god the invisible king-第22章

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rld…kingdom　of　God；　to　whose　establishment　　he　calls　us。　　This　kingdom　is　to　be　a　peaceful　and　co…ordinated　　activity　of　all　mankind　upon　certain　divine　ends。　　These；　we　　conceive；　are　first；　the　maintenance　of　the　racial　life；　secondly；　　the　exploration　of　the　external　being　of　nature　as　it　is　and　as　it　　has　been；　that　is　to　say　history　and　science；　thirdly；　that　　exploration　of　inherent　human　possibility　which　is　art；　fourthly；　　that　clarification　of　thought　and　knowledge　which　is　philosophy；　and　　finally；　the　progressive　enlargement　and　development　of　the　racial　　life　under　these　lights；　so　that　God　may　work　through　a　continually　　better　body　of　humanity　and　through　better　and　better　equipped　　minds；　that　he　and　our　race　may　increase　for　ever；　working　　unendingly　upon　the　development　of　the　powers　of　life　and　the　　mastery　of　the　blind　forces　of　matter　throughout　the　deeps　of　space。　　　He　sets　out　with　us；　we　are　persuaded；　to　conquer　ourselves　and　our　　world　and　the　stars。　　And　beyond　the　stars　our　eyes　can　as　yet　see　　nothing；　our　imaginations　reach　and　fail。　　Beyond　the　limits　of　our　　understanding　is　the　veiled　Being　of　Fate；　whose　face　is　hidden　from　　us。　。　。　。　It　may　be　that　minds　will　presently　appear　among　us　of　such　a　　quality　that　the　face　of　that　Unknown　will　not　be　altogether　　hidden。　。　。　。　But　the　business　of　such　ordinary　lives　as　ours　is　the　setting　up　of　　this　earthly　kingdom　of　God。　　That　is　the　form　into　which　our　lives　　must　fall　and　our　consciences　adapt　themselves。　Belief　in　God　as　the　Invisible　King　brings　with　it　almost　　necessarily　a　conception　of　this　coming　kingdom　of　God　on　earth。　　　Each　believer　as　he　grasps　this　natural　and　immediate　consequence　of　　the　faith　that　has　come　into　his　life　will　form　at　the　same　time　a　　Utopian　conception　of　this　world　changed　in　the　direction　of　God's　　purpose。　　The　vision　will　follow　the　realisation　of　God's　true　　nature　and　purpose　as　a　necessary　second　step。　　And　he　will　begin　to　　develop　the　latent　citizen　of　this　world…state　in　himself。　　He　will　　fall　in　with　the　idea　of　the　world…wide　sanities　of　this　new　order　　being　drawn　over　the　warring　outlines　of　the　present；　and　of　men　　falling　out　of　relationship　with　the　old　order　and　into　relationship　　with　the　new。　　Many　men　and　women　are　already　working　to…day　at　　tasks　that　belong　essentially　to　God's　kingdom；　tasks　that　would　be　　of　the　same　essential　nature　if　the　world　were　now　a　theocracy；　for　　example；　they　are　doing　or　sustaining　scientific　research　or　　education　or　creative　art；　they　are　making　roads　to　bring　men　　together；　they　are　doctors　working　for　the　world's　health；　they　are　　building　homes；　they　are　constructing　machinery　to　save　and　increase　　the　powers　of　men。　。　。　。　Such　men　and　women　need　only　to　change　their　orientation　as　men　will　　change　about　at　a　work…table　when　the　light　that　was　coming　in　a　　little　while　ago　from　the　southern　windows；　begins　presently　to　come　　in　chiefly　from　the　west；　to　become　open　and　confessed　servants　of　　God。　　This　work　that　they　were　doing　for　ambition；　or　the　love　of　　men　or　the　love　of　knowledge　or　what　seemed　the　inherent　impulse　to　　the　work　itself；　or　for　money　or　honour　or　country　or　king；　they　　will　realise　they　are　doing　for　God　and　by　the　power　of　God。　　Self…　transformation　into　a　citizen　of　God's　kingdom　and　a　new　realisation　　of　all　earthly　politics　as　no　more　than　the　struggle　to　define　and　　achieve　the　kingdom　of　God　in　the　earth；　follow　on；　without　any　need　　for　a　fresh　spiritual　impulse；　from　the　moment　when　God　and　the　　believer　meet　and　clasp　one　another。　This　transfiguration　of　the　world　into　a　theocracy　may　seem　a　merely　　fantastic　idea　to　anyone　who　comes　to　it　freshly　without　such　　general　theological　preparation　as　the　preceding　pages　have　made。　　　But　to　anyone　who　has　been　at　the　pains　to　clear　his　mind　even　a　　little　from　the　obsession　of　existing　but　transitory　things；　it　　ceases　to　be　a　mere　suggestion　and　becomes　more　and　more　manifestly　　the　real　future　of　mankind。　　From　the　phase　of　〃so　things　should　　be；〃　the　mind　will　pass　very　rapidly　to　the　realisation　that　〃so　　things　will　be。〃　　Towards　this　the　directive　wills　among　men　have　　been　drifting　more　and　more　steadily　and　perceptibly　and　with　fewer　　eddyings　and　retardations；　for　many　centuries。　　The　purpose　of　　mankind　will　not　be　always　thus　confused　and　fragmentary。　　This　　dissemination　of　will…power　is　a　phase。　　The　age　of　the　warring　　tribes　and　kingdoms　and　empires　that　began　a　hundred　centuries　or　so　　ago；　draws　to　its　close。　　The　kingdom　of　God　on　earth　is　not　a　　metaphor；　not　a　mere　spiritual　state；　not　a　dream；　not　an　uncertain　　project；　it　is　the　thing　before　us；　it　is　the　close　and　inevitable　　destiny　of　mankind。　In　a　few　score　years　the　faith　of　the　true　God　will　be　spreading　　about　the　world。　　The　few　halting　confessions　of　God　that　one　hears　　here　and　there　to…day；　like　that　little　twittering　of　birds　which　　comes　before　the　dawn；　will　have　swollen　to　a　choral　unanimity。　　In　　but　a　few　centuries　the　whole　world　will　be　openly；　confessedly；　　preparing　for　the　kingdom。　　In　but　a　few　centuries　God　will　have　led　　us　out　of　the　dark　forest　of　these　present　wars　and　confusions　into　　the　open　brotherhood　of　his　rule。

