An in-depth study of the meaning of the term: KINGDOM OF GOD, which Jesus used more than any other in the Bible. When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom, He gave stern warnings of the dangers of not understanding it and thereby losing it. The tragic result of this loss has eternal consequences. A recent interview on a Christian Network devoted a complete program to the subject with various theologians giving their interpretations to the question posed by the title of this book. It was amazing to hear the various answers that each gave, such as: Personal anointing in one’s ministry; manifestation of God’s Presence in miracles and signs; fruitfulness and prosperity in living. While each of these answers is noteworthy, it seems the answers give more tribute to the believer than to the ONE in whom we believe.
It is critical that the Christian understand WHO Jesus meant when He spoke of this term. Many believe it is a “What”, as the title alludes. The reality of the question should be “WHO” is the KINGDOM OF GOD? God’s Kingdom has many blessings, but the Presence of God Himself is the true meaning of the term: KINGDOM OF GOD. The result of having HIM will bring about all that is GOOD into one’s life, while on the Earth and, in the future abode of Heaven. One cannot receive “things” God has in His Kingdom until they first have HIM.
Luke 12: 31 ‘seek ye first the KINGDOM OF GOD; and all these things shall be added unto you.’
The miraculous Presence of GOD in the Godhead: the Father; the Son; and the Holy Spirit is available to all who SEEK HIM. Receiving the KINGDOM OF GOD is: God’s Presence in the SOUL of the believer and having a personal and physical relationship with God, whether now on this Earth or in Heaven. Jesus gave the most important clue in John 4:23-24 as to WHO the KINGDOM OF GOD is: ‘true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.’ KJV
GOD IS THE KINGDOM!
CHAPTER 1
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Welcome to Eternal Life! Yes, you heard right. This is the beginning of YOUR Eternal Life. God has a PLAN FOR YOU and it begins right now. Read on! The BEST IS YET TO COME.
VIA A WEBSITE
The purpose of this website: To reveal GOD'S REDEMPTION PLAN to you, so that you might know in WHOM TO BELIEVE. You say you've heard it all before...NOT like you will see it on this website. Let's take a LOOK...
OLD ADAM AND YOU
Basics of Christianity
DON'T PANIC...IT'S NOT A LECTURE...but, "May we talk?"
You know "Yourself" and "Who you are" better than anyone else. You know there is a good side to you and there is a bad side: Good thoughts vs Bad thoughts; Good desires vs Bad desires; and so on. You also know there is a "hunger" for the good side, even when the bad side shows.
Have you ever wondered why you are having this struggle between good and evil that is going on in your mind and your very BEING? The reason, according to the Bible is in the third chapter of Genesis; it is because of the FALL of ADAM.
"THE FALL OF ADAM?" you might inquire.
Adam was the first man God created.
"How in the world can someone who lived six thousand years ago have anything to do with me now?" you could ask.
It has everything to do with you; because as you will see, what happened to Adam; is also happening to you.
THE GREATEST GIFT
In Genesis 1:26, God decided to make man in HIS IMAGE: (like Him), a HOLY Being. So, in Genesis 2:7, God created Adam a BODY first, and THEN, He breathed into him a living SOUL (spirit), so that he became eternal, as God is eternal. God intended that Adam would live forever in His Image, with a perfect SOUL and a perfect BODY. He did not make him to be GOD, nor even to be a little "god", but He gave him the next best thing. Make no mistake here; Adam had received the most precious gift God could ever give to him. It is what all of mankind has "yearned" and "groaned" for since the time of Adam. God had given HIMSELF to Adam; to live in him and to be with him.
THE PRESENCE OF GOD is: THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
ENTRE' OF SIN
In the beginning, Adam knew only GOOD, and did not "know" about evil; but God gave him a CHOICE of whether to obey or disobey what He told him to do. Remember Adam is made in the IMAGE OF GOD: with a WILL to choose. The right to make a CHOICE, of itself, is not evil, but God warned Adam that he would DIE if he chose to do the thing He told him not to do.
Later when Adam disobeyed God, THEN, according to Genesis 3:7, Adam's "eyes" were opened and he immediately understood or "knew" EVIL. Adam's disobedience introduced SIN (evil) into God's creation of MAN. SIN brought forth DEATH and CORRUPTION both to the SOUL and to the BODY of Adam.
WHAT IS A SOUL?
Description of a SOUL taken from Strong's Concordance:
The immaterial part of man
SOUL vs BODY
According to the reference mentioned above, a SOUL is the non-BODY part of man. There are many scriptures that mention the SOUL from Genesis to Revelation. Usually when the SOUL is mentioned in scripture, it refers to the ETERNAL aspect of man; while the BODY is concerned with the EARTHLY. That is not to imply that the BODY is ONLY Earthly, because as we will see later, it has a life beyond the Earth for the saved and the unsaved.
The BODY is not necessarily referring to the physical body that we see, but to much more: the HEART, MIND, and passions of man. If our discussion could be so bold, we could say the SOUL is the ETERNAL condition (or standing with GOD), as to either one’s SOUL (spirit) is HOLY or it is EVIL. A SOUL could be said to be either LOST or SAVED.
