TEXT:
‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10)
THOUGHT:
The Kingdom of God is revealed on earth in two ways. The Kingdom that now is – spiritually, and the one that is to come – literally. We are to pray for the latter one to happen, but we live according to the spiritual principles of the Kingdom of God until that takes place.
I am a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but this is a kingdom which will not last forever, although it has existed since 1922. The time is fast approaching when the following scripture will be fulfilled, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever’ (Revelation 11:15).
Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world’ (John 18:36). While on earth, Christians are ambassadors for Christ. 1 Just as the ambassador’s residence is a reflection of the country they represent, so Christians are to reflect Christ and the Kingdom of God. This is a subject that the New Testament has much to say about.
Today’s Teaching focusses on the Kingdom of God now, the importance of being a part of it and what is expected of its citizens while living on earth.
1. How a person becomes a citizen of the Kingdom of God
- The Importance of Preaching
‘Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel”’ (Mark 1:14-15). We preach the gospel and instruct those whose hearts have been touched to repent.
My parents were citizens of the United Kingdom, so when I was born, I automatically became a citizen too. Children of Christian parents do not automatically become citizens of the Kingdom of God unless they go about it in the right way.
Jesus said to Nicodemus (a religious leader), “With all the earnestness I possess I tell you this: Unless you are born again, you can never get into the Kingdom of God.” “Born again!” exclaimed Nicodemus. “What do you mean? How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus replied, “What I am telling you so earnestly is this: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit,he cannot enter the Kingdom of God”’ (John 3:3-5 TLB).
So repentance is followed by being born again. ‘What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 15:50 NLT). Being born again is a spiritual experience and God promises that Christians will eventually have a new body to match their spirit.
2. There are barriers to becoming a Christian that must be overcome
- Ignorance
Jesus taught that the devil is actively working to try to stop people becoming part of the Kingdom of God. ‘The hard path where some of the seeds fell represents the heart of a person who hears the Good News about the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it; then Satan comes and snatches away the seeds from his heart’ (Matthew 13:19 TLB).
Thank God, ignorance and a lack of understanding about the Kingdom of God can be rectified by clear preaching and teaching. ‘When they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized’ (Acts 8:15).
- Wealth
Is God against prosperity? Certainly not! The problem is wealth can make someone self-dependent and think they have no need to rely on God. Jesus made it very clear the difficulty rich people have becoming a Christian and a citizen of the Kingdom of God. ‘“How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”’ (Mark 10:23-25 NLT).
It is important not to let a large bank balance deceive us into thinking we have no need of God. After all we came into this world with nothing and we cannot take one bit of it with us when we die!
- Knowledge
‘The Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it”’ (Mark 10:14-15). The gospel does not make sense to the natural, carnal mind. We need faith to believe and it’s for that reason God has given to everyone a measure of faith.
- Wrong Lifestyles
‘And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell’ (Mark 9:47 NLT). God loves the sinner but He hates the sin because it separates us from Him and each other. The following scriptures reveal how seriously God takes this matter.
‘Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God?’ (1 Corinthians 6:9 NLT).
‘When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God’ (Galatians 5:19-21 NLT).
‘You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshipping the things of this world’ (Ephesians 5:5NLT).
This is not saying we have to be perfect to enter the Kingdom of God, for no one is or can be. It is stating that repentance is a realisation of what is wrong and turning from it in a Godward direction.
- Being Religious
It is hard for good religious people to understand that their good works and standing within the community is not enough to make them a citizen of the Kingdom of God. Good works are to be a sign that we are a Christian, not to be relied on to impress God we are good enough for heaven! ‘We are all infected and impure with sin. When we put on our prized robes of righteousness, we find they are but filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6 TLB). Just in case anyone still thinks they are good enough not to need Jesus, the Bible says, ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23).
Satan will try to use your past mistakes to make you think you will never be good enough to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God. God has given you the gift of faith to put your trust in Jesus as your personal Saviour and Lord. ‘We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Saviour’ (Philippians 3:20 NLT).
Why wait? Get your citizenship today!
Endnotes:
1 2 Corinthians 5:20
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