Conditions Of Entrance And Continuance

by Armstrong, R. | Category: The Kingdom Of God | Aug 1957

In the days of the Lord's ministry on earth He made reference to

the mysteries of the kingdom of God (Luke 8.9, 10, also Mark 4. 10, 11, 12). In John 1.11 we have a statement concerning the advent of Christ, "He came unto His own, and they that were His own received Him not," which sums up the attitude of His own people, Israel, towards Him, and because of their rejection of Him as their rightful King and Saviour they abrogated their national claim to the kingdom of God.

This is the reason why the Lord spoke of the kingdom of God in

parables to the people, and then explained the meaning privately to His disciples. Israel as a nation was at that time in the process of being set aside by God, and truth relative to the kingdom of God was being revealed little by little to those who believed on Him, as it was to develop later in the New Testament.

We may speak of the kingdom of God in the New Testament as having to do with persons who were born anew, and therefore it is spiritual in character in contrast to the former earthly kingdom with its material services. The kingdom of God in relation to Israel and the law could not run concurrently with the kingdom of God in the New Testament dating from Pentecost.

The Lord's words in Matthew 21.48 make it clear that a transfer of the kingdom was imminent, for He said, "The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." A new nation was about to be born through the new message of sovereign grace which centred around the Saviourhood and sovereignty of the crucified, risen and exalted Lord and Christ (Acts 2.36).

When the Lord Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, as recorded in John

3.3, 5, He made it clear that entrance into the kingdom of God is conditional upon the new birth. "Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3.5); we also read, "As many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1.12, 13).

Never before had the new birth been necessary for entrance into the kingdom of God, and this seemingly impossible and unnatural process completely baffled the brilliant mind of the Pharisee who came to the Lord by night. If twice-born men were the only entrants into the kingdom of God, he may have thought where was he in this matter, one who perhaps thought himself to be already in the kingdom? What of his achievements in the law of Moses which had made him a peer of his pharisaical contemporaries ? What of his position in the Jewish Sanhedrin, the highest legislative body in Jerusalem? Did all this count for nought?

It was that night he learned that the now empty and lifeless formalities of Jewish ritual which he may have thought were his credentials to the kingdom of God, were worthless and must be replaced by a spiritual re-birth by the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Men must have a new beginning with God, and know the quickening power of a divine life from above.

Natural birth brings one into an earthly kingdom, and also, in the process of time, to a recognition of the moral responsibilities as well as the privileges which are constitutional in the realm. So by means of the new birth the scales of spiritual blindness are removed, and through the word of God and the Holy Spirit the believer in the Lord Jesus sees the kingdom of God, and by obedience to the claims of God upon him, submits to them and becomes a subject of the new sovereignty (see 1 Peter 1.21, 22, 23).

Faith in the Lord Jesus and obedience to the revealed will of God clearly emerge from the Scriptures as requisites to being in the kingdom of God in its present dispensational aspect.

We come now to those wonderful post-resurrection days when the Lord Jesus was with His disciples, "by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 1.3). The components of a kingdom are: (1) a ruler, (2) a people ruled, (3) a sphere of rule, (4) conduct within the kingdom, all of which we find to be true of the kingdom of God.

In the present dispensation which dates from Pentecost in Acts 2, the kingdom, as to its origin, is "of God," and belongs to God. As to its Ruler, we learn that "God hath made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified" (Acts 2.36). And again in Psalm 2 we read, "Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion," which we believe has an heavenly and an earthly application (1 Peter 2.6).

This presents Christ in His resurrection and glorious ascension to the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. The Lord Jesus is the crowned One, possessing all authority and sovereignty, and His subjects are those who have not only accepted Him by faith as Saviour in virtue of His vicarious sacrifice at Calvary, but have also bowed in acknowledgment of Him as their Sovereign Lord in virtue of His resurrection and exaltation. Many believers rejoice in Him as Saviour, but never come to a full appreciation of His Lordship with its claims. The teaching is, " Sanctify (set apart) in your heart Christ as Lord (1 Peter 4.15).

As to the sphere of rule associated with the redeemed and "holy nation "it is found in the spiritual house of God in the New Testament. Peter in setting forth the high purpose of the Lord's people in the present dispensation, speaks of them as "living stones " built up a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, ... an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession (1 Peter 2.5, 9).

The divine constitution of the holy nation under the Lordship of Christ places worship as the first and most important function, as seen in the collective approach to God of a holy priesthood in association with the Remembrance on the first day of the week, "to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

In addition to the Godward function of the Holy priesthood there is the manward function of the Royal priesthood, which is the proclamation to the world of the "excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light "(1 Peter 2.9). This is the present purpose of God for His people, and was operative in the churches of God in early New Testament days.

Since the Lord spoke during the forty days after His resurrection "the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 1.3), and Peter at Pentecost powerfully presented Him as Saviour, Lord and Christ, we make no mistake in teaching that those 3,000 souls who were saved, baptized, added, and continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching, the Fellowship, the breaking of the bread, and the prayers, constituted the inception of the kingdom of God in the present dispensation.

The seven steps which we have seen in Acts 2 make it clear that entrance and continuance in the kingdom of God necessitates repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, and owning His Lordship by submitting to His claims as set forth in Acts 2 and elsewhere in the New Testament. This brings the believer into the House of God which is composed of the churches of God, where the rule of God is given effect to, and should be supreme.

The spiritual and moral standards of God are high, and cannot be accommodated to human ideals. There are spiritual requirements in every Christian who will continue in the kingdom of God. Wrong teaching and pernicious doctrines permeate Christendom today, and separation from all sects and systems and every form of evil is essential. Paul warned the elders of the church of God in Ephesus about the inr6ads of false brethren who would speak "perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them "(Acts 20.30).

The products of men bereft of the truth, who distort the Scriptures and thereby ensnare many, are too numerous to mention, but we list a few of them. (1) Priestly absolution, (2) clerisy and one-man ministry, (3) infant sprinkling and baptismal regeneration, (4) rejection of disciples' baptism by immersion, (5) disregard of the Remembrance of the Lord Jesus, (6) commissioning women to preach. Believers who hold or practice such teachings cannot be in the kingdom of God, as such things are nowhere countenanced in Scripture.

There are also high moral standards in the kingdom of God, which are necessary to continuance therein. Paul in writing to the church of God in Corinth states that the "unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6.9, 10).

It is clear that a believer who may be guilty of any of the long dark list of sins mentioned in these verses cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and when such becomes known, it is the responsibility of the church of God, guided by elders, to put that person away from the assembly. Such action is a divine requirement for the maintaining of holiness and purity within the House of God. If God's rule is not carried out in discipline, then God may come in Himself in judgement. It is worthy attention that the sin of covetousness is placed alongside gross immoral conduct, and when we think of the awful sin of Judas, whose avaricious eyes could not see beyond thirty pieces of silver, we do well to guard against the love of money, by which some have pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6.10).

There is an ever increasing tendency to reach after material gain in this age of godless materialism, hence the need for God's people to heed the exhortation of Hebrews 13.5, Be ... content with such things as ye have," also Matthew 6.33, "Seek ye first His kingdom. and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

In Romans 14.17 we have the spiritual character of the kingdom of God brought before us, for we are told that it is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Here again the emphasis is on righteousness, and we are caused to think of the much unrighteousness which characterizes the kingdoms of this world, and the great ignorance of the righteousness of God. How necessary, that we who are God's together people, while living in such a scene, should firstly demonstrate the righteousness required of those in the kingdom of God, and then proclaim God's righteousness in the Person of the Lord Jesus, that other souls may be brought into the kingdom of God!

In conclusion we desire to emphasize the necessity of a correct attitude and heart-response to the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that in everything we may submit ourselves unreservedly to His authority. We shall thereby experience the joy of His will working through us, that blessing may flow out to others. God's desire is that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3.17). He longs to have His rightful place in our lives. Our subjection to Him is God's great pleasure.

Israel's attitude towards Christ was, and is, the fundamental cause of their failure and all the misery and sorrow they will yet suffer. Virtually the attitude of the world is still the same as of old, "We will not that this Man reign over us" (Luke 19.14). Yet the divine edict has gone forth that "He must reign" (1 Corinthians 15.25), and until God reveals Him in His own time as the "King of kings and Lord of lords," may it be ours within His kingdom, "which cannot be shaken," to bow in humble, loving acknowledgement of His Lordship.

Take, Lord, Thy rightful place within,

And there supremely reign

That never more oppressing sin

Dominion may obtain.

Rule now 'midst subject hearts, 0 Lord,

That so this sterile earth

May one green spot for Thee afford

In all its scene of dearth.

Soon shall Thy feet in triumph stand

Again on Olive's brow,

When men and kings of every land

At Thy great Name shall how.