Kingdom of God
While the Lord Jesus came to pay the price for our sins, He told us in Luke, chapter four, why He lived. "And He said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent." [Luke 4:43]. The message of Jesus Christ is simply this, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [Matthew 4:17[. Through the Scriptures we can see that Jesus...
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preached the Kingdom of God [Luke 4:43, Luke 8:1]
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called others to preach the Kingdom of God also [Luke 9:1-2, 6; 10:1, 8-9]
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taught them to pray for the Kingdom [Luke 11:1-2]
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taught them to seek for the Kingdom [Luke 12:34-35]
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taught the Kingdom for 40 days and nights after His resurrection [Acts 1:1-3]
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taught the priesthood to continue preaching the Kingdom [Acts 8:14; 14:21-23; 28:30-31]
To both see and enter into God's Kingdom, we must be born again of the water and the Spirit, as Jesus taught Nicodemus [John 3:1-8] through one having authority as exemplified in Acts 8:12-17. Eternal life is more than just being pricked in our heart, as Peter responded to the crowd after Pentecost when they asked what shall we do now that we know. "Then Peter said unto them, 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." [Acts 2:37-38]. It is through the Holy Ghost that we know we have entered into the Kingdom of God, for it should move within our life to the changing of our heart.
To abide in God's Kingdom, we must abide by its laws and conditions. The law of this Kingdom is love. Please read Mark 12:28-34 below.
Scriptures to Consider
John 3:1-8 (KJV)
3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Mark 12:28-34 (KJV)
28 And one of the scribes came…and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
