Concise Answers to Some Key Questions

What is a Proper View of the Kingdom of God which Jesus and the Apostles Preached?

Many believe the kingdom is totally in the future.  Some believe though that there is not a future aspect to that kingdom at all (they’re called Full Preterists).  Both groups are dead wrong.  There is a present and a future aspect to the kingdom.  

Wherever Jesus Christ reigns, there is the kingdom of God.  However, His kingdom has not yet come in its fullness in terms of His reign over the nations.  In the New Covenant, He imparts His very own life to those under His reign.  Think of the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.  Faithful people under the Old Covenant did have the Holy Spirit upon them, but not dwelling in the depths of their heart so that they could partake of the divine nature like the Christian in the New Covenant can.  This partaking of the divine nature through Jesus Christ can only happen in subjection to Him in turning one’s feet into His narrow way; the path of Biblical holiness.  When one obeys the Gospel of Christ and does this, it is done in hope of reigning with Christ during His coming thousand year reign over the nations and thereafter in eternity (otherwise, why bother doing so- if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable- the Apostle Paul testified that in 1 Corinthians 15:19).  Those who do not turn to be faithful subjects of Christ’s righteous reign, and continue therein, here in the trial period of this life, will have no part with Him in His coming kingdom and will rather be condemned to hell’s eternal fire as enemies of His righteous reign.

The present of the kingdom is demonstrated in Romans 14:17-18.

We see the present and future of the kingdom in the very same passage several times, including in the following passages.

Acts 3:19-24: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.  For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.  And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.  Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.”

Revelation 11:15-18: “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 (there is the kingdom of God in its fullness).  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God,  Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy (that is, morally corrupt) the earth.”

Dispensationalists teach a distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven.  It is a slick method of justifying their lawless gospel, their easy-believe-ism, and their unconditional eternal security doctrines (all false doctrines).  Jesus however spoke of the kingdom of God and the kingdom of God interchangeably, and even clearly equated them in Matthew 19:23-24.

Matthew 19:23-24: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Next question: Can Someone Have a Saving Interest in Jesus Christ Who is Not Submitted to Him as their King (or Lord– remember the previous question, and the related concepts of the current and future aspect of the kingdom of God, as we go through these verses)?

Hebrews 5:8-9: “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him”

Romans 6:16-22: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity (lawless deed unto lawless deed); even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.  For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?  for the end of those things is death.  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life (and the next verse is the often quoted out of context Romans 6:23- consider the context and how it proves that to receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ we must obey Him in dying to sin that we might live to God with Him in obedience to His Word).”

John 8:31-36: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free.  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

2 Timothy 2:19: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity (unrighteousness).”

Acceptable faith in Christ is demonstrated by our works (works that demonstrate we receive His reign and have thus embraced the entire package of Biblical Christianity).  We must walk in the light of His Word to receive cleansing by His blood (1 John 1:7).

This also leads well into the next question about true Biblical repentance.

What is True Biblical Repentance?

It is an utter change of the mind about sin resulting in a change of actions.  A change from commitment to the principle and practice of pleasing self to the commitment to the principle and practice of pleasing God in accordance with what He commands for Christians in the Bible.  

To prove that we must repent and do works fitting for repentance in order to properly turn to Jesus Christ, you just have to look at the witness of John the Baptist (see Matthew chapter 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3) as John sought to prepare the Jews to receive their Messiah.

Ezekiel 18:30-32 also proves that repentance is indeed a turning from sin to God rather than merely being sorry or some other wrong or inadequate definition of repentance which people might have heard, 

Ezekiel 18:30-32: “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God.  Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.  Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?  For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”

Consider also how Jesus in the Gospels referenced the Ninevites in the Book of Jonah as an example of exercising the repentance which is required to properly believe in Him and to be adequately ready to meet God on Judgment Day.

Acts 2:36-40 shows how repentance must be unto faith in Jesus Christ, how this results in the new birth through God’s Holy Spirit, and this passage even gives an exhortation to repent and be born again in order to be saved from the ways of this evil world; or in other words, an exhortation to flee from the wrath to come!

Acts 2:36-40: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward (or wayward or perverse) generation.”

Also along these lines, there is Luke 24:46-47: “Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Another key Scripture to confirm these things is Isaiah 55:6-7: “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

Next question: What is the Proper Relationship Between a Christian and the Old Testament?

Matthew 4:3-4: “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

2 Peter 1:16-21: “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

2 Timothy 3:15-17: “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

And the final question which will be examined here: “What Will God Do With Jews Who Do Not Bow to Jesus Christ and Are Not Subject to His Word?”

This is as simple as it comes, but many pastors and professing Christians get it wrong- or at least hesitate if they give the right answer.  The Bible gives the answer without hesitation.

John 3:34-36: “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.  The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not (or, obeys not) the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Jesus told His Jewish opponents in John 5:37-40: “And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.  And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.  And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”

Acts 4:12 (this is spoken directly to Jews): “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

He will do to the Jew who does not faithfully worship and obey Him the same thing which He will do with everyone else who does not do so.

Romans 2:8-9: “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile”

Luke 19:27: “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.”

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9: “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”

John 17:3: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

1 John 2:3-4: “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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