The Kingdom of God and the Church

God is bringing about a separation within the Church. A separation possibly akin to what we find in the parable of the tares and the wheat (Mt. 13:24-30; 37-43). This is because while there are multitudes that believe in His name, few are they that follow Him (Jn. 6:66-68). The cross of Jesus Christ by necessity brings division (Lk. 12:51). It separates the children of God from the children of the world. It compels us to choose our master (Mt. 6:24). It brings a dividing line between righteousness and sin (Rom. 6:16-18). It gives no room for fence-sitters (Rev. 3:15, 16). The glorified Lord’s message to the seven churches in the book of Revelation brings this out clearly enough. 

What I want to say is this: The plan of redemption has brought about a body of Christ that walks in holiness. Her purpose on earth is clear – to seek His face in absolute faith and confidence (Acts 17:27) and glorify Him by her deeds (Eph. 2:10). In such individuals and in such a body, the Lord God seeks to disclose Himself (Jn. 14:21) and reveal His kingdom.

The clearly defining characteristics of the kingdom of heaven are: righteousness, love, truth, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17; Eph. 5:9). Over such a kingdom, God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, is sovereign ruler and king. 

The citizens of this kingdom are sanctified by the precious blood of their Saviour Jesus Christ and made a new creature, not of the world but born of the Spirit of God (Jn. 3:5). People of this kingdom are defined by the nature of the kingdom. Such people have made the sovereign Lord, king over their lives and decisions. 

In them, one must see righteousness. “You shall be holy, for I am holy,” reminded the apostle Peter of what God said long ago through Moses and Aaron as he exhorted the Church that like the holy One who called us we too must be holy in all our behavior (1Pet. 1:15, 16). The ones who are pure in heart shall see God, instructed Jesus in the same vein as He taught from the mount (Mt. 5:8).  

In them, one must see love. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,” said Jesus as he gave a new commandment (Jn. 13:34, 35). Likewise, truth is evident in the children of heaven; not hypocrisy or men-pleasing words, but transparency and guilelessness (Rom. 12:9; 1Pet. 2:1).

In such children, one sees a distinctive character of peace. The heart of a trusting child of God knows who he has believed in. Such a heart is not anxious (Read Php. 4:7 with 4:6). Such a heart reminds itself that God has not given us a spirit of fear (2Tim. 1:7). Such a heart rests in the confidence that he is safe in the hands of his Father and no one can snatch him out from there (Jn. 10:29).  Such a child of God is also filled with joy – a gladness so overwhelming that he can smile in the face of peril.

Of such a kingdom did our Lord Jesus teach us to pray when He said, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Mt. 6:10). To such a kingdom has God saved us and called us with a holy calling (2Tim. 1:9) that as sanctified creatures, we walk by the Spirit in holiness and righteousness and not by the flesh (Rom. 8:4-14); live as a holy vessel for God to dwell (Jn. 14:23); an earthen vessel that radiates the knowledge of the glory of God (2Cor. 4:6, 7). Such a light cannot be hid but shines forth in such a way that men see it and glorify the Father who is in heaven (Mt. 5:13-16).

God’s plan through Jesus Christ in the gospel is that the Church can be such a body. He has chosen us to be a people of His possession that we may proclaim the excellencies of Him in this dark, selfish world (1Pet. 2:9). He has purposed that He can present to Himself the Church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless (Eph. 5:27).

So when we read that His winnowing fork is in His hand to separate the wheat from the chaff (Mt. 3:12; Lk. 3:17) or that He will send His angels and they will gather out of his kingdom the unrighteous so that the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Mt. 13: 41-43), such a separation should mean within the Church. For it is evident that the ungodly, unbelieving, idolatrous people in the world are clearly outside. There is nothing to separate because they are already separated (Eph. 2:12). These are already in darkness. When Jesus said, “If the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness.” (Mt. 6:22, 23), He would have been referring to us who have believed. We know that it is possible to “think” we are living in the light but in truth our heart can be far away from God (Mt. 15:8).  We have been exhorted not to take lightly the riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience (Rom. 2:4). We have been warned not to deceive ourselves for God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap (Gal. 6:7, 8). Jesus Himself said that not everyone who would call on Him and prophesy in His name would enter the kingdom of heaven. He warned such that He would say, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Mt. 7:21-23). 

These things are scary but like the author wrote in his letter to the Hebrews, “We are convinced of better things concerning you…” (Heb. 6:9) while continuing further to exhort us that we be not sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12). 

As children of God, we must be careful not to grieve the Lord by our behavior (Eph. 4:30). As His holy people we must walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Col. 1:10). We must live worthy of the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God who gave Himself for us that we may walk in the newness of life (2Cor. 5:15; Rom. 6:4). We must not squander away the opportunities we have while on this earth but live with one ambition, to please God (2Cor. 5:9). When we see that this is what is expected of the children of the kingdom of heaven, it is evident that there is no room for the wishy-washy. The apostle John says that in such, the love of the Father is not in him (1Jn. 2:15). James uses stronger language calling such, “adulteresses” (Jas. 4:4).

The Lord God will accomplish what He has purposed (Job 23:13). The counsel of the Lord stands forever. The plans of His heart from generation to generation (Psa. 33:11).  He has purposed that His kingdom will be manifested here on earth. Through His zealous, obedient children He will accomplish this. Though the number of the sons of Israel (read believers in the church) be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; for the Lord will execute His Word upon the earth thoroughly and quickly (Rom. 9:27, 28).   

