Devotion: What Is The Kingdom Of God?

We hear a lot about the kingdom of God, but do we really know what it is?  Most are very familiar with the statement, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24), which has been interpreted to mean that a person with riches cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  But as we read the same account in the book of Mark, we see that Jesus was actually referring to those who were controlled by their riches, “those who trusted in their wealth entering into the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:24).  We see from scripture that this young man “had great possessions” (Matthew 19:22), but the truth of the matter is that “his great possessions actually had him” and that is why it was hard for him to gain entrance into the kingdom of God.  Jesus knew that he valued his riches more than he valued entering into the kingdom of God.

We also see Jesus telling Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).  These are pretty strong words from Jesus telling us that he who is not born again cannot even “see the kingdom of God,” where “to see” is in the sense of “being aware” of the kingdom.  To be “born again” means “that you have been born anew, not from the seed of man but from the eternal seed of God,” a new birth, if you will, “born of water and of the Spirit” (John 3:5).  This new birth, this birth from above comes through “the word of the living and unchanging God, for his word lives and abides forever” (I Peter 1:23).

For those who are born anew, born of the Spirit, are “they who live by the way of the spirit and have given their mind to the things of the Spirit.”  However, those who are not born anew are “they who live by the way of the flesh and have given their mind to the things of the flesh” (Romans 8:5).  Scripture tells “the flesh desires to do those things against the spirit and the spirit desires to do those things against the flesh, for they are contrary to each other.”  According to scripture, “the works of the flesh are clear to see and understand, which include these things: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such things” (Galatians 5:17-21).  Scripture also tells us “not to be deceived because those who live by the way of the flesh will have no part in the kingdom of God.”  We are warned “not to be deceived or have any false ideas about this because no one who follows the desires of the flesh will inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 6:9-10).

While this commentary did not reveal what the kingdom of God is, we now know that unless we are “born again or born from above,” we cannot even see much less enter into the kingdom of God.  It does, however, make one think of the kingdom those who live by the way of the flesh and have given their mind to the things of the flesh will inherit.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.

Enjoy your blessings - KW