392 Kingdom: Glossary Of Terms
Some of the mystery and confusion surrounding the Kingdom of God are in the terms we use to describe the different viewpoints from which we “see” the Kingdom. The Kingdom is so great and it is so diverse in its administration and function, it can only be revealed by several diverse metaphors. Each metaphor is only one way to look at the Kingdom.
metaphor >noun 1 a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable (e.g. food for thought). 2 a thing symbolic of something else.
Some of the metaphors we use to illuminate the Kingdom so we can understand a little of its diversity and magnitude are not common to everyday language. For Example; (1) The Bride (2)# The New Jerusalem (3) Mount Zion (4) The Overcomers (5) The Bondservants (6) The High Priest (7) The Sons of the High Priest (8) The Eternal Government of God (9) And Others! Each metaphor reveals a little about the Kingdom from that unique viewpoint.
Each viewpoint of the Kingdom could be compared to the 12 gates of the great city of God. These are seen in type in the earthly Jerusalem which had 12 gates. The names of each gate is like a metaphor that explains that viewpoint. For example; (1) the Horse Gate (2) The Sheep Gate (3) The Water Gate (4) The Dung Gate (5) The Kings Gate (6) The Inspection Gate (7) The Foundation Gate (8) The Guards Gate (9) The Old Gate (10) The Fish Gate (11) The Fountain Gate (12) The New Gate. There are 16 gates that are named because some have two names or more.
The Horse Gate was used for the army and chariots, for foot soldiers and armor, for spears and swords and whatever is connected with security, fighting, warfare, training, violence. If we ONLY saw Jerusalem from the one viewpoint of the Horse Gate we would get a completely wrong impression of the city of God. We would assume the whole city was about spiritual warfare and conquering the enemy and providing security for the people of God. Our theme would be; we must take back what the devil has stolen and call for spiritual warfare. We should organize conferences to teach about the enemy and his tactics. Warn about the occult, curses and witchcraft and all kinds of subjects connected with spiritual warfare. None of this would be wrong but it would soon get unbalanced because it was only one viewpoint of the City of God!
For example; if we took up our position beside the Sheep Gate we would assume this whole city was designed for the sheep. The flocks and herds are continually going in and out. They must be fed and given water and personal care. This City would appear to be all about shepherds and getting more sheep. Warnings about wolves and danger to the sheep is the predominate theme. Eating certain weeds is very dangerous and can cause the sheep to die. Shearing the sheep becomes a major theme. Our viewpoint of the city would be “this whole gospel is about winning more souls and building bigger sheep pens.”
If we took up our position beside the Dung Gate where all the refuse, garbage and filth is carried out to the city dump, where the fire is continuously burning, we would get a definite impression about what was in this City of God. A continual cleansing and removal of all that is unclean is the major theme. Holiness is the real issue and removing every element of the world is essential. God hates uncleanness and disciplines us so we can share His holiness is the message and focus.
If we took up our position beside the Water Gate where they were continually carrying water into the City of God in all kinds of vessels, jars, tanks, pitchers, we could focus upon the absolute necessity of always be filled with the Holy Spirit and the rivers of Living Water. We could specialize upon the River of Life, the Book of Life, the Spirit of Life, the Word of Life, the Tree of Life. We could preach about the dry times but the tree that is planted by the water will always bear fruit etc.
Each of these are valid viewpoints but they are only ONE viewpoint among many. It is by seeing from the many viewpoints that we get the balanced view that we need to clearly understand the Kingdom of God. For that reason we want to share clearly about the Bride, the New Jerusalem, the Manifested Sons, Mount Zion but we don’t want to make one viewpoint our whole ministry. Otherwise we will get a conflicted and distorted understanding of the Kingdom.
We all have witnessed the “one emphasis” ministry where everything is about “winning souls” but no emphasis upon taking them on to maturity. We have seen ministries that are so fearful of the sheep being deceived or led astray that they become paranoid about anything new. Other ministries are so paranoid about their people growing up and taking over their jobs or starting other churches that they limit their emphasis just to the new souls who cannot threaten their positions. Other ministries are so focused upon the prophetic and apostolic that their whole ministry revolves around that theme and soon becomes unbalanced.
Some of the Gates have more than one name and represent a change of focus and emphasis. The Bible say that the King’s Gate was to the east but is also called the Eastern Gate.
