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 The King & The Kingdom

The Gospel of the Kingdom & The Kingdom of Heaven

Introduction

There can be little doubt that the reign of Christ in the lives of men is the most important consideration anyone can undertake in life. Coming to a knowledge of Christ marks the beginning of this process as far as individuals are concerned, yet the reality which lies at the back of this personal journey concerns Christ Himself and therefore to understand the journey one must firstly understand Christ. The focus on many things and not on Christ, is no doubt a matter of wisdom itself. Perhaps an understanding of this will make for a wise or else foolish servant. The many things which are focused on by believers, are no doubt valid areas of understanding, yet it seems to me that having our sight fixed on Christ Himself will settle all other matters whether we understand them fully or not. Understanding that Christ is both Lord and King makes certain the necessity of Christ having reign in our lives if we are to be fully accounted faithful servants. It is not simply by a heart consenting to Christ, but must be more fully Christ living in and through us by the Holy Spirit; in short salvation must be experience as well as knowledge. These two being outworked by a life relationship with Christ. It is a crucified life hidden in Christ in the first instance and it is evidenced by a life of good works. In speaking practically we could say that the reign of Christ, or the dominion of Christ’ Lordship takes account of both who Christ is, as well as His kingdom and its dominion so far as the Kingdom of Heaven is concerned. If we live before the King, we will both know the King and find an easy entrance into His Kingdom.

There are two most basic truths which we need to both understand and accept if we are to press on without unnecessary concern when looking at this subject of the Kingdom of Heaven. The reason for this has to do with the unbalanced way in which the Kingdom of Heaven is often understood. By this I simply mean that the Kingdom of Heaven is almost only comprehended in terms of a period of time which is identified six times in Revelation as the 1000 year kingdom. This 1000 year kingdom is broadly presented in understanding in terms of pre-millenum, post-millenium and a-millenium doctrines or teachings. These three theological positions are no mere academic enquiry. What position we take in our thinking may very well prove to be the provocation which determines how we walk today. How we walk today will very definitely determine what part if any we have in the future millennial kingdom. Clearly if we do not even receive such an understanding (a-millenial) then we will do nothing at all to prepare for that which we do not believe is coming. If we believe that the millennial kingdom is established by Christ’ return (pre-millenial) then we will no doubt have to consider what part we will have in this kingdom, if any, as well as the qualifying criteria for entrance thereinto. Lastly if we believe that the millennial kingdom is to be established before Christ returns (post-millenial) then we will no doubt believe that we are already become the sons of God and live accordingly.

The intention here is not to look into these three views in detail, but rather to simply draw attention to them by way of explaining that this 1000 year kingdom is often the singular focus of believers or else it is neglected by believers altogether. Focussing on the Kingdom of Heaven is justified by the Lord’ own words “seek you first the Kingdom of Heaven”. Clearly we cannot change the Lord’ words. What we can do however, is to demonstrate that the same disciples who had received these words, also received an understanding of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven as well. In other words the disciples knew what they were labouring towards. As we will see, the disciples variously did not always comprehend the Kingdom of Heaven, even after it was explained to them; even after the resurrection of Christ from the dead. It was the day of pentecost which settled the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven in their sight and the sight of thousands of witnesses. Just as today when we truly do see the power of the Kingdom of Heaven working in our own lives and the lives of others, we know in our spirit’s that the Kingdom of Heaven is both at hand as well as in us. It is the power of the Kingdom which establishes its present visibility. Yet if the Kingdom of Heaven were simply a matter of power in the fullest possible sense, this would be saying no more than that Christ Himself is simply a matter of understanding His power. We know however, if we have believed, that whilst Christ does indeed have all power, Christ Himself is both Lord and God. We do not serve a source of power or worship power. We love One Who first loved us. Our relationship to Christ is a relationship borne out of love. It is the love of the Father.

