The Divine Conspiracy

1. Eternal Life Is About Entering God's Kingdom Now

God’s desire for us is that we should live in him.

Beyond Futile Existence. The core message of Jesus is an invitation to experience the eternal life of God, not as a distant promise, but as a present reality. This involves actively participating in God's kingdom, a realm of boundless love and competence, here and now.

Overcoming Misinformation. The path to this life is often obscured by misinformation, which reduces the gospel to mere sin management or preparation for death. Jesus offers a transformative experience that touches the very core of individual existence, empowering us to live fully in the present.

Receptacle of the Divine. The "ordinary" aspects of our lives are meant to be vessels of the divine, where God's life flows. This requires a shift in perspective, recognizing that our human existence is not destroyed by God's presence but fulfilled through it.

2. Theologies of Sin Management Obscure the Gospel

The current gospel then becomes a “gospel of sin management.”

Limited Scope. Contemporary Christian messages often focus narrowly on sin management, either through individual forgiveness or social justice initiatives. This neglects the transformative power of the gospel to impact daily life and character development.

Bar-Code Faith. Theologies of sin management can lead to a "bar-code faith," where adherence to certain rituals or beliefs guarantees forgiveness without requiring genuine change. This approach fails to address the deeper needs of human existence and leaves individuals without guidance for daily living.

Relevance to Life. The true gospel should provide a framework for understanding and mastering life's challenges, empowering individuals to live as Christ's apprentices in the present. This requires a shift from a focus on death and judgment to a focus on abundant life and obedience in the here and now.

3. Jesus' God-Bathed Worldview Is Key to Kingdom Living

To his eyes this is a God-bathed and God-permeated world.

Re-Visioning Reality. Understanding Jesus' message requires adopting his worldview, which sees the universe as a community of boundless love, constantly infused with God's presence. This perspective transforms the "ordinary" into a receptacle of the divine.

Joyous Being. God is not a remote or indifferent force, but a joyous and creative being who delights in his creation. This understanding challenges the notion of a morose or punitive deity, revealing a God who cherishes and rejoices in every aspect of existence.

Power of Ideas. The ideas we hold about what is good and right have a profound impact on our lives and society. By embracing Jesus' worldview, we can align ourselves with truth, goodness, and beauty, transforming our daily experiences into reflections of the divine.

4. The Beatitudes: God's Upside-Down View of Blessedness

Blessed are the spiritually deprived, for they too find the kingdom of the heavens.

Challenging Assumptions. The Beatitudes present a radical redefinition of blessedness, challenging conventional notions of success, power, and happiness. They reveal that those often considered least fortunate are, in fact, prime candidates for experiencing God's kingdom.

Invitation to Reconsider. The Beatitudes are not a set of soul-crushing laws, but an invitation to reconsider our approach to life. They highlight the availability of God's grace to those who recognize their need and turn to him in faith.

Beyond the Bumper Sticker. The true message of the Beatitudes is not merely that Christians are forgiven, but that they are called to live a life transformed by God's love and power. This requires a shift from self-reliance to dependence on Christ, allowing him to shape our character and guide our actions.

5. Kingdom Rightness Goes Beyond Legalistic Observance

The crooked man is an abomination to the Lord, but He is intimate with the upright.

Heart Transformation. True righteousness is not about adhering to a set of external rules, but about cultivating an inner character that reflects God's goodness. This requires a transformation of the heart, leading to a natural outflow of love, justice, and compassion.

Beyond the Scribes and Pharisees. Jesus challenges the legalistic approach of the scribes and Pharisees, emphasizing the importance of inward transformation over outward performance. He calls us to a deeper level of obedience, rooted in love and a genuine desire to please God.

Intimate Relationship. The goal is not simply to avoid wrongdoing, but to cultivate an intimate relationship with God. This requires a willingness to submit our will to his, allowing him to shape our desires and guide our actions.

6. Invest in Heaven, Not Earthly Approval or Wealth

The frequent attacks on “Modernity” and “Secularism” usually mistake where the problem lies.

Shifting Priorities. The pursuit of earthly approval and material wealth can distract us from the true treasures of life: a relationship with God and a life of purpose and meaning. By investing in the heavens, we can escape the deceptions of reputation and wealth, finding lasting fulfillment in God's kingdom.

Power of Ideas. The ideas that govern our thinking have a profound impact on our lives and society. By embracing a kingdom-centered worldview, we can resist the allure of secular values and align ourselves with eternal truths.

Eternal Perspective. The key to escaping the trap of earthly pursuits is to adopt an eternal perspective. This involves recognizing that our time on earth is fleeting and that our true destiny lies in God's kingdom.

7. The Community of Prayerful Love: A Kingdom Essential

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

Beyond Individualism. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation, but in community with other believers. This community is characterized by prayerful love, where individuals support and encourage one another in their journey toward Christlikeness.

The Request. The power of prayer is not in its ability to manipulate God, but in its capacity to transform us. By bringing our requests before him, we open ourselves to his guidance and power, allowing him to shape our desires and direct our actions.

The Interior Castle. The journey toward Christlikeness is a gradual process, requiring patience, perseverance, and a willingness to submit to God's will. As we grow in faith, we find that God comes to act with us as we rely on him in our actions.

8. Discipleship: Learning Christlikeness from the Master

To be a Christian means to be like Jesus Christ.

More Than a Label. Being a Christian is not merely a matter of professing faith or adhering to certain doctrines, but of actively learning to live like Jesus. This requires a commitment to discipleship, a process of intentional growth and transformation.

The Missing Teacher. The absence of Jesus as a teacher in contemporary Christian life has weakened the church's ability to impact the world. By reemphasizing his role as a guide and mentor, we can empower believers to live out their faith in practical and meaningful ways.

The Great Commission. The ultimate goal of Christian life is to become an apprentice of Jesus, learning to live in his kingdom as he indicated was best. This requires a commitment to understanding and conforming to the clear teachings of Christ, allowing them to shape our character and guide our actions.

9. A Curriculum for Christlikeness: Training for Transformation

The only proper response to this word which Jesus brings with him from eternity is simply to do it.

Beyond Information. A curriculum for Christlikeness must go beyond mere information transfer, focusing on practical application and character development. This requires a shift from theoretical knowledge to experiential learning, empowering individuals to live out their faith in tangible ways.

Two Primary Objectives:

• Cultivating a deep love for God
• Breaking the power of sin

Spiritual Disciplines. The curriculum should incorporate spiritual disciplines, such as solitude, silence, study, and worship, to disrupt old patterns and cultivate new habits. These practices enable individuals to access the power of God's kingdom and transform their lives from the inside out.

10. The Restoration of All Things: Our Hopeful Future

The Lord will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Eternal Destiny. The Christian hope extends beyond individual salvation to the restoration of all things. This includes the renewal of creation, the triumph of justice, and the ultimate victory of God's kingdom.

The Great Inversion. The gospel of Jesus challenges our conventional notions of success and power, revealing that true greatness lies in humility, service, and love. By embracing this upside-down perspective, we can align ourselves with God's purposes and participate in his redemptive work.

The Kingdom Is Now. The eternal kind of life is not merely a future promise, but a present reality. By entering into God's kingdom now, we can experience wholeness, purpose, and joy, becoming agents of transformation in a world desperately in need of hope.

Last updated: February 28, 2025