6。　WHAT　IS　MY　PLACE　IN　THE　KINGDOM？

This　conception　of　the　general　life　of　mankind　as　a　transformation　　at　thousands　of　points　of　the　confused；　egotistical；　proprietary；　　partisan；　nationalist；　life…wasting　chaos　of　human　life　to…day　into　　the　coherent　development　of　the　world　kingdom　of　God；　provides　the　　form　into　which　everyone　who　comes　to　the　knowledge　of　God　will　　naturally　seek　to　fit　his　every　thought　and　activity。　　The　material　　greeds；　the　avarice；　fear；　rivalries；　and　ignoble　ambitions　of　a　　disordered　world　will　be　challenged　and　examined　under　one　general　　question：　〃What　am　I　in　the　kingdom　of　God？〃　It　has　already　been　suggested　that　there　is　a　great　and　growing　　number　of　occupations　that　belong　already　to　God's　kingdom；　　research；　teaching；　creative　art；　creative　administration；　　cultivation；　construction；　maintenance；　and　the　honest　satisfaction　　of　honest　practical　human　needs。　　For　such　people　conversion　to　the　　intimacy　of　God　means　at　most　a　change　in　the　spirit　of　their　work；　　a　refreshed　energy；　a　clearer　understanding；　a　new　zeal；　a　completer　　disregard　of　gains　and　praises　and　promotion。　　Pay；　honours；　and　the　　like　cease　to　be　the　inducement　of　effort。　　Service；　and　service　　alone；　is　the　criterion　that　the　quickened　conscience　will　　recognise。　Most　of　such　people　will　find　themselves　in　positions　in　which　　service　is　mingled　with　activities　of　a　baser　sort；　in　which　service　　is　a　little　warped　and　deflected　by　old　traditions　and　usage；　by　　mercenary　and　commercial　considerations；　by　some　inherent　or　special　　degradation　of　purpose。　　The　spirit　of　God　will　not　let　the　believer　　rest　until　his　life　is　readjusted　and　as　far　as　possible　freed　from　　the　waste　of　these　base　diversions。　　For　example　a　scientific　　investigator；　lit　and　inspired　by　great　inquiries；　may　be　hampered　　by　the　conditions　of　his　professorship　or　research　fellowship；　which　　exact　an　appearance　of　〃practical〃　results。　　Or　he　may　be　obliged　to　　lecture　or　conduct　classes。　　H