The Kingdom of God As Scripture’s Central Theme: A New Approach to Biblical Theology, Part 2
While entrance into the Kingdom would be difficult, its reward has eternal value: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14). The gate is small and the road is narrow because entrance into the Kingdom requires one to forsake everything that belongs to this world’s system and to submit himself to the rule and reign of God (Mt. 16:24; Lk. 12:32-34; 14:33). This immediately precludes the legalistic righteousness taught by the religious rulers of Christ’s day. In their zeal to please God, they misunderstood the whole purpose of the Old Testament law as a revealer of sin, a signpost to God, a preserver of the promise, and a guide for wholesome Kingdom living (Rom. 3:20; 7:12, 22; Gal. 3:19-24). Jesus taught that the righteousness acceptable in the Kingdom of God began inwardly with a submissive heart. This kind of righteousness is not performance oriented. It is not based upon an unbending adherence to a set of rules. Rather, works are to be the fruit of a heart that seeks after God. Any other kind of righteousness is fostered by false prophets and falls far short of God’s standard (Mt. 5:20; 7:15-20). In fact, the basis for Kingdom righteous is the mercy of God who alone makes possible the entrance into his Kingdom (Mt. 19:25-26). To those who believe man’s effort is sufficient for entrance into God’s Kingdom, Christ says, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”(Mt. 7:22-23).
Christ’s teaching on the Kingdom was all-inclusive. It covered the quality of life experienced during the present age and set an ethic by which to live that life (Mt. 5:1-7:29). It also spoke of that day in which the wheat would be separated from the tares (Mt. 13:24-30), and the Kingdom of God would come in its fullness. The one who seeks God’s Kingdom and the quality of righteousness it demands would be freed from the worries that the day to day struggles of life bring: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33). Part of our daily prayer is to consist of a plea that God’s Kingdom will come in its fullness in the here-and-now and that his will might be wholly manifested on earth just as it already is in heaven (Mt. 6:10).
Category: Biblical Studies, Spring 2001
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