It that same way there are different “gates” through which we see into the vastness of the Kingdom. Each “gate” represents a focus and emphasis but only gives one viewpoint of the Kingdom. For example; Putting too much emphasis upon the “Bride” viewpoint of the Kingdom could take a very valid understanding and turn it into error by over emphasis. The same is true of the “Manifested Sons of God” or the Overcomers! For this reason we should consider EVERY viewpoint as essential to our understanding of the Kingdom with no one point of view or opinion diminishing or eliminating any other point of view.
Just promoting the name “Kingdom” without an understanding of what that means is of very little help in understanding the Kingdom. The word “Kingdom” is quickly becoming another cliche that we are hearing more and more. Saying the “word” is very different from preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom or understanding or experiencing the Government of God within as an inner reality! Even those who are “lawless” can preach about the Kingdom.
Therefore, we will begin with a short explanation about the “Bondservant” aspect of the Kingdom. If the message of the “bond-servant” is taught to the church it is generally considered as optional for the believer. Of course that is true in the general sense of “believer.” However, from a Kingdom viewpoint and for those who will see His face and reign with Him, this issue of the “bond-servant” is NOT optional but is clearly a requirement. Why should we focus upon an Old Testament type to explain the New Testament Kingdom? We soon discover that the Bible is just one book but it is divided in two parts, representing two Covenants. However, both together is one revelation with many viewpoints within the total explanation.
Rev 22:3 And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; :4 and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever. 6 And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly take place.
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must shortly take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,
Rom 1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
Paul was first a “bond-servant” of Jesus Christ. Then as a “bond-servant” was called to be an “Apostle” set apart for a work.
Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Jesus made Himself a “Bond-servant of God.” Paul was a bond-servant as was James, Epaphras, Tychicus, Simon Peter, Jude and Paul also addresses the Timothy as a bond-servant! Therefore, “bond-servant” is a New Testament person who is completely given to serve and please Christ, only, and not to please men. They have no calling to just be a “pastor”whose task is simply to serve and please men. Obviously the bond-servant is a Kingdom person who is taking his place under the absolute Government of God and lives and ministers just to serve God. It appears ALL of the five-fold ministries must begin as “bond-servants” as their primary calling. Out of that “position” they can function in any ministry that pleases God.
If we added the metaphor of “priest” here we could say the “bond-servant” is called to stand before the Lord, minister to the Lord and burn Incense and then become His minister. His calling is not to please men but to do the will of God and to please God in every aspect of ministry. His “priesthood” then is after the Order of Melchizedek whom is a “priest of the Most High God.”
All this is enlightening but the revelation of what all this means is found in the Old Testament and is what we refer to as “the Law of the Bond-servant.” The Law or ordinance of the Bond-servant was given at Mount Sinai immediately after Israel refused to go up Mount Sinai into the Presence of God. God had called ALL of Israel to come up the Mountain. In that elevated position, to hear His voice, keep His Covenant and obey and He would make them a Kingdom of Priests. Since Israel could not do that, God spoke from off the Mountain, speaking the Ten Commandments of God directly into their ears. They begged that no further word would be spoken to them by God or they feared they would die. They asked Moses to go up the mountain and hear what God said and come tell them. Moses went up the mountain to see what God would say and that is when God gave the “Law (or ordinance) of the Bondservant.” When we add the dimension of the Feasts to the Mount Sinai experience we must relate this ordinance to Pentecost and the harvest of the first fruits. Why? Because this was the 50th day from Passover when God came down on the Mount Sinai. Pentecost is called the Feast of the 50th Day.
This Is The Ordinance Of The Bond-servant!
Exodus 21:1 "Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them. 2 "If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. 3 "If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 "If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. 5 "But if the slave plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,' 6 then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.
Deut 15:12 "If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then
he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free. 13 "And when you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. 14 "You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. 15 "And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. 16 "And it shall come about if he says to you, 'I will not go out from you,' because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; 17 then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. And also you shall do likewise to your maidservant. 18 "It shall not seem hard to you when you set him free, for he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man; so the LORD your God will bless you in whatever you do.
The word for bond-servant is also translated as “bond-slave.” In the Greek the difference between a “servant” and a “bond-servant” is very clear. The Greek word for servant is “diakonos” and it is from this word we get “deacon” or servant. However, the Greek word for slave or bond-servant is “doulos.” This word is translated as “slave” many times in the New Testament.
In the law of the bond-servant, if the Hebrew [ God’s people] could not pay his dept, he is sold at auction to another “Hebrew master” and the proceeds of the sale is used to make the payment to cover his dept. That person becomes the “SLAVE” of the one who bought him at the auction.
Rom 6:16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Becoming a “slave” of any kind is not a popular message among Christians because everyone wants to speak about freedom, grace, love and acceptance.
The application is this; Each of us owed a dept that we could not pay so we were headed off for hell {Prison}. However, Christ, The One who owed no dept, purchased each of us off the auction block and now each of us must become His Slave. Therefore, it is mandatory that we serve the full six years with double the service of a hired man. After we have served our time {six years} He MUST let us go free and He must give us a lot of things when He sets us free. He is NOT permitted to send us out empty handed.
1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.
1Co 7:22 For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
There is no question that we owed a dept we couldn’t pay. There is no question about His purchasing us with His own blood and paid the full price of our debt. There is no question about being a “slave” of Christ with an obligation to serve Him with double the service of a hired man. Since we were purchased with His blood, it is certainly NOT reasonable to assume that now we can be immediately set free to do our own thing?
1Pet 1:17 And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
“Redeemed” means to “buy back” or re-purchase. Since we were “purchased as slaves” we must be careful to serve Christ as our new Master with double the service of a hired man. However, this message seems exactly opposite to “the Gospel of grace” that some preach. This “popular grace” demands nothing of the believer except to believe something about Jesus! To receive the “grace” to become a “bond-servant” is very offensive to the “grace church.” The “option” of taking our freedom comes AFTER we serve Him for six years and NOT when He buys us with His own blood.
AFTER we serve Christ for six years with double the service of a hired man, then we can take our freedom and go out. He readily accepts that decision. Not only that but He will fill your hands when you leave so you can go out with an abundance. That IS “grace.”
However, if you love the Master and the Master’s family and decide that you will NOT go out from Him and you will NOT take your hard earned freedom, you can go to the Master and tell Him. Then He will take you to God who will take you to the door post and open your ear with an awl {like an ice pick} and you will be His “bond-servant” forever.
Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and meal offering Thou hast not desired; My ears Thou hast opened; Burnt offering and sin offering Thou hast not required. 7 Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me; 8 I delight to do Thy will, O my God; Thy Law is within my heart."
Now, it is clear why the “bond-servants” will see His face, why they will serve Him, why they have His name on their forehead, why He will enlighten them and why they will reign with Him forever. This is why Christ will show His “bond-servants” the things which must shortly take place.
When we hear these “dirt prophesies” that God is going to do all these things for casual believers, we should immediately reject such foolishness. These foolish things are spoken simply because they have no revelation about the Kingdom of God.
Another metaphor we use is “the Bride” that speaks something to us about the Kingdom of God. This metaphor doesn’t speak to us specifically about Him purchasing us from the auction block and about how we must serve Him six years as a slave. The “bride” speaks to us of Him choosing us and then much preparation and growth is required for us to come up to His measure and stature and fullness. It reveals that He is not accepting a “baby bride” or one who throws tantrums. He will reject the one who has no discipline or that cannot take responsibility and be faithful. There must be a love relationship that meets the requirements of that next dimension. This kind of “love” is demonstrated by keeping His commandments and feeding His sheep.
The story of Ester and the story of Rebecca being chosen and then prepared to meet the Bridegroom is a clear type of what the Holy Spirit is doing today in those who fully surrender to Him. To become “one” with Him and being His body is quite different from believing something about Him. The “bride” viewpoint is not about government, or serving six years, or priesthood or Sonship but about relationship, honor, faithfulness and being one with Him. He is preparing a “place” for His Bride at the present time. That metaphor is seen in the New Jerusalem.
John 14:2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
The Father has His house and the Son has His house. The Father’s house is full now. Jesus is preparing a DIFFERENT place for “His bride.” When it is finished He will come again to take His bride to that place. According to Revelation 21 that place IS the New Jerusalem.
2Pet 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
Another metaphor that we use to speak of the Kingdom of God is Mount Zion. It is called the Mountain of God or the heavenly Mount Zion and it is also called the Throne of God or the Mountain of His Presence. It is also called the Mountain of His Holiness. Each of these terms and many others reveal something about Mount Zion. One understanding about Mount Zion comes from the “place” in the Old Covenant where David established His Throne. It is a picture of the “center” of His kingdom and the place of His Government.
However, when David brought the Ark of the Covenant back from where it was sent by the Philistines, David didn’t take the Ark back to Shiloh where the Tabernacle was set up but he brought it to Mount Zion. He built a little three sided tent for the Ark. This was called the Tabernacle of David. This “Tabernacle” didn’t have a Veil in front of the Ark but was open. David sat right in the Presence of God and played his stringed instrument and sang to the Lord. Some of these songs are recorded in the Psalms. The Tabernacle of David became prophetic of what would happen in the future fulfillment on the Heavenly Mount Zion.
Amos 9:11 "In that day I will raise up the fallen booth {Tabernacle} of David, And wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom And all the nations who are called by My name," Declares the LORD who does this. 13 "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine, And all the hills will be dissolved.
Acts 15:15 "And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 'AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, 17 IN ORDER THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' 18 SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM OF OLD.
The metaphor of Mountain of Zion is understood in its government, its throne, its laws, its heights, the home of the King and the center of the combined Kingdom. Then the metaphor includes the praise and worship around the Ark of the Covenant. The Place of God’s Presence with an open vision. David ministered to the Lord and burnt incense immediately in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Since the Altar for the burning of natural incense was at Shiloh, David BECAME the Altar and the Incense came rising out of him. In other words; Mount Zion is a foresight into the reality of the King / Priest ministry of Mount Zion. This is a prophetic view of the place of the Kingdom of Priests after the Order of Melchizedek. David was of the wrong tribe to act as a priest after the Order of Aaron! The same is true of Jesus who also was of the tribe of Judah! .
Of Course Mount Zion is much more than the few things written here but this is a small insight of why we use Mount Zion as a metaphor for an understanding of the Kingdom and insight into eternal things.
Psalm 132:13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. 14 "This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 15 "I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her needy with bread. 16 "Her priests also I will clothe with salvation; And her godly ones will sing aloud for joy.
When we use the Heavenly Jerusalem as a metaphor of the New Jerusalem and the bride of Christ, the Wife of the Lamb, it may need more explanation. While we see the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 and 22 that City of Christ’s Presence is not yet built but is now in the process being built. The Eternal City is also called Mount Zion. The “Jerusalem above” { the one that exists now} is the mother of us all. That is NOT the New Jerusalem!
Isa 10:12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, "I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness."
Christ has gone away but He is preparing a place for His bride. When that place is completed He will return for her so that where He is, there shall she be also! When the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and Jerusalem { the bride} THEN He will attack and punish the devil. The “place” He is building is Mount Zion And the New Jerusalem. He cannot return to punish the devil UNTIL the entire city is finished. This IS “THE CHURCH” that He is building that the gates of hell will not be able to stop.
The time table for His Return is NOT Israel but the Glorious Bride for Christ.
Rev 21:9 And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I shall show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
The “perfection” of the city is the “perfection” of the bride because the “city” IS the bride. If we see who is in the city we will see who make up the “One bride” company of perfected believers, who are all Kings and Priests standing with Christ to administrate the Eternal Kingdom of God.
More understanding of this metaphor of the Mount Zion and the New Jerusalem is available but this is sufficient to understand the metaphor.
Another metaphor we use is the “sons of the High Priest.” Our High Priest is the Man, Christ Jesus! He is now one of us who has made it to the Throne of God and is ministering to God as a Priest after the Order of Melchizedek.
He IS the “LAST ADAM” and the beginning of a totally new creation. This “new creation” begins a “new Genesis” and a completely new species of men upon the earth. For us to participate in the “new species”, which after Christ is created in the image of God, we must be totally removed from the first Adam and completly grafted into the Last Adam. We are released from first Adam only through death and burial and then we can be joined to Christ only through resurrection into a completely new Life {Zoe} which is of a different kind from the life found on earth.
In this process we are born again but not in the natural way by blood or by the will of the flesh or by the will of man. We MUST be born again directly from God, similar to way Jesus was born. This birth takes place when we receive the Living and Abiding Word of God as “Sperma”and a real conception takes place and an embryo is formed. This embryo is Christ being formed in us and we are re-created into a totally new species that never existed before Calvary. It could NOT exist until after His death and resurrection. We MUST become a totally new creation on this earth. It is ONLY this new creation that can accurately be called Christians {little Christs}. The term “Christian” is commonly applied to identify multitudes who have agreed to certain doctrines or said certain words but NO conception took place and no embryo was formed. Therefore, Christ was NOT birthed in them and NO new inner man resulted. The “growth” of the embryo [new inner man] is what is referred to as coming to maturity. If there is NO new inner man or no growth then “sonship” is just another cliche.
When the “embryo” grows from being a baby to that maturity determined by the Father, the person is “adopted” into the family of the High Priest. Then he becomes a “son.” This is how we use the metaphor of “the sons of the High Priest.” ONLY The High Priest and His Sons could enter into the Holy Place Life and Ministry.
The “Kingdom of Priests” is made up of the High Priest, who is the King of Glory after the Order of Melchizedek, and also includes the “sons of the High Priest” who are part of His body. “Body” of course is another metaphor that refers to those who are one with Him in Life, purpose, character, attitudes, will etc! Since the body of the High Priest could NOT have ANY defects, it is clear why the “sons of the High Priest” MUST come to full maturity, to His measure and His stature and to His fullness. Since the term “sons” is speaking of the new inner man, the term is not male or female but speaks of those who are totally His and are grown to be like Him.
There is another metaphor in scripture that is found several times in the Book of Revelation that has caused much concern to those who are seeking to please God. The metaphor is “the one who Overcomes.” This is generally spoken of as “the Overcomer.”
Rev 21:7 "He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8 "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
The contrast given is between the “overcomer” and the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars. Obviously the “Overcomer” is exactly opposite to these other characteristics mentioned. While the word “overcomer” means “one who prevails” or “a conqueror” or “one who subdues” or “is victorious” it is set directly in contrast with the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars. Therefore, we may assume that conquering these “fallen characteristics of Adam”is our primary concern. If we never conquer, subdue, prevail or overcome these primal characteristics, any other degree of overcoming is eliminated also. For that reason our first concern is getting rid of Adam and ALL his fallen abominations.
If we put the “overcomer” in juxtaposition to these categories, that are completely rejected by the Kingdom, “to overcome” will not seem to be such an impossible demand.
Of course, in God’s divine order, baptism and severing ourselves from Adam is among our first experiences. However, since it is clear that multitudes of those who were “baptized”are still living in these abominations, we should not discredit what the Bible declares as eternal Truth. Obviously, something that was supposed to happen in baptism was never experienced as Christian Reality. Their baptism can be wrong without the truth of baptism being irrelevant or wrong. Paul baptized {again} the believers at Ephesus in Acts 19 because what Apollos did to make disciples was not effective.
In other words, baptism that doesn’t accomplish what it was intended to do is not valid baptism. It is NOT the ritual or the water that is effective but the severance from Adam through death and burial. Unless there is a valid resurrection “overcoming” is just another Christian cliche.
It should be easily perceived that AFTER baptism, all these fallen characteristics that have become an active part of our nature and have produced bad habits and character defects must still be “overcome.” Even if we sever ourselves from our genealogy to Adam through death and burial, we have been intrinsically polluted by our connection with Adam. That also must be overcome. How? Through the growth and inner change that comes by “Christ living in us” so that what is “mortal” may be swallowed up by Life.
Another metaphor we use to define the Kingdom is “His Eternal Government.” But why is this a “metaphor?” Isn’t this reality and fulfilled purpose? Yes! Still, we know so little about what this means in the eternal dimension that we can only guess. Because of that we use “His Eternal Government” as a metaphor that gives us a glimpse of the Kingdom from a legal viewpoint. Since the term”legal” is offensive to many Christians, they reject any “demand of the Kingdom” as a “false gospel.” The “Laws of the Kingdom” are harmonious with the Government of the Kingdom and define how the Kingdom operates.
Since the Kingdom is an inner government today, He puts His laws in our minds and writes His laws upon our heart. Disciplining ourselves to obey these laws is how we BEGIN to experience the Kingdom within.
Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
When the “Gospel of the Kingdom” was ignored and the “gospel of salvation” was substituted, the demands of the Kingdom were rejected and a “form of grace” replaced the Laws of the Kingdom. Faith {belief}, then, was substituted for obedience.
Heb 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
1Pet 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.
Even if “grace” and “obedience” are given together in the same context, obedience is generally rejected as a requirement of the Kingdom.
John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Here, believing in the Son is the same as obeying the Son. If there is NO OBEDIENCE the wrath of God still abides.
Therefore, the Government of the Kingdom CANNOT be thought of as something separate from the Kingdom of God and obedience to the Laws of the Kingdom must become part of the Gospel of the Kingdom and therefore, cannot be ignored. Are we making a distinction between “forgiveness of sins” and the “entrance into the Kingdom?” Yes!
2Pet 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. :4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
2Pet 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness;
7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
2Pet 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
All these characteristics are the opposite of the characteristics of first Adam and become part of living in the overcoming, resurrection Life of the Last Adam.
It is my opinion that these various metaphors are essential to our understanding of God’s eternal purpose and our entrance into His Eternal Kingdom. A complete metamorphose into a totally different species than the species of first Adam is essential for our entrance into the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The “Foundation Gate” is how we begin but the “Kings Gate” is how we progress.