It is my firm conviction that it is impossible to comprehend the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven without first understanding the Lord Jesus Himself. Further, it is absolutely necessary to understand the full meaning of Salvation itself, if we are to comprehend the dominion and outworking or evidence of the Kingdom of Heaven in our lives and the lives of others. The first wonderful truth we must lay hold of is that the Father in heaven has delighted to give us the Kingdom. We don’t have to struggle to receive the Kingdom, neither do we have to seek to take it by force. It has been given to those who are called by God and chosen in Christ. The second wonderful truth is that the Kingdom of Heaven was prepared from the foundation of the earth itself. It is not a new thing as far as God is concerned. No doubt to one who is newly saved, Christ Himself is the most singular focus of reality, yet very soon thereafter every new believer will be faced with another reality. This reality is the Kingdom of Heaven of which Kingdom they are become citizens. This reality will be first evidenced by knowing Christ as Lord and King, yet we cannot overlook its power either. For the Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of words, but a matter of power. What is happening today is that the power of the Kingdom of Heaven is become the focus and the King is declining in men’s hearts and minds. This is leading to a day of apostasy, giving rise to sorcerers as well as self interest and prosperity among increasing numbers of believers. It is to this condition which I am personally minded to speak. In doing that, my focus will be on three things. Christ Himself, the Kingdom of Heaven and the scope and meaning of Salvation.

When speaking about the Gospel of the Kingdom we are in reality speaking about the reign of Christ; not only in individual lives, but it must be evident that the scope of such a reign must include all things. The scriptures tells us plainly that “all things both in heaven and on the earth” have been given into Christ’ hands and that “all authority” has been given to Christ also. In this understanding there can be no part of the heavens or the earth which are excluded, else “all things” can have no true meaning. Moreover in thinking in this way it is also clear that it is Christ Himself Who is at the centre of all things in His person, and that the “things” are but secondary considerations to Christ Himself.

With this in mind we could say that the Kingdom of Heaven is a dominion in the first place because it is the dominion over which Christ reigns. Included in this dominion there are many things. These are heaven itself, the earth, hell & death, nations, tribes, angels, men and all living creatures. Yet central to, and far more important than these many things, even heaven itself, is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. To understand this is really as simple as comprehending that the heavens and the earth are passing away and that there will be a new heavens and a new earth; yet Christ’ Kingdom will have no end.

The fact of the centrality of Christ Himself in all things can be further understood when Simeon the prophet raised the infant Messiah in his arms and declared to God Himself “mine eyes have seen your salvation”. This salvation which is spoken of here by Simeon is Jesus Himself. Jesus is our salvation. Salvation in the first instance is not a thing, or an experience or indeed many things. Salvation is Christ Himself. Following on from this it would be necessary to assert that if Christ Himself is our salvation and not many things, then similarly that dominion over which Christ has been given power and authority is implicit in salvation itself. What I mean by this is really very simple. Although those who have believed into Christ today speak of themselves as being saved, the same as these also speak of being saved, as a continuous process. In fact the scripture tells us that one day we will be like Christ Himself because we will see Christ as He is, as well as telling us that we are being saved daily.

Today we very definitely believe that Christ is Lord and we are trusting that He has saved us from the consequences of our sins. We are also trusting that He is saving us from the continued effect of the power of sin working in us, and will one day completely deliver us from this power of sin working in our bodies. This very deliverance is called “our adoption as sons”. So whilst we believe into Christ and believe in His person and work on the cross and that He was raised from the dead, we also believe that He is going to come again in His resurrected physical body and reign over the earth. This moment of Christ’ second advent will no doubt be the moment that men will see Him with their eyes and when corresponding to that event, those who believe into Him shall become like Him. Clearly it is at this time that we will receive a new physical body and so at least in this sense salvation will be more fully worked out. However, it is at this same time that the world itself becomes the Kingdom of Heaven so we also have to ask what the scripture teaches us about this physical reality of the Kingdom come on earth.

