Do you know how to enter the Kingdom of God?
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew:6:33).
Salvation through Jesus' life, death and resurrection is central to the gospel message. Jesus the Messiah died, was buried and was resurrected for a reason: so we could inherit everlasting life in the Kingdom of God (John:3:16). This astounding part of the gospel; the entering into the Kingdom of God; is what so few understand. It is synonymous with salvation. Without understanding this part of the gospel, one cannot understand what salvation is. Do you know how to enter this Kingdom, to attain the salvation of which the Bible speaks?
Entering into the Israel of God!
What will salvation; new age life in the Kingdom of God really mean to those who receive it? We have seen that salvation is the transformation from a fleshly, mortal human being into an immortal son of God. Notice how the book of Hebrews expresses it: "In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy [separate from evil, repentant and converted human beings] are of the same family" (Hebrews:2:10, 11, NIV).
Have you ever grasped this before? Those who enter the Kingdom of God are all "of the same family"! All will be God's children, brought "to glory"; a glorified state (1 Corinthians:15:42-44) by Him. This is what salvation is all about. "So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, 'I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises' . . . 'And again he says, 'Here am I, and the children God has given me'" (Hebrews:2:11-13, NIV).
That Jesus is not ashamed to regard them as His own brothers (and sisters) shows just how personal this family relationship is. Those who enter the Kingdom of God will share even God's divine nature (2 Peter:1:4) for all eternity.
God will make those who enter His Kingdom fully like Jesus the Messiah - Christ! The apostle John is explicit: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! . . . Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John:3:1-3).
Yes, human beings who enter the Kingdom of God will be given the glorious honor of being like the resurrected, glorified Jesus the Messiah -Christ. "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with the Messiah - Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together" (Romans:8:16, 17, King James Version).
This is the awesome potential of all who receive new age life as members of the Israel of God!
The reward of the saints
The promised reward of the saints, or salvation as it is often called, occurs at the resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians:15:50-52). This takes place when Jesus the Messiah - Christ returns at the last trumpet and the kingdoms of the world become "the kingdoms of God and of His Anointed one Jesus the Messiah - Christ" (Revelation:11:15). Those who are resurrected from mortal life to immortality will enter his Kingdom and assist the Messiah Jesus in a 1,000-year reign on earth (Revelation:20:4-6).
The gospel of the Kingdom of God reveals that Jesus the Messiah - Christ will set up his Kingdom on earth with his resurrected saints. The gospel reveals that the saints; the faithful followers of Jesus Christ resurrected to eternal life at His return; will be actively involved in ruling with the Messiah Jesus in the Kingdom of God when it is established (Revelation:5:10). Prophecies in the book of Isaiah reveal that the Messiah - Christ will begin working with the human beings left alive after His return to teach them His ways. The resurrected saints will assist the Messiah - Christ in bringing about complete spiritual and physical healing of the nations (Isaiah:30:20, 21; 35:1, 5, 6).
Jesus the Messiah's faithful followers, now given eternal life, will assist him as kings and priests in the Kingdom of God (Revelation:1:6). They will become spirit beings and live forever (1 Thessalonians:4:14-17; 1 Corinthians:15:42-44; 50-54).
This is God's incredible promise to them: "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son" (Revelation:21:7). What does this inheritance include? Hebrews:2:6-8 indicates that our ultimate destiny is to participate in ruler-ship over the earth as glorified, immortal sons of God!
A call to action
When we hear and understand the gospel of the Kingdom of God, Jesus expects us to repent and believe the good news about this Kingdom (Mark:1:14, 15). His Kingdom is something we must seek to enter (Mark:10:23, 25)(Mat:6:33).
Accepting Jesus' command to repent and believe this message, this good news, is the first step. We can turn to God for forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus the Messiah - Christ and begin to live by the laws of the Kingdom of God as taught by Jesus who was THAT PROPHET prophesied by Moses as the one who would come like unto him. Those who refuse to live God's way of life as revealed through his son Jesus the Messiah will be refused entrance into the Kingdom of God and new age life (1 Corinthians:6:9, 10; Galatians:5:19-21; Ephesians:5:5).
Jesus warned of obstacles that can prevent our entrance into the Kingdom (Matthew:5:20; 19:23-25; Mark:9:47; Luke:18:17; John:3:5). To enter the Kingdom, we must gain a proper outlook a humble, teachable, childlike attitude; accompanied by real repentance - change of heart, be baptised according to Jesus' command and as a result receive God's Holy Spirit (Matthew:18:3; John:3:3, 5; Acts:2:38).
Seeking God's Kingdom must become our highest priority, no matter what the difficulties. Paul said, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts:14:22). Jesus encourages us to overcome these difficulties by keeping the Kingdom of God as our primary goal (Matthew:6:33). He urges us to pray for God's Kingdom to come (Matthew:6:10).
When our lives are devoted to seeking God's Kingdom, our outlook will be like that of the patriarchs as recorded in Hebrews 11. Notice these inspiring words about their orientation: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth ... Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them" (verses 13, 16). The patriarchs considered themselves "strangers and pilgrims" because they looked forward to the Kingdom of God. Their lives were centered on that Kingdom, not on their physical, material life.
Road map for the Kingdom
God reveals His wonderful truth to those He is calling now (John:6:44). Jesus the Messiah - Christ said His message would be preached at the end time before His second coming. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew:24:14).
The message Jesus brought is called, appropriately, the good news; the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and it really is good news, the most wonderful news imaginable to mankind. Jesus the Messiah - Christ is asking you to believe that good news and act upon the message with faith obedience and "seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew:6:33). If you do, says Jesus the Messiah - Christ in Luke:12:32, it will be God's pleasure to give you the Kingdom!
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