Rapture Fever

94 RAPTURE FEVER
judicial covenant. ~ It is Jesus Christ, as God the Creator, who
binds all things together; it is Jesus Christ
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven,
and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the
church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that
in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the
Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made
peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all
things unto himself by him, I say, whether they be things in
earth, or things in heaven (Col. 1:15-20).
Thus, the kingdom of God encompasses all the creation. It
alone is the source of unity. The two realms - time and eternity
- are united under God’s covenant. Men participate in this
unified kingdom either as covenant-keepers or covenant-breakers.
Heaven is linked to earth by God’s law, which is why Jesus
taught His people to pray “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). The progressive
manifestation of the kingdom of God on earth - “thy kingdom
come” - is seen in the progressive subduing of the world in
terms of God’s revealed law: “thy will be done.” Thus, the link
between heaven and earth is God’s covenant: faithfulness
(through Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit) to God’s
covenant law. The link between hell and earth is also God’s
covenan~ rebellion against God’s covenant law.
This covenantal and therefore legal link between heaven and
earth is explicitly denied by modern fi.mdamentalism. Fundamentalism
denies the continuing authority of God’s law. Thus,
3. Ray R. Sutton, That Mu May Prosper: Dominhn By Couenant (2nd cd.; Tyler,
Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1992).