Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 14.05.2000
The Kingdom of God
It is good to live in the kingdom of God, because God is good. Where is this kingdom? How do you become a citizen of God's kingdom? In the Bible Jesus speaks mostly about the kingdom of God and only a little about the Church. Nowadays Christians speak much about the Church and little about the kingdom of God. The gospel of God's grace is spoken just as if it would not be the gospel about the kingdom of God. However there is only one gospel which is the gospel of both grace and the kingdom.
States in crisis
If you think about what ever state in this world you can wonder, if it is a republic or a plutocracy. During recent years almost all institutions have copied the way how companies are ruled. First kings were displaced by the democracy then democracy was displaced by plutocracy.
Now nations are longing for a new state, which has a strong ruler. Kings return to put market forces in order. In this way false messiahs have their opportunities to get power over nations. However, nations don't get happiness before the kingdom of God rises to power.
If you think about what ever state in this world you can wonder, if it is a republic or a plutocracy. During recent years almost all institutions have copied the way how companies are ruled. First kings were displaced by the democracy then democracy was displaced by plutocracy.
Now nations are longing for a new state, which has a strong ruler. Kings return to put market forces in order. In this way false messiahs have their opportunities to get power over nations. However, nations don't get happiness before the kingdom of God rises to power.
The Kingdom of God is near
Man is bitter against God because he was driven away from the Paradise. He has turned his back to God in anger and decided to do his own paradise. It is a hopeless attempt! Man has tried to build a paradise, but has brought about a hell.
Now in all the states the following message must be made known: "The time has come, He said, The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news." Mark 1:15
The door is open back to the Paradise. The kingdom of God is already now in our midst, but it is still invisible to human eyes: "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is', because the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:20-21
Man is bitter against God because he was driven away from the Paradise. He has turned his back to God in anger and decided to do his own paradise. It is a hopeless attempt! Man has tried to build a paradise, but has brought about a hell.
Now in all the states the following message must be made known: "The time has come, He said, The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news." Mark 1:15
The door is open back to the Paradise. The kingdom of God is already now in our midst, but it is still invisible to human eyes: "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is', because the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:20-21
The Kingdom of God's children
How are you able to see the kingdom of God? Jesus says: "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." John.3:3 Jesus says here that you must be a natural-born citizen of the kingdom of God so that you can see its reality. "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." John 3:5 Thus God's state is a national state. Its all inhabitants are relatives with each other. They are God's children.
How is it possible that God's state is your birthplace? "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 Who does give birth to these children? "But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother." Gal.4:26 "The LORD will write in the register of the peoples: 'This one was born in Zion.'" Ps.87:6
What Zion? It happens in the heavenly Jerusalem. Jesus says to His own: "However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20
This phrase "to born again from above" means that no human power has converted you to any human religion, but you have been touched from God's heaven and you got a new life. God became your Father and the heavenly Jerusalem became your mother.
The kingdom of God is now present and can be experienced. "Giving thanks to the Father,... For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves." Col.1:13 What is life like in the kingdom of God now? Apostle Paul replies to you: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Rom.14:17
How are you able to see the kingdom of God? Jesus says: "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." John.3:3 Jesus says here that you must be a natural-born citizen of the kingdom of God so that you can see its reality. "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." John 3:5 Thus God's state is a national state. Its all inhabitants are relatives with each other. They are God's children.
How is it possible that God's state is your birthplace? "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 Who does give birth to these children? "But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother." Gal.4:26 "The LORD will write in the register of the peoples: 'This one was born in Zion.'" Ps.87:6
What Zion? It happens in the heavenly Jerusalem. Jesus says to His own: "However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20
This phrase "to born again from above" means that no human power has converted you to any human religion, but you have been touched from God's heaven and you got a new life. God became your Father and the heavenly Jerusalem became your mother.
The kingdom of God is now present and can be experienced. "Giving thanks to the Father,... For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves." Col.1:13 What is life like in the kingdom of God now? Apostle Paul replies to you: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Rom.14:17
One gospel
There are not two different gospels, the gospel of God's grace and the gospel of God's kingdom. Paul says: "Only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again." Acts 20:24-25
Apostles didn't preach a different gospel than Jesus. The message of God's grace in the atonement sacrifice of Jesus gives a power to become a child of God. The kingdom of God is present where somebody comes to the faith of Jesus.
There are not two different gospels, the gospel of God's grace and the gospel of God's kingdom. Paul says: "Only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again." Acts 20:24-25
Apostles didn't preach a different gospel than Jesus. The message of God's grace in the atonement sacrifice of Jesus gives a power to become a child of God. The kingdom of God is present where somebody comes to the faith of Jesus.
Church and kingdom
When Christians have allied with earthly states they have lost the gospel of God's kingdom. In this way they consider the Church more important than the kingdom of God.
The vision of the kingdom of God joins together the believers of different Churches. When this vision is missing it prevents co-operation of believers.
The congregations of believers are bases of the kingdom of God in this world, but the real community of the kingdom is in heaven. God's people lives now scattered throughout all nations.. The Holy Spirit carries out the order of the kingdom of God among God's people.
When Christians have allied with earthly states they have lost the gospel of God's kingdom. In this way they consider the Church more important than the kingdom of God.
The vision of the kingdom of God joins together the believers of different Churches. When this vision is missing it prevents co-operation of believers.
The congregations of believers are bases of the kingdom of God in this world, but the real community of the kingdom is in heaven. God's people lives now scattered throughout all nations.. The Holy Spirit carries out the order of the kingdom of God among God's people.
God's Israel
"A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code." Rom.2:28-29
Israel is outwardly the nation of God, but the real Jews of them are only they who have received Jesus as their Messiah. The other nations are not outwardly nations of God, but the real Jews of them are they who have received Jesus as their Messiah. There is only one nation of God and one gospel, and there is not a different salvation for those who are outwardly Jews. "For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel." Rom.9:6
Only Jesus Christ can give the citizenship of Israel. "Remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth ...at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." Eph.2:12-13
"A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code." Rom.2:28-29
Israel is outwardly the nation of God, but the real Jews of them are only they who have received Jesus as their Messiah. The other nations are not outwardly nations of God, but the real Jews of them are they who have received Jesus as their Messiah. There is only one nation of God and one gospel, and there is not a different salvation for those who are outwardly Jews. "For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel." Rom.9:6
Only Jesus Christ can give the citizenship of Israel. "Remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth ...at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." Eph.2:12-13
Border crossing
If you are without Jesus, you are without forgiveness of your sins and without the citizenship of God's kingdom. No matter how difficult it is for you to receive Jesus as the king of your heart, stretch yourself with all your efforts towards Him! If you approach Him, He will approach you. The very moment, when you open up to Him and He enters to your heart, is the fateful border crossing. It is the passage through the narrow gate. After that you can feel that you have entered to the different state.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matth.24:14
If you are without Jesus, you are without forgiveness of your sins and without the citizenship of God's kingdom. No matter how difficult it is for you to receive Jesus as the king of your heart, stretch yourself with all your efforts towards Him! If you approach Him, He will approach you. The very moment, when you open up to Him and He enters to your heart, is the fateful border crossing. It is the passage through the narrow gate. After that you can feel that you have entered to the different state.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matth.24:14
The Bible version used in references is NIV