TWO TREES
"Where did SIN (evil) come from?" you might ask. "Was evil in the Garden?"
God planted two particular trees in the Garden where Adam lived. The New Living Translation says in Genesis 2:8-9, 'Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had created. And the Lord God planted all sorts of trees in the garden--beautiful trees that produced delicious fruit. At the center of the garden he placed the TREE of LIFE and the TREE of the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL.'
The KNOWLEDGE of EVIL has been in the world since Lucifer (also called the Devil, Satan, and King of Tyre). He was created a beautiful being with all manner of jewels and gold, pipes for music; and he was created a guardian cherub, which is a high ranking angel, that was next to God's Throne. He was anointed of God and was perfect as God had created him, 'til iniquity was found in thee', according to Ezekiel 28:15.
An astonishing description is given of the Devil in The New Living Translation, Ezekiel 28:11-19, 'Then this further message came to me from the Lord; "Son of man, weep for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign LORD: you were the perfection of wisdom and beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone --red carnelian, chrysolite, white moonstone, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald--all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire."
God further said to Ezekiel concerning Lucifer, "You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. Your great wealth filled you with violence, and you sinned. So I banished you from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire from within you, and it consumed you. I let it burn you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you are no more." The terrible end of Lucifer that God is describing here is mentioned in Revelation 20:10 where he is thrown into the lake of fire at a future time after the Rapture and the thousand year reign of Christ which will be "at the end of days".
Isaiah 14:12, 15, explains Lucifer (the Devil) tried to take over the Throne of God and was thrown out of Heaven. Job 1:7 says he now walks to and fro in the Earth. The New Living Translation says in I Peter 5:8 that he is in the Earth seeking to devour, 'Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your FAITH. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.'
The Devil still has access to God's Throne in Heaven to ACCUSE us and CONDEMN us, using the LAW, before God, until a time appointed by God when he will be destroyed, Revelation 12:10; 20:10.
I John 43:8, 'He that committeth SIN is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that HE might destroy the works of the Devil.' The works of the Devil is the power of SIN that brings about destruction to all partakers. He held the KEYS to DEATH, Hell and the grave until Jesus took them away from him when He rose from the dead. In Revelation 1:18, after His Resurrection, Jesus tells the Apostle John in a vision, 'I AM HE that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of DEATH.'
The second tree found in the middle of the Garden was the TREE of LIFE, which bore fruit of ETERNAL LIFE. The New Living Translation says in I John 5:11, 'And this is what God has testified; He has given us ETERNAL LIFE, and this life is in HIS SON.' So, whoever has God's Son has LIFE; whoever does not have His Son does not have life.
GREATEST GIFT LOST
As a consequence of Adam’s disobedience, called THE FALL OF ADAM, he lost the KINGDOM OF GOD; that most precious gift God gave him, namely, HIMSELF.
God could no longer live with Adam in the Garden He had prepared for him, because he was now evil. No longer would He visit him in the cool of the evening. Adam was now in a sinful state, so God drove him from His Garden, Genesis 3:22. Had God not closed the Garden to him, he could have lived forever in a degenerate condition, had he eaten the fruit of the TREE OF LIFE. A Holy God will not permit SIN or anything that defiles to live in His Garden, whether during Adam’s time or a future time when He has a New Garden, called NEW JERUSALEM mentioned in Revelation 21:27.
Genesis 3:23-24 relates how Adam now finds himself to be in a harsh environment where he has to grow his food with much labor. Worst of all, “Old Adam” was now out of fellowship with his MAKER.
O DEATH
MORE TROUBLE!
When Adam sinned, A DEATH SENTENCE was pronounced upon him by God, just as it was the Devil who sinned. Sin brings forth DEATH: It is the LAW of God. God loves JUSTICE. He never goes back on HIS WORD and He performs what HE SPEAKS. He executes JUSTICE in all that He does; and because He is a RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, He does not change His Mind to FORGIVE Adam without proper execution of JUSTICE. The result of SIN is: "Old Adam" must die a death in his body; and, his soul (spirit) must also die.
The SIN Adam committed caused his BODY to pass from life unto death and to become "mortal" and "corrupt". In this, not only his physical body would die a physical death, but his HEART and MIND, would also be CORRUPT and bring forth EVIL (death) in ALL of their works. For certain, the BODY of "Old Adam" was now CORRUPT and would die. This corruption of the BODY remains in all living; whether righteous or wicked, for as long as he lives. At DEATH, the REDEEMED are free from this BODY of DEATH, explained in Romans 8:23. This is an important concept to understand.
In Genesis 3:19, God told Adam that he (meaning his physical BODY) would return to the "dust" from which he ("It") came. God was not referring to the SOUL of Adam. The SOUL does not go to the "dust", it lives forever. Only the physical body would return to the dust, along with the LUSTS OF THE FLESH: The passions and desires of the physical body; which would also die with it. The spirit or SOUL of the man would return to God: Who gave it. This physical death of the BODY is the "First Death" man experiences. It is the death of the BODY and NOT the death of the SOUL, albeit, the SOUL is also CORRUPT and is darkened without the LIGHT of GOD. The SOUL will die a DEATH; but, that JUDGMENT cannot be completed until AFTER "Old Adam's" BODY dies the FIRST DEATH.