Oh, that we may quickly align our heart to His will. Oh, that we may not take lightly His instructions but in submissiveness and obedience, love Him with all our heart. Oh, that through our faith in Him we can show that our God lives and reigns and leads and guides, the fruits of which will show to the glory of His name.

The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, can with that same power give life to our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11). Let us seek His face (Psa. 27:8). Let us wait on Him (Isa. 40:31). Let us cry unto Him for strength and help. He will make us victorious. He is the God of hope (Rom. 15:13). He is the God who gives perseverance and encouragement (Rom. 15:5). Let us hear His Shepherd voice (Jn. 10:3), cling to Him and submissively and willingly walk where He leads us (Jn. 10:4). His plans are always for our welfare giving us a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11).

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The Sufferings and Calling of Christ

The condemning of Christ can possibly be termed as the greatest error committed in the history of mankind. While it is true that God announced beforehand that His Christ should suffer (Acts 3:18) and it is also true that man’s sin had earned him God’s wrath and judgment and the only sacrifice that could save him was the death of the spotless Lamb, Jesus; the fact remains that we disowned the Holy and Righteous one (Acts 3:14).

For though He was in the beginning with God and all things came into being by Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being (Jn. 1:2, 3); this Word chose to become flesh and dwell among us (Jn. 1:14). He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not know Him (Jn. 1:10). Error No. 1

Because of our unwillingness to hear the truth, we shut our ears to what was already written. We chose not to accept and believe what God spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways (Heb. 1:1). We rejected His words of truth, calling it blasphemy. His awesome works, wrought in goodness and mercy, we termed the work of Beelzebul (Mt. 12:24). Error No. 2

We passed judgment on the One who will judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). We hurled abuse at Him (Mt. 27:39), mocked Him (Mt. 27:29, 41), spat on Him (Mt. 26:67; 27:30), whipped Him (Jn. 19:1), chose a hardened criminal to be set free over Him (Lk. 23:18); and after all that, condemned Him to die on a cross as a public spectacle along with robbers (Mt. 27:38). Error No. 3

While, The Passion of the Christ, may have been produced using artistic liberties, it very vividly portrays the suffering of the Lord Jesus as described in the Bible. The night in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal by His chosen apostle, denial from the one He loved, the accusations that were hurled at Him through the night, the arrogant and high-handed manner which He was subjected to and the whips (one word cannot quite capture the torment He went through each time the lash touched His flesh) brought alive the suffering that the Maker of all things went through at the hands of His creatures. The crude jokes, the taunts and insults, the crown of thorns, the spitting on His face, all these just added to the suffering. Finally, after a horrible night and a torment-filled morning, He was made to hang on the cross for six hours (Mk. 15:25, 34).

He was God! He is God! He need not have gone through all that He went through when self-centric, conceited, ungrateful creatures of His handiwork turned against Him. He would have been justified to abandon the whole plan of salvation, reconciliation and hope. But as a sheep remains silent before His shearers, so was He before His accusers (Isa. 53:7) and looked at the joy that was set before Him (Heb. 12:2).

He allowed His body to be broken that we may have life in all its fullness (Jn. 10:10). He shed His blood that we may be a new creation (2Cor. 5:17). He suffered that we may be reconciled to the Father (Col. 1:22) and experience, once again, the purpose for which we were created (Eph. 2:10). He rose again so that we can walk in hope and victory in righteousness, love, truth, peace and joy. (Oh, the joyousness when we understand the meaning of each of these words which incidentally characterizes the Kingdom of God. See Rom. 14:17; Eph. 5:9). 

I began by saying that the condemning of Christ can possibly be termed as the greatest error committed in the history of mankind. Yet today, each of us has hope and opportunity to change the course of our life’s history. His still, gentle voice is still calling. His word exhorts that today, if we hear His voice, we must listen to Him. He is full of mercy, overflowing with compassion, rich in loving kindness. His love that seeks our best is boundless. His wisdom that leads us into that best is perfect and eternal. His power that enables us to walk as overcomers is almighty. He is faithful. He is just. He is caring. His paths are those of peace. The outcome of His working is ineffably holy and pure. His purpose is marvellous and eternal.

Though we may have committed our life to Him at some point in the past, let us arise from the slumber (Eph. 5:14) that overtook us while we were not alert. Let us revive our first-love with a commitment that we will walk in the simplicity of single-minded devotion (2Cor. 11:3; 1Cor. 7:35) to Him, His commands and His will.

It’s not long before He will come again in a cloud with power and great glory (Lk. 21:27) to carry up to Himself His righteous ones who have been longing for His appearing (2Tim. 4:8). It’s not long when He Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God that we may meet Him in the air (1Thes. 4:16, 17). We shall be changed; the immortal replacing the mortal (1Cor. 15:51-53). We shall see Him just as He is (1Jn. 3:2). We shall reign with Him (2Tim. 2:12). We shall worship Him. We shall behold Him not for a time but for eternity.

Let us comfort and encourage one another so that we are found ready when He comes. Let us live each day in such a way recognizing that time is short (1Cor. 7:29). Let us not take the grace and kindness of God lightly (Rom. 2:4) but in holy conduct and godliness, look for and hasten the coming of the day of God (2Pet. 3:11, 12).

Now to Him who is able to keep us from stumbling, and make us stand in the presence of His glory blameless and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24, 25).