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Being in the Kingdom

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How does one become a citizen of the United States of America? Children that are born in the U.S. are natural citizens. People that are not born in the U.S. or to parents that are citizens of the U.S. can become citizens by being naturalized. They study to understand the history and laws of the U.S. and then they simply take an oath to obey the laws of the U.S. It is a great privilege and honor to be a citizen in this physical kingdom we call the United States. However, speaking in spiritual terms it is much greater to be in the Lord’s Kingdom as one of His subjects/citizens. So, how do we get in the Kingdom and once we are in how do we stay in?

Points to Ponder:

  1. How do you enter the Kingdom?
  2. What rights and privileges do we have as members of the Kingdom?
  3. What obligations do we have to the Kingdom?
  4. Is it possible to leave or fall away from the Kingdom?

There are four terms that mean the same thing pertaining to the kingdom (Eph 1:22-23, Col 1:18, Mt 18-19, Luke 22:30):

  1. To be in Christ.
  2. To be in the body of Christ.
  3. To be in the church of Christ.
  4. To be in the kingdom of God.

There are many that are not far from the Kingdom but are NOT in the Kingdom:

  1. Those that have honest hearts alone but have not obeyed the gospel (Mt 4:5, John 7:17, 2 Th 2:10, Acts 10:33, 8:26-37, 1 Sam 3:9).
  2. The good moral man who doesn’t trust his morality to save him and has not obeyed the gospel (Rom 3:23)
  3. The humble man who realizes he is lost and has not obeyed the gospel (Luke 8:9-14,15:17,21)
  4. The man who learns his duty but has not obeyed the gospel yet (Ecc 12:13-14)
  5. The person who does not know or respect the danger of not being in the Kingdom and has not and will not obey the gospel

Note that each one of these people NOT in the Kingdom has one thing in common: They have not obeyed the gospel. That is key to becoming a citizen in the Kingdom. Also note that while they have different circumstances, all are close to the Kingdom of God. If they are close, then why do people not become citizens?

  1. They were never taught that they had to do more.
  2. Preachers deceive by saying, “just believe” or “baptism is not essential.”
  3. Some fear what others might say
  4. Some worry about not being popular in family, social, and business circles (Families can be the harshest test for someone deciding to be in the Kingdom)
  5. Some just don’t want to give up their current lives and turn from sinful ways (Lk 13:3,5)

We must go to the bible and ponder that Jesus did what we couldn’t do and cared not what his family circle or others thought. Will you do or have you done the same? How then does one enter the Kingdom and become a citizen? We mentioned obeying the gospel earlier. What is that?

  1. Hearing the good news that there is a way out of eternal death due to our sins
  2. Believing that good news
  3. Repenting of our sins by turning away from that darkness to walk in the light
  4. Confessing before others that Jesus is the Son of the Living God
  5. Being baptized for remission of your sins

Citizenship has its privileges and obligations. We have the peace of knowing as a faithful citizen, we have a new leader (Christ), a new people (Christians), and a new nation (heaven). Our obligations are to help save others through the good news you learned and followed, help keep the saved saved, and to remain faithful until death walking in the light as Christ is in the light.

Not all will be happy with those becoming Christians and will seek to destroy them and pry them away from this kingdom. It can happen! Like Satan they will use pressures of the world, deceit, and even the twisting of God’s own words to do this. So, like most nations, we need soldiers to defend the Kingdom and ourselves (Jn 18:36, 2 Tim 2:3-4, 4:7, 1 Tim 6:12, 1 Cor 9:26). We are at war with several enemies like Satan (1 Peter 5:8), the messengers of Satan, all that do evil, and even our own flesh which strives for the wants of the flesh and not of the Spirit or the Kingdom.

People either get in or go far away. Do not think your case is an exception. The good news of the gospel appeals to the better part of people–don’t waste your life on sin. The Kingdom is a safe place but until you are in heaven, you need to stand strong and walk in the light!

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