I'm known, and I get a few eye rolls every time I say this, for my assertion that there is no such thing as a Christian country.  Believe it or not, one of scriptures that  I use is Psalm 33:12.  Many people are familiar with the first half of the verse, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD."  You might now be scratching your head.  However, the reason for using this support is the second half of the verse: "the people whom He has chosen for His heritage."  So, the language that is being used by the Psalmist here is language having to with God's choice of a people.  In the context of the Old Testament, this is what we call "covenental" language.  It's language that speaks of a covenant that God makes between Himself and a specific people--at His choice and discretion.  He's referring, here, in the Old Testament context, to the nation of Israel under the Mosaic Covenant.  This covenant, at least in terms of the national life, was one of "do this and live."  It echoed the terms laid out for Adam in the garden.  Yet, there is a promise of something better that was given to Abraham.  A promise of grace such that all who had true faith in God, like Abraham, would not only part of "ethnic" Israel but also part of the "true" Israel.  This is testifying to something better that is coming.

Now, that covenant has passed and something better has indeed come.  The New Covenant in Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all the law, the prophets, and the writings.  By His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, He has fulfilled the terms of   There is also a nation attached to this covenant.  And this scripture still holds true to this covenant.  This nation is also "the people whom He has chosen for His heritage."  So, the question is, where is this nation.

Well, this nation is not one bounded by any geographic boundaries or political alliances.  Rather, it is the nation spoken of in 1 Peter 2:9 where God, through the Apostle Peter, tells His people,

We are to do what we are told in 1 Peter after 1 Peter 2:9: That is, we are to live as citizens of the nation that has the LORD as its God!

-Pastor Mark Bahr

In this lesson we begin laying the foundation with a theme that runs through the Gospel of Jesus Christ: the two Adams. We look at the first Adam who had a task to complete as God's vice-regent and Eden's priest to enter into rest. We also see the implications of his failure to do so.

An introductory lesson to our current Midweek series, "God's Two Kingdoms." David Van Drunen's book, "Living in God's Two Kingdoms" serves as a template for the study, but it will cover other areas as well.