Entering into the kingdom of the heavens

Outline

  I. The definition of the kingdom of the heavens:
   А. The appearance of the kingdom of the heavens.
   B. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens.
   C. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.
   D. The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God.
   E. The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the millennium.
   F. The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of Messiah.
   G. The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the heavens.
   H. The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the church.
   I. A comparison of the kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of God, and the church.

  II. The beginning and ending of the kingdom of the heavens and its process:
   А. The two periods of the kingdom of the heavens.
   B. The details of the process of the kingdom of the heavens.
   C. An overview of the beginning and ending of the kingdom of the heavens and its process.

  III. The meaning of entering the kingdom of the heavens:
   А. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being different from obtaining eternal life in this age.
   B. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being different from eternal salvation.
   C. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being different from entering into the kingdom of God.
   D. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to obtain eternal life in the coming age.
   E. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being the salvation of the soul.
   F. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to obtain the reward.
   G. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to reign with the Lord.
   H. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to enjoy the church’s birthright.
   I. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to enter into rest in the coming age.
   J. Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to enjoy the Lord’s complete salvation.

  IV. The conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens:
   А. Repenting and bearing fruit worthy of repentance.
   B. Being poor in spirit.
   C. Being persecuted for the sake of righteousness.
   D. Having surpassing righteousness.
   E. Doing the will of God.
   F. Living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.
   G. Taking the kingdom by violence.
   H. Denying the self, taking up the cross, and losing the soul-life to follow the Lord.
   I. Being humbled willingly.
   J. Leaving all to follow the Lord.
   K. Enduring sufferings and tribulations.
   L. Being ready and watchful.
   M. Being faithful and prudent.
   N. Not looking behind at the world.
   O. Endeavoring to run the race.
   P. Exercising self-control in all things and buffeting the body.
   Q. Doing a work of gold, silver, and precious stones.
   R. Living in resurrection.
   S. Putting to death the lusts of the flesh.
   T. Enduring.
   U. Fighting the good fight, finishing the course, and keeping the faith.
   V. Loving the Lord’s appearing.
   W. Believing and being diligent to enter.
   X. Loving God.
   Y. Having a bountiful life.
   Z. Overcoming.
   AА. Being martyred.

  V. The promises concerning entering the kingdom of the heavens.

  VI. The power for entering the kingdom of the heavens.

  VII. The blessings of entering the kingdom of the heavens:
   А. Reigning.
   B. Obtaining a crown.
   C. Sitting on the throne.
   D. Exercising authority.
   E. Being priests.
   F. Inheriting the earth.
   G. Entering into His joy.
   H. Entering rest.
   I. Being glorified with the Lord.
   J. Enjoying a foretaste of the blessings of the New Jerusalem.
   K. Feasting with the Lord.
   L. Enjoying the hidden Christ.

  VIII. The end of the believers who do not enter the kingdom of the heavens:
   А. The question of whether believers are disciplined in this age only.
   B. The coming discipline:
    1. In principle.
    2. In detail.
   C. The question of whether the believers’ punishment proves that the Lord’s salvation is not complete.
   D. The coming judgment being God’s governmental discipline.

  IX. God’s purpose for the kingdom of the heavens:
   А. Encouraging the believers.
   B. Manifesting His righteousness.

  X. The influence of the believers’ pursuit of the kingdom of the heavens.

  XI. The type of entering into the kingdom of the heavens.

  XII. The pattern of pursuing to enter the kingdom of the heavens.

  XIII. A supplementary word.

  From beginning to end the Bible shows that God has a consistent goal to obtain a kingdom as a realm for His reigning where His glory can be expressed (Matt. 6:13). After God created the universe, He allowed an archangel to rule for Him (Luke 4:6). Later, this archangel rebelled against God (Ezek. 28:13-17; Isa. 14:12-15) and became Satan, God’s enemy; thus, God’s authority was challenged. In order to deal with His enemy and to express His authority, God created man and appointed him to rule the earth on His behalf with authority over everything (Gen. 1:27-28). However, not long after man was created, Satan deceived and corrupted man (3:1-7), which frustrated the establishment of God’s authority on earth. In response to man’s corruption and fall, God established a way of redemption (v. 21; 4:4) so that man could be saved, and His original intention to express His authority on earth through man could be accomplished. Then Satan invented culture and influenced man to rely upon himself for his living so that man would ignore God’s means of salvation (vv. 3, 5, 16-22). Eventually, man became utterly corrupt and was judged by God through the flood (6:11-13). Noah, however, found favor in the sight of God, accepted His way of salvation, walked with Him, submitted to His authority, and was ruled by Him (vv. 8-9). After Noah left the ark, God gave man authority to govern other men (9:6), but Satan used man’s God-given authority to establish many nations. Satan caused man to leave God’s rule to the extent that man fully rebelled against God at Babel in an attempt to overthrow His authority (10:32—11:4). God immediately came in to judge mankind (vv. 5-9), but from among men He chose and called out Abraham so that He could exercise His authority through Abraham’s descendants as a nation (12:1-2).

  After Abraham was called by God, he stood in a heavenly position under the rule of God, and God’s authority once again had a way on earth. Soon, however, Abraham’s descendants went down into Egypt, losing their heavenly position and authority and falling under Satan’s authority in the hand of Pharaoh. Then God came in to save them out of Egypt in order to make them His kingdom wherein He could exercise His authority and express His glory (Exo. 19:4-6). However, they followed the way of the nations not long after they entered Canaan, and they asked for a man to be their king, rejecting God’s rule and authority (1 Sam. 8:4-7). Ultimately, God chose a man among them who was according to His own heart, David, and through him God exercised His authority and reigned among them (Acts 13:22). Soon after, however, Israel and the descendants of David again rejected God and His authority. At this time they lost their kingdom to the Babylonians, and God lost the realm on earth where He could exercise His authority. Later, Ezra, Nehemiah, and a group of Israelites were raised up, so God again gained a place on earth where He could exercise His authority. But a short time later, Israel again fell and became desolate. This frustrated God from exercising His authority among them until the Lord Jesus came.

  When the Lord Jesus began to minister on earth, He said, “The kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent” (Mark 1:15). When He met a demon, He would cast it out so that the authority of God and the kingdom of God would be extended (Matt. 12:28). Even though the Lord Jesus manifested the authority of God, which is the kingdom of God (Luke 17:21), through signs and wonders among the Jews in His three and a half years of teaching, they were unwilling to repent, to turn to God, or to submit to His authority. Consequently, the Lord told them that the kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to another group of people — the church (Matt. 21:43).

  Today the kingdom of God, the realm where God exercises His authority on earth, has passed from the Jews — the Israelites — to the church. On the day of Pentecost and in the house of Cornelius (Acts 2:14-41; 10:34-43), Peter, through the power of the Holy Spirit, used the keys of the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 16:19) to open the doors of faith to both Jews and Gentiles so that all who repented and believed could enter the kingdom of God. Those who receive God’s salvation through regeneration (John 3:3, 5) are delivered out of the authority of Satan and transferred into the kingdom of the Son of God’s love (Col. 1:13). Collectively, they are the church. The church is the realm where God can exercise His authority on earth; it is God’s “holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9). This kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36); it is heavenly. It is not physical but spiritual; that is, it is not a matter of physical things, such as eating or drinking, but a matter of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). When the early church was in a proper condition, God was able to exercise His authority and express His glory in the church through the Holy Spirit.

  Soon, however, the church on earth became degraded and desolate. Inwardly, she was full of sins, human opinions, and the world, giving Satan ground and frustrating God’s authority from freely moving. In this situation God came in to call out overcomers to return to the original position of the church (Rev. 2—3). The overcomers represent the church to deal with Satan’s authority of darkness so that God can freely exercise His authority. These overcomers will bring the kingdom of God, God’s authority, to earth, which will cause the Satan-usurped kingdom on the earth to become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (12:10; 11:15). Then the overcomers will reign over the earth with Christ in the millennial kingdom (20:4-6), allowing God’s authority to freely reign over the entire earth and filling the entire universe with God’s glory.

  At the end of the millennial kingdom, after the Lord destroys the authority of Satan in his last rebellion, He will give back to God the kingdom that He received from God (1 Cor. 15:24). At that time there will be a new heaven and new earth, and God will obtain an eternal realm in which He can rule and reign with His Son and with us, the saved ones, as His Son’s counterpart. His authority will be unchallenged, and His glory will be expressed for eternity.

  This has always been God’s heart’s desire, and this has always been God’s goal. To enter into the kingdom of the heavens is to participate in the heavenly reality of God’s goal so that we can enter into its heavenly manifestation in the millennial kingdom and enjoy God’s authority and glory. This is clearly revealed in the Bible, and it is intimately related to us. Thus, we must spend time to study the topic of entering into the kingdom of the heavens. If we are patient, many questions will be answered spontaneously as we examine this topic. First, we need to see the definition of the kingdom of the heavens.

The definition of the kingdom of the heavens

  According to Matthew, the kingdom of the heavens is divided into three aspects. If we want to understand the kingdom of the heavens, we must be clear concerning these three aspects.

The Appearance of the Kingdom of the Heavens

  The first aspect of the kingdom of the heavens is the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. This is Christendom, comprising the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox church, and Protestant churches. Within the sphere of the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, Christendom, there are genuine believers and false believers, righteousness and unrighteousness, truth and heresy, and things of the Lord and things of the devil. The Lord spoke of these matters in His parables in Matthew 13:24-42.

  1. “The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man sowing good seed in his field. But while the men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat” (Matt. 13:24-25 see also vv. 30, 36-40).

  According to the Lord’s words, He is the kingdom of the heavens coming to the earth to sow Himself as the seed of life on earth. True believers, who have His life, are portrayed as wheat that grows up from this good seed. However, the Lord also spoke of His enemy, the devil, sowing false believers as tares among the true believers. These false believers, who do not have the Lord’s life, are mixed among true believers, but they have not truly repented or believed from their hearts to receive the Lord Jesus as their Savior. They have not been regenerated with the Lord’s life. Thus, they do not have an inward relationship with Christ based on His life. They have only an outward relationship with organized Christianity. They are pew-warmers, blind followers, seekers of base gain, traditional followers, religious leaders who do not believe in Christ, and superstitious ones looking for blessings. The devil mixes these false ones among true believers in order to corrupt the church as the kingdom of God, the realm in which He exercises His authority on earth today. Although they cannot participate in the kingdom of the heavens, they give a false appearance to the kingdom of the heavens because they are mixed together with true believers.

  2. “The kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, and which is smaller than all the seeds; but when it has grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and roost in its branches” (Matt. 13:31-32).

  In this parable the Lord said that the kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard seed planted in the field. Just as in the previous parable, the seed represents the Word of life. Since every seed should reproduce according to the nature of the life within it, the kingdom of the heavens, like an annual mustard seed, should not be deeply rooted in the earth. The church should sojourn like a pilgrim on the earth but also be full of the element of life and the function to nourish and feed people. In this parable, however, the mustard seed grew up and became a great tree, like Christendom, having great size, deep roots in the world, and a perennial expression. In this way it lost its nourishing element and grew large branches where the devil and his angels could roost. This is related to the devil mixing false believers into the church, which caused her nature to change and enlarged her outward organization. With tens of thousands of false believers mixed into it, the church, which should have been small like an herb, became Christianity, a large tree. Christianity is great on the earth today. It truly is a large tree. With such a large outward appearance, many of the works, occupations, organizations, and institutions of Christianity are simply branches in which Satan and his angels can roost. As a great tree, Christianity represents the false, worldly, and outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens on earth today.

  3. “The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened” (Matt. 13:33).

  In the preceding parable, the Lord spoke of the abnormal development of the kingdom of the heavens. In this parable He spoke of the inward corruption within the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. The Roman Catholic Church, signified by the woman, has brought all kinds of heresies and evil things, as leaven (cf. Gal. 5:8-9; 1 Cor. 5:6-8), into the church and mixed them with the teachings of Christ. This has leavened and corrupted the entire content of Christianity. Today’s Christianity has teachings that are full of the leaven of heretical doctrines and unbelief, just like those of the Sadducees in ancient times (Matt. 16:12); its actions are full of the leaven of evil and hypocrisy, just like those of the Pharisees in ancient times (Luke 12:1); and its positions are full of the leaven of corrupt power and injustice, just like that of King Herod in ancient times (Mark 8:15). These different kinds of leaven have caused all of Christendom in its outward appearance to be inwardly corrupted.

  The parables concerning the tares, the mustard seed, and the leaven all refer to negative matters, but since the Lord said, “The kingdom of the heavens is like,” in reference to them all, they speak of matters related to the kingdom of the heavens. However, they do not refer to the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Rather, they refer only to its appearance since they are related to negative matters. These parables speak only of the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens and the condition within its outward appearance. In its outward appearance there are false believers as well as true believers. These false believers are Christians in name only, not in life. In the kingdom’s appearance there is outward worldly development and inward heretical corruption. This is the first aspect of the kingdom of the heavens.

The reality of the kingdom of the heavens

  The second aspect of the kingdom of the heavens is the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. In order to know the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, we must know what the kingdom of the heavens is. A kingdom is a realm where authority is exercised. Thus, the kingdom of the heavens is the realm where the heavens exercise authority. Daniel 4:25-26 shows that the heavens rule; that is, the Most High is the Ruler. This means that God rules and exercises authority from the heavens as His dwelling place (1 Kings 8:39). The throne of God’s authority is also in the heavens (Psa. 103:19). Therefore, the kingdom of the heavens is the reign of the heavens where God dwells; simply speaking, it is the rule of the heavens. This heavenly ruling is the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. The reality is the ruling of the heavens, which governs us, restricts us, and causes us to submit to God’s authority in all things so that we may be one with God in the heavens in all situations. Thus, the reality of the kingdom of the heavens involves the heavenly authority that true Christians submit to today; it is the heavenly control and exercise that they accept today. Only overcoming believers know this reality; everyone else — including both defeated, genuine believers and false Christians — have no part in it. The words that the Lord spoke on the mountain in Matthew 5 through 7 are related to the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.

  1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 5:3).

  According to the Lord, the kingdom of the heavens belongs to those who are poor in spirit. When a person is poor in spirit, he is under the ruling of the heavens, and he is in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. To be poor in spirit means that one feels poor and empty in the depths of his heart and spirit. He is dissatisfied with his condition and even more dissatisfied with the things of this world. By being poor and empty in spirit, there is a constant pursuit of spiritual growth and of God’s riches, which are simply God Himself. Such a person is under the governance of the heavens, and he is in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Consequently, he does not have to wait to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, because the kingdom of the heavens is his already.

  2. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 5:10).

  The kingdom of the heavens also belongs to those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. To be persecuted for the sake of righteousness means to be persecuted and troubled by others because one refuses to do unrighteous, improper things in order to keep himself in accord with God’s ways. This is possible only when one submits to God’s authority and lives under God’s heavenly governing in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Such a one is in the kingdom of the heavens, and the kingdom of the heavens is his.

  Verses 3 and 10 speak of the heavens ruling in a person in reality today; therefore, they both speak of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. However, these are not the only verses that speak of this reality. All the teachings of the Lord on the mountain in Matthew 5 though 7 relate to the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and reveal the situation of those who are under the heavenly ruling.

  1. Those who are under the governance of the heavens are poor in spirit (5:3). Such ones feel empty and lacking in spiritual matters, especially in God Himself, and thus are desperately seeking. They are mournful in heart (v. 4). Such ones repent and mourn for their poor and desolate condition. They are meek (v. 5). Such ones are as lambs led to the slaughter, suffering persecution without resisting and enduring opposition, shame, and attack. They hunger and thirst for righteousness (v. 6). Such ones seek to have their actions and behavior according to God’s righteous ways and to keep themselves righteous. They are merciful (v. 7). Such ones are sympathetic to the sufferings of others, making allowances for others’ weaknesses, being broad and gracious toward them, while requiring strict righteousness for themselves. They are pure in heart (v. 8). Such ones have no tendencies or hopes apart from God and His will. They are peacemakers (v. 9). Such ones end disputes, restrict the flesh, and hold their tongue. They are persecuted for the sake of righteousness (v. 10). Such ones pay a price for the sake of righteousness and suffer loss to be righteous. They rejoice when reproached, persecuted, and slandered for the Lord’s sake (vv. 11-12). Such ones endure and consider it a joy to be persecuted and cruelly treated by others for the Lord’s sake. The living of those who are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and under the heavenly ruling comes out of the first six items, which are conditions of the heart and spirit; such ones also display the last three items as conditions of their outward behavior. These nine items show who is under the governance of the heavens.

  2. Those who are under the governance of the heavens are salt on this corrupted earth, eliminating corruption (v. 13). They do not lose the holy, heavenly flavor of a Christian or the power of God that kills the germs of sin. They maintain a heavenly nature and a separation from worldly people. They are also light in the dark world, eliminating the darkness (v. 14). They live in a heavenly realm and do not allow the light of Christ in them to be hidden by anything earthly; instead, they are like a light shining in a dark place (v. 15). Through their actions they shine out God — who is light — before men, causing others to see God and the light of His glory in them (v. 16). These matters refer to their influence on the world from their living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. They are salt to corruption and light to darkness.

  3. Those who are under the governance of the heavens are not under the law, but their living and actions are not lower than the righteousness of the law. On the contrary, their living exceeds the standard of the righteousness of the law, being absolutely holy with a surpassing righteousness (v. 20). They not only refrain from killing others, but they do not even hate others. Their flesh is not provoked; they do not become angry with their brothers, nor do they curse their brothers (vv. 21-22). They strive to be reconciled to their brothers and at peace with men (vv. 23-25). They not only flee from the act of adultery but refuse even adulterous thoughts (vv. 27-28). They restrict the lusts of the flesh, putting to death the members of their body (vv. 29-30). They do not defile themselves or cause their wives to be defiled (vv. 31-32). They do not speak loose words; their speaking is accurate and honest: Yes is yes, and no is no, without additional words (vv. 33-37). They do not oppose others; if someone slaps them on the right cheek, they turn the left to be slapped also (vv. 38-39). If someone takes their inner garment, they give him their outer garment (v. 40). If someone forces them to walk for one mile, they go with him for two miles (v. 41). If anyone asks anything of them, they give it to him. If anyone wants to borrow something from them, they do not refuse to lend it (v. 42). They are not touched inwardly by earthly things; they live entirely apart from the things of the earth. They do not love only their neighbors but also their enemies. They pray for those who persecute them, do not look on others with enmity, and do not blame others (vv. 43-44). In loving others, they do not have their own choices or preferences but are perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect (vv. 45-48). These points speak of the restrictions on those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, which come from the law of the life within them and far surpass the requirements of the outward law of letters.

  4. Those who are under the governance of the heavens do good and act righteously. They are watchful and careful to refuse the actions of the flesh. They do not boast, make a show, or brag (6:1). When they give alms, their motive is pure, so they do not let their left hand know what their right hand is doing. They do things secretly before God and not before men (vv. 2-4). They pray often in their private room, but they do not exhibit themselves in their praying (vv. 5-6). Their prayer and words are clean, so they sanctify God’s name and pray for His kingdom to come and for His will to be done on earth before asking for their own needs (vv. 7-11). They also confess their sins before God and ask Him to keep them from temptation and to deliver them from the evil one. The goal of their prayer is completely for God’s kingdom, power, and glory (vv. 12-13). They forgive others so that God may forgive them (vv. 14-15). When they fast before God, they do not show others that they are fasting; they are spiritual without appearing to be spiritual (vv. 16-18). They are not falsely spiritual, nor do they make much of their spirituality. They do not have a spiritual façade; on the contrary, they live and act like ordinary people. Those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens are restricted by the heavens, and in the matter of good deeds and righteous acts, they are simple and pure. Because they are restricted, they not only avoid sinning but also restrict their flesh and their self from being mixed into their good and righteous actions.

  5. Those who are under the governance of the heavens do not store up riches on earth; thus, they have nothing worthy of clinging to on earth and are completely turned toward the heavens so that their eye may be single and bright, causing their entire being to be full of light and without darkness (vv. 19-23). They do not serve mammon; they serve only God (v. 24). They do not love money; they love only God. They do not allow earthly riches to entangle their hearts; they allow only the God of the heavens to fill their hearts. They do not rely on earthly riches; they rely only on the living God in the heavens. Others cannot see the power of money in their lives; they see only God’s care. Thus, they live for God’s concerns and not in their anxieties, like the birds of heaven and the lilies of the field (vv. 25-29). Although they give alms, pray, and fast secretly, they enjoy God’s care openly. Their faces do not show the effects of fasting; instead, they are clothed with the glory of the lilies. They hide their own goodness and righteousness, but they express God’s grace and glory (vv. 30-32). They seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness more than the clothing and food for this life (v. 33). They strive to submit to God’s authority, to be according to God’s ways, and to not care for the needs of their living. They know only to submit to God’s authority, to be according to God’s ways, and to not worry about how they will live tomorrow. While they are faithful today, they are not anxious for tomorrow (v. 34). These items speak of the attitude toward riches of those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. They live on the earth, but they take God as their all and do not allow themselves to be usurped by riches.

  6. Those who are under the governance of the heavens do not judge the mistakes of others but think only of their own shortcomings (7:1-2). They do not see the splinter in their brother’s eye, because they see only the beam in their own (vv. 3-4). They deal with themselves first, then with their brother (v. 5). When they preach the word or give a testimony, they have no fleshly interests and do not follow their own desires. They do not loosely speak with others about God’s truth, that is, about the holy things of God or about their own subjective experiences, their own “pearls” (v. 6). They ask for the Lord’s grace, pay the price to seek the Lord Himself, and spend time to knock in prayer; they live before the Lord (vv. 7-8). They are willing to treat others as they would want to be treated themselves (vv. 9-12). These points show how those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens are principled in their dealings with others — they do not loosely follow their own will, they are not careless, and they treat others as they wish to be treated.

  7. Those who are under the governance of the heavens enter by the narrow gate and walk in the constricted way, refusing the self, the flesh, human will, and the world (vv. 13-14). They do not desire human greatness, nor do they allow themselves leeway; they constantly live in life and take life as the goal. They guard against false prophets and do not easily believe human reasoning; they examine the fruits of preachers and test their behavior (vv. 15-20). To pursue the kingdom of the heavens, they obey the will of God (v. 21). They make the will of God the center of all things; they do not make preaching the gospel, casting out demons, working miracles, doing spiritual work, or doing good deeds the center of their lives (vv. 22-23). They single-mindedly seek God’s good pleasure; they do not ask to be welcomed by man nor do they follow their own desires. Their behavior and actions, their living and work, are wholly according to Christ’s words, not according to the traditions of men, the thoughts of men, the ordinances of men, the trend of the world, or their own views (vv. 24-27). These points show how those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens base their work and life on the narrow gate, the straight way, the will of God, and the Lord’s Word.

  The items mentioned in the preceding seven points represent the condition of those under the heavenly rule. Thus, they represent the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Living in these things equals living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.

  The Lord’s teachings on the mountain show that the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is our living according to the heavenly rule within us, which causes us to leave sin, to overcome our temper, to deny our flesh and our self, to reject the world, to oppose Satan, to submit to the heavenly authority, to receive the heavenly restriction, and to live on the earth today without any flavor of the earth, bearing only a heavenly likeness.

  In the Old Testament age God required the children of Israel to wear fringes on the borders of their garments with a cord of blue on the fringe of each border (Num. 15:38-39). Blue is the color of the heavens. God wanted them to have a cord of blue on the fringes of their garments to surround their steps. This signifies that their walk was to be restricted by the heavens so that they would not follow their own heart and eyes to commit fornication, because they were God’s people and should be separated from all the people on the earth.

  In the New Testament age God wants us to be separated from the earth, to leave all earthly things behind, and to live in a heavenly situation to an even greater extent than the children of Israel. This is because His salvation saves us to the extent that we are able to live under the reality of the heavenly ruling in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. He regenerates us with His heavenly life from the heavens (John 3:3, 5 born can be translated “born from above”); He gives us His heavenly nature (1 Cor. 15:47-48), makes us citizens of His heavenly kingdom (Phil. 3:20), and causes us to sit together with Christ in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6). Thus, although today we cannot go up to the heavens, the heavenly life is within us and can abide in us. We are on the earth, but we are heavenly. We are people of the heavens who enjoy the heavenly authority and who can live in a heavenly atmosphere and obtain the heavenly supply, as mentioned in Hebrews (see 12:23; 11:16; 6:4; 3:1). This is similar to an American citizen who was born in China. Although he has not been to America, he has the American life within him. He is in China, but he is American and belongs to America. He is a genuine American who can enjoy the privileges of being an American and live in an American family with the American life supply and flavor. As heavenly citizens on earth, we are heavenly people, even though we are on earth. We have the heavenly life and can have a heavenly living on earth with the heavenly supply and flavor. If we live by the heavenly life within us, we will live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, submit to the heavenly authority, receive the restriction of the heavens, and be separated from sin, our temper, the activities of our flesh and self, the world, Satan, and the flavor of the earth. Our living, work, speaking, and actions will bear a heavenly likeness and be full of a heavenly flavor.

  One who lives in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens submits to the heavenly authority, receives the heavenly restriction, and does not need man to govern him. He can keep the law and be orderly much more than other human beings because the heavens rule, govern, and restrict him. The governance of heaven is stricter and more thorough than the governance of man. What national laws, household rules, school ordinances, or regulations from superiors can govern us more strictly and more thoroughly than the rule of the heavens? The need for these kinds of regulation proves that we are not up to the standard of a Christian because we do not allow the heavens to govern us and do not live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. If we can be loose when no one is ruling us and if we can do things that are unethical or illegal, we are not under the ruling of the heavens. If we can lose our temper at will or argue with others loosely, we are not restricted by the heavens. If our fleshly temper is easily excited and we can speak and act in the flesh, we are living outside of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, and we have lost our heavenly position and fallen into an earthly condition. We must be completely free of the flesh and the self; we must reject the world and live in the heavenly realm — submitting to the heavenly authority, receiving the heavenly restriction, living a heavenly life with a heavenly appearance and flavor on earth — in order to be in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.

  Although the kingdom of the heavens has not yet been manifested, we can live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today. If we pursue to overcome, to please the Lord, to submit to God’s heavenly authority, and to accept God’s heavenly governing and exercise, we will participate in this reality. This is the second aspect of the kingdom of the heavens.

The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens

  The third aspect of the kingdom of the heavens is the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens on earth involves the reigning and governing of Christ and His overcoming saints on the earth with heavenly authority for one thousand years. The Lord spoke of this in the prophecies on the Mount of Olives in Matthew 24 through 25.

  1. “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21, see also v. 23).

  The Lord’s words in these two verses relate to the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Whoever is faithful in serving the Lord today will be called by the Lord into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens when He returns; he will be in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, ruling the world and entering into the joy of the Lord.

  2. “You who have followed Me, in the restoration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28).

  The twelve disciples who left everything to follow the Lord will sit with the Lord on thrones in the day of restoration and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

  3. “He who overcomes...To him I will give authority over the nations; and he will shepherd them with an iron rod, as vessels of pottery are broken in pieces, as I also have received from My Father” (Rev. 2:26-27).

  The overcoming believers who keep the Lord’s commandments today will receive authority from the Lord in that day, and together with the Lord they will rule over the nations who are on earth in the millennial kingdom.

  4. “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them...And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years”; “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection;...They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:4, 6).

  Those who have been martyred for the Lord in every age and the overcoming believers who have died will be resurrected in that day and given authority in the millennial kingdom to reign with Christ, rule the nations, and judge the peoples, bringing the authority of God and Christ to men. They also will be priests of God and of Christ, offering men’s worship to God and Christ. In addition to these verses, Matthew 20:21, 23; 24:46-47; 2, Luke 19:17, 19 Timothy 2:12; and Revelation 3:21 speak of the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. The believers who are faithful, who endure, and who overcome for the Lord today will obtain authority to sit on the throne with the Lord and to reign with Him over everything when He comes again.

  The Bible shows that when the Lord returns, the kingdom of the heavens will come to earth to reign and rule over the earth. The Lord Jesus will establish His kingdom on earth and rule the earth for one thousand years. Christians who leave everything to follow the Lord and who are good, faithful, long-suffering, and overcoming will reign with the Lord Jesus during this one thousand year period. They will sit in glory on thrones together with the Lord to reign and enter into the joy of the Lord in the kingdom.

  Despite the fact that both the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, which is so-called Christendom, and the reality of the ruling of the kingdom of the heavens in the overcoming Christians are present on earth today, the kingdom of the heavens is still a hidden mystery to the world. Christendom is merely the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, not the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Even the submission of the overcoming Christians to heavenly authority is not the full manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens but only a small, mysterious reality of the kingdom of the heavens that is hidden from the worldly people. Although worldly people today can see the outwardly great and magnificent appearance of Christendom, they cannot see the authority and glory of the kingdom of the heavens, and although they can see overcoming Christians who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens with pureness, brightness, goodness, meekness, unselfishness, and with no attachment to the world, they have no understanding of the source of this reality. The kingdom of the heavens is hidden from the worldly people, but it will be manifested when the Lord Jesus returns to rule the earth. Then all will see the authority and the glory of the kingdom manifested before them.

  According to the Bible, Satan and his angels are presently ruling this dark world (Eph. 6:12). In the future the Lord will return to deal with Satan (Rev. 20:1-3), and the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of the Lord (11:15). Then the Lord and the overcoming Christians will take back the earth, which has been usurped by Satan and his angels, and they will reign over the earth in glory. Then the kingdom of the heavens will be manifested. The Christians who will participate in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens are those who have lived in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens by submitting to the heavenly authority, receiving the heavenly restriction, and overcoming. In the glorious appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, there will be no portion for defeated Christians, much less for false Christians. This is the third aspect of the kingdom of the heavens.

  In conclusion, when the Bible speaks of the kingdom of the heavens, there are three aspects. First, the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens includes all who are called Christians, both believers who are saved and false believers who are not saved. Second, the reality of the kingdom of the heavens includes the overcoming Christians who submit to the heavenly authority, receive the restriction and governance of the heavens, and allow the heavens to exercise authority in them today. Third, the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens includes the overcoming Christians who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today by allowing the heavens to rule them, by receiving the heavenly restriction, and by overcoming to the end, even unto death. When the Lord Jesus returns, only they will enter into the manifestation of the kingdom.

  In order to be clear about the kingdom of the heavens, we must clearly differentiate between these three aspects as well as differentiate between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God, the millennial kingdom, the Messianic kingdom, the heavens, and the church. Therefore, we need to spend more time to examine these differences.

The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God

  First, we need to consider the difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God. There is a difference between the two, but they cannot be separated. For example, we can differentiate our hand from our body, but we cannot separate them. The body is the whole, and the hand is part of the whole body. The two can be differentiated but cannot be separated. Likewise, the kingdom of God is the whole, and the kingdom of the heavens is a part of the whole. They can be differentiated but cannot be separated.

  The kingdom of God is the reigning of God. Since it is God’s reigning, it follows God’s existence. God’s existence is from eternity to eternity, without beginning or ending; therefore, God’s reigning, God’s kingdom, is also from eternity to eternity, without beginning or ending. The Bible shows that the kingdom of God embraces a wide scope. It embraces (1) eternity without beginning, before the foundation of the world; (2) Adam in the garden and the chosen patriarchs; (3) the nation of Israel in the Old Testament age; (4) the church in the New Testament age; (5) the millennium and the kingdom of the heavens in the future; and (6) the new heaven and the new earth, which are eternal and without ending. All these six items are included in the kingdom of God and are parts of the kingdom of God (see the chart in this chapter.)

  Daniel 7:13-14 shows that the kingdom, which the Lord Jesus is bringing with Him at His second coming, is the eternal kingdom that God will set up on the earth (2:44) and is received from the Ancient of Days (cf. Luke 19:12, 15) and belongs to the Ancient of Days, that is, to God. This proves not only that the kingdom that the Lord Jesus will be establishing on earth is the kingdom of God but also that the kingdom is from ancient times, from eternity.

  Matthew 3:2; 4:17; and 10:7 indicate that when John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus, and the disciples went out to preach, the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come but was near. Matthew 21:43 shows that before the kingdom of the heavens came, the kingdom of God was already in the midst of the Israelites. However, because they brought forth no proper fruit, the kingdom of God was taken away from them and given to a nation that would produce its fruit, that is, the church. Hence, the kingdom of God today is the church. This proves that both the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and the church in the New Testament are the kingdom of God, being parts of the kingdom of God.

