Posted by
ValiantForTruth on Saturday, July 17, 2010 11:41:55 PM
Man’s attempt to build the kingdom through the power of the state is as old as Roman Catholicism in the days of Constantine. Does the kingdom come through the coercion of state authority? Or does it come through the influences of the Gospel on the hearts of men?
Re: http://townhall.com/columnists/MarvinOlasky/2010/07/17/lets_admit_who_we_are
The eternal things, the things that matter are the things that are written. On the last day it is the words of Christ that will judge all men [John 12:48]. What did He say of the kingdom?
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” [Jesus Christ, John 18:36].
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. [Matthew 6:31-33]
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” [Luke 17:20-21].
The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. [Romans 14:17]
The Christian’s hope is not in this world for the world is passing away [1 John 2:17]. And like the world, the autonomous wisdom of men is passing away.
For many walk… that are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself [Philippians 3:18-21].
Why do professing Christians have wrong views of the kingdom? Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” [John 3:3]. A man must have his eyes opened before he can see the kingdom and enter in.
Those who pervert Biblical Christianity have left off the pursuit of righteousness as the kingdom priority and have set their mind on earthly things. They have forsaken the spiritual for the carnal. They are enemies of the cross.