WHAT ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

WHAT ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

When I was a child I would hear snatches of conversations about the Kingdom of God. Most, if not all of it, went over my head. I was too young, and my knowledge of the Bible and the principles of God was very limited. I knew that Jesus came to save mankind from hell, that He would return and set up a kingdom some day. I had no idea what that would entail-- how it would be done, nor what it would be like. That knowledge was completely sufficient for the state of development I had attained to at the time. And, it lasted for a number of years.

Gradually, I began to wonder just how all this was going to come about, and what the processes would be to accomplish it. I began to realize that the world was a pretty big place, and that there were great numbers of people on it. We expected Jesus to split the ether with a great noise of a shout, and snatch all the Christians away to somewhere, to a place we called Heaven where we would forever be with the Lord-- singing His praises endlessly.

Then I started wondering why He would set up a Kingdom here on earth if all the Christians were somewhere else-- in Heaven. Who would He reign over, and how would He go about bringing them in subjection? Would the "shout" do it? Or would He have some secret weapons with Him that we knew nothing about?

We had been taught by that time that He would bring the "raptured saints" back with Him, and make them rulers with Him. Thus, there should be plenty of authorized deputies to accomplish the job. This didn't clear up all of the questions, but it did serve to get my mind on the right track-- I thought. Now, I wonder.

Anyway, as time went on, I discovered that Jesus seemed to indicate that there is a difference between being save-- having our sins forgiven-- and being in the group which attains to a position in the Kingdom of God. The more I studied it, the more I was convinced that it is much easier and less strenuous to "believe" on the Lord (that is, be saved) than it is to attain to the Kingdom of God. In my searching, I have been brought to the place of realizing that we have done ourselves a great disservice by blindly accepting what we have been taught through the many years that we have been on the Christian pathway. This is especially true when we think about God's wonderful Kingdom.

Shocking as it may seem to be, getting saved (our term for putting our trust in Jesus for the safety of our souls) is one of the easiest things in the world to do. Whereas the people of the Old Testament had to go through certain rituals and ceremonies every so often (weekly, monthly, yearly) in order to stay within the Covenant, there is NOTHING we have to do to maintain our Salvation except to be obedient to the Gospel. That obedience entails "Believing in the heart that Jesus is our Savior, and confessing (declaring) with our mouth that we believe and trust in Him. This will lead us to obedience to what He tells us to do.

This is where the problems begin to show their ugly heads. Churches have taken the instructions which have been given to teach us to conduct our lives in a way that will lead us toward membership in the Kingdom-- and we make them REQUIREMENTS for SALVATION. This has been a grave mistake, and has caused more damage than it has done good. It has served to discourage and turn aside more people than anyone could count, because the "standard" we have established for Salvation was really intended as a sign post pointing toward "Living for the Kingdom."

In other words, We are Saved (secure in Jesus) while endeavoring to build a life fit for entrance into the Kingdom. Comparatively few people will make that grade, for "Many are called, but few are chosen." "They shall be Mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels." Not all Christians will be eligible for the blessings of the Kingdom. Not all Christians will be Spiritually developed enough to "Rule over the nations." Millions upon millions of people will eventually make heaven their home, but they had not attained to Kingdom stature while they lived on earth.