  Luke 13:28-29 says, “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you being cast outside. And they will come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.” These verses prove that the millennium in the future is also a part of the kingdom of God. What is spoken of here concerning those who will sit down in the kingdom of God is related to the millennium. Although it is in the millennium, the Word says it is in the kingdom of God. This is because the millennium is a part of the kingdom of God.

  Ephesians 5:5 and Revelation 11:15 reveal that the kingdom of the heavens in the future is also a part of the kingdom of God. These verses also speak of the kingdom of Christ and of God and the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. In both cases, the word kingdom is singular, showing that the kingdom of Christ and of God and the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ are not two kingdoms but one. This kingdom is the kingdom of the heavens in the future and also the eternal kingdom of Christ spoken of in 2 Peter 1:11. This kingdom of the heavens in the future is the ruling of Christ as King; hence, it is the kingdom of Christ. At the same time, it is God’s ruling; hence, it is also the kingdom of God.

  First Corinthians 15:24 says that at the end, that is, at the end of the millennium, when Christ has destroyed all the power of Satan, He will deliver up the kingdom to God. This proves that during the time of the new heaven and the new earth after the millennium, the kingdom of God will still exist. Therefore, the new heaven and the new earth in the future are also a part of the kingdom of God.

  According to the Scriptures, the kingdom of God stretches from eternity to eternity, without beginning and without ending. It is very wide in its scope. The kingdom of the heavens, which has a beginning and an ending, is a part of the kingdom of God, but its scope is narrower. Before the kingdom of the heavens began, the kingdom of God was already in existence. After the kingdom of the heavens ends, the kingdom of God will continue to exist for eternity. During the time of the kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of the heavens is the kingdom of God. Therefore, sometimes the kingdom of the heavens is also called the kingdom of God.

  Matthew 19:23-24 shows that the kingdom of the heavens is the kingdom of God. Matthew 13:31-33; 11:11; and 8:11 compared with Luke 13:18-21, 13:28-29; 7:28 prove also that the kingdom of the heavens is the kingdom of God. Since the kingdom of the heavens is a part of the kingdom of God, it can also be called the kingdom of God. Because Shanghai is a part of China, it can also be called China. For example, an American who comes to Shanghai also comes to China. Although Shanghai can be called China, China cannot be called Shanghai. Likewise, we may call the kingdom of the heavens the kingdom of God, but we cannot call the kingdom of God the kingdom of the heavens. This is because the kingdom of God embraces all of the kingdom of the heavens, but the kingdom of the heavens does not embrace all of the kingdom of God.

  The kingdom of God is His entire ruling from eternity to eternity. The kingdom of the heavens is the ruling of the heavens from the birth of the church to the end of the millennium. Whoever is in the kingdom of the heavens is in the kingdom of God. But all those in the kingdom of God may not necessarily be in the kingdom of the heavens. All the saved ones are in the kingdom of God and all enter into the kingdom of God, but they may not all enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Only the overcoming believers participate in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and will be able to enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. This is the difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God.

The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the millennium

  The millennium refers to the time after Christ comes again as King to rule the world and before the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 20:4-6). It is divided into two portions: the heavenly and the earthly. The earthly portion is the kingdom of Messiah, which the Jewish people are expecting, or the kingdom of the Son of Man mentioned in Matthew 13:41. It consists of two groups of people. One group is the nations (the sheep in Matthew 25:32-34) as the people; the other group is the Jewish people as the priests, leading the people of the nations to serve God, with the earthly Jerusalem as the center (Zech. 8:20-23; 14:16-17; Isa. 2:2-3; Jer. 3:17).

  The heavenly portion is the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, or the manifested kingdom of the heavens; it is also the kingdom of the Father spoken of in Matthew 13:43. All the believers who are being disciplined in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today will enter into the heavenly portion of the millennium in the future to enjoy the glory and gladness of the kingdom and reign with the Lord as kings over the nations for a thousand years.

  Therefore, the millennium is the period of Christ’s reigning over the world as King, whereas the kingdom of the heavens (referring to the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens) is the heavenly portion of the millennium in which Christ and the overcoming saints will reign as kings over the world (Rev. 2:26-27; 20:4-6; 2 Tim. 2:12; Matt. 19:28; 20:21, 23; Luke 19:17, 19).

The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of Messiah

  In the Old Testament God promised the Jewish people that the anointed One, that is, the Messiah (in Hebrew Messiah means “the anointed One”), would come to inherit the throne of David and restore the Jewish nation, that is, the nation of Israel. We can see this in Genesis 49:10; 2 Samuel 7:13, 16; Psalms 2:8-9; 72:1-19; 89:4; 110:2-3; Isaiah 9:6-7; 11:1-5, 10; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 30:9; 33:14-17; Ezekiel 21:27; 34:23-24; 37:24-28; Daniel 2:35; 7:14; Hosea 3:5; Amos 9:11-12 Zechariah 3:8; 6:12-13; 9:9-10.

  When the Lord Jesus came the first time, the Jewish people were expecting the Messiah to restore His kingdom (Luke 2:25; 3:15; 7:19; John 1:41; 7:27, 41). However, it will not be until the Lord’s second coming that He will restore the Messianic kingdom (Matt. 23:39). The kingdom that the Lord, the Messiah, will restore — the kingdom of Messiah, or the kingdom of Israel to be restored in the future (Acts 1:6) — is the earthly portion of the millennium, “the tabernacle of David,” which the Lord will rebuild (15:16), and the kingdom that God has prepared from the foundation of the world for the “sheep” who are to be the people on the earth during the millennium (Matt. 25:32-34). The Lord will sit on the “throne of David” and “reign over the house of Jacob,” the Jewish people (Luke 1:32-33), ruling over the nations on the earth during the millennium (Psa. 2:8; 72:8; Dan. 7:14; 2:35).

  Therefore, the kingdom of the heavens is definitely different from the kingdom of Messiah. The kingdom of Messiah is the earthly portion of the millennium; the kingdom of the heavens, that is, the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, is the heavenly portion in the millennium. The kingdom of Messiah is earthly; the kingdom of the heavens is heavenly. Before the kingdom of Messiah comes, the kingdom of the heavens, that is, the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, is already with the overcoming believers. The kingdom of Messiah is for the Jewish people to be restored in the future and for the Gentiles as “sheep”; the kingdom of the heavens is for the overcomers in the church. The future kingdom of Messiah is the expectation of the Jews; the future kingdom of the heavens, that is, the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, should be the expectation of the believers (the overcoming ones). In the kingdom of Messiah there will be the Jewish people as the priests and the Gentiles as the people; in the future kingdom of the heavens, there are only the kings and not the people. The people to be ruled over by the kings in the future kingdom of the heavens are the ones who will be in the kingdom of Messiah. Therefore, the kingdom of Messiah is the subordinate of the future kingdom of the heavens; the future kingdom of the heavens is the ruling authority of the kingdom of Messiah. The overcomers in the church will reign with Christ for one thousand years in the kingdom of the heavens, ruling over the Jews and Gentiles in the kingdom of Messiah (Rev. 20:4, 6; Matt. 19:28; Rev. 2:26).

The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the Heavens

  The Bible also speaks of the third heaven where God and the Lord Jesus dwell (2 Cor. 12:2). The visible clouds may be considered the first heaven, and the sky, the second heaven. The third heaven must be the heaven above the heavens, the highest heaven (Deut. 10:14; Psa. 148:4), where the Lord Jesus and God are today (Eph. 4:10; Heb. 4:14; 1:3). The kingdom of the heavens is a kingdom, the ruling of the heavens today, wherein the seeking believers are submitting to the heavenly authority and receiving the heavenly discipline, control, and training. In the future the kingdom of the heavens will be the manifestation of the ruling of the heavens during the millennial kingdom. At that time the Lord Jesus and the overcoming saints will be ruling over the world. The third heaven is in heaven; the kingdom of the heavens is on the earth.

The difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the church

  The church is neither a physical building nor a place nor an organization nor a denomination nor an evangelistic group. The word church in the original language is ekklesia, which means “the assembly of the called-out ones.” The church is a group of people whom God has called out from the world. The totality of this people, on one hand, is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:23), and on the other hand, it is the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15). The Body of Christ denotes both the relationship and function of the church to Christ. The house of God denotes both the relationship and the function of the church to God. Related to Christ, the church comes out of Christ and has His life. Hence, the church is the Body, the fullness of Christ — His continuation, extension, and spreading. It is able to express and testify Christ anytime and anywhere. Related to God, the church is born of God and has His life. Hence, the church is God’s household, His dwelling place, enabling Him to have a place on the earth where He can rest, express His desire, fulfill His purpose, and manifest His glory.

  We have to be clear about one thing: the church is different from Christianity. In the world’s eyes Christianity is the church. But in the eyes of God and in the eyes of those who know God, there is a great difference between Christianity and the church. Christianity is that which men have organized in the world; the church is that which God has delivered out of the world. Christianity is a religious organization, that is, the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens; the church is a living organism, that is, the Body of Christ and the spiritual dwelling place of God. Only rituals are required in order to join and participate in Christianity and to become a nominal Christian. To participate in the church requires regeneration through repentance to God and faith in Christ, causing one to become a member of Christ and a child of God. In the world’s eyes those who are in Christianity are in the church. However, in God’s eyes all those who are in Christianity may not be in the church. This is because in Christianity there are many who have not been regenerated through repentance to God and faith in Christ. Hence, they are not members of Christ nor the children of God.

  The church is the Body of Christ and the house of God, and the kingdom of the heavens is a heavenly kingdom. The church denotes a believer’s position and blessing along with his life and function; the kingdom of the heavens denotes a believer’s living and responsibility today with his authority and glory in the future. The church is the grace that a believer receives; the kingdom of the heavens is the training that a believer receives today and the reward that he will receive in the future. A believer in the church is a member of Christ, enjoying Christ as life, and also a child of God, enjoying the blessing in the house of God. A believer in the kingdom of the heavens is a heavenly subject submitting to the heavenly authority and receiving heavenly control and discipline today, and in the future he will be a heavenly king exercising heavenly authority to rule over the world and to enjoy heavenly glory and joy with Christ. As long as one has the life of God, he is in the church, but he must have a heavenly living in order to be in the kingdom of the heavens. All the saved ones are in the church, but not all the saved ones are in the kingdom of the heavens. This is because not every saved one is living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today and receiving the discipline of the kingdom. Nor will he be in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the future to receive the reward. Only those believers who are presently submitting to the heavenly authority, receiving the discipline of the kingdom of the heavens, are in the kingdom of the heavens today and will be able to enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the future to reign as kings. Those who participate in the kingdom of the heavens, that is, the reality and the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, naturally participate in the church, but those who participate in the church may not necessarily participate in the kingdom of the heavens. A saved one participates in the church; a saved and overcoming one participates both in the church and in the kingdom of the heavens. To participate in the church requires only salvation through faith, but to participate in the kingdom of the heavens requires further seeking to overcome, submitting to heavenly authority, and receiving heavenly control and discipline after experiencing salvation.

A comparison of the kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of God, and the church

  The appearance of the kingdom of the heavens has a very wide scope, including all who are called Christians, regardless of whether they are real or false. Not all of those who are in the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens are in the church because not all of them are saved. Only the saved ones among them are in the church. The scope of the church is therefore narrower than the scope of the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. The church includes only those who are true believers, who have the life of Christ.

  All those who are in the church are also in the kingdom of God, because during the dispensation of the church, the church is the kingdom of God. The scope of the church and the scope of the kingdom of God during the dispensation of the church are the same. However, not all of those who are in the church are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, because not all of them are overcomers. Only the overcomers in the church are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Thus, the scope of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is narrower than that of the church and the kingdom of God. It includes only the believers who are living a heavenly life and are overcomers.

  Those who are being disciplined today in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens are those who will reign in the future in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, the scope of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is equal to the scope of the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.

  The appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, Christendom, is related to the nominal Christians; the church and the kingdom of God are related to the saved ones. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens and the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens are related to the overcoming believers. A nominal Christian is only in the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, that is, Christendom. A person who is merely saved is in the church and in the kingdom of God. Only those who are saved and seeking to overcome, submitting to the heavenly authority, and receiving the heavenly discipline are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today and can enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the future.

  According to God’s original intention and salvation, there should not be these differences and comparisons. God’s original intention was to make the kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of God, and the church the same in scope during the dispensation of the church. The church is the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 16:18-19). Those who are in the church are those who are in the kingdom of God; those who are in the kingdom of God are also those who are in the kingdom of the heavens. The scope of the three are the same, but their definitions differ. The church denotes the position of the believers — called out of the world and standing outside of the world. The word church is ekklesia, denoting the called-out ones assembling together. The kingdom of God denotes the life of the believers, which is of God and is capable of living within the realm of God. All those who are in the kingdom of God are born of God (John 3:3, 5). The kingdom of the heavens denotes the living of the believers who are submitting to the heavenly ruling and receiving heavenly discipline. The kingdom of the heavens is the ruling of the heavens. According to God’s intention, the definitions of these three may be different, but their scope should be absolutely the same. All those who are in the church should be in the kingdom of God, and all those who are in the kingdom of God should be in the kingdom of the heavens. This is God’s intention, and God’s salvation has saved us to such an extent.

  Why then did the scope of these three parts become different? Why is the scope of the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens wider than the scope of the church and the kingdom of God? And why is the scope of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens narrower than the scope of the church and the kingdom of God? These differences are due to the confusion caused by Satan and the degradation of the believers. If Satan had not brought in the false believers and if the real believers had not become degraded, then the scope of the kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of God, and the church would be the same.

  The appearance of the kingdom of the heavens is wider in scope than the church and the kingdom of God because Satan has put many tares, false believers, into Christianity. These false believers are apparently different from the worldly people, but actually they are not. They are still worldly people with no change inwardly; they have merely put on the name of a Christian outwardly. Apparently, they are in the church, but actually, they are outside the church. The church differs from them just like she differs from the worldly people. Because these false ones have joined Christianity, Christianity has grown enormous and has become wider in scope than the church and the kingdom of God.

  The scope of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is narrower than that of the church and the kingdom of God because a great number of the believers in the church, that is, in the kingdom of God, have become degraded and have not met the standard of the kingdom of the heavens. Although all saved believers are in the church and in the kingdom of God, many have fallen from the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Although the believers who are defeated and the believers who are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens are both in the church and in the kingdom of God, the defeated ones have lost the heavenly position of the church and have neglected the divine life of the kingdom of God. The salvation of God has delivered them into the kingdom of the heavens, placing them in such an exalted position, but due to their insubordination to the ruling of the kingdom of the heavens and their disobedience to the heavenly ruling and discipline, they have fallen away from the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. The heavenly position of the church is as exalted as the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the heavenly position of the church. The defeated ones’ falling away from the reality of the kingdom of the heavens cannot reverse the fact that they are in the church, but it can cause them to lose the heavenly position of the church. Although they are still children of God, they are children who have fallen away from God’s standard — the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Although they are heavenly people, they do not live like heavenly people. They are heavenly people who have fallen away from the heavenly ruling. Oh, how many fallen Christians there are today! Believers who have fallen from the standard of God’s salvation, from the heavenly position of the church, and from the reality of the kingdom of the heavens can be found everywhere. How many among the saved ones have lost their position in God’s salvation, the heavenly position of the church, and the nature of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens? A great number of Christians have fallen away from these. Therefore, the scope of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens has become narrower than the scope of the church and the kingdom of God.

  May the Lord be gracious to us that we may stand on or return to our position in His salvation to be Christians according to His original intention. May we not lose the heavenly position of the church nor neglect the divine life of the kingdom of God but be disciplined in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today so that we may reign with Him in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the future.

The beginning and ending of the kingdom of the heavens and its process

The two periods of the kingdom of the heavens

  The kingdom of the heavens is divided into two periods: the period of its appearance and reality and the period of its manifestation. The appearance and reality of the kingdom begins, progresses, and ends with the church age. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens begins, progresses, and ends with the millennium. Matthew 3:2; 4:17; and 10:7 show several things. First, these verses show that the kingdom of the heavens had a beginning. It came at a definite time, and before its coming, it was near. Second, before John the Baptist came, the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come. Third, when John the Baptist came out to preach, the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come but was near. Fourth, even when the Lord Jesus began to preach, the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come but was still near. Fifth, even when the Lord Jesus sent out the twelve and the seventy disciples to preach, the kingdom of the heavens had not yet arrived but was only near. Matthew 11:11 says, “Truly I say to you, Among those born of women there has not arisen one greater than John the Baptist, yet he who is least in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he.” This verse proves that in the Old Testament age the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come. The kingdom of the heavens had not come even at the time of John the Baptist, because the prophets in the Old Testament and John the Baptist were not people in the kingdom of the heavens. According to Matthew 11:12, from the time John the Baptist began to preach until the time he was put into prison, the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come formally. The period from John the Baptist to the formal arrival of the kingdom of the heavens was a period of transition. During this transitional period, although the kingdom of the heavens had not yet formally arrived, men could enter into the kingdom if they so desired. We may illustrate this by a new shop that does business before its formal, grand opening. After it does business for a while, it has a grand opening. The grand opening of the kingdom of the heavens was on the day of Pentecost, but people like Peter and John had entered into the kingdom of the heavens before that time.

  In almost every instance, Matthew uses the term the kingdom of the heavens. However, in Matthew 12:28 he records the Lord’s words with the phrase the kingdom of God. The Lord Jesus was very careful in His speaking. He referred to the kingdom of God in verse 28 instead of the kingdom of the heavens because at that time the kingdom of the heavens had not yet formally come. When the Lord Jesus cast out demons, He manifested the authority of God before the Jews, but that was simply the kingdom of God coming to them, not the kingdom of the heavens. This indicates that before the kingdom of the heavens came, the kingdom of God already existed.

  Matthew 21:43, which says, “Therefore I say to you that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and shall be given to a nation producing its fruit,” proves that the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of the heavens, was in the midst of the Jewish people at that time. The parable in Matthew 22:2-4 shows that the kingdom of the heavens began at the time of the preaching of the gospel after the Lord Jesus died, resurrected, and accomplished redemption.

  In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, the Lord Jesus did not say, “The kingdom of the heavens has become like.” It was not until the parable of the tares that the Lord said, “The kingdom of the heavens has become like” (v. 24). This is because the appearance and reality of the kingdom of the heavens began from the event spoken of in the parable of the tares, that is, the events on the day of Pentecost.

  In Matthew 16:18-19, after the Lord said that He would build His church, He also said that He would give the keys of the kingdom of the heavens to Peter. This shows that Peter used the keys of the kingdom of the heavens when the Lord began to build His church. On the day of Pentecost and in the house of Cornelius, Peter used the keys of the kingdom of the heavens to open the door for men to believe and enter into the kingdom of the heavens. The Lord also began to build His church at that time. Therefore, the beginning of the church at Pentecost was also the beginning of the kingdom of the heavens. Once the church began, there were overcoming believers in the church living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens as recorded in Matthew 5—7. Hence, the reality of the kingdom of the heavens began at that time. Once the church came into existence, Satan began to mix false Christians, tares, with the real Christians. Thus, the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens also began at that time. Therefore, the reality and the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens began nearly at the same time after Pentecost.

  Matthew 18:17-18 shows that the authority of the kingdom of the heavens, which Peter possessed at the beginning of the church, is also possessed by the church. Under normal conditions the church has the authority of the kingdom of the heavens to bind what the heavens have bound and to loose what the heavens have loosed. This proves that the kingdom of the heavens and the church progress together. Wherever there is the church, there are also overcoming believers in the church, who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. At the same time there are false believers mixed in to produce the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, the reality and the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens started together and progressed together with the church. The reality and appearance of the kingdom of the heavens go along with the church and are dependent upon the church. On the one hand, the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is hidden in the church, and on the other hand, the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens goes along with the outward aspects of the church. When the Lord Jesus comes back and ends the church age, the hidden reality and the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens will also end. At that time the Lord Jesus will burn the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, that is, the so-called Christendom. At the same time the reality of the kingdom of the heavens will become the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.

  Daniel 7:13-14 shows that at the end of this age the Lord Jesus will receive the kingdom from God and come to earth to establish His kingdom. Daniel 2:44-45 shows that at the end of this age the Lord will crush the nations of the earth in order to establish His kingdom. Revelation 11:15 reveals that at the end of this age, after the Lord has crushed the nations, the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord.

  The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens will begin at that time. From then on, the Lord and the overcoming believers will reign together in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens and rule over the earth for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4, 6).

  First Corinthians 15:24-26 tells us that at the end of the millennium the Lord will destroy all the power of Satan. The last enemy He will destroy is death. Then He will deliver up to God the kingdom that He received from God. When the millennium comes to a close, the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens will end. From that time on there will be a new heaven and a new earth, the eternal kingdom of God.

  Just as the reality and appearance of the kingdom of the heavens have begun, are progressing, and will end at the end of the church age, the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens begins, progresses, and ends with the millennium. To summarize briefly, the kingdom of the heavens started with the church and will end at the conclusion of the millennium. Before the church existed, the kingdom of the heavens was only near, and at the end of the millennium the kingdom of the heavens will conclude. The kingdom of the heavens is contained in the two dispensations of the church and the millennium, and it embraces these two dispensations. The beginning of these two dispensations is the beginning of the kingdom of the heavens; the process of these two dispensations is the process of the kingdom of the heavens; and the end of these two dispensations is the end of the kingdom of the heavens.

The details of the process of the kingdom of the heavens

  The preceding section provides a sketch of the beginning and ending of the kingdom of the heavens and its process. The Gospel of Matthew, however, contains twelve parables that provide details concerning the process of the kingdom of the heavens.

  1. The parable of the sower (Matt. 13:3-8, 18-23).

  This parable speaks of the time before the coming of the kingdom of the heavens by showing what happened when the Lord was sowing the seed in preparation. In this parable the Lord does not say, “The kingdom of the heavens has become like” (cf. v. 24) or “the kingdom of the heavens is like” (cf. v. 31), because at that time the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come. The seed that the Lord sowed, the word He planted, was the word of the kingdom of the heavens that was to gain and prepare people to be the sons of the kingdom of the heavens. There are four kinds of hearers of the word. The first kind of hearer is like the earth beside the way on the edge of the field (v. 4), which is close to the evil spirits. The field refers to the world, the air is close to the world, and since Satan and his evil spirits are in the air, this kind of person must be close to the evil spirits. When this kind of hearer hears the word of the kingdom of the heavens, he cannot understand it, and Satan easily snatches it away (v. 19). The second kind of hearer is like the shallow earth on top of rocky places. This kind of hearer only shallowly accepts the word of the kingdom (v. 5). He is unwilling to allow the Holy Spirit to dig deeply to soften his hardened heart and to remove his hidden sins, personal desires, self-seeking, and self-pity (the rocks under the earth). Thus, the word cannot sink deep in his heart, and when affliction or persecution comes, he is stumbled (v. 21). The third kind of hearer is like the thorny ground. This kind of hearer receives the word of the kingdom of the heavens but is filled with the anxiety of the age, the deceitfulness of riches, and other kinds of private lusts and pleasures (thorns) that choke the word and make it unfruitful (vv. 7, 22). The fourth kind of hearer is like the good earth (v. 8). This kind of hearer receives the word of the kingdom of the heavens and allows the word to work in his heart to become deeply rooted and to bear much fruit (v. 23).

  2. The parable of the tares (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43).

  The parable of the tares speaks of the beginning, continuation, and end of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, the Lord begins by saying, “The kingdom of the heavens has become like” (v. 24). This parable follows the first parable. The seed that the Lord sowed in the preceding parable becomes “the sons of the kingdom” (v. 38) in this parable; they are the true believers (the wheat). Just after the church was established on the day of Pentecost, the Lord’s servants were not watchful (the men slept), and the devil began to mix false believers (tares) in among the true believers. Once there were false believers, the outward appearance of the kingdom, which is Christianity, began. The Lord allows false believers to live together with true believers in the world (the field) — but not in the church — until He returns at the end of this age. Then the Lord will send angels to weed out the false believers from the world, that is, out of His kingdom, because the world will become His kingdom when He returns, and the false believers will be thrown into the lake of fire where they will be eternally punished (Rev. 11:15; Matt. 13:28-30). Once the false believers are separated from the true believers, the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens — Christendom — will end. At that time all true believers will be raptured to the air (the wheat being gathered into the barn). From that point forward, the overcoming believers (the righteous) will be in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, that is, in the kingdom of their Father, and will shine with the light of glory just like Christ (the sun).

  3. The parable of the mustard seed (Matt. 13:31-32).

  The parable of the mustard seed speaks of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, Christendom, during its time of abnormal and improper development. The mustard seed in this parable is the seed sown in the first parable, which is God’s word of life. The Lord sowed God’s word in the world in order to obtain the church, which would be like an herb. But after a certain period of time, the church lost its herbal nature and became a great tree. This was an abnormal development because it broke God’s natural law and principle that every living thing should be according to its kind (Gen. 1:11-12). According to history, this abnormal development began when the Roman emperor Constantine accepted Christianity. When the church began, worldly people, especially the early Roman emperors, persecuted and harmed the church. When Constantine, the king of the worldly people, accepted Christianity, he not only ceased his persecution of the church but even encouraged people to be baptized and accept this religion. In this way the church, which was originally like a small herb with shallow roots in the earth and was full of the nature of a pilgrim and sojourner, became like a great tree with large branches, flourishing leaves, and roots deep in the earth. The church outwardly sprang up, developed, obtained power and authority, and became Christianity. Thus, it became a place where Satan (the birds of heaven) could roost. This situation of abnormal development will continue until the Lord returns; the Lord, however, wants His people to leave such a situation and return to the original position of the church.

  4. The parable of the leaven (Matt. 13:33)

  The parable of the leaven speaks of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens reaching a point of inward corruption. According to history, this situation was fully present by the fifth century A.D. with the formal establishment of the Roman Catholic Church. The organization of Roman Catholicism is like a woman who usurps the headship and mixes all kinds of heresies and evil things (leaven) into the truths concerning Christ as food (the meal) for God’s people. This caused the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, which is Christendom, to become inwardly filled with all kinds of corruption.

  These four parables are a group showing how the Lord sowed the kingdom of the heavens on the earth as the seed of life and produced sons of the kingdom so that He could obtain a heavenly kingdom where the heavens could rule. They show how Satan worked in many ways to damage the word of the kingdom of the heavens to prevent it from bearing fruit. But the word still produced sons of the kingdom who could become a kingdom where the heavens could rule — the church. Then Satan mixed in false believers, causing this heavenly kingdom to have an outward, earthly, false appearance; he later caused this outward appearance to be mingled with the world, to have a worldly development, and to inwardly receive all kinds of heresies and evil things, filling this outward appearance with satanic corruption. Satan did all these things to damage God’s goal for the church and to frustrate the church from bringing in the kingdom of God. Thus, anyone who seeks God’s heart’s desire and pursues the kingdom must leave the situation in Christianity behind, including the presence of tares, the appearance of the great tree, and the leaven of its teachings.

  5. The parable of the treasure hidden in the field (Matt. 13:44).

  This verse says, “The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid, and in his joy goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field,” and it speaks of how the Lord treasures the kingdom, sees it as most precious, and sacrifices all for it. The kingdom is hidden in the world (the field, mainly the Jewish world); it is the mystery hidden from the foundation of the world (vv. 35, 17). When the Lord began His work, He expressed this kingdom (4:23; 5—7; 9:35); later, because He was rejected by the Jews, He hid the kingdom from them (13:10-13; 11:25). However, for the joy of this kingdom the Lord went to the cross and sacrificed all to purchase the kingdom hidden on the earth, which was to obtain the kingdom on the earth created by God.

  6. The parable of the pearl (Matt. 13:45-46)

  The parable of the pearl speaks of the Lord’s delight in the church as the life pulse of the kingdom. He considers the church to be a pearl, and He gave all for the church on the cross. Christ produced the church by being wounded by the sinner on the cross and by releasing His life on the cross, just as a pearl is produced by an oyster (the living Christ) that is wounded by a little rock (the sinner) and secretes its life-juice around the wounding rock (the believer). Then the pearl is taken out from the sea (the world filled with death). In this universe the Lord wants to obtain a glorious church as beautiful as a pearl, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but being holy and without blemish, and thus He obtains a kingdom. For the sake of the church that He appreciates and loves, He sacrificed all on the cross (Eph. 5:25-27).

  Just as the parables of the tares, the mustard seed, and the leaven are related, the parables of the treasure and the pearl are also related. The former three parables speak of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, Christendom, and how it becomes mixed and corrupted, something from which the believers should escape. These latter two parables speak of the purity and holiness of the kingdom and the church, something that the believers should appreciate. The kingdom is hidden in the field, which refers to the earth created and redeemed by God; the church comes out of the sea, which refers to the world corrupted by Satan. On the one hand, the Lord wants to obtain the kingdom of God in the created and redeemed earth; on the other hand, He wants to save the church out of the Satan-corrupted world. He will destroy the sea, which signifies the world, to obtain the field, which signifies the earth. As the church, the saved ones should come out of the world; as the kingdom, the Lord and the believers will inherit the earth (Heb. 2:5). Giving up the world is a requirement related to the church, which enables us, as the kingdom, to obtain the earth. When we give up the world today to be the Lord’s beloved pearl, we will inherit the earth and obtain the Lord’s precious treasure in the future. The church as the pearl is manifested today; the kingdom as the treasure is hidden today, but it will be manifested in the millennial kingdom on the redeemed earth. Today we must be the Lord’s pearl so that in the future we may obtain the Lord’s manifested treasure.

  7. The parable of the net (Matt. 13:47-50).

  To some, the parable of the net repeats what is spoken of in the parable of the tares concerning true believers and false believers. However, the Lord surely would not use two parables in this chapter to speak about the same matter. This parable speaks of the end of this age when the Lord returns and how He will gather before Him all the nations (the Gentiles) living on earth and divide them according to who is righteous and who is evil. Prior to this, the Lord will send an angel to preach an eternal gospel to those on the earth (casting a net into the sea) to tell them that: (1) they must fear God because the people on the earth will persecute God’s people, the believers who are left on earth during the great tribulation; and (2) they must worship God because Antichrist will require the people on earth to worship his image (Rev. 14:6-7). After this eternal gospel is preached, which is different from the gospel of grace preached by the church, the Lord will return to the earth, and angels will gather all the Gentiles living on earth who heard this gospel and bring them before the Lord to be judged. This judgment is explained by the Lord in Matthew 25:31-46. In this judgment the Lord will consider those who received the eternal gospel as righteous and cause them to enter into the earthly section of the millennial kingdom as its people. He will condemn those who did not receive that gospel and cause them to enter into the lake of fire to perish eternally. The net of the eternal gospel will end the Satan-corrupted world, signified by the sea, because it will drag out of the world (bring onto the shore) all those living on earth at that time. As a result of this judgment, the God-created, redeemed, and obtained earth, signified by the field, will be opened up because a group of righteous people will be sent into the millennial kingdom to be the people on earth. Thus, on the one hand, the Lord will terminate the Satan-corrupted world, signified by the turbulent sea, as the age of the Gentiles, and on the other hand, He will open up the God-created and redeemed earth, signified by the productive field, as the age of the millennial kingdom.

  The seven preceding parables spoken by the Lord beside the sea refer to the “mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens,” which were “hidden from the foundation of the world” (13:11, 35). They cover the span of time that began when the Lord first came to the earth to preach the word until the time when the Lord returns to the earth to end this age. These parables show that the church age in which we live is a time of both the reality and the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, and they show how both have begun, are continuing, and will end.

