Traditionally, it has hardly occurred in man’s mind to think that the various types of gangs, which have flooded most of earth’s continents, countries, towns, cities, and valleys, have never been initiated by the people of the earth. Most of us have failed to learn and understand the agents of darkness that govern every destructive enterprise. These enterprises did not come together neither by chance nor evolution. There is a distinct power behind every mobster, street gang, organized gang, drug gang etc. These evil minded gangs “may be categorized in several ways: by their degree of organization (from loosely organized street gangs to highly organized crime units such as the Mexican Mafia and Sicilian Mafia); location (i.e., street gangs, prison gangs); nation (i.e., Bloods and Crips, Gangster Disciples, People, Folk, and Mexican Mafia); mode of transportation (i.e., car clubs, biker gangs); or longevity (i.e., generational); to name a few.

Another way into which one may categorize gangs is by the ethnicity of their members: Latino gangs, Asian gangs, and gangs composed of people from countries such as Somalia, Russia, Kosovo, Jamaica, China, Japan, Laos, Cambodia, Korea, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Ghana, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Viet Nam, and nearly as many more as there are nationalities on the planet. There are even gangs or near-gangs in other countries which would be best classified by their religion or faith.

According to Jerome Skolnick, a distinction could also be made between neighborhood-based gangs and entrepreneurial gangs. Neighborhood-based gangs are a more traditional type of street gang and are turf oriented. Protecting the 'hood (neighborhood) is a primary goal, as is socializing. Entrepreneurial gangs are oriented toward the commission of criminal acts for profit. Gangs may also be categorized by the kinds of crimes their members commit. The most commonly used distinction is between street gangs and drug gangs.”¹

However, the first gang was not organized here on earth. Where did it originate from? Who is the master mind behind it? How did it penetrate the walls of the earth? One thing we must be mindful of is that every human institution is modeled after either the kingdom of God or the kingdom of the evil one. It is not by mere chance that earth’s various societies resemble each other in terms of their structures and characteristics. The first rebellious gang, headed by the ‘dragon’—better known as Satan—and composed of thousands of members (fallen angels—also known as demons/evil spirits—) triggered the first universal war which has yet to end: ”And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. ⁸ But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. ⁹ The great dragon was hurled down-- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him” (Revelation 12:7-9).

You have just read a brief description of the first universal gang fight between Jesus and Satan. Without much effort, the latter got knocked out cold to the ground (earth). Notice what the verse says: ”…the dragon and his angels fought back” . The possessive pronoun [his] confirms that these angels, preferably, these gang members, belong to their master—the dragon (Satan) just as Michael is the head ruler of heaven’s angels: ”Michael and his angels fought against the dragon” . The fallen angels have pledged and surrendered themselves to Satan’s authority. They are submitted to him until their imminent destruction. There is no way out of that gang. No one is immune from being a participant of this universal war that is still unfolding. You are a soldier either of Christ or of the devil.

It is also this Luciferian gang which holds and maintains the power behind all the gangs that ever existed on earth starting with Cain as his first human disciple. The apostle John attests to this fact when he identified the act of Cain as a direct influence of the devil: “ Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother.” (I John 3:12). John is in fact telling us that Cain was a legitimate member of Satan’s gang for whom he committed the first murder. To most of us, it appears as if Cain is the initiator of rivalry. It is not so. Rivalry was institutionalized by the enemy and it is primarily centered upon his desire to be worshiped as a creature (lol).” 'Thus says the Lord God, "because your heart is lifted up and you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas'; yet you are a man and not God, although you make your heart like the heart of God” (Ezekiel 28:2).

All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. ¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. ¹⁹ We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one ” (I John 5:17-19).

Through natural birth, every human being is a member of world’s gang. A human being can only belong to God’s gang by being recreated through a double process: water baptism by immersion (done by the hands of man) and the baptism of the Holy Spirit (mysteriously done by the Creator). It is only then the individual is reborn and transfers his or her membership from Satan’s gang to the family of God. For he who does not pledge and confess the name of Christ is in fact pledging the other by default. It was this truth that came out of the Messiah’s lips when He sternly told Nicodemus that"… no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." ⁴ "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" ⁵ Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ' You must be born again.' ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" (John 3:3-8).

The fact that man receives birth from God does not automatically qualify him to be son or child of God. This is further amplified by the first chapter of John’s gospel: “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, ¹³ who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”(John 1:11-13). During one of His many conversations with the Pharisees, Christ said the following: "If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. ⁴³ "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. ⁴⁴ " You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father . He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:42-44). This conversation does not concern only its immediate listeners but all those who are identified by heaven as being part of this category.

Another aspect of this reserved title (son/daughter of God, child of God) does not appear coincidentally in the parable of the ‘Prodigal Son.’ It is with an emphatic intent the Messiah brought out the Father-son relationship. Observe carefully how the Prodigal Son, after coming to his senses, recognized his own unworthiness to no longer be called his Father’s son:"… 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men’ ” (Luke 15:17-19).

” Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." ¹⁷ "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." ¹⁸ "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" (II Corinthians 6:14 – 18) . It is evident that a certain criteria must be met in order to inherit the title of ‘son’ or ‘daughter.’

God’s spiritual gang—the Church—also demands that its members must freely rather than forcefully comply to and live by its codes, rules, principles, and laws in order to demonstrate true membership to God’s family. Love, rather than violence, is the primary motivator of God’s gang. Interestingly, there is something that is explicitly common to all gangs: to recruit new members. Unfortunately, as it relates to its membership, the Church of God remains the underdog in comparison to the world’s gangs: "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction(the world), and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way(JESUS John 14:6) is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

¹ http://people.missouristate.edu/michaelcarlie/what_i_learned_about/gangs/kinds_of_gangs.htm

Whether you are eating, drinking, singing, preaching, whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God. Live today as if it was the last day you will live for and in Christ.

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW CHRIST!