THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE GOSPEL

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE GOSPELTHE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE GOSPEL

Lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, fear not behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; Luke 2:8-10. This was God announcing the SEED promised to Abraham; that was to be the hope of both the Jews and the gentiles.

Mark 1:14-15, Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel. This is a quote directly from the mouth of Our Lord Jesus; he was here talking about the kingdom of God and the gospel. God has a kingdom and Jesus knew it, it is called the kingdom of God. It is both a spiritual and physical kingdom. This kingdom has a KING and has SUBJECTS. This king has cities that make up the kingdom. There is a WAY to the kingdom, there is a DOOR to the KINGDOM and only PECULIAR people can come into it. These peculiar people are from different earthly nationalities; but they must all come through the same way and definitely through the same door.

God first preached to Abraham about the gospel, because God had a plan. Galatians 3:8 states, “and the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed.” So you can see how God was unfolding some of his plans about the kingdom and the peculiar people. Everything about this kingdom is peculiar and God is going about it in a peculiar way. This kingdom has a lot to do with Abraham, because God promised him a SEED; that is the key to the Kingdom. St. Matthews 1:1-17 tells all about the involvement of Abraham, and the issue of the generations of Jesus Christ. The promise of the key to the kingdom and the Gospel was to Abraham.
After Jesus was baptized of John the Baptist, and also after been tempted of the devil; He came out preaching the message of the kingdom. He preached that the kingdom of God was at hand and the need to repent of sin and the importance of believing the gospel. In St Matthews 5:1-48, Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. He announced the kingdom of heaven and outlined various blessings awaiting all who believe the gospel. He outlined several conditions that were different from the way the Jews had it under Moses. Jesus Christ was the SEED promised Abraham that would fulfill the promise that “IN THEE SHALL ALL NATIONS BE BLESSED.” Here Jesus was announcing some of the blessings. In St. Matthews 5:17 Jesus said, think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. This chapter of the Bible both talks and explains the kingdom of heaven which is also the kingdom of God. It tells you of how to be the least and the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

In this chapter of St. Matthews 5, Jesus talks about HELL (29-30) a place for those who reject and do not believe and live not by the gospel. You have heard that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy; but I say unto you love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; verses 43-44. Jesus Christ was talking as one with authority. In this chapter and in all scripture Jesus Christ always said ‘I’, I say unto you; this is one with authority, THE I AM THAT I AM, He knew what he was saying and even said “HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY BUT ‘MY ‘ WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY,” St. Matthews 24:35. He spoke about the kingdom because he knew about it all.

St. John’s 8:56-58, reveals something very interesting. Jesus, Abraham’s SEED, said to the Jews and for our good “your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY days: and he saw it and was glad.” The Jews said unto him you are not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Then Jesus said unto them; “VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS, I AM.”

St. Matthew 8:10-12, faith is required to enter the kingdom of heaven, and Jesus said that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. The good seed are the children of the kingdom but the tares are the children of the wicked one, St. Matthew 13:38. Only Jesus can make a seed good. None is righteous save Jesus Christ. Jesus makes the seed good for the kingdom. Accepting Jesus Christ brings you in to the kingdom.

Ephesians 4:11

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Angels are involved in the kingdom of heaven. T he kingdom is both physical as we are on earth today in a transition, a period of testing for all men, where men are giving the opportunity to accept or reject Jesus Christ as their savior. Colossians 1:13, “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son.” When you are unsaved, you are living under the kingdom of darkness; you also obey the laws of the god of this world. The kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God are two different things. You cannot belong to both kingdoms at the same time. The supposed kingdom of the devil is an earthly deception; the devil has no kingdom only what God temporarily allows him, until the fullness of time. God has a real kingdom, God is the King, he has subjects (believers), he has both a physical and spiritual kingdom.

Now remember two important scriptures, firstly, St. John18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” Also in St. Luke23:42, one of the thieves crucified with Jesus said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. By the mercy and revelation of God, he could call Jesus, LORD, and knew he had a kingdom. The Jesus replied verse 43, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Paradise is also a part of God’s kingdom. Read 2nd Corinthians 12:4 and Revelations 2:7.

You are born into this kingdom, St John 3:3 “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. So you can see that you must be born again to belong to the Kingdom of God. Remember that the devil has no kingdom and will end up in Revelation 20:10, which states that, “the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. This does not sound like a king and the lake of fire does not look a glorious place to be called a kingdom. So we now know that we have only the Kingdom of God and God is the King.

St. John 3:5 states, “Jesus answered, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

In all these examples, is it not possible to have one graduating student from the school of the pastors; who is an evangelist or a teacher or a prophet or an apostle? Something is wrong with all these well meaning programs of man. God gives these offices severally as he pleases for the work of the church. Each Christian should seek the leading of the Lord to fulfill his good pleasure. Do not find yourself ordained a pastor when in fact you are an evangelist in God’s calling. Beware of the tradition of men. These days religion has become a business enterprise. Men are involved in all schemes to build financial empires, including starting Bible schools and churches. Pastors have become the center of financial control in the church, and may be why you have more pastors than any other office in the body of Christ.

