The Elect Defector
The spiritual warfare between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven is evident by the Christian soldier’s equipment (Eph 6:10–20). The kingdom of this world is a material one, but its evil ruler is a fallen angel.
The weapons of Satan’s warfare are spiritual, but His work manifests as sin in thoughts, words, and deeds — in both the spiritual and material realm. He lures his kingdom subjects into bondage to sin. Satan’s army of fallen men do not rebel against their evil master because sin pleases their fleshly minds and bodies.
Rebellion against God, who created man, is allegiance to the devil. Ask a man, “Are you a faithful servant of Satan?” He might look at you with unbelief, or even hate, and then he will lie to you by denying that he serves the devil at all. Here is Lucifer’s handiwork — a spiritually blind man, enslaved to a life of sin, which results in eternal death.
The Christian is an elect defector from the domain of darkness. Elect means God sovereignly chose him to defect. To defect means to depart a kingdom, renouncing citizenship, and denying the rule and authority of one lord, in favor of another Lord, with his rule and authority (Mt 28:18).
In terms of salvation, God has chosen some as the objects of His merciful reconciliation, which results in their eternal salvation. He causes them to be transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col 1:13), by giving them His life-giving Spirit (Jn 6:63; 2 Cor 5:5).
In causing one to be born again, it is the Holy Spirit who removes the spiritual blindness caused by sin and Satan (Jn 3). With opened eyes of faith, the new Christian begins to see the war of the kingdoms. She recognizes the rebellion of man and now confesses she was, and sometimes still, is a party to sin and the dark lord (Rom 7).
What’s new? From simple spiritual beginnings, this new believer, who calls Jesus, “Lord,” is growing by God’s grace in obedience to the truth. Whereas the truth was foolish and offensive before (1 Cor 1:23), this new spiritual creature is being led by the Spirit of truth, into all truth (Jn 16:13).
Truth is destroying Satan’s lies, which kept the redeemed soul in bondage year after year. It was for freedom that Christ came to set His captive people free (Gal 5:1). Loosed from the ravages of sin’s merciless addictions, the slave to sin is now a slave to King Jesus Christ (Rom 6:6; Eph 6:6), whose kingdom reign is present in the believer’s heart.
From the gracious work of reconnaissance, to the re-education of the new citizen of Christ’s heavenly kingdom, and then, onto service as an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20) — this is the course of the regenerated saint. From the status of sinner in the kingdom of this world, emerges an alien migration to a new and better country (Heb 11:16). The Christian moves from refugee status to sojourner status. He is on his way home to a new city, a new country, to his new King. On his way, he serves Him.
Serving as an ambassador means one has matured as a representative for the new kingdom. He becomes the connection point for other elect defectors, brought in by the work of the Holy Spirit from the battlefield. The surrendered soul has been made willing to switch allegiances. The war-torn refugee finds the consulate of Christ in the midst of enemy territory. She leaves her home country by claiming asylum in the church (Mt 16:18; 1 Cor 12:13).
The church is the kingdom of God in enemy territory. It is the embassy of a foreign kingdom, which is hostile to the current rule in this world (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Because its origin is heaven, its nature is spiritual, not carnal. This is why the world disregards the church as irrelevant. We are but a small embassy of a foreign King, whose kingdom is not of this world. King Jesus is not taken seriously by the deluded inhabitants of this realm (2 Thess 2:11).
In conclusion, we have identified the elect defector, who has severed her ties with her former lord and his rule of sin. She has been brought into to the embassy of the kingdom of God, by the grace of the Spirit of God, and by the work of the ambassador for King Jesus.
If you are new to the embassy…welcome! If you have been with us for a while…press on to the mark of your high calling! If you are being summoned home soon…finish well!
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
March 16, 2022