"So what about Adam's SOUL?" you may be asking. Wasn't he created a "living" SOUL that will live forever? How can something that is LIVING...DIE?" you ask.
Yes, the FALL did not take away the fact that Adam's SOUL is "eternal"; that is not the issue. Ezekiel 18:4, 20, states this: 'The SOUL that sinneth, it shall die'. The issue is the DEATH of the SOUL: WHERE, WHEN and HOW it dies.
The SOUL or spirit is dead WHERE the LAW IS. Romans 5:12 says, 'Wherefore, as by one man, SIN entered into the world and DEATH by sin; and so death PASSED UPON ALL MEN, for that ALL have sinned; For until the LAW, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no LAW.'
Romans 3:19 declares, 'Now we know that what things soever the LAW saith, it saith to them who are under the LAW; that every mouth may be stopped, and ALL the world may become guilty before God.' Man is DEAD in his SOUL as soon as he reaches the age of accountability to the LAW. He REMAINS dead in his SOUL until he accepts the SACRIFICE of JESUS CHRIST for the REDEMPTION of his SOUL and for the forgiveness of his trespasses. Only then can LIFE enter into him by the HOLY SPIRIT. Ephesians 2:1-7 explains this conversion from death unto life in Christ.
Hebrews 9:27, tells us WHEN the SOUL dies: It is when the BODY dies. 'It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this, the JUDGMENT.' The SOUL dies at JUDGMENT.
Revelations 20:11-15, relates HOW the SOUL dies: In torment, living forever, in a place of separation from a HOLY God. In this verse, the death of the SOUL is called the SECOND DEATH.
TWO DEATHS
Clearly there are TWO DEATHS pronounced on "Old Adam" because of the LAW. Each DEATH is separate and distinct. For JUSTICE sake, to SATISFY THE LAW, TWO REDEMPTIONS are necessary for mankind to be restored to what God intended for him in the first place; which is to give him ETERNAL LIFE and not death.
If you have not realized up to now, the "Old Adam" referred to in our discussion is not necessarily the Adam that lived in Genesis. For purposes of our discussion, "Old Adam" represents "mankind" or "all of us" in our dilemma. This discussion is a summary of what happens to the SOUL and BODY of every man born after the FALL of the man, ADAM, mentioned in Genesis.
WHAT IS THE LAW?
THE LAW is the KNOWLEDGE of EVIL (SIN), Romans 20:3.
The first MAN to discover the LAW was Adam in the Garden. The LAW is any CHOICE one makes that is AGAINST what God told him to do or not to do; Or, it is any CHOICE one makes where he FAILS to do good. James 5:17 says, 'Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is SIN.'
Examples of the LAW are these:
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - Exodus 20:3-17
WORKS of the FLESH - Galatians 5:19-21
Having RESPECT OF PERSONS - James 2:9
WHATSOEVER is NOT of FAITH - Romans 14:23
James 2:10 tells us, 'For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in ONE point, he is GUILTY of ALL'. Romans 20:3 says, 'By the deeds of the LAW there shall no flesh be JUSTIFIED in His sight; for by the LAW is the "knowledge" of SIN.'
THE LAW MERRY-GO-ROUND
"Wait a minute!" you might say. "Old Adam" didn't know about the Ten Commandments and all the other things listed as an example of the LAW. How could he be held accountable for something he didn't know?"
He is held accountable because he COMMITS the SIN of the LAW, whether he knows it or not: He has the SIN of Adam within him. The apostle Paul speaks in Romans 4:9, 10, 'Both Jew and Gentile; are all under SIN; There is NONE righteous, no, not one.' The mention of Jew and Gentile means everyone in the world.
In Romans 7:7-23, Paul tells us of his struggle and anguish over realizing he has SIN within himself and how he wants to do GOOD, but he is never able to accomplish it. He always fails in all of his efforts to obey the LAW, because he is always brought back to the fact that he has an inherent evil within him that causes him to fail. It is like riding a merry-go-round which brings the rider back to where he started...in SIN.
Paul cries out in desperation in Romans 7:24, 'O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the BODY of this death?'
What a dilemma mankind is in because of THE FALL of "Old Adam"! How can he keep God's LAW without failing in ONE point? How can he REDEEM his SOUL and BODY from this DEATH?
Now, do you see the connection between "Old Adam" and you? Death awaits us, because we all have sinned. We have all made wrong CHOICES. Romans 3:23 tells us, 'For all have sinned and come short of the GLORY of GOD'. But don't despair! God: Who is LOVE and full of MERCY, has a PLAN whereby He has REDEEMED both the BODY and the SOUL; in order to restore us to HIMSELF through His Son, JESUS CHRIST.
HE IS: "THE KINGDOM OF GOD", hence, this website presenting:
