The Key to the Kingdom
The Gospel of the Kingdom — Part 7
We serve a three-part God who gives us a three-part salvation package. Jesus covers this in John 3, talking to a learned religious leader of the day.
The first part of the key to the kingdom is the part Jesus played. His death and resurrection is the path that enables all of it. He tells Nicodemus:
John 3:3 — “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'”
The concept of born again confuses Nicodemus, but Jesus bypasses his confusion entirely and goes on to entering the kingdom.
John 3:5 — “Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.'”
The first part takes away your blinders, so you can see. The other two give you the ability to enter. You are born again by the blood to SEE, but you are born of the water and the Spirit to ENTER. Both water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are required to enter the kingdom. You will need to be equipped with both, and all of them are free. They are a salvation package that is in full agreement.
1 John 5:8 — “the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.”
It should be noted that Jesus spoke of a number of things that would keep you from obtaining the kingdom, but all of them were choices you could make.
Matthew 18:3 — “and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.'”
Luke 9:62 — “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'”
And there are more.
All the things that would keep you from entering are personal choices. So is your salvation experience. Take the one, and you can see, and the cage door is open. Take the other two, and you can walk out of the cage into a victorious experience in the Lord. The choice is yours. Sit on the bench or get into the game.
But Jesus gives His church the keys to the kingdom.
Matthew 16:19 — “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
And the Father?
Luke 12:31-32 — “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”
When Philip was preaching the kingdom to Samaria, the apostles went there to make certain the believers were given all the tools they needed to become disciples — or, as disciples were first called in Antioch, to become Christians.
Big difference. A believer and a Christian — the Bible’s word for a disciple — are two entirely different things. They both go to heaven, but only the Christian enters the kingdom.
A disciple is the one who picks up his cross each day and follows Jesus.
Luke 9:23 — “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.'”
Pretty much the entire New Testament is a how-to on entering the kingdom. Salvation is free. The kingdom costs.
John 1:12 — “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,”
So the choice is yours. Sit on the bench, or get into the game.