  8. The parable of the vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16).

  The parable of the vineyard covers the time from when the Lord began to work on the earth, and it includes all whom the Lord has called to leave everything and to follow Him for the kingdom throughout all the generations during the age of grace. It is only through His calling that people can enter into the realm of His universal work, that is, enter into the vineyard to work. In His eyes whoever is not in the vineyard is “standing idle” (v. 3). All who have been called to live for His kingdom have entered the kingdom, regardless of when they entered. It does not matter whether one is called early or late, whether one comes at the beginning of the age of grace (early in the morning) like Peter and John, whether they come during the course of the age of grace (the third, the sixth, and the ninth hour), near the end of the age of grace (the eleventh hour), or when the Lord comes back (when evening falls); all will be raptured to His presence to receive the same wages, that is, to enter into the kingdom. The Lord will give wages beginning with the last and ending with the first. This means that the last group of people to live for the Lord will receive their wages first, and the first group to leave everything for the Lord will receive their wages last. The Lord does this to show that His giving us the kingdom is not in exchange for our leaving everything and laboring for Him today, even though it may appear as if the kingdom is a reward for leaving everything and laboring for Him. Rather, His reward is based on our consideration of His heart’s desire and on our answer to His call to live for His kingdom. Therefore, His reward is in the principle of a gift, not a business transaction. How can our small sacrifice be a payment for entering the Lord’s kingdom? How can our little labor be exchanged for the Lord’s glorious kingdom? How can we count our small sacrifice and labor for the Lord? This is especially true because it is our duty to live for the Lord who created and redeemed us. The reward of the kingdom will depend on the Lord’s “want” and “wish” (vv. 14-15). Want expresses the Lord’s authority, but wish expresses His grace and love. Peter said in 19:27, “Behold, we have left all and followed You. What then will there be for us?” Unlike Peter, we should not emphasize our sacrifice and labor; rather, we must focus on the Lord’s love, grace, and authority. Our sacrifice and labor are not sufficient to pay the price for obtaining the Lord’s kingdom; the Lord’s grace, love, and authority, however, are sufficient as the motive for the Lord to give us His kingdom as a gift. If we are not willing to consider His heart’s desire, answer His call, and leave everything to live for His kingdom, He will not be willing to give His kingdom to us. Actually, the coming kingdom is not a wage that can be earned by our labor; instead, it is a reward placed before us to encourage us to leave everything and to follow the Lord in order to obtain it.

  9. The parable of the wedding feast (Matt. 22:1-14).

  The parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14 speaks of how God calls people to enter into the joy of His kingdom in the age of grace. In contrast, Matthew 21:33-46 contains a parable concerning matters in the age of the law, not in the age of grace, as revealed in the parable of the wedding feast. The age of the law relates to the “kingdom of God” (v. 43), but the age of grace relates to the “kingdom of the heavens” (22:2). In the age of the law, God requires man to labor and work to produce fruit for Him, but in the age of grace, God has prepared all things for man to receive (v. 4). If we would answer His call and come, we can freely enjoy everything that He has prepared for us. When we live for the Lord and pursue the kingdom in the age of grace, we are not laboring or even sacrificing for the Lord; rather, we are enjoying what the Lord has accomplished for us and receiving what He intends to give us. From our perspective, our pursuit of the kingdom involves entering and working in the vineyard. From the perspective of the Lord’s salvation, our pursuit of the kingdom involves attending a wedding feast to enjoy all that the Lord has accomplished for us. If we truly know the Lord’s grace and the salvation He has accomplished, we will not feel that pursuing the kingdom during the New Testament age is a labor but a feast. It does not involve drudgery but enjoyment, because the kingdom is a wedding feast spread by God for His Son. When the Lord was on earth, He sent out the disciples to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the Jews (the first group of servants who were sent out to invite people to the feast, 10:5-7), but the disciples were rejected. After the Lord was crucified and His salvation was prepared, He sent out the apostles to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the Jews on the day of Pentecost (the second group of servants sent out to invite people to attend the feast). This group was also rejected by those who were busy with the affairs of the world (their field) or caught up in the lure of money (their business). Consequently, they ignored the gospel of the kingdom. Some even persecuted, shamed, and killed the apostles. Therefore, God became angry and caused the Roman prince Titus to lead an army in A.D. 70 to destroy the Jews who had rejected the gospel and killed the apostles and to burn down Jerusalem (Luke 21:20-24). Later, God sent His servants to the crossroads and the streets (the Gentiles) to preach the gospel of the kingdom all over the earth (Matt. 24:14) and to call people to enter into the kingdom by gaining kingdom people from all the nations (28:19). As a result, many answered the call and were saved. However, being saved is one thing and overcoming is another. Thus, many answer the call, but few are chosen to enter the kingdom (22:14). Those who are not chosen do not have the surpassing righteousness that is pleasing to God, which is the wedding garment spoken of in verse 12 and the fine linen that is spoken of in Revelation 19:8. This is not the righteousness obtained by faith, which causes us to be saved; rather, it is the surpassing righteousness that gives us entrance into the kingdom, as spoken of in Matthew 5:20. It is the righteousness we live out after being saved by relying on the Lord’s overcoming life. This overcoming righteousness is the wedding garment that we need in order to enter into the kingdom and attend the wedding feast of God’s Son, the Lamb. Many believers will not be able to enter the kingdom, because they do not have this overcoming righteousness. Rather than experiencing the joy of the wedding feast of God’s Son, they will be cast into the outer darkness, where there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth (22:13).

  10. The parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13).

  The parable of the ten virgins is about believers viewed from the aspect of life, and it speaks of how we should be watchful and ready, maturing in life and waiting to be raptured to meet the Lord. The Lord is the universal Bridegroom (John 3:29; Matt. 9:15). In the aspect of life, we should be pure toward the Lord, as virgins who go forth out of the world to meet the Lord, bearing spiritual light with oil in their lamps in this dark age (2 Cor. 11:2-3; Matt. 25:1, 4). This should be the goal of our living. But there is a distinction between believers in this aspect. Although we belong to the Lord as virgins (v. 1), there is a distinction between being prudent or foolish in the matter of preparing and waiting for the Lord. Although we all have the same nature, our living and actions differ. Some of us act foolishly, and some of us act prudently, but we all bear responsibility for our living and actions (the number five signifying the bearing of responsibility). Whether we are foolish or prudent is based on whether or not we have oil in our vessels. Oil refers to the Holy Spirit, and we all have a lamp, that is, a spirit, for this oil, and as virgins we all have oil in our lamps. The oil in our lamps refers to the Holy Spirit, who has regenerated our human spirit. However, the vessels of the prudent virgins are also filled with oil, referring to the Holy Spirit filling our soul as the vessel of our personality. To have oil in our vessels means that we are willing to pay the price to pursue being filled with the Holy Spirit, not only in our spirit but also in our soul. Every regenerated believer has the regenerating Spirit, but not all have been filled with the Spirit to be mature in life.

  When the Lord delays His coming, the ten virgins die (slept, v. 5). The believers who die before the Lord returns represent the majority of the believers, but not all the believers, because ten is the majority of twelve. The totality of the believers, the whole church, are represented by the number twelve (Rev. 21:14). The believers who die before the Lord returns represent the majority of the believers in the church with only a smaller number being alive when He returns. The number of the majority of the believers who are dead is ten, and the number of the believers who are alive is two. This living remnant is represented by the “two men” and the “two women” in Matthew 24:40-41. These two plus ten make twelve. When the Lord comes, two of the twelve will be living and working, and ten of the twelve will be sleeping in death.

  When the Lord comes, an angel will blow a trumpet, and the dead believers will rise from the dead to meet the Lord (1 Thes. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52). All the dead believers will be resurrected (all the virgins arise, Matt. 25:7). After they rise, they take heed to the life that enables them to be raptured to see the Lord (trimmed their own lamps, v. 7). Then the virgins who do not have vessels filled with the Holy Spirit, the believers who are not ready, will discover their lack and ask for help from the believers who are prepared. A lack in spiritual life, however, cannot be made up by others, so the foolish virgins will have to pay the price for themselves in order to make up this lack. Thus, they can only go away in order to pay the price and be filled with the Holy Spirit to mature in life and be ready to meet the Lord (going away to buy, v. 10). However, when they go away to prepare, the Lord will come. The believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit, matured in life, and ready will be raptured to attend the wedding feast with the Lord. This is the feast spoken of in Matthew 22:2; 26:29; and Revelation 19:9. Those who are not ready, who have gone away to prepare, will be left behind until the end of the great tribulation. They will be raptured later when they are ready, but by the time they are ready, the door to the wedding feast of the kingdom will be closed. Even though they beg the Lord to open the door, He will refuse and say, “I do not know you” (Matt. 25:12). The words not know you do not mean that the Lord does not know about them but that He does not approve of them. Because they were not watchful and not ready, the Lord will not approve of them, and He will refuse to allow them to participate in the wedding feast of His kingdom. Therefore, the Lord warns us to watch (v. 13). Brothers and sisters, are you prepared?

  11. The parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30).

  The parable of the talents shows that the believers should be faithful and hard working in the aspect of their work between the time of the Lord’s ascension and His return so that when He returns, they will be able to settle accounts with Him. The Lord is not only our Bridegroom but also our Master, and to the Lord we are not only virgins but also slaves. The word Bridegroom expresses the Lord’s preciousness, and Lord expresses His honor. Virgins speaks of our holiness in our living, and slaves speaks of our faithfulness in our work. In the aspect of life, we should be watchful and ready as virgins, waiting for our Bridegroom; in the aspect of work, we should be faithful as slaves, serving our Master.

  When the Lord ascended, He gave gifts (talents) to the believers (slaves) (vv. 14-15). These gifts are given through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4, 7-11). The first parable emphasizes the filling of the Holy Spirit, and this parable emphasizes the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Being filled by the Holy Spirit is for a life of waiting for the Lord, and it causes believers to be mature in life; receiving gifts is for the believers’ work in serving the Lord, and it causes the believers to be fruitful in labor. In order to be filled, we need to pay a price, and even though gifts are freely given, we must pay the price in order to be filled so that the gifts can properly be used.

  The gifts given by the Lord to the believers differ in size. Some are five talents, some are two talents, and some are one talent in size (Matt. 25:15). They are measured to each believer according to his individual capacity. The Lord wants each believer to use the gift he receives to work for Him (traded). The result of each one’s trading should be gaining more than the original gift (the one with five talents gained another five, the one with two talents another two). However, the one who received the smallest gift (one talent) did not utilize his gift for the Lord (dug in the earth and hid his master’s money, v. 18) and did not use it to help others in order to earn interest (deposited the money with the money changers, v. 27). When the Lord returns, He will judge the believers’ work (settle accounts with them, v. 19). All believers will be raptured to stand before the Lord’s judgment seat to be judged (the master of the slaves came and settled accounts with them, v. 19; see also 2 Cor. 5:10), and each one will tell the Lord what he did (Rom. 14:10, 12). Those who faithfully used their gift (gained) will be praised by Him and will enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens to rule in the kingdom and enter into His joy in the kingdom. The lazy ones who buried their gifts will be rebuked by the Lord, not enter into the kingdom, have their gifts taken away from them, and be cast into the outer darkness to weep and gnash their teeth (Matt. 25:26-30).

  The preceding two parables speak of two aspects of the believers’ relationship with the Lord. In one aspect our relationship is that of virgins with the bridegroom, telling us how we should live; in the other aspect our relationship is that of a slave with a master, telling us how we should work. The Lord wants us to pay attention to both our living and our working. We must first pay attention to life and then pay attention to work. After we have the life of a virgin, we should have the work of a slave. We must have the life of a virgin before we can have the work of a slave. The life of a virgin is the qualification for the work of a slave. We must be virgins to the Lord before we can serve Him as slaves. As slaves, we need the life of a virgin, and as virgins, we need the work of a slave. We must have life before we can work, but once we have life, we must also have work. Life is the power for work, and work is the expression of life. We must love the Lord as our Bridegroom before we can serve Him as our Master. Loving the Lord in life is related to being raptured and feasting together with Him in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens; serving the Lord in work is related to entering the kingdom and reigning with Him in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.

  12. The parable of the sheep and the goats (Matt. 25:31-46).

  This final parable is unlike the preceding parables, which are spoken of entirely as parables. These verses are a small parable inserted into a clear word concerning how Christ will judge the nations living on earth when He returns. These nations are not the Jews, nor do they include the Jews, because the Bible says that the Jews “do not reckon themselves among the nations” (Num. 23:9). The nations in Matthew 25:32 also do not include those in the church because the church is chosen out from among the Gentiles, the nations (Acts 15:14). The nations in Matthew 25:32 are the Gentiles who are on the earth at the end of this age. Nations in this verse is the translation of the Greek word for Gentiles, and it is the same word found in Matthew 6:32 and 10:5. Although the nations are not the chosen people of God, the Jews, or the church, they are the Lord’s sheep because all people on earth were created by the Lord and belong to Him. All men are the Lord’s sheep (Psa. 100:1-3). The time of this parable corresponds to the time immediately after the Lord returns to the earth in glory and when the earth has become His kingdom (Rev. 11:15). He will be the King of all the nations on earth, and He will sit on His throne of glory in Jerusalem, which is the throne of David (Jer. 3:17; Luke 1:32; Matt. 19:28). The Lord will judge the world in righteousness from His throne of glory (Acts 17:31), meaning that He will judge the nations living on the earth at that time. This judgment from the throne of glory occurs at the beginning of the millennial kingdom, and it is different from His judgment on the great white throne at the end of the millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:11-15). At that time the Lord will be the Judge of the dead, whereas in this judgment He will be the Judge of the living (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim. 4:1). The Lord will judge them according to whether or not they treated the least of His brothers well. These brothers are the believers left on earth during the great tribulation. In the preceding points we saw the parable of the net and said that people on earth will persecute and kill believers who are left on earth during the great tribulation. Therefore, God will send an angel to preach an eternal gospel to the people on earth, telling them to fear God and not to persecute the believers left on earth. The sheep are those who receive the eternal gospel and treat the believers well on earth during the great tribulation. Since these believers are the Lord’s brothers, those who treat them well will be considered by the Lord to be righteous ones. The goats are those who do not receive the eternal gospel and mistreat the believers on earth during the great tribulation. The Lord will condemn these evildoers as goats.

  These goats will immediately go into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels to suffer an eternal punishment (Matt. 25:41, 46). Before the millennial kingdom they are cast into the lake of fire, after Antichrist and the false prophet have been (Rev. 19:20). The righteous, the sheep, will enter into the kingdom prepared by God for them from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34). This kingdom is the earthly part of the millennial kingdom, the Messianic kingdom. They will enter into this kingdom to be its people. This will be the time of the “restoration of all things,” when all things are restored to their original condition, as in the garden of Eden (Acts 3:21; Isa. 11:6-9). There they will enjoy the blessings prepared from the creation of the world by God for the men He created.

  The salvation of the sheep in this parable is different from that of the believers. When believers are saved today, they are regenerated, and the eternal life enters into their being; they obtain eternal life. When these sheep are saved, they will not be regenerated, and the eternal life will not enter into their being; instead, they will enter into eternal life. Today the eternal life is a life in and for the believers, but for the sheep in the future it will only be a realm. Just as eternal perdition will be a realm in which the goats will suffer, eternal life will be a realm in which the sheep will be happy. Their entering into eternal life will be an entrance into a realm of blessings, just as the goats’ entering into eternal punishment will be an entrance into a realm of suffering. The sheep will not obtain eternal life or be part of the new creation; they will merely be restored to their original created condition. They will only obtain restoration through the restoration of all things. Once this judgment is completed, the millennial kingdom will begin.

An overview of the beginning and ending of the kingdom of the heavens and its process

  After seeing the above points, we can understand an overview of the beginning and ending of the kingdom of the heavens and its process.

  The kingdom of the heavens was a hidden mystery from the creation of the world. No one knew of it during the Old Testament times. Even when John the Baptist began to preach, it was only near. Although it was only near, John called people to repent and to prepare to enter into the kingdom.

  When the Lord Jesus began to preach, the kingdom of the heavens still was only near. It was near because the Lord preached the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens, defined the kingdom of the heavens, and sent the disciples forth into all the places of Judea to tell the Jews that the kingdom of the heavens was near and that they should prepare to enter into it. He presented the kingdom of the heavens to the Jews and wanted them to pursue and receive it, but they rejected it. Because of their rejection, the Lord hid the kingdom of the heavens from them.

  Before the kingdom of the heavens began, the Lord Jesus went out to preach the word of the kingdom of the heavens, to sow the seed of the kingdom of the heavens, and to obtain “sons of the kingdom” (Matt. 13:38). Satan did his best to frustrate and damage this matter. Nevertheless, a group of people accepted the word of the kingdom of the heavens and became sons of the kingdom.

  Later, the Lord gave all upon the cross for the sake of obtaining the kingdom and its life pulse, the church. On the day of Pentecost and later in the house of Cornelius, Peter used the keys of the kingdom of the heavens that had been given to him by the Lord to open the door for Jews and Gentiles to believe the word, thus establishing the church. Once the church was established, there were some who lived in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and submitted to the heavenly authority, so the reality of the kingdom of the heavens began at that time. However, not long after the church began, Satan mixed false believers in among the true believers in the church, and the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens began to develop. From this time onward, the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens have been with the church and will continue until the end of this age. From the beginning of the church, there have been those who are strict and righteous with themselves, broad and gracious toward others, as well as absolutely pure in their heart and service toward God. They live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, submit to the heavenly authority, and bring in the kingdom of the heavens. There are also many false believers and evil ones in the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, which is so-called Christianity. Such ones cause confusion and damage the kingdom of the heavens.

  After the day of Pentecost the Lord used the apostles to preach the kingdom of the heavens to the Jews to tell them that all things had been prepared for them to come and receive. But the Jews rejected the apostles. Then God sent apostles to the Gentiles to preach the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens and to call them to enter into the kingdom. Although many have responded to His call and have been saved, the overcomers chosen to enter into the kingdom are few.

  Not long after the gospel came to the Gentiles, Satan caused the church, the life pulse of the kingdom of the heavens, to be joined to the world and to develop abnormally in the world, which gave him a place to roost. He added all kinds of heresies and evil things into the church to corrupt God’s work. This chaotic, mixed, and corrupted condition will continue to worsen until the end of this age.

  At the end of this age when the Lord returns, He will rapture the overcoming believers who are watchful, ready, have paid the price, pursued the Holy Spirit, matured in life, and have been waiting for Him; they will enter into the feast of the kingdom with Him. For a short time He will leave the “cold” believers, who did not pursue Him, on the earth. At the end of the great tribulation these ones will be raptured, but they will be refused entrance into the kingdom feast. When the believers are raptured, the hidden aspect of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens will end.

  After all the believers are raptured, the Lord will establish His judgment seat in the air and settle accounts with the true believers. All who have been faithful to work and serve Him and to use the gifts He has given them to do a fruitful work for Him will be set by Him over many things in that day. They will enter into the glory of the kingdom and into His joy. All the unfaithful believers who were lazy and who buried their gifts will not be set over anything, nor will they be allowed to enter the glory of the kingdom or into His joy; moreover, He will take away the gifts He has given them and cast them into the outer darkness where they will weep and gnash their teeth.

  Then the Lord will receive the kingdom from God and return to the earth to crush the nations, and the kingdom of this world will become His kingdom. The Lord will send His angels to pick out the false believers and cast them into the lake of fire. This will be the end of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, so-called Christianity.

  The Lord will then gather before Him the people of all nations who are living on earth and separate those who are righteous from those who are evil. The righteous ones will be allowed to enter into the earthly part of the millennial kingdom to be its people and to inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. The evil ones will be cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels to be companions of the devil and to suffer the punishment of eternal fire. The millennial kingdom will begin, and the kingdom of the heavens will be completely and properly manifested upon the earth.

  During the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, the overcoming believers will reign with the Lord Jesus for one thousand years. There they will shine with light as bright as the sun. At the end of the millennial kingdom the Lord will completely destroy the authority of Satan and give back to God the kingdom He obtained from God. This will be the end of the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. This is an overview of the beginning, continuation, and end of the kingdom of the heavens.

The meaning of entering the kingdom of the heavens

  Most believers today think that entering the kingdom of the heavens means to be saved, that is, to obtain eternal life. According to the Bible, however, this view is not accurate. We need to see the scriptural meaning of entering the kingdom of the heavens.

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being different from obtaining eternal life in this age

  1. “Believes...has eternal life” (John 3:36; 5:24 see also 3:16; 6:47; 20:31); compare with “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 5:20 see also 7:21; 18:3).

  All the verses from the Gospel of John speak of eternal life being obtained through faith. Obtaining eternal life is totally a matter of faith alone. If one wants eternal life, he does not need to do anything but believe, because faith is the only requirement for obtaining eternal life. If a person believes, he obtains eternal life; if he does not believe, he will not obtain eternal life.

  Entering the kingdom of the heavens, however, is different. The verses from the Gospel of Matthew speak of entering the kingdom of the heavens based on righteous acts, doing the will of God, and having a changed living. This shows that entering the kingdom of the heavens is a matter of works, righteousness, and a change in living. In order for a person to enter the kingdom of the heavens, his righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and the Pharisees; he must also do the will of God and have a changed living. It is not enough to merely believe but have no works.

  The difference between obtaining eternal life and entering into the kingdom of the heavens can be seen from the different emphasis in John and Matthew. John speaks of believing in order to receive eternal life. Matthew speaks of having a surpassing righteousness in order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens. John says that we obtain eternal life by faith, and Matthew says that we must do God’s will to enter into the kingdom of the heavens. John says that he who believes has passed out of death into life, and Matthew says that we must turn and become as little children in order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens. John says that Jesus is the Son of God, the Lord of life, that life is in Him, and that He came that men may have life, which is received by faith. Thus, John repeatedly speaks of believing in order to obtain life. Matthew says that Jesus is the King of the kingdom of the heavens who came to the earth to establish a heavenly kingdom and who needs people to follow Him so that they may enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Matthew repeatedly speaks of following Him, of taking up the cross to follow Him, and of leaving everything to follow Him. John shows that we only need to receive the Lord of life by faith in order to obtain eternal life. Matthew shows that we must faithfully follow the King of the kingdom of the heavens in order to enter the kingdom of the heavens. Eternal life is obtained by receiving the Lord through faith; the kingdom of the heavens is entered into by faithfully following the Lord.

  In order to obtain eternal life, we only need to believe, but in order to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must have righteous acts and a changed living. Every time the Bible speaks of the matter of eternal life, it speaks of believing rather than doing, but whenever the Bible speaks of entering the kingdom of the heavens, it does not speak of faith. Rather, it speaks of righteousness, doing the will of God, or of something related to our living. Therefore, according to the Bible, we should realize that obtaining eternal life and entering the kingdom of the heavens are two different things.

  2. “Children of God” (John 1:12); compare with “Reign” (2 Tim. 2:12).

  John 1:12 speaks of being children in the household of God, whereas 2 Timothy 2:12 speaks of reigning in God’s kingdom. Being children is a matter of receiving eternal life; reigning as kings is a matter of entering the kingdom of the heavens. If we want to have eternal life and be children of God, we only need to receive the Lord by believing into Him. But to enter the kingdom of the heavens and be kings, we need to endure and overcome. Thus, these two verses in the Bible also prove that obtaining eternal life and entering the kingdom of the heavens are two different matters.

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being different from eternal salvation

  1. “By grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:8 see also 2 Tim. 1:9); compare with “The crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will recompense me” (2 Tim. 4:8).

  Ephesians 2:8 and 2 Timothy 1:9 show that salvation is by grace on God’s side and through faith on man’s side. Consequently, salvation is not at all related to our works. Grace is given by God freely, and we receive salvation freely by faith. We only need to believe and receive in order to receive God’s salvation; we do not need to do even the smallest work.

  However, 2 Timothy 4:8 shows that when the Lord comes, the crown that we obtain will be based on righteousness. A crown is the symbol of a king. Thus, to obtain a crown is to enter the kingdom of the heavens to reign. Therefore, obtaining a crown is based on God’s righteousness, not grace. It is called a “crown of righteousness,” not a “crown of grace.” This crown of righteousness will be given by the Lord, the “righteous Judge,” to His overcoming believers. This is absolutely different from being saved by grace in Ephesians 2:8. “By grace” is based on our faith; “of righteousness” is based on our works. God gives us grace for our salvation, and this has nothing to do with our works. We only need to receive God’s salvation by faith, and we are saved. But the Lord will give us a crown based only on righteousness, according to our works. In order to receive a crown, it is not enough merely to have faith to receive God’s grace; we must also have works that correspond to the Lord’s righteousness. Thus, these two portions of the Bible show that we are saved by God’s grace today and that we will obtain a reward and enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens according to God’s righteousness in the future. These two matters are different from each other.

  2. “Saved through faith...not of works” (Eph. 2:8-9 see also 2 Tim. 1:9); compare with “Not everyone...will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of My Father who is in the heavens” (Matt. 7:21).

  Ephesians 2:8-9 and 2 Timothy 1:9 both say that salvation is entirely by God’s grace, not by works. This grace was given in Christ by God to us before the ages, before any of our works had been done, so it is completely unrelated to our works. Matthew 7:21 tells us we must do works that carry out the will of the Father in order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Thus, this also shows that entering the kingdom of the heavens is different from being eternally saved.

  3. “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13); compare with “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 7:21).

  Romans 10:13 says that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Calling upon the Lord’s name in this verse is related to faith. As long as we believe in our heart and confess the Lord’s name with our mouth, we will be saved. We do not need to do anything else to be saved. Believing in the Lord and confessing with our mouth are sufficient for our salvation.

  In contrast Matthew 7:21 says that not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” will enter into the kingdom of the heavens. This is very different from Romans 10:13, which says that calling on the Lord’s name is all that is needed for salvation. According to the verse in Matthew 7, a person who calls, “Lord, Lord,” may not be able to enter the kingdom of the heavens. While it is enough to call upon the name of the Lord for salvation, this is not sufficient to ensure that one will enter the kingdom of the heavens; it is also necessary to do the will of God. Thus, these two portions of the Bible also show that being eternally saved and entering the kingdom of the heavens are two different things.

  4. “Such fornication...that someone has his stepmother...Such a one...may be saved” (1 Cor. 5:1, 5); Compare with “Neither fornicators...will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

  In 1 Corinthians 5:5 the apostle speaks of delivering a brother who had committed gross fornication to Satan for the destruction of his flesh so that his spirit would be saved in the day of the Lord. This shows that a saved brother, even one who commits a terrible sin, will be saved in the future despite the destruction of his flesh in this age. This is because salvation is based on God’s unchanging grace, which will never change, even if a believer’s actions are evil. If a believer’s actions are evil after he is saved, he is still saved. This is what the apostle clearly tells us in 1 Corinthians 5, but in the very next chapter the apostle says, “Neither fornicators...nor adulterers...will inherit the kingdom of God” (vv. 9-10). This should be a clear indication that salvation and inheriting the kingdom of God are two different matters. If they are not different, then the apostle’s words contradict each other. Since salvation is not based on man’s works, even a brother who becomes involved in fornication and adultery will not lose his eternal salvation, but at the same time he will not inherit the kingdom of God, which requires a surpassing holiness, because of his living as a fornicator and adulterer. Therefore, in these two portions, the apostle says two different things because being eternally saved and entering the kingdom of the heavens are two different matters.

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being different from entering into the kingdom of God

  1. “Unless one is born anew...he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, 5); compare with “Unless you turn and become like little children, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 18:3).

  In John 3:3 and 5 the Lord showed that entering into the kingdom of God is based on regeneration. Regeneration means to obtain the life of God in addition to one’s natural life. Thus, entering the kingdom of God is a matter of life. Our entrance into the kingdom of God depends on whether we are regenerated. If we have the life of God, we can enter the kingdom of God.

  In Matthew 18:3, however, the Lord said that we must turn and become like little children in order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens. This is different from what He said in John 3. There He said that anyone who is regenerated can enter the kingdom of God. Here He said that only those who turn and become like little children can enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Being regenerated is to obtain the life of God. Turning to become like a little child is to have a living that is humble like that of a little child. Therefore, entering into the kingdom of God is a matter related to life, and entering into the kingdom of the heavens is a matter related to living. The kingdom of God is the whole realm of God’s reign, whereas the kingdom of the heavens is a part of that realm. The kingdom of God is general, whereas the kingdom of the heavens is specific. Those who enter the kingdom of the heavens spontaneously also enter the kingdom of God; however, those who enter the kingdom of God do not necessarily enter the kingdom of the heavens. To enter the kingdom of God, one must be regenerated and have the life of God; to enter the kingdom of the heavens, one must turn and become like a little child with a humble and overcoming living. Thus, these two portions of the Bible prove that entering the kingdom of God is different from entering the kingdom of the heavens.

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to obtain eternal life in the coming age

  1. “There is no one who has left...for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now at this time,...and in the coming age, eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30 see also Matt. 19:29; Luke 18:29-30).

  Here the Lord tells us that what a person leaves for His sake, for His gospel’s sake, for His name’s sake, and for His kingdom’s sake, he will receive a hundred times as much at this time, and in the coming age, eternal life. It is easy to understand what a hundred times as much at this time means, but it is harder to understand what eternal life in the coming age means.

  According to the Bible, we can obtain eternal life in three different time periods: in this age, in the coming age, and in eternity. To obtain eternal life in this age is to obtain the eternal life of God today, which we also will enjoy in the new heaven and new earth in eternity. To obtain eternal life in the coming age, however, means to enter into the realm of eternal life in the millennial kingdom and to reign together with the Lord. Thus, to obtain eternal life in the coming age is equal to entering the kingdom of the heavens. This is different from obtaining eternal life in this age. Obtaining eternal life in this age means that eternal life enters into us to be our life; obtaining eternal life in the coming age means that we enter into eternal life as a realm and enjoy the blessings therein. To obtain eternal life in this age, we only need to believe. To obtain eternal life in the coming age, we must give up things in this age for the sake of the Lord, His gospel, His name, and His kingdom (see also “Obtaining Eternal Life in the Coming Age” in Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, vol. 1, ch. 12).

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being the salvation of the soul

  1. “Whoever will lose his soul-life for My sake and the gospel’s shall save it” (Mark 8:35, see also vv. 36-38; Matt. 16:25-27; 10:37-39; Luke 21:19; John 12:25).

  The word translated “soul-life” or “soul” in these verses is psuche in the original Greek. Saving the soul, finding the soul, possessing the soul, and keeping the soul all refer to the salvation of the soul. According to Mark 8:35-38 and Matthew 16:25-27, whether our soul has been saved will be determined at the Lord’s return. If our soul has been saved, we will enjoy the glory of the kingdom of the heavens together with Him. Thus, the salvation of the soul is related to our entrance into the kingdom of the heavens to reign together with the Lord and to obtain eternal life in the coming age. This is different from the salvation of our spirit. The salvation of our spirit occurs when our spirit is enlivened through our believing in the Lord. The salvation of the soul is related to our soul’s future entrance into the glory of the Lord’s kingdom to receive special privileges and enjoyment because we were willing to deny ourselves and lose our soul-life today.

  The soul is the part of man that is most sensitive to enjoyment and desires. Human enjoyment and entertainment are especially related to the soul. When we suffer persecution, give up the entertainment of the world, lose the love of our relatives, and give up many desires and amusements for the Lord’s sake, our soul suffers greatly. Losing our soul-life means to lose the things that our soul loves and enjoys. If we are willing to lose our soul-life for the Lord in this age, that is, if we hate our soul and cause it to suffer pain and loss, our soul will be saved in the coming age of the millennial kingdom. Losing our soul in this age preserves our soul in the coming age so that our soul will be able to enter into the realm of eternal life to know its glory and enter into its enjoyment and joy. If we are not willing to allow our soul to suffer pain and loss in this age for the Lord’s sake, our soul will be saved in this age for its enjoyment of today’s entertainment and desires. However, in the coming millennial kingdom, we will lose our souls, that is, the enjoyment of our soul because of extreme suffering at that time. We will suffer because we will not be able to enter the kingdom of eternal life to reign with the Lord in glory and enjoy His joy; instead, we will be shamed in the outer darkness and weep and gnash our teeth (see also “The Salvation of Our Soul” in Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, vol. 1, ch. 14).

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to obtain the reward

  1. “I do not account of myself to have laid hold; but one thing I do: Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward” (Phil. 3:13-14 see also 1 Cor. 9:24; 2 Tim. 4:7-8).

  Paul says that he did one thing: he pursued toward the goal for the prize to which God called him. In 1 Corinthians 9:24 he says that all believers are like runners on a racecourse who must run in a specific way to win the prize. In 2 Timothy 4:7-8 he says that the Lord will reward him with a crown of righteousness because he had fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith. For the Lord to reward us with a crown means that He will give us the kingdom with the enjoyment of its glory as a prize. Therefore, to enter the kingdom of the heavens is to obtain the reward. This is something we should pursue, after we are saved (see “Obtaining the Reward,” ch. 47).

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to reign with the Lord

  1. “If we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2 Tim. 2:12 see also Rev. 20:4, 6).

  Second Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 20:4 and 6 speak of reigning with Christ through endurance and overcoming. To reign is to exercise authority in the kingdom. Moreover, Revelation 20 shows that this reigning will be in the millennial kingdom, that is, in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, so it can be considered as entering the kingdom of the heavens. Thus, entering the kingdom of the heavens will be to reign with the Lord. According to the Bible, the overcoming believers will enter the kingdom of the heavens for the purpose of reigning with the Lord and ruling the future earth with Him for a thousand years.

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to enjoy the church’s birthright

  1. “The church of the firstborn” (Heb. 12:23).

  We Christians, born of God, are the firstfruits of His creatures (James 1:18) that He has reaped in His creation. In that sense we are the firstborn sons of God. Hence, the church, composed of us, is called the church of the firstborn (Heb. 12:23). The birthright of the firstborn includes at least three blessings. The first is the priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:10; 1:6). To be a priest is to serve God, to live before Him, to be filled and saturated with Him, and thus to be completely one with Him. This is a great blessing in the universe. The second birthright is the kingship. Second Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 20:4 and 6 speak of the believers as being kings. To be a king is to rule for God, to rule the earth, and to bring God’s authority to men. To be a priest is to represent man before God, and to be a king is to represent God in ruling men. The third birthright is to inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5; Heb. 2:5). In Matthew 5:5 the Lord promised that the meek overcomers would inherit the earth. This refers to ruling the earth in the coming age.

  These three blessings are obtained by the church as the firstborn. In this age the believers are priests serving God by bringing man’s need before Him, and they rule and reign over their environment, bringing God’s authority to men. However, the believers cannot fully enjoy these privileges and inherit the earth until the coming millennial kingdom.

  Romans 8:17-23 shows that believers obtain the sonship in the future with the redemption of their body when they enter into glory. This will occur during the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. The blessings that the overcoming believers will enjoy in the kingdom of the heavens are related to the three blessings of the birthright of the church of the firstborn: being priests and kings to God and inheriting the earth. Thus, to enter the kingdom of the heavens is to enjoy the birthright of the church.

  2. “Lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one meal gave up his own birthright” (Heb. 12:16 see also 1 Chron. 5:1-2; Gen. 49:3-4).

  Hebrews 12 tells us that the church is God’s firstborn and uses the example of Esau as a warning for us to not give up our birthright. If we love the world as Esau did, we will lose the birthright and not be able to enter into the kingdom to enjoy the blessings therein. Although Reuben was the firstborn, he also lost the birthright because he indulged his lusts. Therefore, the three items in his birthright: the priesthood, the kingship, and the double portion of land were divided among the descendants of Levi, Judah, and Joseph. This is a warning to us. If we indulge our lusts like Reuben, we will lose the church’s birthright and not be able to enter into the kingdom.

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to enter into rest in the coming age

  1. “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God...Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest”; “Let us fear therefore, lest, a promise being left of entering into His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it” (1, Heb. 4:9, 11).

  There is a rest that we must be diligent to enter into. This rest is the blessing of the coming kingdom. The Holy Spirit in Hebrews 3 and 4 compares the Israelites’ entering into Canaan with the believers’ entering into the coming kingdom. Although the Israelites received the redemption of the passover and escaped from slavery under Pharaoh, they still needed to enter into Canaan to enjoy its blessings. This is a type showing that even though believers have received redemption by the Lord’s blood and escaped from slavery under Satan, they still need to enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens to enjoy its blessings. This requires believers to strive to overcome so that they may enter at the Lord’s return. Since believers will fully enjoy glory, blessing, and joy in the coming kingdom, the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 4 calls this coming kingdom — the millennial kingdom — a rest. Those who enter the coming kingdom will enter into rest since they will be freed from the feeling of suffering and will feel joyful and wholly satisfied. Thus, the believers’ entering into the coming kingdom will be their entering into the rest of the coming age.

Entering the kingdom of the heavens being to enjoy the Lord’s complete salvation

  1. “A royal priesthood”; “Purchased for God by Your blood...and have made them a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign on the earth” (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:9-10).

  These two portions show God’s complete salvation, which causes us not only to be redeemed by the Lord’s blood but also to become priests and kings to God. If we only have salvation but are not priests and kings to God, we have not experienced God’s complete salvation. Although we can be priests to God and serve Him today and also reign with Him with heavenly authority over our environment today, we must wait to enter the kingdom of the heavens in order to be fully manifested as priests and kings to God. Despite the fact that we have received God’s complete salvation, we have not yet fully enjoyed His complete salvation. Today we are enjoying a part of God’s salvation, not all of it; we have not enjoyed the highest part of His salvation. Not until we enter the kingdom can we ascend to the highest peak of God’s salvation and enjoy its highest part. Thus, entering the coming kingdom of the heavens is for our enjoyment of God’s complete salvation.

  2. “The Lord...will save me into His heavenly kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:18).

  The apostle Paul spoke this word immediately before his death. It expresses his faith and reveals his hope. Paul was redeemed by the Lord and enjoyed many spiritual blessings, but at the end of his life he still had a deep aspiration that the Lord would save him into His heavenly kingdom. This is because the completion of God’s salvation, the highest part of God’s salvation, involved his entrance into the kingdom of the heavens to fully enjoy all the aspects of God’s salvation, which he had had a foretaste of on earth. Thus, to enter into the kingdom of the heavens is to enjoy the Lord’s complete salvation.

  In conclusion, entering into the kingdom of the heavens involves more than simply receiving life for our eternal salvation, as most Christians think. Entering the kingdom of the heavens is different from being saved and receiving eternal life. Entering the kingdom of the heavens is more than being saved and more than receiving eternal life. Salvation and eternal life are obtained when one believes in the Lord. Entering the kingdom of the heavens will be obtained in the future when the Lord returns. Salvation involves the forgiveness of sins and justification by God today; entering into the kingdom of the heavens is to escape from all sufferings in the future and to enjoy God’s glory. Salvation enlivens our spirit today; entering into the kingdom of the heavens gains our soul in the future. Receiving salvation is by grace through faith; entering the kingdom of the heavens is a reward for work. Obtaining eternal life is to obtain the life of God and to be children in the household of God today; entering the kingdom of the heavens is to enter the kingdom of eternal life and to be kings in the kingdom of God in the future. Obtaining eternal life is to have the eternal life enter our spirit; entering the kingdom of the heavens is our entrance into the realm of the eternal life. In the future everyone who enters into the kingdom of the heavens will be saved and have eternal life; however, not all who are saved and have obtained eternal life will enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, we must not think that all our problems are solved simply because we are saved. After our salvation we must face the matters related to entering the kingdom of the heavens. Whether or not we will obtain the reward, enjoy eternal life in the coming age, enjoy the birthright of the church, be priests and kings to God, inherit the earth, enter into the rest in which our souls are satisfied with enjoyment, and enjoy the Lord’s complete salvation depends on how we respond to matters related to entering the kingdom of the heavens. If we enter the kingdom of the heavens, we will enjoy all these things; if we do not enter the kingdom of the heavens, we will not enjoy them. If we enter the kingdom of the heavens at the time of the Lord’s return, we will obtain the reward, enjoy eternal life in the coming age, enjoy the birthright of the church, be priests and kings to God, inherit the earth, enter into the rest in which our souls are satisfied with enjoyment, and enter into the Lord’s complete salvation. If we enter the coming kingdom of the heavens, we will enjoy all these things and fully enjoy God’s complete salvation.

The conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens

  We have seen what the kingdom of the heavens is and the meaning of entering the kingdom of the heavens. Now we need to see the conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. How can we enter the kingdom of the heavens? What responsibility should we bear for entering the kingdom of the heavens? The New Testament speaks much about this matter, and we must look at this matter point by point.

Repenting and bearing fruit worthy of repentance

  1. “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17).

  The first person to speak of the kingdom of the heavens was John the Baptist, and the first word he spoke about the kingdom of the heavens was repent. The first word the Lord spoke when He began to preach concerning the kingdom of the heavens also was repent. Therefore, repentance is the first condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens. Without repentance we cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens.

  To repent in the original Greek means “to change one’s mind.” After man fell, he turned his back on God and the heavens and turned to the earth. Since the fall he has been controlled by his mind without any restriction by God, and he does not obey heavenly authority or submit to heavenly control. Therefore, if we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens, obey heavenly authority, and submit to heavenly control, we must have a change in our mind that causes our life to turn in the opposite direction; that is, we must turn from Satan to God, from earth to the heavens, and from indulgence in lawlessness to obedience to heavenly authority with submission to heavenly control. The kingdom of the heavens is divine, heavenly, and spiritual; it is also righteous, holy, full of authority, and according to law. However, man is satanic, earthly, and fleshly; he is also evil, filthy, rebellious, and lawless. Man’s nature is absolutely opposed to the kingdom of the heavens. Thus, if we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must repent and have a thorough change of mind.

  If we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we need more than a one-time repentance only; we need a continual repentance, a constant change in our mind. Moment by moment we need to turn from ourselves to God, from earth to the heavens, from the flesh to the spirit, from disobedience and lawlessness to submission and righteousness. If we continually repent in this way, we will be able to submit to the heavenly authority today and enter the kingdom of the heavens in the coming age.

  2. “Produce then fruit worthy of your repentance” (Matt. 3:8).

  If we would enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must not only repent in our heart but also produce fruit worthy of repentance. We must have a change not only of mind but also of expression. It is not enough simply to have a repentant heart; we must also produce outward fruit worthy of repentance.

  Producing fruit worthy of repentance touches matters involving both negative and positive things. On the negative side, it means that we must deal with sin. Everything that offends others must be confessed, and we must ask for forgiveness. All that we owe to others must be returned to the best of our ability, and we must clear our debts. On the positive side, it means that we must give ourselves to God to do His will, obey His authority, submit to His control, and live for Him. A person who has repented in his heart must have outward fruit worthy of repentance in order to enter the kingdom of the heavens.

Being poor in spirit

  1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 5:3).

  Man is proud and often self-satisfied. However, the things of the kingdom of the heavens are not based on anything of man. Those who want to participate in the kingdom of the heavens must be poor in spirit. A proud, self-satisfied person who justifies himself has no part in the kingdom of the heavens. We must see that our spiritual condition is poor and pitiful, we must feel empty and desolate before the Lord, and we must humbly seek Him in order to participate in the kingdom of the heavens. Whenever we are proud and self-satisfied, we are not in the kingdom of the heavens. We must allow the Holy Spirit to do an emptying work in us to cause us to be hungry and thirsty, desiring spiritual things and pursuing the growth in life, in order to enter the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and to participate in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.

Being persecuted for the sake of righteousness

  1. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 5:10).

  The kingdom of the heavens is righteousness, and the kingdom is where God carries out His righteousness and exercises His authority. Therefore, if we want to participate in the kingdom of the heavens, we must be righteous and even be willing to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness, that is, to be persecuted for holding on to righteousness. The world today and everything in it is evil. We are in this world, but we stand before God in a position of righteousness. As we live in a condition of righteousness, we will certainly meet with opposition and persecution. But it is only by being persecuted for the sake of righteousness that we can participate in the righteous kingdom of God. If we cannot suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness in this evil world today, we cannot reign because of righteousness in God’s righteous kingdom. We must hold to righteousness in an unrighteous age and suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness in order for us to carry out God’s righteousness in the coming righteous age.

Having surpassing righteousness

  1. “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 5:20).

  The kingdom of the heavens is surpassingly righteous, so those who would enter into it must have a righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees. The righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees is of the law, of the letter, and dead; the righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees is of life, of the Spirit, and living. The righteousness of the law speaks of not killing, which is something outward; however, the righteousness of the kingdom speaks of not even being angry or hating, which is something inward. The righteousness of the law speaks of not committing adultery, but the righteousness of the kingdom speaks of not even lusting, which is a matter of our inward thoughts. The righteousness of the law does not break an oath; in contrast, the righteousness of the kingdom does not even swear but simply says yes for yes and no for no. The righteousness of the law takes an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but the righteousness of the kingdom does not resist evil people. When someone slaps the right cheek, the left is turned as well. When someone takes the inner garment, the outer garment is given as well. The righteousness of the law loves its neighbor and hates its enemy, but the righteousness of the kingdom loves both neighbors and enemies, prays for persecutors, loves as God loves, and is perfect as God is perfect. The righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees is according to law and in outward actions; it is of the letter and weak. However, the righteousness that is a condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens is the righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees. It surpasses the law, it is according to life, and it is lived out from within. It is spiritual and living, and it surpasses the requirements of the letter of the law to match God’s divine nature. The Lord Jesus said that if we want to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and the Pharisees. This kind of surpassing righteousness is not obtained by faith in Christ but through living Christ.

  In the Bible clothing typifies righteousness (Isa. 64:6). Matthew 22:11 speaks of a “wedding garment,” and Revelation 19:8 speaks of “fine linen.” Both of these verses refer to the surpassing righteousness that is a condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens. These verses show that a surpassing righteousness is required in order to attend Christ’s wedding feast, which is the feast of the kingdom of the heavens. If we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens as the bride of Christ and attend Christ’s wedding feast, we must live by the life of Christ today and live out His surpassing righteousness as our “wedding garment” and as our “fine linen” in order to see Him.

Doing the will of God

  1. “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of My Father who is in the heavens” (Matt. 7:21).

  The kingdom of the heavens is for God’s rule and for the carrying out of His will. Therefore, if we want to participate in the kingdom of the heavens, we must also do the will of God. A person who has no consideration for God’s will and who does not submit to the heavenly authority or accept the ruling of the kingdom of the heavens cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens. In order to diligently take care of God’s will, we must put ourselves aside and deny our interests and desires. We should not care for our own enjoyment and glory; instead, we must whole-heartedly pursue God’s delight and acceptance, not caring for the desires or praises of man. This should be our attitude in matters related not only to our daily living but even more in preaching the word, in casting out demons, and in doing works for the Lord. Doing the will of God is necessary for entering into the kingdom of the heavens. It does not matter how much we preach the gospel, how many demons we cast out, or how many works of power we do; what is important is whether we do the will of God. Preaching the gospel, casting out demons, and doing works of power can all be done according to our own desires, but in order to do the will of God, we must put ourselves aside. Only those who do God’s will in their actions will be able to accomplish God’s heart’s desire. If we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens in its manifestation, we must do God’s will today.

Living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens

  Matthew 5:3, 10, 20, and 7:21 are not the only portions that speak of conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. Actually, the Lord’s entire speaking on the mountain in Matthew 5—7 presents conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. In chapter 5 these include matters such as mourning, being meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, being merciful, broad, and gracious toward others, being pure in heart toward God and wanting only God, being a peacemaker, rejoicing when being reproached or persecuted for the Lord’s sake, being the salt of the earth and eliminating corruption, being a light in this dark age to dispel the darkness, not being angry in the flesh, forgiving others and asking for their forgiveness, not following one’s choice in the matter of witnessing, and pursuing perfection. In chapter 6 these include giving alms, praying and fasting in secret to serve God, praying for the Lord’s grace and seeking the Lord Himself by spending time to obtain the Lord’s presence and to live before Him, sanctifying God’s name and looking for the coming of God’s kingdom, not enjoying the world or the things in the world, not being touched by earthly riches, not being anxious for clothing or food, serving God, relying on God, and living in God to pursue His kingdom. In chapter 7 these include not judging others, not counting the faults of others and not overlooking one’s own faults, being restricted by the Holy Spirit and being willing to treat others as one would want to be treated, entering by the narrow gate and walking on the straight way, not blindly following others, and always living and acting by the Lord’s word. These preceding points are requirements for entering the kingdom of the heavens because they are the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is a condition for entering into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.

  Only those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today will enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Only those who are not touched by earthly things today will enjoy the kingdom of the heavens. Only those who are restricted by the heavens and who submit to the heavenly authority will reign in the kingdom of the heavens and rule over others. Only those who are selfless and conquer their fleshly temper today will rule the nations in the kingdom of the heavens in the future.

  If we are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and are restricted by the heavens, we are in the kingdom of the heavens today, and the kingdom of the heavens is ours. The Lord said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (5:3), and “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (v. 10). The Bible speaks of the kingdom of the heavens being ours today; it does not speak of it as being only in the future. If we are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today, we will enter into the kingdom of the heavens in the future. Living in the kingdom of the heavens today is a condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens in the future.

Taking the kingdom by violence

  1. “The kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence, and violent men seize it” (Matt. 11:12).

  God’s opponent Satan uses many methods to frighten or frustrate people so that they cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens. Thus, if people want to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, they must take it by violence. With respect to God, the kingdom of the heavens is something we should seek; with respect to Satan, the kingdom of the heavens is something we should take violently. A person who is fearful and easily frightened, who shrinks from everything, and who is cowardly and afraid to pay a price cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Only those who are willing to be violent to take the kingdom can seize the kingdom of the heavens.

Denying the self, taking up the cross, and losing the soul-life to follow the Lord

  1. “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me...Whoever loses his soul-life for My sake shall find it” (Matt. 16:24-25, see also vv. 26-27; 10:37-39).

  All the things of the kingdom of the heavens are absolutely different from our thoughts, desires, and pursuits. Therefore, if we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, lose our soul-life, and follow the Lord. To deny our self is to not set the mind on our will or our desires. To take up the cross is to set the mind on God’s will and to carry out His purpose. To lose the soul-life is to not care for the desires and feelings of the soul or to live by the soul. We must deny our self, reject our own will, put our soul to death, force our soul to be dealt with by the cross with respect to our desires and enjoyment, and follow the Lord on the narrow way of the cross so that we can enter the kingdom of the heavens and be glorified. The way to enter the kingdom of the heavens and arrive at the throne is through the narrow way of denying the self, taking up the cross, losing the soul-life, and following the Lord. We must pass through this narrow way before we can enter into the kingdom of the heavens and arrive at the throne.

Being humbled willingly

  1. “Unless you turn and become like little children, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens. He therefore who will humble himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 18:3-4).

  Humbling oneself and being lowly are also conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. There are no proud or self-important people in the kingdom of the heavens; everyone in the kingdom willingly humbles himself like a little child. We must turn and become like little children: being humble, being simple, not being self-conscious, not looking at or thinking of ourselves, forgetting ourselves, not comparing ourselves with others or comparing others with ourselves, not regarding ourselves highly or desiring to be regarded highly, and not considering ourselves to be great or fighting to be great.

Leaving all to follow the Lord

  1. “You who have followed Me, in the restoration...shall sit on...thrones...And everyone who has left...for My name’s sake...shall inherit eternal life” (Matt. 19:28-29).

  These verses show that those who would enter into the kingdom of the heavens to sit on thrones and enjoy the blessing of eternal life therein must leave everything for the Lord’s name’s sake today and follow Him. We must leave all the enjoyment of the world in order to ascend to a throne in the kingdom of the heavens. We must leave behind all worldly riches in order to obtain the glory in the kingdom. If we would enter into the kingdom of the heavens, we must pay a price.

Enduring sufferings and tribulations

  1. “In Your kingdom...My cup you shall indeed drink” (Matt. 20:21, 23).

  If we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must be willing to drink the cup of His suffering today.

  2. “Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom” (Acts 14:22).

  If we want to enter the kingdom, we must pass through many tribulations. Passing through tribulations is the pathway into the kingdom.

  3. “That you may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also you suffer” (2 Thes. 1:5).

  If we want to obtain the kingdom, we must be willing to suffer. We must do so to be worthy of the kingdom.

  4. “Fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus” (Rev. 1:9).

  If we want to partake of the Lord’s kingdom, we must also partake of His tribulation. The world today rejects the Lord. Just as the worldly people persecuted the Lord, they also persecute His followers. We must partake of the Lord’s tribulation today in order to obtain the kingdom with Him in the future.

Being ready and watchful

  1. “Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast...Watch therefore” (Matt. 25:10, 13).

  Only those who are ready when the Lord comes will be able to enter with Him into the kingdom to attend the wedding feast. In order to be ready, we must be watchful. Thus, being ready and watchful are conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. To be ready means that in order to meet the Lord, we must gain oil in our vessels by being filled with the Holy Spirit so that we may mature in life. To be watchful means that we are vigilant because we do not know when the Lord will come or when we will meet Him. Those who are not mature will not be worthy to enter into the kingdom to feast with the Lord. If we want to be ready by being mature, we must be watchful.

Being faithful and prudent

  1. “Faithful and prudent”; “Good and faithful slave...I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 24:45; 25:21, 23 see also Luke 19:17).

  If we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens to reign and enter into the Lord’s joy in the future, we must be faithful and prudent to work for the Lord in this age. If we want to enter into the Lord’s kingdom to rule and reign over the world in the future, we must pass the test of being faithful and prudent in the Lord’s house today. Today is the time for preparation through testing, and the time for fulfillment is in the future. If we cannot be faithful and prudent today, we will not be so in the future. If we cannot do well and make the Lord happy today, neither will we in the future. Therefore, those who are not faithful and prudent today will not be qualified to enter the kingdom of the heavens to rule over the world in the future.

Not looking behind at the world

  1. “No one who puts his hand on the plow and looks behind is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

  The things of the world hinder people from pursuing the kingdom of God. Anyone who is unwilling to give up the world and is constantly looking behind to the world is not worthy to enter the kingdom of God. In order to pursue the kingdom of God, we cannot put our hand to the plow and look behind, wanting to obtain the kingdom of the heavens yet be unwilling to give up the world. If we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must give up the world and not look behind.

Endeavoring to run the race

  1. “Run in this way, that you may lay hold”; “Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize” (1 Cor. 9:24; Phil. 3:13-14).

  The prize spoken of in these verses refers to the reward of entering the kingdom of the heavens. If we want to obtain this reward, we must run as a person runs in a race, forgetting the things that are behind and stretching forward to the things that are before to pursue toward God’s goal. While we are on the path of following the Lord and pursuing the kingdom, looking behind is a great hindrance. We must forget the things that are behind to pursue toward the goal. If we want to obtain the reward of the kingdom, we must forget the things which are behind, all the things of the past, whether good or bad, successes or failures; we must forget the things of the past and stretch forward to the things before us on the path.

Exercising self-control in all things and buffeting the body

  1. “Exercises self-control in all things...that they may receive a...crown...I therefore run in this way, not as though without a clear aim; I box in this way, not as though beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave” (1 Cor. 9:25-27).

  If we want to obtain the crown and enter the kingdom, we must exercise self-control in all things, rule ourselves, restrict ourselves, and not run without a goal or clear aim. Neither should we be impractical as those who box by beating the air. Rather, we must buffet our body and make it our slave; we should not be loose in any way or indulge in the slightest lust. Those who restrict themselves in this way and buffet their bodies are qualified to enter into the kingdom to reign over others and to deal with the world.

Doing a work of gold, silver, and precious stones

  1. “Take heed how he builds...Gold, silver, precious stones...He will receive a reward” (1 Cor. 3:10, 12, 14).

  How we work today is absolutely related to receiving the reward of entering the kingdom of the heavens in the future. Our work today must be of gold, silver, and precious stones in order for us to receive the reward of entering the kingdom of the heavens. In the Bible gold refers to God’s nature or essence (Exo. 25:11, 17-18, 24, 31); silver refers to the Son’s redemption (30:16); and precious stones refer to the Spirit’s transformation for the expression of God’s glorious image (Rev. 4:3; 21:11). Therefore, doing a work of gold, silver, and precious stones is to do a work that comes out of God and corresponds to God’s nature, that deals with the things of the old creation according to the principle of redemption through the cross, and that manifests God’s glory through transformation. This work is entirely out of God and does not involve any human mixture; it is full of the Spirit and has a heavenly element and condition. It is not a work of wood, grass, and stubble, which is out of man, of the flesh, and full of the earthly element and condition. We must be careful to not do a work of wood, grass, and stubble, but to do a work of gold, silver, and precious stones so that we would not suffer loss but receive the reward of entering into the glory of the kingdom of the heavens.

Living in resurrection

  1. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God...The dead will be raised incorruptible”; “They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (1 Cor. 15:50, 52; Rev. 20:4 see also v. 6).

  These two portions refer to the believers’ resurrection and transfiguration. The principle of being delivered from flesh and blood for our transfiguration in resurrection is an indispensable condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens. If we want to inherit the kingdom of God, we must be delivered from our flesh and blood through resurrection and transfiguration in the future; consequently, we must be delivered from our natural life through resurrection today, that is, through the power of Christ’s resurrection, which is His resurrection life. Despite the fact that we have not yet obtained the resurrection of our body, that is, a resurrected body, we have the Lord’s resurrection life. Although we need to live in our natural body today, we do not need to live in our natural life. We have obtained the Lord’s resurrection life, and we can live each day by this resurrection life and be delivered from our natural life. We must live in this resurrection life, not in our natural life, so that we can inherit the kingdom of God in the future. The kingdom of God is spiritual, incorruptible, and in resurrection. If we want to inherit this kingdom, we also must be spiritual and in resurrection. This requires more than obtaining God’s resurrection life through regeneration; it requires us to live by this resurrection life, to be freed from the natural life of the old creation, and to reject everything of the old creation and the natural life.

  The Bible shows that reigning is related to resurrection. Aaron’s rod had authority because it budded in resurrection (Num. 17:8). The Lord obtained all authority in heaven and on earth in His resurrection (Matt. 28:18). Those who are martyred will obtain authority and reign together with the Lord in resurrection (Rev. 2:10). These verses prove that authority is based on resurrection. Therefore, if we would enter the kingdom of the heavens to rule and reign, we must live in the resurrection life today. Resurrection is a condition for exercising authority.

Putting to death the lusts of the flesh

  1. “The works of the flesh...Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God...They who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and its lusts” (Gal. 5:19, 21, 24 see also 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Eph. 5:5).

  The kingdom of God is absolutely holy; therefore, evil and filthy people cannot inherit the kingdom of God. If we want to inherit the kingdom of God, that is, to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must crucify the flesh with its passions and its lusts. We must have holy words and actions, and we must keep ourselves far from sin and filthiness in order to inherit the kingdom of the heavens.

Enduring

  1. “If we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2 Tim. 2:12).

  Endurance is also a condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens. We must endure, and we must pass through the frustration of sufferings to reign with the Lord.

  2. “Fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus” (Rev. 1:9).

  If we want to partake in the Lord’s kingdom, we must also partake in the Lord’s endurance. We must endure with the Lord to obtain the kingdom with Him.

  3. “He who has endured to the end, this one shall be saved” (Matt. 10:22).

  The salvation spoken of in this verse is not the salvation related to our spirit through regeneration but rather the salvation of entering into the kingdom of the heavens, the salvation of our soul in the future. This salvation can be obtained if we suffer for the Lord today and endure to the end. As we follow the Lord, Satan often uses worldly people to persecute, attack, and torment us. The Lord tells us to meet these things with endurance just as He did when He was on earth. We must endure with Him in order to rule with Him in the future.

Fighting the good fight, finishing the course, and keeping the faith

  1. “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day” (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

  These verses show that fighting the good fight, finishing the course, and keeping the faith are conditions for obtaining a crown and entering the kingdom of the heavens. To fight the good fight is to fight for the Lord; to finish the course is to complete the ministry that the Lord commissioned; to keep the faith is to keep the testimony of God. If we do these things today, we will certainly receive a crown as a reward when we enter the kingdom of the heavens.

  The crown that the apostle will be given comes from the righteous Lord. This shows that a crown in the kingdom is not related to grace but to righteousness. It is not given freely; it is obtained by paying a price. It is something that the Lord will give as a reward according to righteousness. The apostle spent all his strength to obtain this crown; he spent much time and effort to pay the price. If we want to receive such a crown, we must pay the price; we must fight the good fight, finish the course, and keep the faith.

Loving the Lord’s appearing

  1. “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord...will recompense me in that day, and not only me but also all those who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).

  By loving the Lord’s appearing, we can be rewarded with an entrance into the kingdom of the heavens. Loving the Lord’s appearing cannot be separated from loving the Lord Himself. If we really love the Lord, we will love His appearing. If we love the Lord’s appearing, we will be like John on the island of Patmos, who was for the Lord and said, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20). If we love the Lord’s appearing like John, we also will partake of the Lord’s kingdom.

Believing and being diligent to enter

  1. “They were not able to enter in because of unbelief”; “Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest” (Heb. 3:19; 4:11).

  The Israelites could not enter into the rest of Canaan, which typifies the rest of the kingdom, because they did not believe. Therefore, the Bible exhorts us to be diligent to enter into the rest of the kingdom lest we be like the Israelites, who had an evil heart of unbelief and rejected the living God, and be unable to enter into the rest of the coming kingdom. We should be like Caleb and Joshua who were diligent to go into the land of Canaan by faith. We cannot be lacking in the diligence that comes from faith if we want to enter the kingdom.

Loving God

  1. “The kingdom, which He promised to those who love Him” (James 2:5).

  The coming kingdom was promised by God to those who love Him. Thus, loving God is also a condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens. If we want to inherit the kingdom of God in the future, we must be ones who love Him today.

Having a bountiful life

  1. “Adding all diligence, supply bountifully in your faith virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, endurance; and in endurance, godliness; and in godliness, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, love. For these things, existing in you and abounding...In this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly and bountifully supplied to you” (2 Pet. 1:5-8, 11).

  Prior to speaking of being richly and bountifully supplied, Peter speaks of being a partaker of the divine life and nature. Based on this fact, we should add all diligence to pursue the growth in life, according to the faith that we have received, to abound in virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, and brotherly love until we produce the fullness of love. If these things exist and abound in us, an entrance to the Lord’s eternal kingdom will be bountifully supplied to us. Thus, if we want to enter into the kingdom of the Lord, the kingdom of the heavens, we must pursue the growth in life and have an abundant life.

  2. “The kingdom of God is...righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17).

  If we want to participate in the kingdom of God, we must have an abundant life. Paul says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Righteousness is toward oneself, peace is toward others, and joy in the Holy Spirit is toward God. We must be righteous and strict toward ourselves, we must be peaceful and accommodating toward others, and we must have joy in the Holy Spirit toward God. Whenever we obey the Holy Spirit and live in Him, we have joy before God. Joy is a proof of a proper living before God. If we have righteousness toward ourselves, peace toward others, and joy toward God, we are partaking of God’s kingdom. If we live in righteousness, peace, and joy today, we will enter into the kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. Thus, a life of righteousness, peace, and joy, that is, an abundant life, is also a condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens.

Overcoming

  The Lord wants to bring in the kingdom through the church. When the church’s condition is normal, the church is the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. If the church had not become degraded, she would have been able to usher in the manifestation of the kingdom by being the reality of the kingdom of the heavens in this age. But the church became degraded and fell from her heavenly, spiritual position, so the church as a whole lost its ability to usher in the kingdom, and consequently, not all the believers in the church will be able to participate in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Because of degradation in the church, the Lord has to call out some believers to be overcomers in this time of degradation in order to recover the heavenly, spiritual reality that was lost by the church, to fulfill the church’s responsibility to live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, and to bring in the kingdom of the heavens. The Lord’s call to these overcomers is included in the seven epistles that were sent to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3. In these seven epistles the Lord calls believers to overcome and to be the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today so that they can participate in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the future. The conditions for overcoming, as mentioned by the Lord in His call to the seven churches, are conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. These conditions must be seriously considered by those who want to enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

  1. “To him who overcomes, to him I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God” (Rev. 2:7).

  All the Lord’s calls to overcome are related to the condition of the churches in the seven epistles. The first call to the church in Ephesus deals with the cause of the church’s degradation — leaving her first love toward the Lord. The church’s relationship to the Lord is wholly connected to her love for the Lord. The church’s degradation began when she left the Lord as her first love. As soon as the church left her love toward the Lord, she fell. Although outwardly she was very busy and labored much for the Lord, she lost her testimony before the Lord as a lampstand when she lost her love toward the Lord. This was the reason for the fall of the church in Ephesus in the early days and of the church after the apostolic age, which Ephesus typifies. This condition caused the church to gradually lose the reality of the kingdom and weakened the function of the church with respect to the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, the Lord calls believers to overcome this condition, to repent, and to recover their first love for Him by maintaining a constant relationship of love toward Him. From this inward love, work can flow out for the Lord, and a testimony of life can shine for the Lord. If the believers overcome in this instance, they will enter into the Paradise of God and have a foretaste of the freshness of the fruit of the tree of life during the kingdom age. Love, light, and life are all interrelated. If we love the Lord, we will shine for Him and enjoy His life.

  2. “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life...He who overcomes shall by no means be hurt of the second death” (Rev. 2:10-11).

  When the church loses her love toward the Lord and her testimony of the Lord, she does not provoke Satan’s enmity or attack. But if the church keeps her love for the Lord and is faithful to maintain the Lord’s testimony, Satan will come in to harm and persecute her. This was the experience of the church in Smyrna, which typifies the church in the first and second centuries suffering under the opposition of the Roman Empire. Satan’s goal in his cruel mistreatment of the church is to frighten, hinder, and decimate her in order to destroy the testimony of the Lord and to prevent the church from hastening the coming of the kingdom of the heavens. The second call from the Lord to overcome is for the believers to not be afraid of Satan’s persecution, to suffer for the Lord, and to be faithful unto death. Overcoming in this instance will cause the believers to obtain a crown of life in the future; this means that they will enter into the kingdom of the heavens to enjoy the glory of life, and they will not be hurt of the second death. We can be faithful unto death and overcome Satan’s persecutions because we can live by Christ’s resurrection life. If we overcome Satan’s persecution, even unto death, by Christ’s life today, we will enjoy the glory of life and not be harmed by death in the future.

  3. “To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and to him I will give a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written” (Rev. 2:17).

  Satan has many stratagems to destroy the church. If a plot to persecute the church does not succeed, he will change his plot to welcome the church with a smile. This is what happened with the church in Pergamos, which typifies the church in the early fourth century. In the fourth century the church began to be mixed with the world through Satan’s stratagems. In the beginning the church was separated and completely distinct from the world, but Satan caused the church to go back to the world, to be mixed with the world, and to accept the teaching of Balaam, who received wages for being a prophet and who caused the people of God to commit fornication with the world and be contaminated with idol sacrifices. The church also received the teaching of the Nicolaitans, who subdued the laity and formed a clerical hierarchy. The teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans caused the church to commit spiritual fornication with the world and to be contaminated with idols. As a result, the church lost her heavenly position and reality entirely, so she could not function in the matter of ushering in the kingdom of the heavens. Thus, the Lord’s third call is for believers to overcome the mixture of the church with the world and to overcome its human teachings and worldly organization. By overcoming, believers can enter the kingdom of the heavens and enjoy the hidden manna and the blessing of having a white stone with a new name. Giving up the prominent position of the fallen, worldly church and the vainglory of the worldly organization of Christianity today is a condition for obtaining the kingdom blessings in the future — the hidden manna, which is the hidden Christ who is not enjoyed by everyone, and a new name, which speaks of a special relationship with the Lord that is for His particular delight.

  4. “He who overcomes and he who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he will shepherd them with an iron rod...as I also have received from My Father” (Rev. 2:26-27).

  In order to destroy the church’s function with respect to the kingdom of the heavens, Satan caused her not only to be outwardly mixed with the world and to lose her spiritual position but also to be filled with every kind of heresy and corruption until she was completely transmuted into an instrument for the expression of Satan and his desires. In the church in Thyatira, which typifies the Roman Catholic Church, Satan corrupted the church so that the church lost her spiritual position, nature, and condition (cf. Rev. 21) and became Satan’s mystery, Babylon the Great (17:5) — a great, earthly, religious organization filled with Satan and his evil words and deeds. Therefore, in his fourth call the Lord asks the believers to overcome these things by not following the Roman Catholic Church into heresy, not partaking of her spiritual fornication, and not being contaminated with her idolatry but instead by keeping His commandments unto the end when He returns. If the believers overcome in this instance, they will obtain the kingdom’s authority and rule over the nations with the Lord. Those who do not follow Satan’s religious teachings will obtain Christ’s authority in the kingdom. Those who keep the Lord’s commandments in the church will carry out the Lord’s commandments in the kingdom.

  5. “He who overcomes will be clothed thus, in white garments, and I shall by no means erase his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Rev. 3:5).

  God wants to bring in His kingdom through the church; this goal is eternal and will not change. Although Satan corrupted the church, God came in to revive the church. Even though the church was revived and escaped some of the satanic corruption, she remained weak and frail before the Lord; she did not completely escape the power of death, and she lacked the strength of life. This was the condition of the church in Sardis, which typifies the condition of the Protestant churches. In such a dead and weak condition, the church cannot bring in the kingdom for the Lord, and she is even defiled in the Lord’s eyes. Thus, the Lord’s fifth call is for believers to overcome the dead, cold, weak condition in the church by relying on the Lord’s powerful resurrection life and by being strong and living to keep themselves and all their actions from being contaminated by the defilement of death. If we overcome in this instance, we will be worthy to enter the kingdom of the heavens and to walk with the Lord in white garments, and our name will not be erased out of the book of life; rather, the Lord will confess our name before His Father and His Father’s angels. If we want to walk with the Lord in white garments in the future, we must not be contaminated by death today. If our living and actions bear the testimony of being in the Lord’s life without being defiled by death, our name will not be erased from the book of life during the millennium. If we want to enter into the kingdom of eternal life and enjoy the blessing of life, we must be in the power of life and live a life that overcomes death.

  6. “I come quickly; hold fast what you have that no one take your crown. He who overcomes, him I will make a pillar in the temple of My God,...and I will write upon him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem...and My new name” (Rev. 3:11-12).

  If the church is in a proper condition, all the saints would love one another and be members one of another; they would do their best to keep the word of the Lord’s endurance, obeying the Lord’s word in all things; and they would not forsake His name in anything or have any name other than the Lord’s. When the church is like this, she is an anti-testimony to this rebellious earth, which rejects the Lord. This was the condition of the church in Philadelphia, the church of brotherly love, which typifies the state of the church in the early nineteenth century, particularly among the Brethren. This condition is the standard that the church should maintain, but this is not easy. Thus, the Lord’s sixth call is for believers to hold fast what they have until He returns. To overcome in this instance requires us to exhaust our little power so that we can obtain a crown and enter into the kingdom of the heavens. There we will be pillars in the temple of our God and have God’s name, the name of the New Jerusalem, and the Lord’s new name written on us. If we keep the word of the Lord’s endurance today, we will be pillars in the temple of God in the future. If we do not reject the Lord’s name, then God’s name, the name of God’s city, and the Lord’s new name will be written on us. If we keep all these things, we will obtain a crown and enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

  7. “He who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne” (Rev. 3:21).

  When the church is up to the Lord’s standard, she can quickly become self-satisfied, proud, and lukewarm. She can also be lacking in faith, approved works, and fresh vision. The church in Laodicea, which typifies the fallen churches of the Brethren, is in this condition. When the church is in such a condition, she shuts the Lord outside, and the Lord is no longer able to use her to bring in the kingdom. Therefore, the Lord’s seventh call is for believers to repent and to overcome all self-satisfaction and pride by paying the price to pursue the faith that passes the test of being rich before the Lord, by pursuing actions that are approved by the Lord in order to be clothed before Him, and by pursuing light to see one’s poverty, pitiful situation, blindness, and nakedness. An overcomer must also open his heart and allow the Lord to have the ground to sit down and dine with him. Overcoming in this way enables one to enter into the kingdom of the heavens in the future and to sit with the Lord on His throne of authority to reign with Him. If we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens and sit on the throne with the Lord in the future, we must open our heart to Him and allow Him to come in and dine with us today. If we are willing to fellowship with the Lord today in spirit, we can sit with the Lord on the throne of authority in the kingdom of the heavens. We must be willing to allow the Lord to sit on the throne in our heart today in order for us to sit with Him on His throne in the kingdom of the heavens. Having the Lord’s presence and allowing the Lord to sit on the throne of our heart today is a condition for being with the Lord and sitting with Him on the throne in the kingdom.

  The content of the Lord’s call related to overcoming shows that overcoming is a matter of fighting against and being victorious over all things that oppose His testimony and damage His kingdom. The Lord’s testimony depends on the church, and the Lord wants to bring in His kingdom through the church. Knowing this, Satan does everything in his power to damage the church. Therefore, the Lord needs some overcomers who will fight and win the victory. Overcoming is necessary to bring in the Lord’s kingdom; it is an essential condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens. These conditions are quite high. We must recover our first love toward the Lord; we must endure persecution and trials, even being faithful unto death; we must not be mixed with the world, and we must refuse the clergy-laity system in order to escape from the organization of Christianity; we must forsake the heresies of Roman Catholicism and not be contaminated by idol worship or spiritual fornication; we must overcome the coldness and weakness of spiritual death; we must keep the word of the Lord’s endurance and not forsake His name; we must not be self-satisfied but pursue with an empty heart, allowing the Lord a place within us for fellowship. Overcoming in these matters are conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. Only overcomers will enter the kingdom of the heavens and sit on the throne. Defeated believers who remain in the dark, evil world will not enter into the bright, righteous kingdom to reign. If we are not an overcomer in the midst of today’s degradation, we will not reign in the age of restoration. The Lord commands us to fight and win the victory. May we be faithful.

Being martyred

  1. “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and of those who had not worshipped the beast nor his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:4).

  Those who are martyred for the testimony of Jesus, for the word of God, and for not worshipping the beast or his image (Antichrist and his image) or receiving his mark will reign with Christ. Thus, being killed, or martyred, for the Lord fulfills a condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens. Not everyone who enters the kingdom of the heavens must be martyred, but those who give their all and are martyred for the Lord God will enter the kingdom of the heavens and reign with Christ.

  The twenty-seven items above are conditions related to entering the kingdom of the heavens. These items are not as simple as being saved. Being saved is a once-for-all matter, but these items cover a lifetime. These items should cause us to be in fear and trembling for our entire life. We need to repent continually and bear fruit worthy of repentance. We need to be poor in spirit and pursue the Lord with our whole heart. We need to be willing to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness. We need to have a surpassing righteousness and do the will of God. We need to live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, be restricted by the heavens, and submit to the heavenly authority. We need to struggle and strive to take the kingdom by violence. We need to deny ourselves, take up the cross, and lose our soul-life to follow the Lord. We need to be willing to be humble and leave everything to follow the Lord. We need to endure sufferings, be ready and watchful, and be faithful and prudent in our testimony for the Lord. We need to work and serve the Lord, not looking back at the world but forgetting the things that are behind and stretching forward to the things that are before in order to pursue toward the goal. We need to exercise self-control in all things and buffet our bodies. We need to do a work of gold, silver, and precious stones. We need to live in resurrection and daily put to death the lusts of the flesh. We need to endure and be long-suffering. We need to fight the good fight, finish the course, and keep the faith. We need to love the Lord’s appearing. We need to constantly pursue by faith. We need to love the Lord with singleness. We need to have an abundance of life. We need to be overcomers because of the degradation of the church and, if necessary, be martyred for the Lord. All these items are conditions for entering into the kingdom of the heavens. Although they speak of many matters, they have one point in common: if we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must bear considerable responsibility, have a considerable living, and do a considerable work. If we live in these things today, we will obtain the reward from the Lord and enter the kingdom of the heavens to sit with Him on the throne in the future. We should never think that everyone who is saved will enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.

  Brothers and sisters, we all have been saved. We are all like the prodigal son in Luke 15 who returned home. We all have received grace from our Father. We have the robe of justification, the sealing ring (the Holy Spirit), sandals that separate us from the earth, and the fattened calf (Christ) as our enjoyment of life. These items are sufficient for us to be children in the house of God, but if we want to be kings in the kingdom of God, we must have crowns. God has not yet given us crowns; we must endeavor to obtain them. God also will not give us crowns freely; instead, we must meet certain conditions for them. When we are saved, we are saved forever. We do not need to do anything more or meet any other conditions. But whether we will obtain a crown in the future and enter into the reward of the kingdom of the heavens is not certain. This matter will be determined only by whether we are faithful and diligent in the Lord’s business. This reward requires us to pay a price and meet certain conditions. May we faithfully labor.

  After seeing the conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens, we may feel that they are too high and too hard. However, we should not be discouraged, because God not only has conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens but also promises concerning this matter. Moreover, the power of God is upon us for the accomplishment of His promises. Thus, we must see God’s promises and God’s power with respect to the kingdom of the heavens.

The promises concerning entering the kingdom of the heavens

  God’s conditions concerning entering the kingdom of the heavens are according to His holiness and glory. God’s promises concerning entering the kingdom of the heavens are according to His love and grace. God is obliged to place conditions on us because of His holiness and glory. God is willing to give us promises because of His love and grace. His conditions speak of the responsibilities we must bear and the things we must do. His promises speak of the responsibilities He will bear and the things He will do.

  1. “Do not be afraid, little flock, because your Father has been well pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

  This word is so sweet! It is full of comfort and encouragement. This is truly a precious promise. Although the Bible tells us that it is difficult to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we need not be afraid because our Father is well pleased to give us the kingdom. Although it is difficult to enter the kingdom and we must labor to seize it, we should not be afraid, because our Father is well pleased to give us the kingdom. We must pay a price, pass through many hardships, and endure many sufferings to enter the kingdom of the heavens, but the Lord tells us not to be afraid, because our Father is well pleased to give us the kingdom. Since the Lord has promised that God is well pleased to give us the kingdom, God must work on our behalf so that He can give us the kingdom. He must work in order to make us qualified to obtain that kingdom. Although God is well pleased to give us the kingdom, we also must be well pleased to obtain the kingdom. Although God is well pleased, whether or not we are well pleased to obtain it is a question that remains to be answered. If we are not well pleased to obtain the kingdom, it does not matter that God is well pleased to give us the kingdom, because He has no way to give it to us. But if we are well pleased, God has the way and the opportunity to come in and work so that He can give us the kingdom, or in other words, so that we can receive it. We should believe the Lord’s promises in His Word and give ourselves to God to allow Him to work in us and make us qualified to receive the kingdom that He desires to give to us. If we are willing to stand upon the Lord’s promises and offer ourselves to God by faith, He will certainly come in to do a work of grace in us and will continue to work in us to the extent that He has the position to give us the kingdom according to His pleasure.

  2. “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33).

  This verse is a great, rich promise. If we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, He will not only give us His kingdom and His righteousness but also clothing, food, and other necessities of life. This is a precious promise. If we seek first the kingdom of God, He will give us not only the kingdom but also all the things that are necessary for our living. If the Lord opens our eyes to see this precious promise, we will see that entering the kingdom of the heavens is no longer as difficult as we thought.

  Many brothers and sisters feel that they should love the Lord, give their all to follow Him, and pursue the kingdom of the heavens. However, they think that if they love the Lord, give their all, follow Him, and pursue the kingdom, they will have no way to make a living. Therefore, they live in the world for the sake of their livelihood and cannot follow the Lord in a good way. They also think that they will be forgiven because they had no other choice but to take care of their livelihood; however, this concept is wrong. Since the Lord promised that He would bear the responsibility for our livelihood, we should not allow these things to entangle us and prevent us from following the Lord in the way that enables us to pursue the kingdom of God. Since the Lord promises that all these things would be added if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, it is best to pursue the kingdom of God. If we are willing to pursue the kingdom of God today, God will not only give us His kingdom but also add all the things we need for our living today. Therefore, it is easy to pursue the kingdom of God based on this promise.

  3. “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you...How much more will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matt. 7:7, 11).

  These words are also a great and precious promise given to us by the Lord. If we ask, it will be given to us; if we seek, we will find; and if we knock, the door will be opened to us. This promise can be applied to all things, but according to the Lord’s word in Matthew 5—7, which especially emphasizes the kingdom, this promise particularly applies to seeking the kingdom. Luke 11:13, which refers to the same promise, says, “How much more will the Father who is from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” In contrast, Matthew 7:11 says, “How much more will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those who ask Him!” Although we dare not say that these good things refer only to the kingdom, in God’s eyes the kingdom is a good thing according to the central teaching of Matthew. Thus, according to the Lord’s promise, if we are willing to ask, seek, and knock, God will surely give us the kingdom, which He regards as a good thing. God is willing to give us the kingdom; therefore, if we are willing to receive it from Him, we should ask Him for it. If we are willing to ask God for it, He will give it to us.

  Thus, the Lord’s promises in these three places show that God is happy to give us the kingdom. If we are willing to seek and ask, we will surely receive. If we would receive the kingdom of God, we should seek it by our living. We should not only seek the kingdom by our living but also ask God for it specifically. We should not only have a life that seeks the kingdom but also have prayers that ask for the kingdom. If we stand on the Lord’s precious promises and seek the kingdom of God by faith and ask for it, God will come in and work according to the Lord’s promises to cause us to obtain the kingdom that He is willing to give to us.

The power for entering the kingdom of the heavens

  God’s promises concerning His kingdom are fulfilled by His power. God is willing to promise us the kingdom because He has the power to accomplish this matter. His power can meet all the requirements that His holiness and glory place on us for entering the kingdom of the heavens. The requirements of His holiness and glory are high, but His power to us is also great. All the requirements for entering the kingdom of the heavens, which are placed upon us by His holiness and glory, can be accomplished for us by His power.

  1. “Only with difficulty will a rich man enter into the kingdom of the heavens...Who then can be saved?...With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:23, 25-26).

  In these verses the Lord said not only that entering the kingdom of the heavens is “with difficulty” but also that with men it is “impossible.” Thus, we must see that entering the kingdom of the heavens is impossible with men. From our point of view, entering the kingdom of the heavens is only a difficult matter, but the Lord said that it is impossible. It is not only difficult; it is impossible. If a man attempts to enter the kingdom of the heavens by his own power, he will not accomplish anything. Just as we cannot be saved by our own power, we cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens by our own power.

  Many of us hear the word of the kingdom of the heavens and make a strong decision to endeavor and pursue in order to enter the kingdom of the heavens. But the first thing the Lord does for us is to show us that we cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens by our own power. The Lord allows us to fail again and again until we become discouraged. The Lord must do this to enable us to see that entering the kingdom of the heavens is absolutely impossible for us with our own power; only then will the Lord have the ground to work in us further in order to bring us into the kingdom of the heavens.

  Even though the Lord said that entering the kingdom of the heavens is impossible with men, He does not stop there. If this were the case, entering the kingdom of the heavens would be a hopeless matter for us. But thank the Lord, He continued, saying, “But with God all things are possible.” He said that this is impossible with men in order to show us that it is possible with God. We must see that “with men this is impossible” before we can see that “with God all things are possible.” Thus, the Lord must allow us to fail and bring us to our end so that we will see that this is impossible in ourselves and also that it is possible with God. Before we can look to God and rely on His power, we must see that entering the kingdom is impossible with us. Our end is God’s beginning. What is possible with God is manifested in what is impossible with us.

  If we look only at our own inability and do not look at God’s ability, we will be disappointed and afraid. Numbers 13 and 14 show that the Israelites were afraid and could not enter the good land of Canaan, because they looked only at their own inability, not God’s ability. Although Caleb and Joshua looked at their own inability, they also looked at God’s ability and believed that He was able. Thus, they were strengthened and emboldened to believe that they were well able to overcome the obstacles in the land, and they went up and obtained the land of Canaan. We should not be disappointed when we see that we are not able, because that is the time for us to look to God and believe that He is able.

  Just as salvation is a matter of God’s power, entering the kingdom of the heavens also is a matter of God’s power. Just as salvation is accomplished for us by God, entering the kingdom of the heavens is also accomplished for us by Him. The only difference is that our eternal salvation has already been accomplished for us by God, but our entrance into the kingdom of the heavens is in the process of being accomplished by God for us.

  According to Luke 12:32, we know that God desires to give us the kingdom. Now, according to Matthew 19:26, we know that God is able. This truly is the gospel. God is willing to give us the kingdom of the heavens, and He is able to give us the kingdom. Although we are not able to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, God can enable us to obtain it.

  2. “Christ...is powerful in you” (2 Cor. 13:3).

  The power of God comes into us through Christ. Christ is the power of God. He is in us as the power of God. Thus, He is powerful in us. It is true that we are weak in ourselves, but Christ, who lives in us, is powerful. He died on the cross for us and resolved the problem of our sins; today He is living in us to resolve the problem of our weakness. On the cross He was our Substitute for us to be saved; today He is in us as our power for us to enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

  God gives us power by having Christ abide in us as our power. The power that God gives us today is the Christ who indwells us. God gave Christ to us as power. Today we do not need to beseech God for power. God’s power has already been given to us in Christ. God wants to manifest His power in us through Christ’s dwelling in us. It is the indwelling Christ as our power who brings us into the kingdom of the heavens. From within, He wants to bear our weaknesses, meet God’s demands for us, endure the sufferings of this world, overcome Satan’s frustrations, and do everything so that we may enter into the kingdom of the heavens. As long as we experience Galatians 2:20, “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me,” He will live out the living that is required for us to enter the kingdom of the heavens.

  Christ abides in us as the Spirit to be our power (Rom. 8:9-10). This Spirit is the Spirit of life (v. 2), who imparts the power of life into us so that we may do the things that are pleasing to God (Ezek. 36:27). When we set our mind on Him and follow Him, He can supply us inwardly with the righteousness required for our entrance into the kingdom of the heavens (Rom. 8:4-5).

  3. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

  The power of Christ is manifested in our weaknesses and perfected in them. We should not be saddened or discouraged by our weaknesses. Our weaknesses are the means through which Christ expresses His power. We should be like Paul and boast in our weaknesses so that the power of Christ might tabernacle over us. The weaker we are and the more we boast in our weaknesses, the more the power of Christ will tabernacle over us and be manifested and perfected in our weakness. The power of Christ cannot be manifested in our strength; it can be manifested only in our weakness. Our strength is a problem for Christ. It is only our weakness that enables Christ to manifest Himself and His power in us.

  The power of Christ that is perfected in our weakness is our all-sufficient grace. This powerful grace is sufficient to meet all the needs we encounter in pursuing the kingdom of the heavens. This powerful grace is the resurrection life of Christ, His resurrection power, which is just the resurrected Christ living in us and who alone is sufficient to accomplish all the conditions for our entrance into the kingdom of the heavens.

  4. “I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me” (Phil. 4:13).

  Although we are weak and powerless and cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens on our own, Paul says that we can do all things in Christ who empowers us. The word empowers in the original Greek does not have the sense of the Lord giving power to us from outside of us; rather, it is the Lord making us strong from within us. This is not Christ objectively giving us power but Christ subjectively making us strong. He is not like a crutch that upholds us outwardly; rather, He is like food that strengthens us from within. The apostle relied on such a One — the strong Christ — within him as his power to enable him to do all things.

  One Bible version translates the phrase in Him as “by Him.” This suggests that Christ is beside us and that we should lean on Him for strength, but this is not the meaning, because we are already in Him. We do not need to stay close to Him and use our strength to lean on Him; rather, we are already joined to Him, and He is the strength that we need. First Corinthians 1:30 tells us that God put us into Christ, but we still need the Lord to open our eyes to see this glorious fact. When we receive revelation from God to see that we are in Christ, we see that we are strong in Christ. Because we are in Christ, His strength is our strength. If, under God’s light, we truly see that God has joined us to Christ, we will be able to say with the apostle that we can do all things in Him who empowers us. We will also see that the conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens are not difficult. It is easy to live out the conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens because we are empowered in Christ. We are able to do all things because we live in Christ and take Him as our power. Apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5), but in Him we can do all things.

  5. “In all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).

  One Bible version translates the phrase through Him as “by Him.” Again this suggests that we conquer by leaning on the Lord, but since we are in Him, everything in our experience of conquering must come through Him. It is useless for us to lean on Him with our strength; instead, our conquering comes through His conquering in us. When our experiences are through Him, we will conquer in all things, and we not merely conquer but more than conquer. In ourselves we have no way to meet the conditions for entering into the kingdom of the heavens, and we have no way to attain to God’s high standard, but through Him we more than conquer in all things.

  All the requirements contained in the law in the Old Testament were given to prove that man is not able; all the requirements in the New Testament reveal that God is able. All the requirements in the law in the Old Testament were given for man to fulfill; all the requirements in the New Testament cannot be fulfilled by man but by God in man and for man. Hence, all the requirements, the conditions, for entering the kingdom of the heavens truly speak of God’s ability and of what we can do in Him. We need God to open our eyes to see that He has placed requirements upon us so that He can fulfill them in us through His strength. Although God makes requirements of us, He wants to fulfill these requirements in us by Himself. On the one hand, He is outside of us making requirements of us, but on the other hand, He is in us fulfilling these requirements for us. Outside of us there are many commandments, but inside of us He is keeping these commandments for us. Thus, He is the One requiring, and He is the One fulfilling; He is the One commanding, and He is the One keeping the commandments. This is the New Testament; this is salvation. This is the highest definition of grace. Grace means that God has not only satisfied His righteous requirements for us on the cross but also that He is within us satisfying the high, great requirements of the holy commandments in the New Testament. If He were not in us in this way, no one would be able to fulfill the requirements of the New Testament or keep His commandments in the New Testament. Who can turn his left cheek after being slapped on the right? Who can love his enemies and pray for those who persecute him? Who can be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect? Who can be holy as God is holy? Who can always rejoice and give thanks in everything? Who can daily deny himself, take up the cross, lose his soul-life, and leave everything to follow the Lord? No one can do these things through his own strength. But, praise the Lord, through Him we can do all these things and more than conquer because He is in us fulfilling all that He requires of us on our behalf. As long as we are willing to give ourselves to Him and go through Him, He will fulfill His requirements from within, living out what He requires and spontaneously producing a living that qualifies us and makes us worthy to enter the kingdom of the heavens.

  6. “So great a salvation” (Heb. 2:3).

  The “so great a salvation” spoken of in this verse is the Lord’s full salvation. In the book of Hebrews the Holy Spirit shows the Lord’s full salvation. He shows that the Lord not only died for us to redeem us from our sins but also resurrected and ascended to the highest heaven where He dwells today and from where, by the power of His indestructible life, He supports us and leads us in the way of faith to pursue a holy living and to run the race with endurance until He brings us into the coming rest of the coming kingdom. Thus, all who trust in Him can be saved to the uttermost. The Holy Spirit shows that Christ is a Savior who is always living and that the salvation He gives is so great that human words cannot express it. Therefore, in this passage Paul speaks of this inexpressibly great salvation as “so great a salvation.” How great is it? We cannot say; we can only say, “So great.”

  This “so great a salvation” includes not only being saved but also overcoming and entering the kingdom of the heavens. In the Old Testament the Lord’s salvation for the Israelites included not only saving them out of Egypt but also bringing them through the wilderness into Canaan. Thus, in the Old Testament if an Israelite came out of Egypt but did not enter Canaan, he received part of God’s great salvation but did not experience God’s full salvation. Similarly, God’s salvation today not only redeems us but also takes us through the way of the cross and brings us into the kingdom. If we are merely saved from our sins but do not walk on the way of the cross and enter the kingdom, we will enjoy only a portion of the salvation that is available to us.

  The way of the cross brings us into the coming kingdom. We must not think that we can take the way of the cross by our own power in order to enter the kingdom. No! Rather, we are constantly saved by the Lord in His salvation to take the way of the cross and to enter the kingdom of the heavens. The Lord in His great salvation constantly brings us along in the way of the cross until He brings us into the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, we must not neglect His great salvation but instead daily enter the Holy of Holies through Him to come to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace for timely help so that we can run the race set before us and enter the coming rest (Heb. 4:16; 12:1), which is the coming kingdom.

  We cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens through our own effort. God does not want us to pursue the kingdom of the heavens by our own strength. With us this is impossible. It is God who makes it possible for us to enter the kingdom of the heavens. He puts Christ in us to be our power. Then Christ’s power is perfected in our weakness to be our sufficient grace. In Christ we are strengthened to do the things that are pleasing to God. When we go through Him, we are able to more than conquer and fulfill the conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. When we daily live in His great salvation, we allow the power of His indestructible life to save us, support us, and bring us through the narrow way of the cross until we are qualified to enter into the coming glorious kingdom. There are, however, two things we must emphasize.

  First, we must emphasize consecration. We must consecrate ourselves to the Lord in order for Him to manifest His power in us. The Lord is well pleased to give us the kingdom and to manifest His power in us by bringing us into the kingdom, but if we are not willing to give ourselves to Him through consecration, He cannot do anything. Consecrating ourselves to the Lord does not mean that we decide to do something for Him; rather, it means that we allow the Lord to manifest His power in us and work in us. We do not consecrate ourselves in order to do something for the Lord; we consecrate ourselves because we cannot do anything, so we give ourselves to the Lord to allow Him to do what is needed in us and for us.

  Second, we must emphasize faith. We must not only consecrate ourselves to the Lord, give ourselves to Him, and allow Him to do things in us and for us, but we must also have faith that the Lord will do these things according to His promises. His accomplishments for us are not based on our feelings but on the Lord’s Word. It is not something that is possible only when we feel the Lord’s power but rather when we have no sense of His power at all. It is not something that occurs only on peaceful, tranquil days full of sunshine but rather on days of trial and difficulty, days filled with dark clouds. When we believe that the Lord will manifest His power in our weakness according to His Word, we are able to more than conquer in these things. If this is our experience, the Lord in His faithfulness will manifest His power in us, do everything for us, and cause us to enjoy His full salvation to bring us into His glorious kingdom.

The blessings of entering the kingdom of the heavens

  The New Testament also speaks about the blessings that the believers will receive when they enter the kingdom of the heavens in the future. Therefore, we need to examine the main points of some of these great blessings. However, we must clearly see that these blessings are related to the kingdom of the heavens, not to the household of God. Today in the church we are the household of God. The blessings we enjoy in the church today are the blessings of a household. But a household is not God’s final goal; He wants to obtain the kingdom. God wants His household to become His kingdom. Our entrance into the kingdom of the heavens in the future is by means of the household, but our enjoyment in the kingdom will be related to the blessings of His glorious kingdom, which will far surpass our enjoyment of the blessings related to His household.

Reigning

  1. “Reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:4, see also v. 6; 2 Tim. 2:12).

  When believers enter the kingdom of the heavens in the future, they will not be ordinary citizens; rather, they will reign with Christ. The kingship in the kingdom of the heavens is not an individual but a corporate matter. Christ and all the overcoming believers will be a corporate king with Christ as the Head to rule the coming earth. This will last for one thousand years. This is the first blessing that believers will receive when they enter the kingdom of the heavens.

Obtaining a crown

  1. “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Tim. 4:8).

  A crown is the symbol of a king, so obtaining a crown is related to the first blessing of reigning as a king with Christ. The believers in the kingdom will obtain a particular kind of crown, the crown of righteousness. This is because the crown will be given by the Lord, “the righteous Judge,” to those who fought for Him, ran the race for Him, kept His word, and loved His appearing. Through this crown He will show that He approves of what they have done, that everything they have done is pleasing and acceptable to Him. This crown will declare His righteousness and also show that the kingdom believers are justified, approved, and pleasing to Him.

  2. “You will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Pet. 5:4 see also Phil. 4:1; 1 Thes. 2:19-20).

  The crown received by the believers in the kingdom of the heavens is called a “crown of glory” because this crown expresses the Lord’s glory and symbolizes that those who are in the kingdom are able to enjoy the Lord’s glory together with Him. The Lord will give this crown to those who faithfully shepherd His flock today. All those who willingly labor to care for God’s children have a crown composed of the ones they have cared for, who have become their glory and crown. This crown of glory is an “unfading crown of glory” because it signifies the expression of the Lord’s eternally unfading glory.

  3. “I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10 see also James 1:12).

  Another crown received by the believers is the crown of life. The Lord will give this crown to those who love Him, who suffer persecution on His behalf by relying on His resurrection life, and who are faithful unto death. This crown of life is a symbol that they have overcome the authority of death, that they will never again suffer harm from death, and that they have fully escaped the realm of death.

  4. “They...receive a corruptible crown, but we, an incorruptible” (1 Cor. 9:25).

  The crown that the believers receive, whether it is one of righteousness, glory, or life, will surely be an incorruptible one, since all these crowns are heavenly and eternal. They have the divine, incorruptible nature. Thus, the crown obtained by the overcoming believers when they enter the kingdom of the heavens will speak forth and testify that all their living today was according to God’s righteousness, for His glory, and by His life. Therefore, the crown will be incorruptible and eternal. The crown will testify that they followed the Lord in this age and are in the glory of the kingdom.

Sitting on the throne

  1. “Sit with Me on My throne” (Rev. 3:21).

  The throne, like a crown, is for reigning. The highest peak of God’s salvation is to save us to reign from the throne in His kingdom and to give us to sit on the throne with His glorious Son. On this throne we will not only reign and exercise authority with Christ but also fellowship with Him, and through our reigning together with Him, we will enjoy Him.

  2. “When the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on...thrones, judging” (Matt. 19:28).

  When the believers enter into the kingdom, they will not only rule the earth but also judge the inhabitants of the millennial age (1 Cor. 6:2). The throne is a throne not only for ruling but also for judging.

Exercising authority

  1. “To him I will give authority over the nations...as I also have received from My Father” (Rev. 2:26-27 see also Luke 19:17, 19; Matt. 25:21, 23).

  When the overcomers enter the kingdom of the heavens to reign, their main function will be to exercise authority and rule over the nations. They will rule over everything in the coming kingdom. They will rule with the Lord and exercise His authority to rule; this will be a great blessing.

Being priests

  1. “A royal priesthood”; “Priests to our God; and they will reign on the earth” (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:10 see also 1:6).

  In the kingdom of the heavens the believers will not only be kings but also priests. As kings, they will exercise authority for God, represent Him, and bring His authority to men; as priests, they will serve God, represent man, and bring man’s needs to God. As kings, they will participate in God’s authority and administrate His government; as priests, they will participate in God’s life and obtain God Himself. In the Old Testament the priests and kings were two different groups of people (2 Chron. 26:18); kings could not be priests, and priests could not be kings. But the believers in the kingdom will be both priests and kings, like the Lord whom they follow (Zech. 6:12-13). They will be a “royal priesthood” with the authority of a king and the blessings of a priest. This is the highest blessing in the Lord’s salvation. The Lord’s salvation saves us to this extent.

Inheriting the earth

  1. “They shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5).

  In the kingdom of the heavens the believers will inherit the earth. The entire globe will be given to the believers during the kingdom age. Today those who are willing to give up the world for the Lord will inherit the earth with the Lord and obtain the earth as their inheritance (Psa. 2:8).

Entering into His joy

  1. “Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21, 23).

  Joy is also one of the blessings enjoyed by the believers in the coming kingdom of the heavens. Reigning with the Lord, sitting on the throne with Him, exercising authority with Him, and being glorified with Him are all matters that will bring an indescribable joy. This must be a tremendous blessing; otherwise, the Lord would not have mentioned it with such particular emphasis.

Entering rest

  1. “Entering into His rest” (Heb. 4:1, see also v. 11).

  Joy is one of the blessings of the kingdom of the heavens; rest is another. Joy involves happiness, and rest involves satisfaction. When the believers enter the coming kingdom of the heavens, they will not feel sad or dissatisfied. Everything will be pleasant and satisfying. Outwardly, they will not labor; inwardly, they will not sigh. Their body, soul, and spirit will feel exceedingly comfortable. This is truly a blessing that will feel so sweet.

Being glorified with the Lord

  1. “Glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17 see also 1 Pet. 5:1).

  Another great blessing that the believers will obtain when they enter the kingdom of the heavens is being glorified with the Lord Jesus. They will enter with Him into God’s glory to enjoy and express God.

  2. “More surpassingly, an eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).

  In the coming kingdom the believers will be glorified with Christ with a glory of eternal weight, a glory that surpasses everything and lasts for eternity. Therefore, the apostle Paul says that the afflictions we endure for the Lord today are not worthy of being regarded with the glory we will receive.

Enjoying a foretaste of the blessings of the New Jerusalem

  1. “To him I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God”; “I will write upon him...the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God” (Rev. 2:7; 3:12).

  The Paradise of God spoken of here is the New Jerusalem, since the tree of life is in the New Jerusalem. The coming New Jerusalem is the Paradise of God, and it is for the enjoyment of God and His saved ones. These passages show that a foretaste of the New Jerusalem will be a reward to the overcomers in the millennial kingdom because the overcomers will be able to enjoy it first. If we read Revelation carefully, we can see that during the millennial kingdom, the New Jerusalem will be the bride of the Lamb in which only the believers who overcome in this age can participate (19:7); during the new heavens and the new earth, she will be the wife of the Lamb in which all the believers can participate (21:9). The bride is temporary and exclusive; the wife is permanent and inclusive. The Lord gives the overcoming believers the reward of a fresh foretaste of the New Jerusalem as the bride of the Lamb in the millennial kingdom. The duration of the millennial kingdom is the Lord’s wedding day (19:7), and the kingdom itself is the wedding feast of Christ. At that time the overcoming believers will be both the bride of Christ and the guests who are invited to the wedding feast. During this thousand-year wedding feast, the Lord will give the blessings of the New Jerusalem to the overcomers in a special way and allow them to taste the freshness of its enjoyment first. After the millennial kingdom the special blessings of the New Jerusalem will become general blessings that are given to all the saved ones for their enjoyment.

  The main blessing in the coming New Jerusalem will be the tree of life. This was God’s goal in the beginning (Gen. 2:8-9), and it is God’s goal at the end (Rev. 22:2). In the coming kingdom God will give this blessing to the overcomers and allow them to have an enjoyable foretaste of His eternal blessing.

Feasting with the Lord

  1. “Went in with him to the wedding feast”; “I shall by no means drink of this product of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of My Father” (Matt. 25:10; 26:29).

  The entire coming kingdom will be a feast; this feast will be what the Father has spread for His Son (22:2-14; Rev. 19:9), and it will be given to all His overcoming seekers throughout all the ages for their enjoyment with His Son (Matt. 8:11). In the kingdom of the heavens the overcomers will enjoy the feast that God has prepared for them from eternity with the Lord.

Enjoying the hidden Christ

  1. “To him I will give of the hidden manna” (Rev. 2:17).

  The manna in Exodus 16 is a type of Christ coming down from the heavens to be food for the enjoyment of God’s people. This enjoyment is available for all of God’s people, but before God, there is a hidden aspect of Christ, which is the hidden manna (v. 33). The hidden manna is not open for everyone; rather, it is hidden for the overcomers, who have rejected the world. In the coming kingdom this hidden Christ will be fully given to these overcomers for their enjoyment. He will be with them, and they will walk with Him (Rev. 3:4-5). To them, He will have a new name to express His intimate relationship with them (v. 12). To Him, they will have a new name that tells of their secret experience of Him (2:17). They and He, He and they, will enjoy a fellowship that is incomprehensible to others. This enjoyment of Christ will be one of the surpassing blessings of the coming kingdom. Not every saved one will obtain this blessing; it is only for the particular, special enjoyment of the overcomers.

  The preceding points outline some of the main items of the blessings of the kingdom of the heavens. The Lord has prepared these blessings for those who love Him, who have set their mind on His heart’s desire, who live for Him, and who fight for Him. Human language cannot adequately describe these blessings. May these blessings cause us to overcome the temptation of the earth! May the glory and blessings of the kingdom of the heavens capture our heart!

The end of the believers who do not enter the kingdom of the heavens

  The Bible clearly reveals that only the overcoming believers will enter the kingdom of the heavens. These overcoming believers, however, do not include all the believers. In contrast to the blessings that await the overcomers in the kingdom of the heavens, there is another end for the believers who do not overcome and who cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Although the New Testament clearly speaks of this matter with great seriousness, Bible scholars throughout the ages have either misinterpreted many of the portions that refer to this matter or have ignored them. Therefore, we must spend time to examine these portions in the Bible one by one in order to be clear about this matter.

The question of whether believers are disciplined in this age only

  1. “By the Lord, we are disciplined that we may not be condemned with the world”; “The Father of spirits...disciplined...for what is profitable that we might partake of His holiness” (1 Cor. 11:32; Heb. 12:9-10).

  First Corinthians 11:32 says that the Lord disciplines us so that we would not be condemned with the world. Hebrews 12:9-10 says that God disciplines us for what is profitable that we might partake of His holiness. The word discipline in both portions is the same Greek word; it implies teaching and punishment. To keep us from being condemned with the world and to cause us to partake of His holiness, God comes in to discipline, teach, and punish us. All Bible readers and Bible scholars agree that the discipline referred to in 1 Corinthians 11:32 and Hebrews 12:9-10 occurs in this age. All believers confess that God disciplines saved believers in this age after they become His children, but in the understanding of most, God disciplines believers only in this age. Consequently, we must consider whether this understanding is according to God’s Word.

  2. “My master is delaying his coming...That slave who knew his master’s will and did not prepare or do according to his will, will receive many lashes” (Luke 12:45, 47, see also vv. 46, 48).

  In these verses the Lord clearly said that when He comes, some of the slaves who serve Him will receive many lashes from Him. These ones must be saved because they are slaves. This shows that when the Lord comes, He will discipline His believers. There is no place in the Bible that says that the Lord disciplines His believers only in this age. This is the human concept. Man has placed this limitation on the Lord, but the Lord has never limited Himself in this way by saying that He will discipline His children only in this age. On the contrary, He clearly said that some believers will not be disciplined until He comes (Matt. 25:5-13, 19). The Bible speaks of the Lord disciplining believers in this age, but it does not say that He disciplines them only in this age. Instead, it clearly states that when the Lord returns, He will discipline His believers.

  Many think that when the Lord returns, the millennial kingdom will solve every problem of the believers. When the Lord returns, however, the believers will have to face His judgment (1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10). It is not wrong to say that the Lord judges the believers today (1 Cor. 11:31-32), but when He returns, He will judge them even more. Today His judgments are fragmentary, partial, and incomplete; when He returns, His judgment will be comprehensive, full, and complete. Since the Lord will comprehensively, fully, and completely judge His believers when He returns, how can we say that there will be no punishment then? Will every one of the Lord’s believers be perfect before Him at that time? It is not credible to think this. Since many believers will have unconfessed faults, how can the Lord not punish them? If the Lord does not punish them, His failure to judge would be unrighteous. Therefore, when the Lord returns, it is certain that some believers will be punished. Realistically speaking, we should realize that many believers will receive punishment when He returns.

  The millennial kingdom will be a time of restoration only (Acts 3:21); it will still be related to the old heaven and the old earth. In this world of the old creation, death and the curse will continue to exist (Isa. 65:20). These former things will not pass away until the time of the new heaven and new earth, when God makes all things new (Rev. 21:1-5). Only when there is a new heaven and new earth will God’s judgment be complete. Even though the age of the old creation, including the old heaven and old earth, is the time and place for God’s work of judgment, He will not be completely satisfied when there are still things that need to be judged. God will have His full enjoyment only in the new creation — in the new heaven and new earth — after His judgment is completed. Since the millennial kingdom is associated with the world of the old creation in the old heaven and old earth, it is a time and place for God to do His work of judgment. Since God’s work will not be finished in the church age, the age of grace, He will continue to work until everything is done in the coming age of the millennial kingdom. In the age of grace, God will not complete His work of judging, disciplining, and dealing with the believers to the extent that the believers no longer have any problems. Consequently, He will continue His work of judging, disciplining, and dealing with the believers in the millennial kingdom. This is natural and necessary. In His Word God clearly and solemnly tells us that He will discipline the believers in the coming age of the kingdom and discipline them thoroughly.

  Therefore, although many think that the Lord disciplines and deals with believers only in the age of grace, God’s Word tells us that the Lord will discipline and deal with believers in the coming kingdom age as well. The Lord deals with believers in the church age, and He will deal with believers in the coming kingdom age. Furthermore, His dealing in the coming age will be thorough and complete. Those who are thoroughly dealt with today will not need to be dealt with further in the coming age, but those who are not thoroughly dealt with today will need to be dealt with in the coming age. This is very logical.

  The children of God place too much emphasis on God’s dealings in this age; they think that God disciplines His children in this age only and that if they make mistakes, He will deal with them only today. However, we all know that there are believers who sin and do evil, who love the world instead of the Lord, or who are cold and backslidden but who are not disciplined and dealt with by the Lord even up to the time of their death. Does this mean that there will be no consequences for their actions? Does this mean that the Lord will never judge or discipline them? If this were the case, it would be altogether unjust. The Lord would never do something as unjust as this.

  The Lord never said that He would discipline and deal with believers only in this age; instead, He said that He would discipline and deal with them also at His coming at the time of the millennial kingdom. Some believers are disciplined and dealt with by the Lord today; some will not be disciplined and dealt with until He comes in the future. Some are dealt with today, and some will be dealt with in the future; the Lord can do as He pleases. This is similar to parents who discipline their children; some children who are naughty are disciplined immediately, but others who are naughty are not disciplined for a few days. Parents discipline the children as it pleases them and in the manner that best benefits each child. But regardless of when the discipline occurs, the children are disciplined. Regardless of whether He disciplines in this age or in the future, the Lord will discipline His children. If He does not discipline them today, He will discipline them in the future. He will never simply overlook the need for discipline.

  Believers who lust after sinful things, who love the world, or who are cold and backsliding will be disciplined and dealt with by the Lord; this is reasonable, realistic, and necessary. However, if they do not repent and the Lord does not discipline them in this age, does this mean that they will not be disciplined after they die or when the Lord returns? Does it mean that they will have no problems? Will their death free them from their responsibilities concerning sinning, loving the world, and not loving the Lord? Will their death free them from the Lord’s righteous punishment? Will the Lord be required to forgive them when He returns? Will the Lord forget about asking for an account of their mistakes in this age? This is impossible and unreasonable. Dear brothers and sisters, the necessity for discipline in the coming age is certain. Whether we look at it from the angle of reasonableness or from an angle of necessity, there will be discipline in the future. According to the Lord’s Word, this kind of discipline is a certainty.

  Some may wonder how a believer, who is either raptured or resurrected with a body that is like the Lord’s glorious body, can be disciplined when the Lord returns. This is a human thought. Is it realistic to think that only a believer in a corrupted body from the old creation can be disciplined but that a believer in a resurrected and transfigured body cannot be disciplined? This would make a resurrected, transfigured body into some kind of protection for believers who sin and love the world today. In any case, the Lord’s Word clearly tells us that in the future some believers will be disciplined by the Lord.

The coming discipline

In principle

  1. “The Son of Man is to come...and then He will repay each man according to his doings” (Matt. 16:27).

  When the Lord returns, He will repay each man according to his doings. According to the context of this verse, the Lord’s word does not refer to His judgment of worldly people; rather, it refers to His judgment of the believers, of the disciples who are following Him. When He comes, He will repay each man according to his doings. This means that He will judge and repay us according to our doings after our salvation. If our actions are pleasing and acceptable to Him, He will give us a reward; if they are not pleasing and acceptable, He will chastise us. This is certain, and we cannot deny it.

  2. “We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).

  All believers will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ when the Lord returns, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what they have practiced, whether good or bad. If we have done good things, we will receive a reward, and if we have done bad things, we will receive punishment. The ones doing good receive a reward; the ones doing evil will receive punishment. If the Lord considers our actions today to be good, we will receive a good recompense, a reward, but if the Lord considers our actions today to be evil, we will receive a negative recompense, a punishment. This is something that we cannot fail to acknowledge.

  According to the two preceding verses, some believers will receive a reward when the Lord returns, and some will receive punishment. These two portions speak of a principle: if the Lord approves of and accepts a believer’s actions today as being good, He will reward the believer when He returns, but if the Lord condemns a believer’s actions today as being evil, He will punish the believer when He returns. This is the principle, but now we need to see the details associated with this principle.

In detail

  1. “Enter in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction...Narrow is the gate and constricted is the way that leads to life” (Matt. 7:13-14).

  We have seen that the Lord’s teachings on the mountain in Matthew 5—7 speak of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. The Lord spoke these words to His disciples, not to unbelieving sinners. These words do not speak of salvation from perdition for sinners; rather, they speak of entering the kingdom of the heavens for saved believers. Thus, the future consequences that are referenced in these chapters do not relate to a person’s salvation from perdition but to a person’s status in the kingdom of the heavens. This applies to the content of verses 13 and 14. We cannot take verses out of context; we must determine the meaning of these verses based upon the meaning of the Lord’s entire teaching on the mountain. According to the Lord’s teachings on the mountain, the phrase leads to destruction does not refer to perdition but to being unable to enter the kingdom of the heavens and encountering destruction; the phrase leads to life does not refer to the life obtained through salvation but to entering the kingdom of the heavens to enjoy it as a realm of eternal life.

  This is different from John 3:16, which speaks of man receiving either eternal life or perdition. Here it says that we are led to destruction or to life. When we believe, eternal life enters into us. However, being led to life by following the Lord to take the constricted way is to enter into this life. This refers to our future entrance into the realm of life in the kingdom of the heavens to enjoy its blessings. Since this is the significance of leads to life, the phrase leads to destruction must refer to encountering the destruction of punishment instead of being able to enter into the realm of life in the kingdom of the heavens. Such destruction will be the end of those believers who are unwilling to enter in by the narrow gate and follow the Lord on the constricted way but who instead enter through the wide gate and follow their own will to walk on the broad way. This destruction will be their punishment.

  2. “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of the heavens...Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, was it not in Your name that we prophesied, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name did many works of power? And then I will declare to them: I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:21-23).

  This word was spoken during the Lord’s teaching on the mountain, so it does not refer to unbelievers who will go into eternal perdition but rather to believers who will not be able to enter the kingdom of the heavens. This group is not made up of unbelievers. We know they are saved because they call Him their Lord (cf. Rom. 10:13), and they serve the Lord and do good works in His name (which even the Lord does not deny). Although they are saved, they will not be able to enter the kingdom of the heavens when the Lord comes in that day, because they did not work for the Lord according to God’s will. Although they did many good things, they did not do them according to the will of God. Although they worked in the Lord’s name, they did not do God’s will; instead, they acted contrary to God’s will. In the Lord’s eyes they are “workers of lawlessness.” This can be likened to a school that has a lights-out rule at ten o’clock. If some students study after ten, they are breaking the school rules, even though they may be doing something beneficial. In the school’s eyes, however, they are being lawless. Similarly, those who do a work for the Lord that is not according to God’s will are lawless in His eyes. Since their actions are not according to God’s will, He does not know or approve of them.

  The Greek for never knew in verse 23 is translated “do not acknowledge” in Romans 7:15. In the King James Version it is translated “allow not,” and in Darby’s version and Berry’s Greek-English interlinear version, which is based on Stephen’s Greek text, it is translated “do not own.” In Romans 7:15 Paul says, “What I work out, I do not acknowledge.” According to the context of this verse, what Paul works out is not something that he allows, owns, or approves of, because “what I will, this I do not practice; but what I hate, this I do” (v. 15). Since he does what he hates, he certainly does not allow, own, or approve of it. Similarly, the Lord considers those who are not working according to God’s will to be lawless, and He does not acknowledge, allow, own, or approve of them. Therefore, they will be refused by the Lord and will not be able to enter the kingdom of the heavens. This will be the end of every worker for the Lord who does not work according to the will of God; it will be the punishment they receive.

  3. “He who finds his soul-life shall lose it”; “Whoever wants to save his soul-life shall lose it”; “Whoever seeks to preserve his soul-life will lose it”; “He who loves his soul-life loses it” (Matt. 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 17:33; John 12:25).

  We have previously seen that these verses, which speak of losing the soul-life, refer to believers not being able to enter the kingdom of the heavens because they were unwilling to allow their soul to suffer in this age. The coming kingdom of the heavens will be given to those who were willing to give up the enjoyment of their soul in this age. Thus, everyone who enters the kingdom of the heavens will experience a marvelous enjoyment in their soul. Those who cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens will not enjoy its glory and happiness; instead, they will suffer shame and loss. Therefore, their soul will feel a particular suffering. Those who seek to save or preserve their soul-life today by being unwilling to lose their soul-life for the Lord’s sake with respect to their families, desires, or other matters will lose their soul-life when the Lord returns. They will feel a particular suffering in their soul that will be associated with punishment.

  4. “Everyone of you who does not forsake all his own possessions...If even the salt becomes tasteless...It is fit neither for the land nor for the manure pile; they will throw it out” (Luke 14:33-35 see also Matt. 5:13).

  The believers are the salt of the earth, so they should forsake all their possessions and the world; they should be separated from the worldly people and be full of the pure flavor of salt with its germ-killing power. But some believers are unwilling to forsake everything and instead lust after worldly enjoyment, so they lose their salty flavor as Christians. Although they may not sin, they lose their heavenly flavor as Christians, and they lose their separation from the world. In their living, interests, attire, and adornment, they are not at all different from worldly people, and even the worldly people cannot taste a pure, heavenly flavor in them or sense God’s power bringing them out of filthy things. They love what the worldly people love; they are unwilling to love the Lord above all else. Although they are Christians, they do not have the flavor of a Christian, nor can they fulfill the function of a Christian. The Lord said that these ones were fit neither for the land nor for the manure pile; He will only throw them out.

  In Luke 14:35 the Lord spoke of three places: the land, the manure pile, and outside. In the Bible, land refers to the earth created by God (Matt. 13:38, 44). The land here refers to the earth during the restoration of all things. The Lord will use the overcoming Christians to rule the earth. The manure pile is a most filthy place. Since hell is the filthiest place in the whole universe, the manure pile refers to hell. Outside refers to a place outside the glory of the coming kingdom of the heavens but different from the manure pile. Christians who have lost their flavor will be unsuitable to rule on the earth in the coming age because they were not faithful, but they will also be unsuitable for the filthiest place because even though they have committed sins, they have been eternally saved. The only thing left for them is to be thrown outside the glory of the coming kingdom of the heavens, which puts them to shame, because they do not have the flavor of the Lord’s testimony. This will be the end of all believers who are unwilling to leave everything to follow the Lord today; it will also be their punishment.

  5. “Out of your mouth I will judge you, wicked slave”; “Evil and slothful slave...Even that which he has shall be taken away from him. And cast out the useless slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (Luke 19:22; Matt. 25:26, 29-30).

  In these verses the Lord spoke of those who have received His gift but do not faithfully and diligently use it to work for Him. When He returns, He will condemn them, take away their gift, and cast them into the outer darkness where there is the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Being cast into outer darkness is different from being cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). The lake of fire is where sinners are punished for eternity. Outer darkness is where the Lord’s unfaithful servants are punished when He returns. Outer refers to a place apart from the Lord. When the Lord returns and judges the believers, He will be in His glory, that is, in the light of His glory (Matt. 16:27). To be outside is to be outside the light of His glory. This outer place is darkness. Psalm 18:9-12 says that when the Lord returns there will be darkness surrounding His brightness. Outer darkness must refer to the darkness outside the light of His glory when He returns. The Lord’s faithful servants will be with Him in the light of His glory with joy; the unfaithful servants will be thrown from the light of His glory into darkness to weep and gnash their teeth. They weep and gnash their teeth because they are ashamed and suffering. This will be the end of all those who are not faithful in serving the Lord today; it will also be their punishment.

  6. “If that slave says in his heart, My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat the male servants and the female servants and to eat and to drink and become drunk, the master of that slave will come...and will cut him asunder, and will appoint his portion with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not prepare or do according to his will, will receive many lashes; but he who did not know, yet did things worthy of stripes, will receive few lashes. But to everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required from him; and to whom much has been committed, they will ask of him all the more”; “Appoint his portion with the hypocrites. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (Luke 12:45-48; Matt. 24:51).

  If those who serve the Lord do whatever they want because the Lord delays His coming, if they fight with their fellow servants and indulge their lusts, if they clearly know the Lord’s will but do not do it, and if they do not prepare for the Lord’s coming and for the settling of accounts with Him, they will be punished when the Lord returns. The Lord will severely punish them and appoint their portion with the unbelievers and the hypocrites. Therefore, they will weep and gnash their teeth. More will be required of those who have received much instruction from the Lord, who understand more of His will, and who have received a greater commission from the Lord. Since the Lord will require more of them, He will punish them with more lashes if they fail to do His will. However, even those who do not know these things will receive some lashes if they do things that He condemns. However, the number of lashes that they receive will be much less. Thus, all the servants of the Lord, both those who know and those who do not know, will receive punishment from the Lord if they do things that the Lord condemns. Although the punishment will differ in its severity, no one will be exempt.

  7. “If one does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is dried up; and they gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6).

  A believer must abide in the Lord, just as a branch of the vine abides in the vine (v. 5); he must have unhindered fellowship with the Lord in order to absorb the Lord’s riches and to bear the fruit of life. If he leaves the Lord and his fellowship with the Lord is broken, he will lose the function of bearing fruit for the Lord and will not be able to do anything. The Lord said that believers who do not abide in Him, whose fellowship with Him is broken, and who do not have the function of bearing spiritual fruit will come to a certain end, a punishment, like that of branches being cut off, dried up, picked up, and cast into the fire to be burned. If a believer breaks his fellowship with the Lord and loses his spiritual function in life, the Lord will not only cast him out to dry up but will also have him thrown into the fire. This does not refer to being thrown into the lake of fire, which is related to eternal perdition, because anyone who is a member of the Body is a member of the Lord with His life and cannot perish in eternity (10:28). A believer who has the Lord’s life and is a member of the Body can never be thrown into the lake of fire to eternally perish simply because his fellowship with the Lord was broken, and he did not bear fruit. If this were the case, it would mean a believer’s eternal salvation depended on works. But the Bible clearly and assuredly tells us that salvation and the obtaining of eternal life are by faith alone and nothing more. Thus, the Lord’s word about being cast into fire must refer to something else. According to 1 Corinthians 3:15, it refers to a punishment that the believers who have broken their fellowship with the Lord and who do not bear fruit in this age will receive when He returns.

  8. “If anyone builds...wood, grass, stubble, the work of each will become manifest; for the day will declare it, because it is revealed by fire, and the fire itself will prove each one’s work, of what sort it is...If anyone’s work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:12-13, 15).

  Those who serve the Lord must be careful how they work because they can build with gold, silver, and precious stones or with wood, grass, and stubble. Building with gold, silver, and precious stones involves work that is according to the divine nature, in the principle of the cross, and for the expression of God’s glorious image. Building with wood, grass, and stubble is exactly the opposite. In the Bible wood refers to the human nature (Exo. 25:10, 23); grass refers to the will of the flesh or the flesh (1 Pet. 1:24); and stubble, according to its nature and condition, refers to what is earthly, lifeless, and worthless. Thus, to build with wood, grass, and stubble is to work according to the human nature, according to the flesh, and according to the general condition of the earth; it is a work that is full of the self, the will of the flesh, and the flesh, and it also expresses an earthly element. When the Lord returns, the nature of the work of each person will be manifested. The work of each one will be manifested and tested by fire to reveal its true nature. If one’s work has been built using gold, silver, and precious stones, it will remain after passing through the test of fire, and the worker will be rewarded. If one’s work has been built using wood, grass, and stubble, it will burn up as it passes through the test of fire, and the worker will suffer loss but not the loss of his salvation, because he himself will be saved. Although he will be saved, it will be as if he has passed through fire. This will be a punishment to all the Lord’s workers who work according to themselves, according to their flesh, and with an expression of the earth.

  Paul clearly shows that receiving a reward or suffering a loss has nothing to do with our salvation. Apart from our salvation, we may receive a reward, and apart from our salvation, we may suffer loss. Although we suffer loss, we will be saved, but this does not mean that we will have no problems, because we still must pass through something like fire.

  Too many of God’s children today think that as long as they are saved, they have no problems. In their eyes eternal perdition is the only problem, and they think that as long as they are saved, they have no worries. But the Bible reveals that eternal perdition is not the only consideration. Apart from salvation, we still need to be concerned about whether we will receive a reward or suffer a loss. Salvation is something we receive as soon as we believe in the Lord, and we receive it once for eternity, but in addition to salvation there is the matter of receiving a reward or suffering loss. This is a matter that we cannot neglect.

  Brothers and sisters, this word is so clear: “He will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” I hope we will see that there is still the possibility of suffering loss even though our salvation is eternally secure. The reward that believers will receive is an entrance into the kingdom of the heavens; this should stir up our appreciation. In contrast, the punishment that some believers will receive will be like passing through fire; this should stir up our fear.

  More than ten years ago an elderly brother invited me to eat with some co-workers. At that dinner there was another elderly believer who knew the Bible very well but who did not believe that believers would be punished in the future. He said to one of the co-workers, “Some say that Matthew 25 refers to saved ones when it speaks of evil servants being thrown out into outer darkness. Please tell me, how can a saved person be thrown into darkness?” When he said this, I knew that his words were really directed toward me because by that time I had written a book entitled The Kingdom of the Heavens, and I had made this point in the book. The co-worker also knew that he was really addressing me, so he looked at me and indicated that I should answer the question. Since this elderly saint did not directly ask me his question, I did not directly answer him. Instead, I asked the brother who had invited us to dinner if the wife of Lot was saved or not in type. When he said that he had never considered this question, I asked him to consider it because he knew the Bible very well. I said, “If you say she was not saved, I would answer that the angels took her out of the city of Sodom before its destruction. If you say that she was saved, I would answer that she never reached the city of Zoar with Lot. She became a pillar of salt while she was on her way (Gen. 19:16-26). Please consider, was she saved or not?” This brother turned to the one who had originally posed the question and asked him whether he thought Lot’s wife was saved or not. He could not answer. I waited for a moment and then continued. I said that most of today’s Christians are only concerned about two matters — salvation and perdition — and only two places — heaven and hell. They have not seen that the Bible speaks of another matter apart from salvation and perdition. Lot’s wife did not suffer perdition with the city of Sodom, nor was she saved into the city of Zoar; instead, she was left in a third place as a pillar of salt to be a warning to future generations. This warning is especially for us believers today. The Lord said, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32); furthermore, the Lord spoke this word in His warning concerning the possibility of being put to shame when He returns. I continued to say that the Bible shows that there can be a third place for us, just as there was for Lot’s wife. The Lord spoke of this third place in Luke 14 when He spoke of Christians who had lost their salty flavor because of their love for the world. His word compares believers, who were useless as salt, with Lot’s wife, who became a useless pillar of salt. Such ones are fit neither for the land nor for the manure pile, and they must be thrown out. Being thrown out involves a third place. Then I said that 1 Corinthians 3 also shows the matter of suffering loss, which does not involve either salvation or perdition. I continued by saying that this passage clearly says that some believers will suffer loss when the Lord comes but that they themselves will be saved. Even though they are saved, they will still have to pass through something like fire. The two elderly brothers clearly knew this passage in 1 Corinthians 3, so I asked the elderly brother, who was hosting the dinner, which punishment he would choose if he had to choose between being thrown into darkness or passing through fire. He quickly answered that he would choose to be thrown into the darkness because he thought it was a lesser punishment. Then I said that even if being thrown into darkness is a lighter punishment than passing through fire, the Bible still says that some believers will suffer loss as if they have passed through fire. Consequently, if some believers will suffer such a severe punishment, why is it unreasonable to expect that some saved believers will be thrown into darkness? When I got to this point, the host turned to the elderly brother and said, “He has answered your question.” The other elderly brother then said, “That is not really passing through fire, because it says ‘so as through fire.’” When the host heard this, he said, “Even if it is ‘so as through fire,’ it is a considerable suffering.”

  This is a serious matter that we must face. Will we receive a reward or a punishment when the Lord returns? Will we receive the reward of the kingdom of the heavens, or will we suffer loss that is like passing through fire? This is a serious matter. We need to take the responsibility to resolve it for ourselves.

  9. “Whoever will deny Me before men, I also will deny him before My Father who is in the heavens” (Matt. 10:33).

  If we deny the Lord before others because we are afraid of being opposed or persecuted by them, the Lord will deny us before His Father when He returns. According to the context of this verse, His denying does not refer to eternal perdition but to receiving a shameful punishment from Him when He returns, because we did not confess Him before others out of fear and shame.

  10. “Whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).

  The Lord spoke this word to those who were following Him. In this adulterous and sinful generation some believers are ashamed of the Lord and of His words. Therefore, when the Lord comes again in glory, He will be ashamed of them; this will also be their punishment.

  11. “Do not fear the things that you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tried, and you will have tribulation...Be faithful unto death...He who overcomes shall by no means be hurt of the second death” (Rev. 2:10-11).

  We have seen that the blessings that the Lord promised to the overcomers in His seven epistles would be in the coming kingdom. Since this is the case, the Lord’s warnings to the believers in these epistles must also speak of punishments during the kingdom age. In 2:10 the Lord told the church to be faithful unto death when the devil harms the church and the church undergoes sufferings and persecution. If believers overcome in this way, they will by no means be hurt of the second death. Conversely, if believers do not overcome, if they are afraid to die for the Lord and are defeated, they will be hurt of the second death. They will not receive the second death; however, they will be hurt of the second death, which is related to the lake of fire (20:14; 21:8). Being hurt of the second death is a punishment in the kingdom age.

  Matthew 10:28 says that we should not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; instead, we should fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. According to the context of verses 24 and 25, this word was spoken to the Lord’s servants. Therefore, the Lord’s servants, who are saved ones, will receive such a punishment if they are afraid to die for the Lord. This does not mean that they will perish for eternity. It refers to some kind of punishment that the Lord will give to those believers who are afraid of being martyred for Him.

  12. “A few...who have not defiled their garments, and they will walk with Me in white because they are worthy. He who overcomes will be clothed thus, in white garments, and I shall by no means erase his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Rev. 3:4-5).

  This is the Lord’s word to the church in Sardis. When those in the church are weak, fading, and full of death, some believers must be living and strong and must not allow death to stain their actions (garments) before Him. If believers overcome in this way, they will be worthy of walking with the Lord in the kingdom, and their names will not be erased from the book of life; moreover, the Lord will confess their names before God and His angels. If believers do not overcome, they will not be worthy of walking with the Lord in the kingdom, their names will be erased from the book of life during the age of the millennial kingdom, and the Lord will deny them before God and His angels. This is not eternal perdition but a temporary punishment during the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Having one’s name erased from the book of life proves that one’s name has been recorded there. Those whose names are recorded in the book of life are saved ones who belong to the Lord. Since they are saved, they are eternally saved and will not perish for being weak, fading, or stained with death. Although they will not perish, they will be punished.

  13. “His master became angry and delivered him to the torturers until he would repay all that was owed. So also will My heavenly Father do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts” (Matt. 18:34-35).

  When the Lord comes to judge the believers and to settle accounts with His slaves, He will deliver a believer who has not forgiven his brother from his heart to the torturers (that is, cause him to suffer a punishment in the kingdom age) until he forgives his brother from his heart.

  Matthew 12:32 says that there is a sin that “will not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the one to come.” From this we see that some sins are forgiven in this age (the present age of grace) and some sins are forgiven in the coming age (the age of the coming kingdom). Sins that are forgiven in this age will not be judged and punished in the coming age. But if a sin has not been forgiven in this age, it will be judged and punished in the coming age. If a believer’s sin of being unwilling to forgive a brother is not dealt with and forgiven in this age, the Lord will have to judge and punish the believer in the coming kingdom age. Matthew 18:34-35 shows that a brother who is unwilling to forgive another brother today will receive punishment in the kingdom age.

  14. “Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the judgment. And whoever says to his brother...Moreh, shall be liable to the Gehenna of fire”; “If your right hand stumbles you, cut if off and cast it from you, for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to pass away into Gehenna”; “And if your eye stumbles you, pluck it out and cast it from you; it is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have two eyes and be cast into the Gehenna of fire”; “Everyone shall be salted with fire” (Matt. 5:22, 30; 18:9; Mark 9:49).

  The above verses from Matthew 5 were spoken by the Lord when He taught His disciples on the mountain. His teaching was related to the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and to the conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens, not to eternal salvation or perdition. Moreover, verse 22 speaks of a brother being angry with another brother. Since brothers are saved, this portion speaks of saved ones who commit sins. Matthew 18:9 and Mark 9:49 also were spoken by the Lord to His disciples in relation to the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 18:1, 3; Mark 9:47), so these verses speak of believers who commit sins. These portions of the Bible clearly show that when saved ones commit sins, they will be judged and punished with fire. This punishment is not eternal perdition but a temporary chastisement. The Lord said that everyone shall be salted with fire. In this temporary chastisement the Lord will use fire like salt to cure the believers who are contaminated by the germs of sin and spotted by the stains of sin but who were unwilling to deal with them. In doing this He will remove the germs and stains of sin from them, sanctifying them.

  15. “How shall we escape if we have neglected so great a salvation?” (Heb. 2:3).

  Hebrews speaks of God’s New Testament salvation, and every section of this book gives us an important word with a serious warning. The entire book has a total of five sections of fundamental truths, so there are also five important warnings, each of which speaks of punishment during the kingdom age and uses the kingdom punishment as a warning. The first warning, in 2:1-4, is given to warn us to not neglect the Lord’s great salvation. In this salvation the Son of God, who has greater glory than the angels, became a man, who was made a little inferior to the angels, to be the Author of our salvation (v. 10). He is the same as we are in all things, and He redeemed us from our sins, tasted death on our behalf, defeated the devil, and accomplished a great salvation for us (vv. 8-9, 14). Therefore, verse 3 warns us, saying, “How shall we escape if we have neglected so great a salvation?” This salvation surpasses the law of the Old Testament, which was given through angels. It not only saves us from sin, death, the devil, and temptations but also causes us to become sons of God, the many brothers of the Son of God, having the same life and nature as the Son of God (vv. 10-11). This salvation also brings us into glory to inherit the earth with the Son of God, that is, to obtain the kingdom with Him and rule the earth. It was accomplished for us and was given to us. We simply need to enjoy and apply it; if we neglect this salvation and pay attention to other things, how shall we escape being punished by God? If those in the Old Testament were punished for disobeying the law given through angels, should not we receive a greater punishment if we neglect the salvation accomplished for us by the Son of God?

  This word does not refer to sinners, who neglect God’s salvation of forgiveness and justification and thus are unable to avoid condemnation and perdition. Rather, it refers to believers (since it was written to Hebrew believers at that time) who will be condemned and punished for neglecting God’s great salvation, which they had obtained. In the kingdom age God will punish any believer who has neglected His great salvation and who did not enjoy or apply it well. This is not about sinners perishing for eternity but about believers being punished temporarily.

  16. “Let us fear therefore, lest, a promise being left of entering into His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it...So then there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God...Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience” (Heb. 4:1, 9, 11 see also 3:7—4:13).

  The second warning, in 3:7—4:13, is given to warn us to not come short of the promised rest. Since Christ, as the Apostle of God who is over the house of God and who cares for the house of God, is far superior to Moses and Joshua, He is able to bring us into the rest of the kingdom (3:1-6). Therefore, Hebrews warns us to not have an evil heart of unbelief (v. 12) but instead to be diligent to enter into the promised rest, that is, to be diligent to enter into the kingdom (vv. 11, 18). Those who fall behind because of unbelief and disobedience to God’s word will not be able to enter the kingdom.

  This warning is based on the history of the children of Israel who were not able to enter into the good land of Canaan because of their lack of faith and their disobedience to God’s word. Their history is a warning for us. God saved the Israelites and brought them out of Egypt, and He placed the promised land of Canaan before them because He wanted them to go in and enjoy rest there. But they did not believe, and they disobeyed His word. Consequently, they fell in the wilderness and were not able to enter and enjoy the blessings in the land. Similarly, God saved us out of the world, and He has placed the promised kingdom of glory before us because He wants us to enter into it and enjoy the rest there. Therefore, we should not be unbelieving or disobedient to God’s word. We must be diligent to enter into the kingdom rest; we must pursue it diligently lest we fall behind and are unable to enter into it. If we have an evil heart of unbelief and do not obey God’s word to diligently pursue, we will forsake the living God and lose our portion in Christ in the kingdom. We will not be partners of Christ (v. 14), and we will not enter into the kingdom rest. If this is the case, we will receive a great punishment from God, and we will lose the highest blessing in God’s salvation.

  17. “Therefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us be brought on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith in God, of the teaching of baptisms and of the laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and yet have fallen away, to renew themselves again unto repentance, crucifying again for themselves the Son of God and putting Him to open shame. For the earth, which drinks the rain which often comes upon it and produces vegetation suitable to those for whose sake also it is cultivated, partakes of blessing from God. But if it brings forth thorns and thistles, it is disapproved and near a curse, whose end is to be burned” (Heb. 6:1-8 see also 5:11—6:20).

  The third warning, in 5:11—6:20, is given to warn us of our need to be brought on to maturity. According to Hebrews, Christ is a High Priest forever according to an eternal order (5:6), and He has the power of an indestructible life (7:16). Therefore, His priesthood is far superior to that of Aaron, and He is able to save us to the uttermost (4:14—7:28). We need to pursue growth unto maturity in order to gain a deeper knowledge of this superior High Priest, Christ, the One who resurrected and overcame weakness and death and who ascended over all things (5:7-9; 6:20). In order to be brought on to maturity, we need to leave the word of the beginning of Christ (v. 1). This means that we should pursue the growth in life until we are fully matured. In order to grow, we should not lay again the foundation of repentance since that foundation was laid when we were saved. Now we need to build upon the foundation that was laid. The foundation comprises (1) repentance from dead works, (2) faith in God, (3) the teaching of baptisms, (4) the teaching of the laying on of hands, (5) the resurrection of the dead, and (6) the eternal judgment (vv. 1-2). We obtained these at the time of our salvation, and now we must grow; we do not need to obtain them again. Verse 3 then says, “This we will do if God permits.” If God gives us grace, and He has, we must leave the word of the beginning and endeavor to grow to maturity; we must not lay again a foundation but rather grow. This portion explains that we do not need to lay again a foundation, because it is impossible for those who are saved and have once been enlightened, have tasted of the heavenly gift, have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and yet have fallen away from the Lord’s word and way, to renew themselves again unto repentance by crucifying again for themselves the Son of God, which puts Him to open shame. The powers of the age to come refers to the power in the coming kingdom age to cast out demons, heal the sick, and work miracles. These powers will be used in the kingdom age to fully deal with anything that is related to demons, sickness, and suffering.

  We do not need to lay again a foundation, because we cannot renew ourselves again unto repentance, which is the foundation that has already been laid. Hebrews speaks of “not laying again” because “it is impossible...to renew...again unto repentance” (vv. 1, 4, 6). Since the foundation has been laid by God, it is impossible for us to lay it again. Even if we could lay it again, it would not count for anything before God. When a couple gets married, they may fight and not speak to each other for a while, but when they reconcile with each other, they do not need to get married again, and even if they held another wedding ceremony, it would not count for anything. It is impossible for us to renew ourselves again to repentance; we only need to come back to the place from which we fell, confess our sin in falling, and continue to be brought on to maturity. If we were to lay again a foundation and renew our repentance, we would need to crucify for ourselves the Son of God, and this would openly put Him to shame. This is impossible, and we should not do it. If we try to lay a foundation and do not build upon the one that has been laid, if we try to renew ourselves again unto repentance for the things we repented of when we were saved, and if we do not grow, we will be like a field that receives rain but does not grow things that are suitable. Thus, we will be disapproved and become near a curse, and our end will be to be burned (v. 8). This end is not perdition but a suffering of loss. The word disapproved in verse 8 is the same Greek word that is in 1 Corinthians 9:27. There the apostle does not say that he would perish; he says that if he did not run well, he would become disapproved by the Lord and lose the crown and suffer loss. To become near a curse is different from being under a curse. Unbelievers are under a curse, but believers who do not grow or who are defeated become near a curse. The thorns and thistles that grow up from the earth in Hebrews 6:8 are what is burned, not the earth itself. When believers are judged in the future, their living and work of wood, grass, and stubble will be burned (1 Cor. 3:10-15), and they will suffer loss for their lack of growth and their defeat, but they themselves will be saved.

  Therefore, this portion does not refer to the eternal perdition of false believers who were never saved, as Mr. Scofield and those who follow him assert. We know this because it says that they have (1) been enlightened, (2) have tasted of the heavenly gift, (3) have partaken of the Holy Spirit, (4) have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and (5) have fallen away from the Lord’s word and way. Such ones must be saved because only saved ones have these five qualifications. If a person who has these qualifications is not saved, what qualifications must one have in order to be saved?

  This portion also does not refer to saved believers losing their salvation, which some assert is possible; however, we know that this is not possible, because the Bible clearly says that once a person is saved, he obtains eternal life and shall by no means perish forever (John 10:28). To say that a believer can perish because he falls after his salvation goes against the basic truths of the Bible.

  This passage does not refer to the eternal perdition of false believers or to the eternal perdition of saved believers who have fallen; it refers to a temporary punishment in the kingdom age for believers who do not grow or who are defeated. This portion emphasizes the need to grow, the way to grow, and the end for those who fail to grow. Their end is not eternal perdition but punishment from the Lord in the kingdom age.

  18. “Not abandoning our own assembling together, as the custom with some is,...and so much the more as you see the day drawing near. For when we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice of bulls and goats for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fervor of fire, which is to consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without compassion on the testimony of two or three witnesses. By how much do you think he will be thought worthy of worse punishment who has trampled underfoot the Son of God and has considered the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay’; and again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:25-31, see also vv. 19-24, 32-39).

  The fourth warning, in 10:19-39, is given to warn us to come forward to the Holy of Holies and to not shrink back to Judaism. God’s Son, Christ, offered Himself once for all as an eternal sin offering and with His own blood entered once for all into the Holy of Holies in the heavens, accomplishing an eternal redemption for us (9:12). He established the new covenant with His blood, which is better than the old covenant established with the blood of bulls and goats that could not remove sin eternally. He is in the heavenly Holy of Holies as the Mediator of this better covenant (v. 15). Therefore, the blood of this better covenant can purify our conscience and give us the boldness to enter the Holy of Holies to contact God, serve Him, and participate in the heavenly worship and service (10:19-22). In this new covenant we also have God’s law of life in us, which enables us to know God without anyone teaching us (8:1—10:18). This Epistle warns the Hebrew believers that they should not despise the Son of God and the new covenant He established and that they should not go back to Judaism to serve God with the old covenant offerings of the blood of bulls and goats.

  In the early days of the church, many Jews who believed in the Lord were still zealous for the law of Moses despite the fact that they believed in the salvation of Christ (Acts 21:20-24). Although they were under the new covenant, they still kept the ordinances of the old covenant, so they were in the church but also in Judaism. At the time Hebrews was written (sometime after A.D. 60), Jewish authorities were promoting the persecution of Jewish believers in an effort to force them to abandon the church and return to Judaism. These authorities even seized the household property of the believers (Heb. 10:32-34). In this situation some Jewish believers naturally became weak and doubted whether they should completely reject Judaism. The apostle wrote this letter to bring those in Judaism out of that religion and to call them to stand absolutely in the new covenant.

  Therefore, in 8:1—10:18 the apostle shows how Christ and the covenant He established are superior to the old covenant. In 10:25 he exhorts the Jewish believers not to abandon their own assembling together, that is, not to abandon the Christian meetings. If they abandoned the Christian meetings, they would return to Judaism in order to worship God. If they abandoned their assembling together, they would be going against the truth that God had established a new covenant and abolished the old, the truth that the blood of bulls and goats in the old covenant cannot take away man’s sins, the truth that only the blood of Jesus can take away our sins, and the truth that the offerings of bulls and goats in the old covenant were only shadows of the good things to come. After knowing these truths, if they went back to Judaism to offer sacrifices of bulls and goats according to the old covenant that God had abolished, they would be sinning willfully (v. 26). God wanted them to stand absolutely on the ground of the new covenant to serve Him. Based on their knowledge, they would be deliberately sinning if they went back to Judaism. But even if they went back to Judaism, there still would no longer be a sacrifice of bulls and goats for sins because these sacrifices had been abolished (v. 26). In the Old Testament there were daily sin offerings, but in the New Testament a daily sin offering is abolished because Christ accomplished an eternal redemption so that there is “no longer an offering for sin” (v. 18). In the New Testament age there is no longer a sin offering made by killing bulls or goats, nor is there a need for such an offering. If the Hebrew believers returned to Judaism to offer sacrifices, their offerings would be worthless as a sacrifice and in rebellion against God. In such a condition, there is only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fervor of fire of the kind that consumes the adversaries (v. 27). Because some believers returned to Judaism to offer sacrifices of bulls and goats, they trampled the Son of God underfoot, placing Him on the same level with bulls and goats (v. 29). They also considered the blood of God’s Son, which had sanctified them, as something common by putting it on the same level as the blood of bulls and goats (v. 29). When they did this, they not only considered the Son of God and His blood to be common; they also insulted the Spirit of grace (the root word in Greek for insulted is different from the word for blasphemy in Matthew 12:31). The Holy Spirit was operating in them, leading them to simply believe and trust in the Son of God and in His blood and telling them not to return to Judaism to offer sacrifices of bulls and goats, but they insulted Him by ignoring Him. Therefore, they surely would receive a heavier punishment because the Lord will judge His people and have vengeance on them (Heb. 10:30). If the Lord’s people do things against His will and despise His salvation and insult His Spirit, they will fall into the hands of the living God to be judged by Him, and their end will be terrible (v. 31)! This does not refer to eternal perdition but to being disciplined by the Lord in the age of the kingdom. This section clearly shows that in the future some who are sanctified by the Lord’s blood will still be punished.

  19. “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks, for if those did not escape who refused Him who warned them upon the earth, much more we shall not escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven...Therefore receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have grace, through which we may serve God well-pleasingly with piety and fear; for our God is also a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:25, 28-29, see also vv. 1-24, 26-27).

  The fifth warning, in 12:1-29, is given to warn us to run the race and not fall away from grace. Faith is the unique way to run the race (11:1), and in previous generations the saints who lived before God did so in faith (vv. 4-39). We should be encouraged by all these witnesses of faith to look away to the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus, and to run by faith the race which is set before us (12:1-2). This section warns us not to forsake the God who speaks to us and not to turn away from the Lord who warns us from heaven (v. 25). If we forsake Him, if we turn away from Him, it will be difficult for us to escape condemnation. He will have to punish us. If we want to receive the unshakable kingdom He desires to give us, we must receive His sufficient grace and serve Him by this grace in piety and fear according to what is pleasing to Him (v. 28). We should fear losing His grace and not being able to enter the kingdom He desires to give us, and we should fear His condemnation and punishment. This means that we should be in fear and trembling and should obey Him and do His will with piety and fear because our God is a consuming fire (v. 29).

  All these warnings in Hebrews speak of the believers’ punishment in the future. Thus, according to the Bible, there truly will be a future punishment for some believers. There are enough portions in the Bible that clearly tell us that believers — who are sinful, cowardly, fearful, unfaithful, unwilling to forsake everything to follow the Lord, unwilling to pay the price to live for the Lord, disobedient to the Lord’s word, or fail in any number of ways — will suffer great punishment and loss in the kingdom age when the Lord returns. If believers confess their sins and deal with their failures today, God will forgive them because of the Lord’s blood (1 John 1:7, 9), but if believers do not confess their sins, forsake evil, or deal with their failures today, they will be punished in the kingdom age when the Lord returns. At that time some believers will “receive a reward,” and some will “suffer loss”; some will be rewarded, and some will be punished (1 Cor. 3:14-15; Rev. 22:12).

  Anyone who does not accept the truth of the believers’ being punished in the future will have difficulty avoiding being loose, lazy, or lustful in his living and actions. We are fallen, and if we do not acknowledge these warnings, it will be easy to be loose and follow our own will, fulfilling the lusts of our flesh. May we all have a heart of piety and fear, and by the Lord’s grace, may we adjust our heart to be upright in our actions lest we suffer the Lord’s punishment in the future. We should not oppose this truth simply because our own actions are bad. This is pitiful. May God have mercy on us so that we would not deny His truth.

The question of whether the believers’ punishment proves that the Lord’s salvation is not complete

  1. “Being judged by the Lord, we are disciplined”; “The Father of spirits...disciplined...for what is profitable” (1 Cor. 11:32; Heb. 12:9-10).

  Some believers think that the punishment of believers when the Lord returns shows that the Lord’s salvation is not complete, but we know that His salvation is absolutely complete. Even though the Lord’s salvation is complete and we are saved, we can still be punished if we do not apply the Lord’s salvation to a particular point or matter in our living. If we apply the Lord’s salvation to every matter, the Lord’s salvation will save us from difficulties and temptations by the power of His indestructible life and wash us of our failures by the efficacy of His precious blood. If we do not apply the Lord’s salvation to such matters, His salvation cannot be operative for us, even though the Lord’s salvation is absolutely complete. The power of the Lord’s life and the efficacy of His blood must be given the chance to save us and wash us. The Lord’s complete salvation cannot function if it is not applied. Without its application, a day will come when the Lord will punish us for our failure to apply His salvation. His future punishment does not affect the completeness of His salvation or prove that His salvation is incomplete.

  First Corinthians 11:30-34 speaks of believers being judged and punished by the Lord for sin after being saved. Hebrews 12:6-11 also speaks of the children of God being disciplined and punished by God for things related to unrighteousness. The punishment that is spoken of in 1 Corinthians 11 and the discipline, or chastisement, that is spoken of in Hebrews 12 both occur in this age. All believers accept the truth in these two portions, and none think that God’s punishment, discipline, and chastisement of the believers today affects the completeness of His salvation or proves that His salvation is incomplete. Nevertheless, some of God’s children have a different opinion about the Lord’s future discipline of the believers. They think that any future discipline would affect the completeness of the Lord’s salvation and prove that it is not complete. But if the Lord’s punishment of the believers in the future proves that His salvation is incomplete, would not His judgment and chastisement of the believers today likewise prove that His salvation is incomplete? Is not the principle the same? How can the Lord’s chastisement of believers not affect His salvation today but affect His salvation in the future? This is illogical. If the Lord’s chastisement of the believers today does not affect His salvation, future punishment also will not affect it. If the Lord chastises us today, it is because we have not applied His salvation to a particular matter. In the same way, if the Lord chastises us in the future, it will be because of our failure to apply His salvation to a particular matter.

  In conclusion, the Lord will not punish us if we apply His salvation, but if we do not apply His salvation, He will punish us. Thus, the Lord’s punishment is for matters that have not been dealt with through the application of His salvation, regardless of whether this punishment is now or in the future. The time for punishment does not matter; it will be freely chosen by the Lord. We do not have any choice about the time. If we fear the Lord’s discipline, we should quickly apply the Lord’s salvation. If we fear the Lord’s discipline in the future, we should quickly apply the Lord’s salvation today. The Lord will not chastise us for any matter to which we have applied His salvation. The Lord’s chastisement is His judgment. Everything about us is under the Lord’s condemnation, and the Lord will judge any matter that has not passed through His salvation. Our being judged by the Lord, either today or in the future, does not affect the Lord’s salvation.

  2. “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask...There is a sin unto death; I do not say that he should make request concerning that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not unto death” (1 John 5:16-17).

  These verses speak of a believer committing sins that are not unto death and sins that are unto death. A sin that is not unto death means we can continue to live on the earth after we commit such a sin. A sin that is unto death means we must die and cannot continue to live on the earth after we commit such a sin. Only God can determine what is a sin that is not unto death and what is a sin that is unto death. This is not something we can determine, because it is according to the level and position of each individual’s salvation, which only God knows. However, this shows that it is possible for a believer to commit a sin that would lead to his death, even after obtaining the Lord’s complete salvation. The fact that he has obtained the Lord’s complete salvation does not free him from the requirement of death. Therefore, while the Lord’s general discipline of the believers does not affect His salvation, even a special discipline of death for certain kinds of sins will not affect His complete salvation. Since the Lord’s discipline of the believers today does not affect His salvation and does not disprove the completeness of His salvation, the Lord’s punishment of the believers in the future also does not affect His salvation or disprove the completeness of His salvation.

  The Lord’s redemption on the cross is completely effective. But after we receive the Lord’s redemption, we must apply it every time we fall, sin, become stained or dirty, or commit an offense before the Lord. If we apply His redemption, we will be forgiven and cleansed of these sins. This is like the Israelites who were saved and cleansed by God but who still needed to cleanse themselves, according to Numbers 19, with water mixed with the ashes of the red heifer whenever they became filthy. Despite the fact that they had been cleansed, they were considered filthy before God if they did not continue to use the water for impurity to cleanse themselves of any defilement. In the same way, we have been redeemed and cleansed of our sins by the Lord’s precious blood, but before God we may become defiled with sin if we do not continue to apply the cleansing of the Lord’s precious blood whenever we sin. First John 1 shows that after we receive the Lord’s life, we must confess our sins to God and ask Him to cleanse us whenever we sin (v. 9), and we must allow the Lord’s blood to manifest its efficacy again and again (v. 7). If we do not confess to God, ask Him to cleanse us, and allow the Lord’s blood to continually manifest its efficacy, God cannot forgive us even though the Lord’s blood is efficacious. Therefore, God will still judge and punish us for sins that He has not forgiven and cleansed. Therefore, we should quickly confess our sins, deal with them before Him, and ask for His forgiveness and cleansing. During the kingdom age, the believers will receive judgment and punishment if they have unconfessed sins and offenses because they did not deal with them or ask for God’s forgiveness and cleansing. If we have not allowed the Lord’s blood to be efficacious with respect to all our sins, God will judge and punish us for these sins. However, this judgment will not affect the completeness of the Lord’s salvation and certainly will not prove that His salvation is incomplete.

The coming judgment being God’s governmental discipline

  God’s future punishment of the believers is a matter of His government. God has a governmental administration in the entire universe and even more so among His children. If God’s children live according to the principles of God’s government, they will not receive His governmental punishment; if they do not, they will have difficulty escaping God’s discipline. God the Father’s governmental discipline is so that His children, after receiving grace and being saved, can overcome sin, the world, and the self, follow His Son and live for Him, and accomplish His will in the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. If we have some weakness or sins, we must take advantage of our time on the earth to confess and deal with them before God, asking Him to forgive and cleanse us. If we do not take advantage of our time, we will offend God’s governmental administration and receive punishment. This aspect of God’s governmental administration will occur when Christ returns to judge all things. The punishment that comes out of His judgment will be in the kingdom age.

  Punishment in God’s governmental administration does not conflict with the eternal, complete redemption accomplished by His Son, nor does it affect this redemption in the slightest. The redemption accomplished by His Son is eternally in accord with His governmental administration; His governmental administration eternally acknowledges the redemption accomplished by the Son. Although the Son accomplished an eternal redemption, we must diligently apply this redemption in this age. If we do not apply the Lord’s salvation, we will not be in accord with God’s governmental administration, and we will receive discipline. This discipline does not affect redemption; rather, it strengthens the standing of our redemption and proves its efficacy.

God’s purpose for the kingdom of the heavens

  At the beginning of this chapter we saw that the kingdom of the heavens is the object of God’s eternal heart’s desire. God wants to obtain a kingdom as a realm where He can exercise authority, where His will is carried out freely, and where His glory is expressed. God not only wants to obtain such a kingdom, but He also has set aside a portion of this kingdom as a reward for those who faithfully follow His Son, live for His Son, and are His Son’s partners in accomplishing His will. The portion that God has set aside is the heavenly part of His kingdom. Thus, it is called the kingdom of the heavens. The kingdom of the heavens is the intrinsic, essential center of God’s kingdom. It not only speaks of God’s heart’s desire, but it also best expresses His divine nature. Therefore, it pleases God’s heart and satisfies His desire. At the beginning of the New Testament age God placed the kingdom of the heavens before His people so that they would pursue it. He also considers the kingdom of the heavens to be a reward for those who care for His heart’s desire and do His will today. He has made provision for the kingdom of the heavens in order to encourage the believers and to manifest His righteousness. God’s purpose for the kingdom of the heavens, in addition to establishing His reign, carrying out His will, and expressing His glory, is to encourage His believers and to manifest His righteousness.

Encouraging the believers

  1. “I solemnly charge you...by His appearing and His kingdom: Proclaim the word” (2 Tim. 4:1-2).

  When Paul was about to leave this world, he charged Timothy, his spiritual son, by the Lord’s appearing and by His kingdom. The Lord’s appearing — His return — and His kingdom — the kingdom of the heavens — are serious tests for the believers. In 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 he says, “I am conscious of nothing against myself; but I am not justified in this, but He who examines me is the Lord. So then do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then there will be praise to each from God.” This shows how conscientiously he lived in the light of the Lord’s return. Paul knew that when the Lord returned, He would judge His servants, His believers, not only by examining their openly manifest works and outward living but also by bringing to light any hidden things and by exposing the counsels of their hearts. This should cause us to live carefully before Him. Whenever we think of His return, we should adjust our work and living and deal with our heart and thoughts, not daring to be loose in any way lest we have even a small offense. Paul lived so carefully in relation to the Lord’s appearing; therefore, he charged Timothy, whom he greatly cared for, by the Lord’s appearing because he wanted Timothy to live before the Lord’s appearing by preparing himself to receive the Lord’s judgment and testing at His return.

  In 1 Corinthians 9:27 Paul says, “I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest perhaps having preached to others, I myself may become disapproved.” This shows that he had a sober, restricted living and did not want to indulge himself in the least. He lived in this way because he was afraid that he might not be approved by the Lord and would fail to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, especially after preaching to others of the need to endeavor to run the race to pursue the reward of entering the kingdom of the heavens. He took the kingdom as a warning and lived under this warning. He was deeply aware that the kingdom of the heavens could not be obtained merely by being saved; rather, he knew that it required one to run the race to obtain this prize. He knew that the kingdom of the heavens is not a gift but a reward that the Lord gives to His believers for running the race and for restricting themselves in all the things of this world. Paul took the kingdom as a warning and buffeted his body, dealing harshly with himself, in the hope of being approved by the Lord in the future and of receiving His reward of entering into the kingdom of the heavens. He was under the warning and hope of the kingdom of the heavens as he followed the Lord throughout the course of his life. Therefore, he exhorted Timothy by this kingdom to run the race. He wanted Timothy to live under the warning and hope of the kingdom and to endeavor to run the race set before him in order to obtain the reward of the kingdom in the future.

  Believers often regard the Lord’s return as a matter of comfort and hope, but they do not regard it as a warning or a test. It is true that 1 Thessalonians 4:18 speaks of the Lord’s return as being a comfort to the believers, and it is true that 1 John 3:3 speaks of the Lord’s appearing as being the believers’ hope. However, other passages show that the Lord’s return should be a serious warning to the believers. It will be a terrible test. When the Lord comes, He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts (1 Cor. 4:5). When the Son of Man comes, He will repay each man according to his doings (Matt. 16:27). And when the Lord comes, His reward will be rendered according to the true nature of each one’s work, that is, as his work is (Rev. 22:12). This is quite a warning: the Lord will return not only to rapture and transfigure us but also to judge and repay us. If we see this warning, how can we dare live loosely or do things according to our own will?

  I heard of a believer who dreamed that he was in a movie theater watching a movie, and just as he was totally involved in the movie, the heavens opened, lightening flashed, and a voice proclaimed, “Christ is coming!” When he heard this, his heart began to race, and he began to tremble with much fear. He became so afraid in his dream that he woke up. After he awoke, he was still frightened. Then he thought to himself, “I am lucky that this was a dream. What if I was really watching a movie when the Lord returned, how would I face Him? Would I be able to stand before Him? Would I be able to bear His judgment?” Even though this was only a dream, it is a good lesson. If we really saw the seriousness of the Lord’s return, would we still dare to commit sins loosely, love the world, indulge the flesh, care for human emotions, or be cold, backslidden, and unfaithful?

  We must remember the word in Revelation 1 and the situation when the Lord appeared to John on the island of Patmos. When he was young, John reclined peacefully on the Lord’s bosom (John 13:23, 25), but when he saw the Lord in Revelation, he “fell at His feet as dead” (1:17). The Lord’s “eyes were like a flame of fire...And out of His mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword” (vv. 14, 16). In Revelation John saw the Lord coming in His capacity as a Judge; it was a foreshadowing of His return. When the Lord came the first time, He was lovely; His face was full of grace, and He spoke words of grace. But when He comes the second time, He will be terrible; His eyes will be like flames of fire that will bore into every hidden thing in us, and out of His mouth will proceed a two-edged sword to judge all our words and actions. How can this not cause us to be fearful? How can we not be warned?

  Today believers speak frequently about the glory and blessing of the kingdom of the heavens, but they neglect the chastisement of the kingdom of the heavens. It is true that the kingdom of the heavens will be glorious and that those who enter into it will enter into the Lord’s joy, but the Lord spoke also of the kingdom of the heavens in relation to chastisement. He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of the heavens...And then I will declare to them: I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:21, 23). He also said, “Cast out the useless slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (25:30). His words speak of chastisement in the kingdom of the heavens. If believers see this, who would dare to continue to indulge the self, ignore God’s will, entangle themselves with the world, and not pursue the kingdom of the heavens? If sinners would see the horrors of hell, who would not repent and pursue the Lord’s salvation? Likewise, if the believers see the terribleness of the Lord’s chastisement in the kingdom of the heavens, who would not turn to pursue the Lord’s kingdom? We often say that unbelievers are living in a drunken stupor and in their dreams, with no worry about tomorrow. But how many believers also are living in a drunken stupor and in their dreams? How many believers are wide awake and concerned about the matter of the kingdom of the heavens?

  Some believers also strongly oppose the truth of the kingdom of the heavens. But we hope that these brothers would not just be concerned about doctrinal arguments but also care for the practical questions. What will the coming kingdom of the heavens be like? Will we be able to enter into it? Is an entrance into the kingdom of the heavens really a matter of concern for us? Does our condition today meet the requirements of the kingdom of the heavens? Are people who live and act as we do really worthy to enter the coming glorious, holy kingdom of the heavens? I deeply hope and beg these brothers to ponder and consider these matters from the practical side.

  More than ten years ago a brother who opposed the truth concerning the chastisement of the kingdom of the heavens asked another brother who received this teaching, “Will the believers who have received the Lord’s precious blood really be thrown into outer darkness?” The brother did not debate with him but only said, “Brother, let us first not ask if the believers who have received the Lord’s precious blood will be thrown into the darkness; rather, let us first ask whether we are in darkness today. If we are in darkness today, how can we enter into the kingdom of light in the future? If we continue to believe that we will be able to enter into the light of the kingdom no matter what our condition is today, why should we seek the light today and forsake the darkness?” If we see that chastisement in the kingdom means that some believers will be thrown into the darkness, we will certainly strive to forsake the darkness today. We should not only worry about expounding prophecies; we should also be concerned about our practical living. We should ask not only where we will be in the future but also where we are today. Where we are today is where we will be in the future. When we see where we are today, we should realize that this is where we will be in the future. The seriousness of the question of where we will be in the future should cause us to be concerned about where we are today and repent for the kingdom.

  More than ten years ago a Bible teacher who opposed the truth of the chastisement in the kingdom, asked me, “Are the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25 saved?” I did not want to debate with him, so I merely said, “If they are not saved, I would ask you how many of today’s saved ones are prudent? How many are watchful, ready, and waiting for the Lord?” We should not be concerned with expounding prophecies by means of empty reasonings; rather, we should compare our practical living with the matters in the prophecies. We should not ask if the foolish virgins are saved. Instead, we should ask whether we who are saved are prudent. If we believe that every believer will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, we will think that it is enough to be saved, and we will not go on to determine whether we are prudent, watchful, ready, and waiting for the Lord’s coming. If we see that some believers in the future will enter the kingdom and that others will not and see that this distinction is based upon their prudence, watchfulness, readiness, and waiting for the Lord, we will be compelled to be one who is prudently waiting for the Lord.

  Thus, we must see that the Lord’s return and His kingdom are a warning to the believers. Since they are a warning, they are also an incentive. If we want to avoid the discipline of the kingdom of the heavens, we must pursue the reward of the kingdom of the heavens. The reward of the kingdom of the heavens is glorious and joyous; it is an incentive that makes us willing to pay the price and pursue the kingdom. The reward of the kingdom of the heavens is worth sacrificing everything of our human life today, and the coming discipline of the kingdom of the heavens should compel us to be fearful today. If a believer sees the coming reward of the kingdom of the heavens, he will be drawn and encouraged to pursue; if he sees the coming discipline of the kingdom of the heavens, he will be in fear of not going on faithfully. The discipline of the kingdom of the heavens should warn us, and the reward of the kingdom of the heavens should encourage us.

  Every time I think of the matter of the kingdom of the heavens, I am encouraged and in fear before God. Sometimes it seems that I am backsliding, but when I think of the kingdom of the heavens, I go forward with trembling! Sometimes it seems as if I am a little loose in myself, but when I think of the kingdom of the heavens, I am in fear and control myself. Sometimes it seems as if I am defeated, but when I think of the kingdom of the heavens, I dare not remain in my defeat. Sometimes it seems as if I fall, but when I think of the kingdom of the heavens, I am forced to pick myself up and ask the Lord to have mercy and give me grace. In the past years the kingdom of the heavens has been the greatest incentive for me to live and walk before the Lord.

  Many brothers and sisters are still loose in their living and actions after being saved; they do not care for the Lord’s glory or pleasure. The reason for this is that they have not seen the matter of the kingdom of the heavens. If they see the consequences of being rewarded, which are reigning with joy and glory, and the consequences of being disciplined, which are weeping and gnashing their teeth in outer darkness, they would change and strive to do God’s will and live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.

  2. “We are determined, whether at home or abroad, to gain the honor of being well pleasing to Him. For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:9-11).

  Paul was determined to be well pleasing to the Lord. His determination was based on his realization that we would all have to stand and be judged before the judgment seat of Christ, receiving the things done through the body according to what we have practiced, whether good or bad. Paul was fearful of the Lord in this matter. He not only determined to be well pleasing to the Lord, but he also exhorted others to be well pleasing, lest they receive a negative recompense at the judgment seat of Christ. This shows that the judgment of the believers before the judgment seat of Christ should be a warning and an encouragement.

  All believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged and to receive a reward or a punishment according to what they have done today. This is a very serious matter. When believers come before the judgment seat of Christ, some will be rewarded and some will suffer loss. This is a warning and an encouragement.

  In 2 Corinthians 5:14 the apostle speaks of “the love of Christ,” but he also speaks of “the fear of the Lord” in verse 11. The Lord’s death on the cross for us is according to His love, but His judgment of us before His judgment seat will be according to His fearfulness. He died for us because He wants us to live for Him. If we have received His love but do not live for Him, His fearfulness should serve as a warning and an encouragement to us.

  There are three things that we must pay attention to in the Lord’s dealings with us: the life of the Lord, the love of the Lord, and the fear of the Lord. The life of the Lord is the power that enables us to live for Him. The love of the Lord constrains us to live for Him. And the fear of the Lord encourages us to live for Him. The Lord gave us His life so that we may live for Him. If we are unwilling to live for Him, the love of the Lord will constrain us to live for Him. If we are unwilling to accept the constraining of His love, the fear of the Lord should encourage and warn us of our need to live for Him. We need to know the Lord’s life, to see the Lord’s love, and sense the fear of the Lord. While the Lord’s love constrains many believers to live for Him, many believers still need a fear of the Lord to warn and encourage them. While it is true that the Lord’s death on the cross moves some to consecrate their all to the Lord, many saved ones still need the judgment seat of Christ to press them to consecrate their all to live for the Lord. Those who ignore the constraining of the Lord’s love should be warned and encouraged by a fear of the Lord. Those who cannot be moved by the accomplishment of His death should be warned and encouraged by His coming judgment.

  3. “Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize”; “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord...will recompense me in that day” (Phil. 3:13-14; 2 Tim. 4:8).

  The apostle Paul spent his entire life running after the Lord because God’s reward was an encouragement to him. The Lord laid up this prize for him as his crown, which was the kingdom of the heavens. For the sake of the kingdom of the heavens, he gave his entire life, forgetting the things which were behind and stretching forward to the things which were before. The kingdom of the heavens was a great encouragement to Paul.

  The Bible shows that God has a purpose for the kingdom of the heavens: to encourage us to escape from the things He wants us to escape from and to pursue the things He wants us to pursue. Some parents set aside a certain time as a reward to encourage their children to be obedient and to study hard. Whoever is obedient and studies hard will get a reward and have a special time of enjoyment with their parents. Whoever does not obey and study hard will miss out on this time of enjoyment with the parents and will also receive some suffering. Our Father God has the same purpose for the kingdom of the heavens with respect to us, His children.

Manifesting His righteousness

  1. “It is time for the judgment to begin from the house of God” (1 Pet. 4:17).

  God’s purpose for the kingdom of the heavens is not only to encourage the believers but also to manifest His righteousness. God is absolutely righteous. He is righteous toward all people and in all matters. As the Judge of all the earth, He cannot be unrighteous (Gen. 18:25). He must be righteous to the worldly people, and He must be righteous to the believers. Moreover, He must be righteous with the believers before He can be righteous with the worldly people. If God is not righteous with His children, how can He be righteous with the worldly people? If His children sin, and He loosely passes over these sins, how can He judge the world according to righteousness? If He does not condemn the sins committed by His children, how can He condemn the sins of the worldly people? How can He stop the mouths of the worldly people and cause them to submit to Him with all their heart? In order to do this, God must first judge His children. When judgment begins from His household, He can righteously judge the world. God must manifest His righteousness with respect to His children before He can righteously condemn the worldly people.

  2. “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day” (2 Tim. 4:8).

  God uses the environment to judge and even discipline His children today (1 Cor. 11:31-32), but this is only a partial judgment. God’s full and complete judgment of His children will occur when the Lord returns, which is referred to in the phrase that day. He will use the reward and punishment of the kingdom of the heavens to righteously judge His children. During the kingdom of the heavens, some believers will receive a reward and some will be disciplined; in this way God will manifest His righteousness and prove that He is righteous. If all believers, whether overcoming or defeated, faithful or unfaithful, righteous or sinful, were allowed to enter into the kingdom of the heavens in the future and were allowed to reign in the enjoyment of glory, how would God be righteous with respect to the believers? How would this manifest His righteousness? If the brother who committed fornication in Corinth (5:1-5) were allowed to enter into the kingdom of the heavens along with Paul who served faithfully unto his death, how could the righteousness of God be upheld? How could God’s righteousness be manifested with respect to them? If believers who love themselves, care for their own enjoyment, seek their own profit, indulge their flesh, and live according to human feelings were to obtain the same reward of the kingdom in the future that brothers and sisters who love the Lord, care for God’s glory, seek God’s pleasure, reject the flesh, and live according to the Spirit will obtain, how could God’s righteousness be maintained among His children? If lazy, slothful believers who did not use their gifts were able to enter into the joy of the kingdom of the heavens along with diligent, faithful believers who used their gifts, how could the righteousness of God be manifested among them? Therefore, in the future there must be a distinction between the believers who are rewarded and those who are punished in order for God’s righteousness to be upheld and manifested among His children. This is another purpose of God in His provision for the kingdom of the heavens as a reward.

  For the sake of manifesting His righteousness in His children, God must have a particular time for His children to be either rewarded or chastised. This time is the kingdom of the heavens, which He set apart from the rest of His eternal kingdom. During the kingdom of the heavens, God will manifest His righteousness with respect to His children by means of both reward and discipline. Although His heart is full of love toward His children, He cannot ignore His righteousness with respect to them. If He ignored His righteousness with respect to His children, how could He maintain His righteousness with respect to the worldly people? Therefore, He has set apart the kingdom of the heavens for the purpose of manifesting His righteousness among His children. Our God is very wise. He ordained the cross, the new heavens and new earth, and the kingdom of the heavens. The cross expresses His love for us, eternity expresses His grace to us, and the kingdom of the heavens expresses His righteousness toward us. The cross and eternity make us thankful to Him, but the kingdom of the heavens warns and encourages us. The cross releases us from sin, but the kingdom of the heavens binds us to righteousness.

  After the end of this present age of grace and before the beginning of the coming age of eternity, God has set apart the age of the kingdom for the purpose of warning and encouraging His children and for manifesting His righteousness with respect to them. If there were no kingdom age or if the kingdom of the heavens had not been set apart, God would not have anything that would serve to warn and encourage His children today in this age or to manifest His righteousness with regard to His children in the coming age. If there were only the new heaven and new earth in which God expressed His grace, how could He perfect His children with respect to His righteousness? This is the reason that God made provision for the kingdom of the heavens. His purpose for the kingdom of the heavens is wise and deep; it is all for our perfecting.

The influence of the believers’ pursuit of the kingdom of the heavens

  1. “What kind of persons ought you to be in holy manner of life and godliness, expecting and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet. 3:11-12).

  When believers pursue the kingdom of the heavens, they not only can obtain the kingdom of the heavens, but they also can hasten its coming. When Peter speaks of “hastening the coming of the day of God,” he means hastening the coming of the kingdom of God, which is the coming of the kingdom of the heavens. The coming of the kingdom of the heavens requires people on earth to cooperate with God by fighting for the kingdom of the heavens. Revelation 12:10 shows that the kingdom of God comes because there is a group of overcomers in the church who overcome God’s enemy, Satan (vv. 5, 11).

  When we are pursuing the kingdom of the heavens, we are actually fighting for the kingdom of the heavens. Satan still occupies the air and the earth today, and he works to prevent God’s authority, His kingdom, from coming to the earth. Thus, the Lord wants us to pray for the kingdom of God to come and for His will to be done on earth (Matt. 6:9-10). However, we cannot simply pray without having a living that reinforces our prayer. If we would pray for the kingdom of the heavens, we must also seek the kingdom of the heavens in order to strengthen our prayer and so that we can cooperate with our prayer for the kingdom. In Matthew 6:10 the Lord asked us to pray for the kingdom of the heavens, and in verse 33, to seek the kingdom of the heavens. To pray is to beseech, and to seek is to live. Prayer that beseeches the Lord for the kingdom of the heavens must come out of a living that seeks the kingdom of the heavens so that our prayer can be strengthened and so that our cooperation can be effective. If we would pray for the kingdom to come, we must also seek the kingdom of the heavens. If we would seek the kingdom of the heavens, we must also have a living that seeks the kingdom. Peter speaks of this living as a “holy manner of life and godliness.” To be holy is to be compatible with God’s nature, and to be godly is to bear God’s likeness. God will burn anything that is not compatible with His nature or image, so those who pursue the kingdom of the heavens should not participate in such things. Pursuing the kingdom of the heavens means that everything in our human living must be according to God’s nature and likeness; everything must have the element of God and manifest His image. This requires us to deny ourselves and live in God, taking God as our all. We must have such a human living in order to pursue the kingdom of the heavens. If we pursue the kingdom of the heavens in such a holy manner of life and godliness, we will not only enter into the kingdom of the heavens but also hasten its coming. God needs such people. God’s kingdom has not yet come because there is a shortage of such people. May we be willing to set our mind on God’s heart’s desire and to rise up to meet God’s need by becoming those who pursue the kingdom of the heavens to hasten its coming.

The type of entering into the kingdom of the heavens

  1. “Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience” (Heb. 4:11 see also 3:7—4:10).

  All the important matters in the New Testament are typified in the Old Testament. Since entering the kingdom of the heavens is a very important matter in the New Testament, it also is portrayed in the type of the Israelites entering the good land of Canaan in the Old Testament.

  Many believers throughout the ages have viewed the good land of Canaan as being a type of heaven. However, heaven is not occupied by enemies, nor is there any warfare in heaven, but both of these matters were present in Canaan. Thus, Canaan cannot be and is not a type of heaven. According to the Bible, Canaan is a type of the kingdom of the heavens. There were seven tribes of enemies occupying the land of Canaan; today Satan and his angels occupy the earth to which the kingdom of the heavens will come. When the Israelites entered Canaan, they had to destroy the enemies who were occupying it. When the believers enter the kingdom of the heavens, they will deal with Satan and his angels occupying this earth. In the days of the Old Testament the children of Israel took the land; in the future the believers will inherit the earth when they enter the kingdom of the heavens. When the Israelites entered Canaan, God obtained a kingdom, and when the believers enter into the kingdom of the heavens, He also will obtain a kingdom. Thus, the Israelites’ entering the land of Canaan is a type of the believers’ entering the kingdom of the heavens. This is the reason Hebrews 3:7—4:11 and 1 Corinthians 9:24—10:11 both use the matter of the Israelites entering into Canaan as a warning to us.

  Hebrews shows that the Israelites fell in the wilderness and were unable to enter into Canaan because of their unbelief and disobedience to God’s word, even though they had been saved by God from Egypt. The Holy Spirit warns us with this matter and tells us that God has reserved a rest for us to enter into, just as He placed the land of Canaan before the Israelites as a place of rest. This rest is the coming kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, we must be watchful lest some of us, like the Israelites, fail to enter the kingdom of the heavens because of unbelief and disobedience to God’s word.

  First Corinthians shows that the Israelites were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and followed Moses to run the course along the way to enter into Canaan, just as we have been baptized into Christ in the Holy Spirit to follow Christ and run the course along the way into the kingdom of the heavens. The Israelites all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, just as we receive Christ and drink of the Holy Spirit. However, most of them were not well pleasing to God, and they were strewn along in the wilderness and did not enter into Canaan to obtain the good land promised by God. The Holy Spirit uses this to warn us to not be like them in lusting after evil things, worshipping idols, committing adultery, tempting the Lord, and murmuring, lest we fall along the way and are unable to obtain the kingdom reward, the crown in the kingdom, or to enter into the kingdom of the heavens to obtain the kingdom promised by God.

  There were at least several million Israelites who left Egypt, but only two of those who left Egypt, Joshua and Caleb, were alive when they entered into Canaan (Num. 14:26-30); two others who were dead, Jacob and Joseph, were brought into the land (Gen. 49:29; Josh. 24:32). This is a type showing that although many are called, only a few will enter into the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 22:14); some will be raptured alive, as typified by Joshua and Caleb, and others will die and be resurrected, as typified by Jacob and Joseph.

  The example of the Israelites leaving Egypt and entering Canaan shows that God’s full salvation is to save us out of the world (Egypt) and to save us into the kingdom of the heavens (Canaan). However, too many of us have not fully enjoyed God’s salvation; instead, we have enjoyed only part of it, the part which includes being justified by faith, being redeemed by Christ’s blood, obtaining His life, and receiving the Holy Spirit. This can be likened to the Israelites who kept the passover, sprinkled the blood of a lamb on their doorposts, ate of the passover lamb in Egypt, and ate of the manna and drank of the water from the riven rock in the wilderness. Just as the Israelites should have also obeyed God’s word and relied on God’s power to enter Canaan and obtain the rest, we should obey God’s word, rely on God’s power, Christ, to run the race, enter the kingdom of the heavens, and obtain the rest. The goal of the Israelites’ running in the Old Testament times was Canaan, and the goal of our running in the New Testament is the kingdom of the heavens. Many of those who kept the passover and ate the meat of the lamb did not enter into Canaan, because they did not obey God’s word, trust in God’s power, and endeavor to enter the good land. In the same way, if we receive only Christ’s redemption and have Christ’s life, we cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens; we must also obey God’s word, rely on the power of Christ, and endeavor to pursue Him in order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

  For the ancient Israelites, leaving Egypt and entering Canaan were two different matters. Although they kept the passover, sprinkled the lamb’s blood to be spared from God’s judgment, ate the meat of the lamb, left Egypt, crossed the Red Sea to escape Pharaoh’s control, ate the heavenly manna and drank water from the rock in the wilderness, served in the worship of God with His tabernacle and His presence in their midst, and were led by the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, they did not enter into Canaan. Although they did not enter into Canaan, we cannot say that they did not keep the passover, that they were not redeemed, that they had not left Egypt, that they had not returned to God, or that they did not belong to Him. They truly were redeemed by the blood to be the people of God. Nevertheless, they still were not without problems. They needed to press on and endeavor to enter into Canaan to fulfill God’s highest will for them. Through this type we can see that entering the kingdom of the heavens is not a guaranteed matter, even though we have been saved, have been redeemed by the blood, have the life of Christ, have been baptized in the Spirit, have left Satan’s authority of darkness, have enjoyed Christ as life, have drunk of the Spirit, have served God in worship to Him, have the presence of God in Christ, and have the leading of the Spirit and the Word for the way ahead. However, even though we may not enter into the kingdom of the heavens, we cannot say that we are not saved, have not been redeemed, have not escaped the authority of Satan, have not been reconciled to God, or do not belong to Him. We truly have been redeemed by the precious blood and have become the people of God. Nevertheless, we cannot say that we have no further problems. We must endeavor to pursue in order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens to fulfill God’s highest will for us.

  If an Israelite wanted to enter into Canaan, he had to pass through five steps: (1) keep the passover to deal with his sins and escape God’s wrath; (2) leave Egypt, cross the Red Sea, and escape the authority of Pharaoh; (3) pass through the wilderness and deal with the Amalekites, putting to death the things of the flesh; (4) cross the Jordan River to put off the old man (Josh. 4:1-11); and (5) engage in warfare to deal with the seven tribes in Canaan. The Israelites had to pass through these five steps before they could enter Canaan and obtain the kingdom. This means that their sins, Egypt and the authority of Pharaoh, the Amalekites, their self, and the seven tribes of Canaan all had to be dealt with before they could enter Canaan to obtain the kingdom. This type shows that if we want to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, we must receive Christ’s redemption to deal with our sins and to escape God’s wrath, be baptized to escape the world and the authority of Satan through our co-death with Christ, deal with the flesh so that all fleshly things may be terminated completely, put off the old man, which is the self — through a deeper experience of the death of Christ, and engage in warfare to deal with Satan’s authority in the air (Eph. 6:11-13). We must pass through these five steps before we can enter the kingdom of the heavens and obtain the kingdom. This means that our sins, the world and the authority of Satan, the flesh, the old man, which is the self, and Satan’s authority in the air all must be dealt with before we can enter into the kingdom of the heavens to obtain the kingdom.

The pattern of pursuing to enter the kingdom of the heavens

  1. “Do you not know that those who run on a racecourse all run, but one receives the prize? Run in this way, that you may lay hold. And everyone who contends exercises self-control in all things; they then, that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we, an incorruptible. I therefore run in this way, not as though without a clear aim; I box in this way, not as though beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest perhaps having preached to others, I myself may become disapproved” (1 Cor. 9:24-27).

  God gave us not only a complete type of entering the kingdom of the heavens in the Old Testament but also a good pattern in the New Testament. This pattern is the apostle Paul. In the New Testament Paul was a pattern of one who pursued to enter the kingdom of the heavens. He wagered his entire life on the pursuit of the beloved kingdom of the Lord whom he loved. His living throughout the course of his whole life was a living in pursuit of the kingdom of the heavens. His word shows his heart to strive and endeavor in this matter. He placed his whole being in a race for the kingdom of the heavens in order to gain the prize of the kingdom of the heavens. He ran in a specific way and boxed in a focused way in order to run well to obtain the crown of the kingdom of the heavens. He exercised self-control in all things and buffeted his body without looseness, lest having preached the word of pursuing the kingdom to others, he would be disapproved by the Lord and fail to enter the kingdom of the heavens. In the original Greek buffet my body means to “beat the face under the eye black and blue.” This shows that he was in fear and trembling, that he did not care for anything else, that he paid any price, and that he expended his all for the kingdom. He wrote this passage to the Corinthian believers in his early years, proving that from early in his Christian life, he was striving and pursuing to enter the kingdom of the heavens.

  2. “Not that I have already obtained or am already perfected, but I pursue, if even I may lay hold of that for which I also have been laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not account of myself to have laid hold; but one thing I do: Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward. Let us therefore, as many as are full-grown, have this mind; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, this also God will reveal to you. Nevertheless whereunto we have attained, by the same rule let us walk” (Phil. 3:12-16).

  Paul wrote this word when he was old and imprisoned in a Roman jail. This word shows that Paul endeavored to pursue an entrance into the kingdom of the heavens not only when he was young but even when he was old. By this time he had served the Lord faithfully for several decades, yet he kept running, not thinking that he had already laid hold of that for which the Lord had laid hold of him. He continued to pursue, forgetting the things which were behind and stretching forward to the things which were before; he was not content with his past achievements. Instead, he forgot all the former things and pressed ahead for the prize — the kingdom of the heavens — to which God in Christ Jesus had called him upward. Paul endeavored to run the course for entering the kingdom of the heavens. From his youth throughout his old age, he was always pursuing the kingdom of the heavens.

  Paul pursued to enter the kingdom of the heavens, and he also charged others to pursue in the same way, because he was an example, a pattern to us all (1 Tim. 1:16). In 1 Corinthians 9 he exhorts us to run the race for the prize of the kingdom of the heavens, and in Philippians 3 he tells us that even those who are full-grown among us need to have a heart to pursue the kingdom of the heavens. He also is confident that God would reveal whether or not we are otherwise minded in this matter. He encourages us to continue to walk by the same rule whereunto we have attained, having a constant desire to pursue an entrance into the kingdom of the heavens. This word shows that the apostle wanted us to maintain a mind to pursue the kingdom of the heavens in all things, just as he spent his all in order to pursue it.

  3. “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day, and not only me but also all those who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

  This is the victorious word that Paul spoke as he was about to leave this earth. He earnestly pursued to enter the kingdom of the heavens, and he continued to pursue right up until the time he left this earth. He fought the good fight for the Lord, finished his course of following the Lord to enter the kingdom of the heavens, and kept the faith by holding the Lord’s word; therefore, he could say that there was a crown laid up for him that the Lord would give him in the day of His return. Paul constantly endeavored to run the course to enter the kingdom, to follow the Lord, and to be faithful unto death, so he knew that according to the Lord’s righteousness, the Lord would give him what he had pursued his entire life. He was assured that he would receive the crown of the kingdom of the heavens and that he would receive the Lord’s reward of entering the kingdom of the heavens and inheriting the kingdom.

  Even at the time of his departure, Paul did not forget that all those who loved the Lord, lived for Him, and loved His appearing would receive the same reward from the Lord and would enter the kingdom of the heavens. He knew that he was established by the Lord as a pattern for pursuing an entrance into the kingdom of the heavens and that whoever similarly pursued would receive the reward of the kingdom and inherit the precious kingdom of the Lord’s love.

  4. “The Lord...will save me into His heavenly kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:18).

  This is Paul’s last word concerning his pursuit to enter the kingdom of the heavens. It is such a glorious word! He was about to be executed, but he knew deeply that his final end would not be death; rather, it would be the kingdom of the heavens for which he had wagered his whole life to pursue. Death for him was only something to pass through, and the kingdom of the heavens was his glorious destination. For the sake of this kingdom, he had fought the good fight, run the course, kept the faith, and exhausted all that he was, all he could do, and everything he had. Now for this heavenly kingdom, he would give himself in death to be a drink offering poured out upon his service before the Lord whom he believed, loved, followed, and served. His entire life on this earth had been wrecked for the Lord, and all he was and had was given to the Lord. The Lord’s heart’s desire was Paul’s heart’s desire; the Lord’s goal was Paul’s goal. He lost himself in the Lord to such a great extent that he could lose himself completely in Him in death without reservation. Therefore, he knew that the Lord would bring in the heavenly kingdom and that he would enter into it; he knew that the Lord would enjoy the heavenly kingdom and that he would participate in it. Since he was completely lost in the Lord and completely mingled as one with Him, he knew that the kingdom of the heavens would become his destination and home. Thus, at this time Paul could say and even dared to say, “The Lord...will save me into His heavenly kingdom.” This was the proclamation of an old warrior on the spiritual battlefield just before his death. It was also his message to the companions whom he had to leave behind on the road to the kingdom of the heavens. May he always be our pattern in our pursuit of the kingdom of the heavens. May he often be our encouragement as we run the Lord’s race. May we be like him, wagering our entire life to endeavor to pursue the reward of the kingdom of the heavens. In the end may we also be able to declare like Paul that there is a crown of righteousness laid up for us by the Lord, who will save us into His heavenly kingdom.

A supplementary word

  Since we published The Kingdom of the Heavens in 1936 and The Truth concerning the Kingdom of the Heavens in 1939 and 1940, the children of God in many places have received much help. We thank God for this. However, we have also faced continual opposition. Because of this opposition, we must be willing to carefully examine the question of the kingdom of the heavens before God. We truly must be in fear and trembling concerning misinterpreting the Word of God. However, after passing through more than twenty years of opposition, during which time we have carefully studied and considered the Word, the light of this truth is even clearer to us, and we are even more convinced that our study accurately reflects God’s Word. As we were revising these messages, we felt even stronger and more assured of this truth. The truth does not fear investigation by opposers, just as pure gold does not fear trial by fire. If this is the truth, the more it passes through the examination of opposition, the more it will be manifested as the truth.

  Although it is the truth, we do not want to argue. While a proper explanation concerning this truth is necessary, such an explanation is not for the purpose of arguing. Yet because of opposition and criticism, we carefully considered whether or not God wanted us to speak on this. For example, when we were not able to complete this chapter on time because the editors did not have enough time to work on it, we had to consider whether or not God wanted us to publish this message. But after much deep consideration, we still felt that we should release this important truth of God and that we should not avoid mentioning this matter to the children of God simply because some strongly oppose it. We also realized that releasing this truth again would make it difficult to avoid even more and even stronger opposition. But we believe all this opposition will serve only to make the truth clearer. Our only hope is that regardless of whether we are expounding the truth or opposing a false teaching, our heart would be pure and our words would be proper. Brothers, it is a very serious matter to expound the truth! We are responsible to God not only for the content of what we say but also for the motives behind what we say and for the words that we use in our speaking. God will judge us before His judgment seat concerning all these things. May we fear Him and not consider it as a small matter before Him. God have mercy on us.

  We have no desire to dispute many of the arguments of those who oppose. We feel we should simply release the truth. However, there are two points we would like to clarify for the brothers and sisters.

  1. Some say that because we teach the discipline of the kingdom of the heavens, we are teaching concerning purgatory. Many friends, especially those from the West, are very concerned for us with respect to this matter. For many years our friends have frequently asked us about this point. Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to clarify this matter.

  Purgatory is one of the great heresies taught by the Roman Catholic Church. They erroneously use the word in 1 Corinthians 3:13 and 15 to say that if a person sins while he is living, he will go to the fires of purgatory after his death to be purified and thus be a soul in purgatory. His living relatives must then say prayers for his soul in purgatory to gain merit on his behalf and reduce the number of years he suffers in purgatory. This teaching is a great heresy! In 1 Corinthians 3:13 and 15 the testing by fire that is spoken of does not occur after a believer dies but takes place in the day of the Lord’s return. This fire also does not purge dead believers but rather causes the Lord’s servants to suffer loss or punishment when they are judged by the Lord when He returns. Finally, this testing fire cannot be averted or reduced by the prayers or by the merit of family and friends. The thought of using prayers and family merit to shorten the suffering of a soul in purgatory is actually a Buddhist concept, and it is completely satanic. Therefore, this is a great heresy!

  In the preceding chapter we saw that the discipline of the kingdom referred to in the Bible occurs when the Lord returns and that believers are punished during the kingdom of the heavens. When a believer dies today, his spirit and soul go to rest and wait in Paradise. They will not be resurrected until the Lord returns, and then the believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged according to what they have done and receive recompense for good or for evil. After they pass through this judgment, they will be given a reward or a punishment, depending on the result of the judgment, during the age of the kingdom of the heavens. What the Bible says concerning discipline related to the kingdom of the heavens is absolutely different from what the Roman Catholic Church teaches about purgatory.

  2. Some who oppose the truth about the kingdom of the heavens say that the kingdom of the heavens is for the Jews, not for the church. In particular, they say that the teachings about the kingdom of the heavens in the Gospel of Matthew are for Jews, not for us believers. In their view they do not have to keep any of the teachings in Matthew regarding the kingdom of the heavens because believers never enter the kingdom of the heavens. However, we can readily see that this kind of speaking is wrong. The kingdom of the heavens spoken of in Matthew is the kingdom of God spoken of in Mark and Luke. The same parable that refers to the kingdom of the heavens in Matthew 13:31 is used to refer to the kingdom of God in Mark 4:30-32. Likewise, the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens in Matthew 13:11 are referred to as the mysteries of the kingdom of God in Luke 8:10. These portions are sufficient proof that the kingdom of the heavens spoken of in Matthew is the kingdom of God in Mark and Luke and that this kingdom of God is the same kingdom that John in his Gospel says we must enter by being born again (3:3, 5). Moreover, after the Lord resurrected, He spoke to the disciples about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). After the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost, the apostles preached the gospel of the kingdom of God in every place (8:12); the apostles also wanted the Gentile churches to pursue an entrance into this very kingdom of God (14:22). Later, in his Epistles Paul told the churches in the Gentile lands to take heed to pursue the kingdom of God (Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 15:50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; 2 Thes. 1:5). Finally, Revelation prophesies that the kingdom of God will come to the earth (11:15; 12:10).

  After seeing these things in a general way, we realize that it makes no sense to say that the kingdom of the heavens is only for the Jews and not for the church or that the teachings about the kingdom of the heavens were given to the Jews and not to the believers. If the kingdom of the heavens is only for the Jews, the kingdom of God should also be only for the Jews. If the teachings concerning the kingdom of the heavens are only for the Jews, the teachings concerning the kingdom of God should also be only for the Jews. If this were the case, what teachings would be left for the believers? This is too illogical. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, the kingdom of the heavens in the Bible is for the believers. It is something we should pursue in order to enter. All the teachings concerning the kingdom of the heavens in the Bible are for the believers, and we should pay attention to all of them.

  Now we are again releasing this message and placing it before all the children of God. We hope that all God’s children would seriously investigate this matter according to His Word and be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11). If this is God’s truth, we hope that our brothers will receive it; if it is shown to be a human speaking, we will gladly set it aside. We are willing to receive correction from our brothers concerning any truth.

  We also ask the brothers and sisters who have received this truth to not debate with others simply because they understand this matter. Our understanding of the truth is for our living, not for debating with others. We should use the truth to help others in the matter of life; we should not use the truth to debate with others about doctrines. People sometimes do not receive a certain truth because they do not have a sufficient level of life, not because they do not have enough knowledge of truth. If we help others to grow in life and to receive the truths that help them to grow in life, this is sufficient. May God give us grace.