The Coming Kingdom of God'

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ said, “But seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). A Christian must always strive toward these two inseparable goals. Notice that the FIRST priority is seeking the kingdom of God. But he must also develop God’s righteousness—His divine character. Most of this sermon is an emphasis on CHARACTER-BUILDING through obedience to God’s Law.

The apostle John recorded Christ’s words: “In My Father’s house are many mansions [offices]…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). This bears examination.

First, there are many “offices” in God’s “house” (kingdom). Second, Christ is preparing these positions before He “comes again.” Third, Christians are not going where He is to be with Him—in heaven or anywhere else—because Jesus said, “I will come again.” (Heaven has never been the reward of the saved.) The Christian is offered an inheritance of rulership over the earth (Matt. 5:5).

One chapter later in the book of John, Christ continues, “I am the true Vine…every branch in Me that bears not fruit He takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (Jn 15:1-2). In Jn 15:5, He says again, “bring forth much fruit,” and, in Jn 15:8, “Herein is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit.” Finally, He says, “I have chosen you…that you should go and bring forth fruit” (Jn 15:16).

A Christian bears fruit in his life! Jn 15:8 goes on to explain that by doing this, “so shall you be My disciples.” Christ identifies you as one of His disciples (and God’s begotten sons) by whether or not you bear fruit in this life!

Now we must consider some basic verses about the kingdom of God.

God’s pre-Flood servant Enoch (Noah’s great-grandfather) also preached about the coming kingdom of God. Jude described his message: “And Enoch also…prophesied…saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, To execute judgment upon all” (Jude 1:14-15).

Likewise, Daniel wrote, “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever” (Dan 7:18). Dan 7:22 and 27 reiterate this reward for true Christians.

The book of Revelation records several places where Christ, through John, offers the kingdom to those who overcome. Notice: “And he that overcomes, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron” (Rev 2:26-27), and “to him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne” (Rev 3:21).

Finally, notice Revelation 20:4-6. Speaking of the saints, it states, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them…and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years…This is the first resurrection…but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” When coupled with Revelation 5:10, it is clear that the resurrected saints become both “kings and priests” who “reign on the earth” with Christ.

This knowledge is truly special—and precious. The world does not know about God’s coming kingdom, which Christ will set up at His Return. “The god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4) has deceived mankind (Rev. 12:9). (Read our booklets What Is the Kingdom of God? and Which Is the True Gospel?) Christians are in daily training. Therefore, it is critical that they understand their “training regimen.”

Faith and Repentance

We have explained that God gives His Spirit at baptism, which takes place after repentance. But how is repentance achieved? Does one just declare, by simple assertion, “I have repented”? Is this all there is to it? The answer is an emphatic NO! It is not that simple.

Repentance is a gift from God just as much as one’s initial calling. When speaking of Gentiles coming to conversion, Acts 11:18 states, “Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”II Timothy 2:25 speaks of circumstances where “God…will give…repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” Finally, Romans 2:4 explains that it is “God’s goodness” that leads to repentance. People do not “work up” repentance in order to require God to give them His Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

People must seek God and ask for the gift of repentance. It is not automatic and should never be treated as such. But God grants repentance to all those who seek it with their whole heart, as David did in Psalm 51:1-19. (Take a moment to read this entire psalm.)

But exactly what does one repent of? The Bible says, “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23). What is sin?

I John 3:4 states, “Sin is the transgression of the law.” This refers to the Law of God. The normal, fleshly or carnal mind is hostile to it (Rom. 8:7). People do not naturally obey God. Human nature disobeys—breaks—God’s Law, and does so naturally! A Christian keeps God’s Law. He does not just hear it or talk about it: “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Rom. 2:13).

Therefore, God will only give His Spirit to one that He has conquered—one who is willing to obey Him (Acts 5:32).

The world depicts God’s Law as harsh and burdensome. But John wrote, “For this is the love of God, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: and His commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:3). (Also read Romans 13:10.) God’s Law is holy, just, good and spiritual (Rom. 7:12, 14) and it is through God’s Spirit that one is able to obey God and thereby practice the love of God. Romans 5:5 stated, “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.”

A repentant mind has turned from its own way. It wants to follow God. It is yielded to God—yielded to His government, His authority in its life. Such a mind strives to copy Jesus Christ and produce the “fruits of the Spirit.” Christ talked about “bearing much fruit.” He later inspired Paul to list the “fruitsof the Spirit”—love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (self-control)—in Galatians 5:22-23. These become evident in the conduct of the Spirit-led—the converted—person.

The repentant mind has turned from the selfish “get” way of life, to the way of “give.” A Christian’s entire thinking becomes transformed—CHANGED completely—to a whole new way of looking at life.

The Christian lives by faith (Heb. 10:38; Hab. 2:4). But the faith of Christ (Rev. 14:12), not human faith, is what makes it possible for a person to obey God. Yet, the person must demonstrate an initial faith that Christ has forgiven him at baptism (Acts 2:38). It is at this moment that a Christian’s prior slate of conduct has been wiped completely clean. It has become as white as snow—cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14). This first human faith is then replaced by CHRIST'S faith in the now converted person (Rom. 1:17). We have seen that faith is one of the fruits of God’s Spirit, which has entered into the Christian’s mind at begettal—at conversion and baptism. (To learn more about the difference between human faith and the faith of Christ, read our booklet What Is Real Faith?)

Do not misunderstand! God does not owe you His Spirit because you have exercised faith and repented. The Holy Spirit is a gift (Acts 2:38), as is repentance itself. God’s Spirit is not something that you can earn by your works, anymore than salvation can be earned by works (Eph. 2:8-9).

True Conversion Explained

Recall that the power that comes with God’s Spirit helps a person grow and overcome. Literally, this power is Christ living His life in the Christian. Without His help, the new convert gets nowhere—fast! When Christ said, “bring forth much fruit” (John 15:5), He followed it with “For without Me you can do nothing.” Human power—human energy—only helps a person overcome in physical areas. Spiritual problems cannot be conquered through physical, mental or emotional effort.

Remember, Christ is the Vine and we are the branches. Branches must be connected to the Vine, and this happens through God’s Spirit working in a mind.

When speaking of this, Christ said, “out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him shall receive…)” (John 7:38). As it performs good works, God’s Spirit flows “out of” the Christian. Therefore, it must be replenished, or it will be depleted and disappear completely. This is why Christ said, “If you…know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Luke 11:13). You must regularly ask, in prayer, for more of the Holy Spirit.

Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13), and, “my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” (Eph. 6:10). Christ also said, “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). With God’s Spirit actively working and growing in you, this can be true of you!

But truly deep conversion does not occur overnight. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that they were “babes [babies] in Christ” (I Cor. 3:1). He described how they required “milk,” instead of “meat,” for food. The brand new Christian is much like an infant. By analogy, he first learns to roll over, then crawl, before walking (and even then, at first, in an unsteady, toddling fashion). Only later does he finally learn to run (spiritually).

Paul understood this. He compared conversion to running a race (I Cor. 9:24). Of course, though not right away, the runner must, at some point, develop more speed, because Paul says, “run, that you may obtain [win].”

Such is the Christian way of life. Slow, steady growth, through daily practice, produces progress in the life of the person who is copying Christ. The new Christian sincerely strives, from the heart, to be different—to turn around and go the other way—the way of God—for the rest of his life!

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