John echoes this in Revelation 11:15, that “the kingdoms of the world will become the Kingdom of God.”
According to Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord is the message that we as the Church need to proclaim. It is “the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). It’s about Christ becoming incarnated in and through his body in every place, within every segment of society and among every people group, saturating all of life with the sweet aroma of his glory; his “convincing splendour.”
The second thing God said to Habakkuk was that “the just will live by faith.” When it comes to faith, Paul is writing to the church in Rome that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. A call to faith is a call to God’s Word and a call to God’s Word is a call to reformation. Reformation is a call to embrace a biblical worldview of life, a call to obey everything Christ has commanded us. It’s taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ.
These words in Habakkuk 2:14 was not only part of the rallying cry of the Reformation through Martin Luther, but is considered by Paul to be foundational to the Christian Faith.
To start with the end in mind is to start with Hab. 2:14, “the knowledge of the Glory of God covering the earth.” When God’s intention (our destiny or end goal) is clearly understood it provides the parameters for the strategy. When the end goal is clearly in our sights we will know how to perform in order to reach it. When we know how to perform to reach the end goal, we will know how we should be positioned to perform to reach the goal. Destiny determines identity.
Reformation (renewing minds) is positioning for transformational performance or behaviour (Rom. 12:2). You cannot change behaviour or performance unless you change what people believe and value. Reformation is therefore foundational. Something can only be foundational when it gives raise to something practical. Performance comes when we practically live out the biblical worldview through wholistic ministry and through integral mission.
-Hein van Wyk, DNA Africa Affiliate, Samaritan Strategy Africa