In Part 1 of this series we made a distinction between a vision and a strategy. In Part 2 we address the power of an ideology and how it affects one’s scope in the pursuit of kingdom advancement. In fact, it even proves impossible for God to get certain things to others through us, when we are stuck in a particular way of thinking that undermines God’s ultimate plan. Matthew 28:18-19 “Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. “Therefore go and make disciples of ALL NATIONS ….And surely I am with you always, to the very END of the age.”

Matthew 15:14 (The Message)  “…When a blind man leads a blind man, they both end up in the ditch.” The Power of an Ideology Ideology: A formed belief that governs our actions.   The emphasis here is on the word ‘formed’; if a belief is not formed or crystallized, it is not an ideology. There is no better place to understand what an ideology is, than the Middle East, where covenant may mean life or death. You don’t make life or death decisions such as Abraham was prepared to make regarding the sacrificing of his only son Isaac, without a crystallized belief system regarding covenant. The life and death struggles that pervade the Middle East today are largely ideological.   Note: Opposing Ideologies cannot coexist. This statement is true of a church, a business, or even a political point of view. You must exchange one ideology for another.

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An Ideology is a formed belief that governs our actions. If a belief is not formed or crystallized, it is not an ideology.

Some scholars believe that Acts chapter 10 represents the Church in its tenth year since the day of Pentecost. If this is true, then it also reveals a lack of understanding of The Great Commission as seen in Matthew 28:18-19. You could say Peter’s understanding of The Great Commission revealed a great omission!

God by revelation broadened Peter’s field of vision – which until that encounter excluded Gentiles.

In fact one could see that, that particular encounter with Cornelius (the believing Gentile and his family) brought about a revelation that has two parts or levels.

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1st Level Revelation Encounter: Peter learns this: “Do not talk down or think lowly of non-Jews.” ACTS 10: 25-28, KJV “……but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”   2nd Level Revelation Encounter: Peter learns this: ‘God’s Agenda is ALL Nations. God sees Jews and Gentiles on the same level of importance.’ Acts 10:34-35 (NIV) “Then Peter began to speak: “I NOW realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism “But accepts men from EVERY NATION who fear him and do what is right.”

The word “now” in Acts 10:34 means that Peter did not realize that the gospel he preached was for all; and he preached with this kind of thinking for 10 years. Wow! His ideology was so strong that it took a divine encounter to confront and eradicate it.

God also uses this encounter as an object lesson for those Jewish believers that questioned Peter’s Acts Chapter 10 encounter. (See Acts 11:1-4, 18).

As ministers of the gospel, we get in trouble when we think we know it all. 

Later, we see Peter again stumble over the issue of the relationship of Jews and Gentiles. It certainly is no mistake that God raised Paul to the Gentiles because he did not have this hang up.  In Galatians 2: 8, Paul states, “for He who did work with Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, did work also in me in regard to the nations.”

 

So God committed the nations to a man called Paul who had the capacity to see Gentiles the same way he saw the Jews. To appreciate the context for Paul’s statement above, you must see how he confronted Peter before the Gentile christians:

 

Galatians 2:2, 8-9, 11-16, Youngs Translation

2 and I went up by revelation, and did submit to them the good news that I preach among the nations, and privately to those esteemed, lest in vain I might run or did run

8 for He who did work with Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, did work also in me in regard to the nations,

9 and having known the grace that was given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who were esteemed to be pillars, a right hand of fellowship they did give to me, and to Barnabas, that we to the nations, and they to the circumcision [may go],

11 And when Peter came to Antioch, to the face I stood up against him, because he was blameworthy, 

12 for before the coming of certain from James, with the nations he was eating, and when they came, he was withdrawing and separating himself, fearing those of the circumcision,

13 and dissemble with him also did the other Jews, so that also Barnabas was carried away by their dissimulation.

14 But when I saw that they are not walking uprightly to the truth of the good news, I said to Peter before all, `If thou, being a Jew, in the manner of the nations dost live, and not in the manner of the Jews, how the nations dost thou compel to Judaize?

15 we by nature Jews, and not sinners of the nations,

16 having known also that a man is not declared righteous by works of law, if not through the faith of Jesus Christ, also we in Christ Jesus did believe, that we might be declared righteous by the faith of Christ, and not by works of law, wherefore declared righteous by works of law shall be no flesh.'

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In Part 1, we learned that God’s purpose is nations. Nothing less! We also learned that God raises or blesses a nation (that is, Israel) to bless the nations of the earth. God never loses sight of this between Old and New Testaments.   Let’s conclude with the book of Revelation with a passage that best reveals God’s original intent.   Revelations 7: 9-12 9 After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of EVERY NATION, from ALL TRIBES AND PEOPLES and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 10 In loud voice they cried, saying, [Our] salvation is due to our God, Who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [to Them we owe our deliverance]! 11 And all the angels were standing round the throne and round the elders [[a]of the heavenly Sanhedrin] and the four living creatures, and they fell prostrate before the throne and worshiped God. 12 Amen! (So be it!) they cried. Blessing and glory and majesty and splendor and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and might [be ascribed] to our God to the ages and ages (forever and ever, throughout the eternities of the eternities)! Amen! (So be it!)

Kay Taiwo
Vision For Life