What is the Kingdom of God?
The Biblical Kingdom of God is the Government of God
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17)
The Kingdom of God is a government with a King, not a Democratic/Republic. The Kingdom of God is "Thus says the Lord." (Isaiah 45:18)
The Kingdom of God is not a religion. The Kingdom of God is a relationship, "knowing" the King and His Father through the Holy Spirit, "born again," not of "flesh and blood" but "of the spirit." (1 Corinthians 15:50 John 1:13; Matthew 16:17; Galatians 1:16. See also "Trinity: Created in His Image, "spirit, soul and body.")
John 17:3 - "And THIS is eternal life, that they might KNOW You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (See also 1 Corinthians 2:10-16)
Revelation 3:20 - "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness;
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Contents
God, our Creator
The Kingdom of God is a
government, not a religion
Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit
The mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven
Ten
Commandments 1. You shall have no other gods before me. |
The Kingdom of God is not a religion. The Kingdom of God is a government with a King.
It is important to note the difference between America's Constitutional Republic and the government of the Kingdom of God: In a Republic, it is "We the people." In the Kingdom of God it is "Thus says the Lord."
Isaiah 9:6-7 - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
John 18:33-37 - Again Pilate entered the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking of your own accord, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight, that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But now My kingdom is not from here.” Therefore Pilate said to Him, “Then are You a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Psalms 145:11-13 - They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations.
Colossians 1:13 - Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son...
The Kingdom of God is not a religion. The Kingdom of God is a relationship with the King.
"And THIS is eternal life, that they might KNOW You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." --John 17:3
"Like a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD* has compassion on those who revere Him. For He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust." --Psalms 103:13-14 (ONMB)
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." --Revelation 3:20
The correct translation and meaning of "church:" Ecclesia"
- Now, let's look at the word, "ecclesia". This Greek word appears in the New Testament approximately 115 times. That's just in this one grammatical form. It appears also in other forms. And in every instance, except three, it is wrongly translated as "church" in the King James Version. Those three exceptions are found in Acts 19:32, 39, 41. In these instances the translators rendered it "assembly" instead of "church." But, the Greek word is exactly the same as the other 112 entries where it was changed to "church" wrongly.In Acts 19, "ecclesia" is a town council: a civil body in Ephesus. Thus, the translators were forced to abandon their fake translation in these three instances. Nonetheless, 112 times they changed it to "church." This fact has been covered-up under centuries of misuse and ignorance.
The Greek word "ecclesia" is correctly defined as: "The called-out (ones)" [ECC = out; KALEO = call]. Thus, you can see how this word was used to indicate a civil body of select (called, elected) people. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica: In the New Testament, "ecclesia" (signifying convocation) is the only single word used for church. It (ecclesia) was the name given to the governmental assembly of the city of Athens,duly convoked (called out) by proper officers and possessing all political power including even juridical functions.
...Paul and Silas weren't "church builders" like preachers today claim. They weren't proselytizing people from one church or synagogue to another. They were kingdom builders! They were dethroning rulers in the minds of the people and alienating them from the mental hold Caesar had upon them through heathenistic (central) government. They were teaching the principles of Christian government. They were putting forth the call of God to whomever would hear and obey, and those whose hearts responded to the call became citizens of Christ's kingdom and joined themselves to the ecclesia, or community of believers.
Derek Prince: Rediscovering God’s Church - In the contemporary secular Greek of New Testament times, the word “ecclesia” had a very specific meaning. It meant a “government assembly.” …Thus the root meaning of the word we habitually translate as “church” actually means “a legal or government assembly.” A government establishes order and God governs by His Word.
Myles Munroe: Rediscovering the Kingdom - It was never God's plan to establish a religion. ...Religion, therefore, is simply man's search for God. No matter how committed, dedicated, loyal, faithful, zealous, active, or complex our religious pursuit may be, as long as man is still searching, dissatisfied and desirous for more, he has not yet found the Kingdom. He is like a fish out of water. ...Religion is man's substitute for the Kingdom... ...God's purpose was to establish a relationship, not religion....How would God accomplish this? God, Who is unseen, would put His Spirit into the unseen spirit of man.... ...Through man's spirit a window of the soul is created so that man can communicate with the invisible world of God...
...The Kingdom and the Republic: ...Democracies usually take one of two forms: a republic or a parliamentary democracy. ...The problem we face as citizens of a democracy is understading what it means as believers to live in a Kingdom.
Contrasting a Kingdom with a Democracy: ...There is no vote in a Kingdom of God; His Word is supreme and absolute. Opinions and majorities do not matter. There is no consensus or compromise. The King's Word is law. If God says adultery is sin, that is the Word of the King. and His Word is the law. The matter is not open for discussion. ...The King has decreed that adultery is a sin. This is recorded in the "constitution" in Article Exodus, Section 20, Subsection 14: "You shall not commit adultery." and Article Leviticus, Section 18., Subsection 20: "Do not have sexual relations with your neighbors wife and defile yourself with her." ...His Word is law and will never change.