There is an inseparable connection between the person of the Lord Jesus, salvation and the Kingdom of Heaven. In seeking to understand salvation and the Kingdom of Heaven we must of necessity understand Christ Himself. If we do not understand Christ we will never understand salvation beyond new birth and we will never understand the true meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven beyond the fact of its existence.



The King & The Kingdom

At the root of this understanding must lie one singular point of understanding. This can be summed up in the saying “Where the King is, there is the Kingdom”. To examine this saying one need only to ask one simple question. “Does anyone who believes into Christ Jesus by faith, not comprehend that were the Lord to physically appear in their lives this very hour, their lives would be changed completely?” In short such an appearing of the Lord would compel a change in attitude, focus, understanding and determination, to serve the Lord. All that which is necessary to serve the Lord Jesus faithfully and obediently would be made full by simply knowing, seeing and comprehending the Lord’ presence.

Likewise we could ask another simple question. “In such a circumstance does anyone believing this doubt, that so long as the Lord remained physically present, He could not only command all men, but the very elements themselves? These may seem like strange questions, but this was reality for the apostles chosen by the Lord Jesus. They witnessed with their own eyes such things and were often astonished by what they saw and heard. Time and again when men wanted to take Christ and murder Him, He simply walked away from them. All men were powerless to kill Him. On the night of His betrayal the Lord could not be arrested by force. In the first instance those who came to take him were thrown to the ground by simply trying. Jesus had to yield Himself willingly to them, else they could not have taken Him no matter how they tried. Jesus also commanded the wind and the waves. The disciples in seeing this had to ask themselves the question “who is this man that He even commands the wind and the waves?”. Jesus Himself stated clearly that all power and authority in heaven and on the earth had been given to Him. The risen Lord seated at the right hand of the Father in the majesty of the heavens, can have no less authority and power. Therefore were this One called Christ, to appear this hour how could not all men acknowledge Him as Lord? By what power would any man be able to disobey Him?

These few ideas sum up in simplicity the meaning of the Kingdom. Further, because Christ is become our Saviour by faith, those who believe in Him will be benefitted by knowing Christ more fully. Yet to know Christ more fully we first have to be willing to draw near to Him and this itself is only possible through obedience to Him. It cannot be achieved by acquiring knowledge. Clearly there are implicit in these few ideas many doctrines of truth and theological perspectives. I have to say that I have no interest in theological perspectives and as for doctrines of truth my concern is not so much to make a form of them, but to simply comprehend them. As touching upon the issue of the person of Christ and the issue of Eternal Life, then there can be no other doctrine than that which was delivered to the Apostles by Christ Himself. All other teachings are a matter of…………………………….

 2013/5/5 16:40
davidc
Member



Joined: 2010/8/15
Posts: 272
France

 Re: The King & The Kingdom

Thank you Andrew for such a simple explanation. I pray it may find good soil in me and others and bear fruit.

"Where the king is, there is the kingdom." The King is seated in glory at the right hand of the father in the heavens. So for us, who love Him and know Him and walk by faith, His kingdom is within us.
But when He shall appear, we also shall appear with him in glory. This Hope and anticipation of His glorious appearing is a saving power of itself.

More please

David


_________________
david

 2013/5/6 4:13Profile









 Re: The King & The Kingdom

Quote:
This Hope and anticipation of His glorious appearing is a saving power of itself. DavidC



I agree brother with that, as I am sure do we all. If that thought of Christ, come in His Kingdom with power is caught sight of, then I cannot see how that will not of itself stir our spirits and in that we are reminded that Christ is in us, the hope of glory! Every time the spirit is stirred it seems we easily lay hold of reality and everything flows from that reality which is Christ Himself. I suppose the difference between being children of God and being sons, is a difference of obedience to that stirring. Just as becoming children in the first instance was obedience to the revelation of Christ Himself.

 2013/5/6 4:46





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