The Kingdom of God

The Bible teaches many things regarding the kingdom of God. When John was preparing for the coming of Christ he taught, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” Matthew 3:2. Jesus ministering likewise taught, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel” Mark 1:15. Jesus also taught, “Verily I say unto you, There are some here of them that stand by, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power” Mark 9:1. John and Jesus both taught that the Kingdom was “at hand”, or drawing near. Jesus taught that some people would live to see it come with power. Therefore, the Kingdom has already been established.

Many people believe that the Kingdom is a futuristic Kingdom that has not yet been established. However, the Bible teaches that the Kingdom is here, now, on earth. To this fact John and Jesus testified. The Kingdom of God is forever linked to belief in the Gospel, Mark 1.15. Jesus taught his disciples to teach that the “kingdom of heaven is at hand”, (Mark 10.7), stating, “The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you” Luke 10:9.

Philip the evangelist also taught about the kingdom, “But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” Acts 8:12. Philip preached about the kingdom and Christ and the people, believing, were baptized. Why were these people baptized upon hearing a message about the Kingdom and Jesus? The Bible teaches that God adds one to the church through baptism, Acts 2.41, 2.47. Paul likewise taught about the kingdom and Christ, “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him” Acts 28:31. The kingdom of God, belief in the Gospel, teaching about Jesus, and baptism into the church are forever related because of the teaching of God in the Bible. The kingdom is the church, which Christ built, Matt. 16.18-19.

Paul stated about salvation, “Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love” Colossians 1:12-13. “Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe” Hebrews 12:28. “Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father” Revelation 1:5-6. All of these things are present tense, not future tense.

The church is God’s kingdom on earth. At the end, Christ will deliver the kingdom back to God, 1 Cor. 15.24. Baptism puts one into the kingdom. Have you been baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2.38, and been added to the kingdom, Col. 1.13?

Sanctification

“Behold, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” Hebrews 10:9-10. The Hebrew author teaches that the reason Christ came to earth was to accomplish the will of the Father. Jesus stated, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work” John 4:34. Notice the power of this will: God’s will, and Jesus’ mission, was to sanctify us though the offering he gave upon the cross.

The word ‘sanctified’ means “to make holy, to set apart”, or “to consecrate”, according to Strong’s Greek Dictionary. The words ‘sanctified’ and ‘sanctification’ are verb forms of the word ‘saint’. These words are used many times throughout our Bibles. For example, the word “saint” is used 88 times in the American Standard Bible, “sanctification” 52 times, and “sanctify” 60 times. Because of this fact it is easy to see God holds the idea of sanctification as extremely important. After all, it was Christ’s mission on earth to sanctify all those who are willing to come to him and receive the blessing of his sacrifice.

Perhaps you have heard someone state at one time, “I am no saint”. According to the Bible, if you are a Christian, you are a saint! Paul stated, regarding those who had become Christians, “And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God” 1 Corinthians 6:11. After being obedient to the saving Gospel people are sanctified, or made saints. “Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” Jude 1:3.

When Paul wrote his letters to the churches, many times he addressed them as the saints that are in Christ. For example, Paul wrote to the church at Rome: “To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 1:7. Likewise, “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours” 1 Corinthians 1:2. We are “called to be saints” by calling upon the name of God, Romans 10.13, Acts 22.16. Sanctification is an action God does to us by our obedient faith.

Sainthood is not a man or church granted privilege reserved for a select few people to attain long after they have died. Sainthood belongs to all those who come to Christ for forgiveness. Once we are washed God sanctifies. Have your sins been washed away, Acts 22.16?

The Prophet Joel

The prophets of the Old Testament foretold many things regarding the coming of Christ, his church, and God’s plan of salvation. Peter states, “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you” 1 Peter 1:9-10. The prophets foretold of the grace that would be revealed by God; salvation.

The prophet Joel prophesied concerning how God was going to bring about his salvation and grace. Joel stated, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered.” Joel 2:32. When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost he pleaded with people to turn to God and accept his salvation. Peter preached, “But this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel” Acts 2:16. According to Peter, the evens of Pentecost were the events prophesied to occur long before by Joel. Peter repeats Joel’s prophesy, “And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” Acts 2:21. Peter continued his sermon convicting the people of Jerusalem that they were in need of God’s salvation. Peter preached, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified” Acts 2:36.

After hearing Peter preach, the people hearing his sermon fully believed in Jesus as the Son of God. “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37. Peter’s answer may surprise many people, for Peter did not tell them to “pray the sinners prayer”, nor did he tell them to confess aloud their faith in Jesus. “And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” Acts 2:38. Peter told them to repent and be baptized. This was the way in which the people would call upon the name of the Lord. Paul was told the same thing: “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name” Acts 22:16. We call upon his name by being buried in baptism. After all, this is how we are raised to walk in newness of life, Romans 6.3-4.

Why would Paul and Peter teach such an idea? As Apostles of Jesus, they were teaching as Jesus taught. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned” Mark 16:16. Jesus also said, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:19. Jesus and his Apostles all taught that in order not to be condemned, a person must believe and be baptized.