Matthew 7:21

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“Not everyone that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven.”

Does the Bible’s periodic reference to the kingdom of heaven mean that Christians are going there?

The Bible teaches that Christ and the apostles taught the gospel of the kingdom of God, referenced earlier. The word gospel is found 101 times in the Bible. Sometimes it is found alone, and sometimes as “gospel of the kingdom.” Other times it appears as “gospel of the kingdom of God” or the equivalent phrase “gospel of the kingdom of heaven.”

Recognize that this version of the phrase says, “OF heaven,” not “IN heaven.” It is heaven’s kingdom. There is a big difference. Just as kingdom OF God means God’s kingdom, not the kingdom IN God, the same is true of the kingdom OF heaven, or heaven’s kingdom. The preposition “of” always connotes possession.

The phrase kingdom of God is synonymous in every case with kingdom of heaven. Suggested reading:

• What Is the Kingdom of God?

• Do the Saved Go to Heaven?

• Is There Life After Death?

• What Is Your Reward in the Next Life?