Page 19 - The Christian Life and the Church Life_Government of God

The Universal Government of God 18

every aspect of my life and to experience the bountiful supply, then I can
shepherd the saints into the same reality.”

Through various kinds of judgments, the Lord God will clear up the
entire universe and purify it so that He may have a new heaven and a new
earth for a new universe filled with His righteousness for His delight. This is
Second Peter. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, a new universe
filled with righteousness. This is where God is going.
The Judgment in 1 Peter 1:17, Which is Carried Out by the Father, Not
Being the Future Judgment but Being the Present, Daily Judgment of
God’s Governmental Dealings with His Children
The judgment in 1 Peter 1:17, which is carried out by the Father, is not
the future judgment but is the present, daily judgment of God’s governmental
dealings with His children. We will all appear before the Son of Man at the
judgment seat. We know this from 2 Corinthians 5 and 1 Corinthians 3. Our
life and our work will be tested by fire and that will determine whether or not
we will enter the kingdom as a co-king. We are not talking about that aspect
of judgment. All that judgment at the judgment seat and the great white
throne has been given to the Son, but God the Creator and God our Father
is judging here and now. We need to be clear concerning this. It is a present
daily judgment of God’s governmental dealings with His children. He does
not regard us as mere citizens but as His children.

The Father has regenerated us to produce a holy family — a holy Father
with holy children. Let us say in principle at least, in Christ, in your family,
you are a holy father and with your wife you are learning to be holy parents.
You brought forth children and you love them with your whole being. But
you do not want them to grow up wild, lawless, crude, and disrespectful. You
educate, supply, train, and at times discipline them, not out of anger but out
of love for them. This is the Father’s disciplining of His children.
As holy children, we should walk in a holy manner of life; otherwise, in
His government God the Father will become the Judge and will deal with our
unholiness. This is just the way it is. Yes, on the side of being saved in life,
of organic salvation, life is growing; it is increasing. But along with that, we
need the discipline. We need the discipline of the Holy Spirit.