Now we know that the only kingdom that is both physical and eternal is the kingdom of God and the citizens are born into it; you cannot join this kingdom, you have to be BORN into it, Amen. To belong to this kingdom is open to whosoever desires. Acts 2:38 states, “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.”

  • This is the amnesty of God to mankind since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.
  • This is to whosoever will come to him in full assurance of faith. St. John 1:12-13, “but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his NAME (JESUS CHRIST): which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Acts 16:31 states, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
  • This is the GOSPEL; that God took the form of man, came into the world, conceived of the HOLY GHOST, BORN of a VIRGIN, announced by the angels; the heavenly star stood over his birth place, angels sang, shepherd men visited him in the manger.
  • This is the GOSPEL, he preached about the kingdom of heaven, feed men, healed the sick, set the captives free of demons, blessed men, warned men, rebuked men, suffered at the hands of men, was crucified, dead and buried, rose up the third day, was seen of men several days, gave promises and blessings and returned to heaven in the sight of men.
  • This is the GOSPEL that whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ will be saved and will be BORN into the KINGDOM OF GOD, OR CHRIST OR HEAVEN. I am sure you love to belong to this kingdom; but believest thou the prophets and art thou saved?

Acts 1:8

The Gospel requires faith in the spoken word of God; in Hebrews 4:2 it states, “for unto us was the GOSPEL preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with FAITH in them that heard it.” Many people have heard the preaching of the Gospel but did not believe, or thought there was still time do hear it again, or heard it but forgot to act on it, yet some heard it fell on their knees and accepted the Gospel, (the story of the SOWER). Jesus Christ is the GOSPEL.

The Kingdom of God has a WAY into it, it also has a DOOR to enter into it, and it is the TRUTH. Every attempt is to get to God, but He already laid down the design and all we have to do is to follow it faithfully in faith, like a CHILD. In St. John 14:6 Jesus made it clear by telling all mankind,

“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.” And in St. John 10:9, “I AM THE DOOR: BY ME IF ANY MAN ENTER IN, HE SHALL BE SAVED, AND SHALL GO IN AND OUT, AND FIND PASTURE.”

Jesus Christ is the only way, the only door, the only life and the only truth to this KINGDOM of HEAVEN where God is ALL AND IN ALL. Believing and following the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to enter this Kingdom through a Spiritual BIRTH. This is the power of God that fulfills COLOSSIANS 1:13 which states that, “God hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the KINGDOM of his dear SON.”

Every Christian should know that the responsibility is their own to find out what place God has for them in the body of Christ. You cannot leave such an important spiritual matter to tradition of men. You may be ordained a pastor but you may really be an evangelist or a prophet. Find out what God has for you, pray, search, fast and hear from God yourself, and not lean to the tradition of men. God will not leave you without an evidence or confirmation, if you seriously want to know from the Lord.

In St. Luke 17:20-21, Jesus answered the Pharisees saying, “the kingdom of God cometh not with observations: neither shall they say, lo here! Or lo there! For, behold the kingdom of God is within YOU.” Spiritually, when you accept Jesus Christ, believe him, he will abide in you (St. John 15:4-7).When Jesus Christ abides in you, then the kingdom of God is within you. Jesus Christ is the kingdom, without him there is no kingdom, because he is the TRUTH. Now the question is; ARE YOU PART OF THIS KINGDOM ARE YOU IN DOUBT, DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW THAT CHRIST JESUS IS IN YOU; EXCEPT YE BE REPROBATES, 2ND CORINTHIANS 13:5.”

There are many things to talk about the kingdom of God, people try to bring the kingdom of God down to earth, postulating principles of the kingdom here; I understand that, we can try to use the principles of heaven here on earth BUT it is still not the kingdom our brethren in Hebrews 11, were looking for. Some people’s homes are beautiful, to some they think it is heavenly, BUT it is not heaven by any stretch of our imagination. Things in heaven do not get old, imagine the angels in heaven none is wrinkled or old. Imagine the twenty four elders before the throne of God in heaven and the four beasts how they worship God casting down their crown, bursting in songs and praises to God. There are many things about this Kingdom, there is no night there. There is no sin or sickness or sorrow. We shall join those who have been worshipping the LORD to do the same. That is why we are saved. If accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior repenting of your sins, you become a new creation all things are passed away all things become new. God forgives your past and you begin a new walk with Him. According to 1st Peter 2:9-11 you become part of chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people—, strangers and pilgrims. Ephesians2:19, Now, therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, (to God) but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.

St. John 6:39-40, “—- AND THIS IS THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, THAT EVERY ONE WHICH SEETH THE SON, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM, MAY HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE: AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY.”

Time is running out, the Gospel to this age is ending, Jesus Christ is about to translate many TRUE believers, the anti-Christ is beginning to rise, the drums of Armageddon are beginning to sound, peoples armies are getting ready BUT the Bible says LOOK UP for your redemption is near. The choice is yours to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be born again; to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, where Christ Jesus sits as God Almighty; Revelations 1:8-18. If you do this you are welcome to the kingdom of God by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

By Douglas E. Amobi