom of darkness. For God sent Jesus to earth to live as man should live. Jesus then died on a cross, suffering to pay the penalty we deserve for our rebellion. But God raised Him from the dead, showing that Jesus has authority even over death and the kingdom of darkness. Jesus will reign forever and ever.<\/p>\n

God commands all men to turn from their rebellion against Him. He invites all of us to leave the kingdom of darkness and to become citizens of the Kingdom of light. We must turn from our selfish ways and acknowledge that Jesus is our rightful King. We must let Him tell us what to do. By God\u2019s mercy on account of the cross, we can receive His forgiveness and escape from the kingdom of darkness, gaining love, joy, and peace in the Kingdom of light forever.<\/p>\n

We live in this little bubble called life for 70 to 80 years. When it pops, we join whichever king we served for all eternity. Which king are you serving?<\/p>\n

In a series of blog posts, we are looking at different key points in this presentation. Today: The destruction of true pleasure as we rebel against God and serve ourselves.<\/p>\n

We have seen<\/a> that sin is not like breaking a speed limit. On a clear day with few cars on the road, we may be able to achieve the purposes of the traffic regulation \u2013 safe driving \u2013 while speeding. So, if we can avoid getting caught, there is no downside to safely driving above the limit. But breaking God\u2019s Law is not like that. Whenever we sin, we are rebelling against the wise God, our rightful King. We are saying that we know better than He what is in our own best interest. We are acting as if He is not good, not all-knowing \u2013 we are acting as if He is limiting our pleasure and fulfillment.<\/p>\n

Today, let\u2019s look further at our motivation <\/i>for sinning: While we think <\/i>that rebelling against God will bring us pleasure \u2013 and Satan encourages us to think this way \u2013 in fact, our attempts to serve ourselves end up destroying all true pleasure. Thus, thinking ourselves wise \u2013 thinking that we\u2019re smart enough to know better than God how to pursue our greatest joy \u2013 we become fools; we destroy all that is good, all that leads to joy.<\/p>\n

Why is this the case? Two reasons.<\/p>\n

First, because God\u2019s commands are given for our good <\/i>(Deuteronomy 6:24, 10:13).<\/i> In following the wisdom of God we find life. As Proverbs 12:28 says, \u201cIn the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, in Proverbs 8, Wisdom says<\/p>\n

Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. (Proverbs 8:10-11)<\/p>\n

She concludes:<\/p>\n

Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.\u00a0 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:34-36)<\/p>\n

Jesus echoes this claim:<\/p>\n

All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. \u00a0The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:8-10)<\/p>\n

To choose riches rather than Scriptural wisdom and obedience to God is to lose out. <\/i>Whatever we desire apart from wisdom leads to less joy, not more. Indeed, true life is found only in following God. Rebellion leads to our hurting ourselves. And so we in effect love death \u2013 as we rebel, thinking we are pursuing pleasure, we are rushing headlong into the destruction of pleasure.<\/p>\n

Jesus is even more explicit. All others claiming to know the way to God or the path to joy steal and kill and destroy pleasure. They are deceivers \u2013 thieves and robbers. But Jesus offers us true life, abundant life, real pleasure. Indeed, later He will say that eternal life is <\/i>knowing God the Father and Him (John 17:2).<\/p>\n

This brings us to the second reason our rebellion leads to the destruction of pleasure. We are eternal beings, and our rebellion has eternal consequences. <\/i>In choosing to rebel, we often calculate the expected pleasure from sinning against the possible costs. We\u2019ve seen above that even in this life, we actually lose pleasure \u2013 the costs far outweigh the supposed benefits. But when we incorporate the eternal consequences of rebellion, the costs pile up higher and higher.<\/p>\n

Again, Jesus Himself makes this clear:<\/p>\n

An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)<\/p>\n

We all will have a resurrection. The question is: A resurrection to what? To life, or to horrible judgment? A life lived in rebellion against God will inevitably lead to that horrible judgment \u2013 the end of any possible pleasure.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the Apostle Paul says that Jesus, when He comes again,<\/p>\n

will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NIV).<\/p>\n

Shut out from the only source of goodness, from the only source of joy. That\u2019s where rebels end up. But those who are His, those who are saved by His grace, those who joyfully obey Him, can say with confidence,<\/p>\n

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)<\/p>\n

So, consider:<\/p>\n