Righteousness, Peace
and Joy in the Holy Spirit
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17
Salvation is far from the wicked
Psalm 119:155-168
Salvation is
far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes. "Without Excuse"
Great are Your compassions, O Lord; revive me according to Your
judgments.
Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from
Your testimonies.
I behold the transgressors with disgust, because they have not
kept Your word.
Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according
to Your lovingkindness.
Your word is true from the beginning, and every one of Your
righteous judgments endures forever.
Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands
in awe of Your words.
I rejoice at Your word, as one who finds great plunder.
I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law.
Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous
judgments.
Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing shall
cause them to stumble.
Lord, I have hoped for Your deliverance, and I carry out Your
commandments.
My soul has kept Your testimonies, and I love them greatly.
I have kept Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways
are before You.
Romans 1:16-20
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because
it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes,
Jewish first and then Greek. For the righteousness of God is
revealed in this, coming out of faith for greater faith, just as
it has been written, “And the righteous will live by faith.”
(Habakkuk 2:4) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against everything godless and unrighteous of men, of those who
hold back the truth by their wickedness. For what is known of
God is evident among them: for God revealed Himself to them. For
the unseen things, both His eternal power and divine authority,
from His creation of the world, are seen clearly, being
understood by His works. so they are without excuse.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; --Matthew 6:33
Righteousness - God's righteousness is not man's righteousness.
Isaiah 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Romans 4:18-15 - (Abraham) Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
R.C. Sproul shares the very heart of the gospel as he explains Martin Luther's Latin phrase, "Simul Justus et Peccator." ...In and of ourselves, under the analysis of God's scrutiny, we still have sin; we're still sinners. But, by imputation, and by faith in Jesus Christ, Whose righteousness is now transferred to our account, then we are considered just or righteous. This is the very heart of the Bible. Will I be judged in order to get into heaven by my righteousness or by the righteousness of Christ. If I had to trust in my righteousness to get into heaven, I would be completely and utterly despair of any possibility of ever being redeemed. But when we see that the righteousness that is ours by faith is the perfect righteousness of Christ, then we see how glorious is the Good News of the Gospel. The good news is simply this, I can be reconciled to God, I can be justified by God not on the basis of what I did, but on the basis of what's been accomplished for me by Christ.
Ephesians 4:17-30 - This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Psalms 1:1-4 - Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Isaiah 55:7-11 - Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the LORD* and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. 8. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My Ways, says the LORD*. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My Ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts. 10. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud so it will give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11. so My word will go forth out of My mouth: it will not return to Me empty-handed,2 but it will accomplish that which I please and it will succeed wherever I send it.
Romans 8:1,4,5,8-10, 12-14 - There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ...That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ...So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ...Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Peace - "Not as the world gives"
Psalm 119:165 - Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing shall cause them to stumble.
John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Romans 5:2 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 2:14 - For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Joy - Joy unspeakable
John 15:11 - These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 16:22 - And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you.
Romans 15:13 - Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
1 Peter 1:8 - Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory..
Jude 1:24 - Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy...
The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 13:19 - When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and doesn't understands it, then the wicked one comes, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that say to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 -
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of
this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: But we
speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained
before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew:
for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But
as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But
God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all
things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man,
save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man,
but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely
given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's
wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things
with spiritual. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of
God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet
he himself is judged of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he
may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
The inhabitants of the kingdom trust the King because the King,
as a Lord, is personally responsible for the well-being of everyone in His
Kingdom. People desire to enter the Kingdom and are willing to obey and be
subjects of the King in order to reap the benefits (care and protection) of the
Kingdom. This actually places a burden on the King of the Kingdom to provide
these benefits, whereby the inhabitants will respect and trust that
through obedience to His Laws, they can rely on the Lord to care and protect
them. (Note: Those outside the Kingdom are not citizens of the Kingdom, but
aliens, and can not be partakers of the citizen benefits of God's divine
nature.) This same kingdom principle is how God designed
marriage, "a great
mystery," where
the woman should be able to safely rely on the husband for her care and
protection. The "great
mystery" as Paul describes the
relationship between man and wife as being analogous with Christ and the Church.
(He that has ears to hear,
let him hear.)
Ephesians 5:21-5:33 - Submitting yourselves one to another in the
fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the
church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject
unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So
ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves
himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes
it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh,
and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and
shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great
mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every
one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that
she reverence her husband. Revelation 19:7-9 -
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him:
for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and
white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he said unto me,
Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Revelation 3:20-22
-
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with
him, and he with me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches
Revelation 11:15 - And the seventh angel sounded; and there
were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
James 2:5 -
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor
of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to
them that love him?
See also
The Revelation of the Mystery
- A Sermon By
Dr Charles S. Price
- A Sermon By
Dr Charles S. Price