THE KINGDOM OF GOD

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

In July of 2005 I was studying about how Peter knew that there should be twelve Apostles who would give testimony of the Resurrection of Jesus. Also, how did he know that the one chosen to replace Judas Iscariot would have to be one who had seen and known Jesus from the beginning of His earthly Ministry, and had seen Him after His resurrection, and witnessed the Ascencion into the Heavens.

Act 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

Right away it was impressed upon me that the ORIGINAL MESSAGE of the Apostles was to establish the FACT of the Resurrection. It was quite a while before there was any problem of interpretation of the Word of God.

Not only had Jesus been RAISED FROM THE DEAD, but He had been made BOTH LORD AND CHRIST by the Eternal God.

Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
My searching for answers eventually led me to Act 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Act 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: Act 1:3 To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

I have here emboldened and underlined a couple of words that seemed “grab” my attention when I analyzed them.

The word “speaking” is translated from the Greek word that denotes a systematic laying out of instructions, rather than a simple, casual statement in passing. Jesus had given some SPECIFIC instructions about the conduct of the Apostles after He would be taken back into the Heavens. Certain things MUST BE DONE, whether they were understood or not.

The word “Kingdom” is translated from a word that PROPERLY means ROYALTY, but is used (abstractly) to mean “rule”, or (concretely) “realm”, and (figuratively or literally) Kingdom or Reign.

My eyes “came open wide” when I read that.

I had known that we were “missing something” in our approach to the subject of the Kingdom of God. We didn’t seem to have a “firm grip” on the subject at all.

But, there, staring me right in the face, was a “piece of the puzzle” that could help me to understand what had been missing from our present interpretation/s on the subject.

Our past and current explanations of the Kingdom have included rules of conduct, protocols of relationships, etc.

ROYALTY seems to convey the same thought we had been trying to define for a long time. Years ago I believed that I had heard the Spirit telling me that the OVERCOMERS were a PEOPLE WITHIN A PEOPLE, and that the difference was a difference in the HEART CONDITION of those involved.

It seemed the DEGREE OF LORDSHIP was part of the criterion denoting the difference between Christian and Christian.

We have no CERTAIN way to detect the degree of Lordship Jesus occupies in the heart of our Christian friends, but there are no questions in the mind of God. HE KNOWS PRECISELY, at all times, the exact condition of our heart and spirit.

The word ROYALTY seemed to “put a handle” on the subject of the KINGDOM OF GOD, and help me to understand that the KINGDOM IS IN OUR MIDST TODAY.

Some CHRISTIANS are IN IT, while other Christians are still looking for it, and hoping for it to happen.

I mentioned my finding briefly in one of our prayer meetings, and a young mother spoke to me afterward, telling me that the Lord had also revealed to her that the KINGDOM OF GOD is NOW, PRESENTLY within those who are making Jesus the LORD of their lives. It was a confirmation of what I believed I was hearing from the Spirit.

THE ROYALTY OF GOD.