Willie Martin
Guest
|
 Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 7:47 am Post subject: Least in the Kingdom - 1 |
 |
|
Yahshua declared He is the door through whom entrance into
the Kingdom of God is gained. Therefore, the seal of
permanency of citizenship in the restored Kingdom upon the
earth is through the acceptance of Him as Savior. Peter
stated this truth emphatically:
"There is no salvation through anyone else, for there is no
one else in the world who has been named to men as our only
means of being saved." (Acts 4:12, Smith & Goodspeed
Translation)
There are those who by virtue of birth, have a right of
citizenship in the Kingdom but who will forfeit their
citizenship if they fail to conform with the requirements
which will secure its confirmation in the day of
restoration. Yahshua was referring to the attainment of
citizenship by those who had no acquired it by birth and the
loss of citizenship in His Kingdom by those who by birth had
right to it when He said:
"Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down
with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of
heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out
into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth." (Matthew 8:11-12)
Thus, those within the Kingdom, in order to remain, and
those without, in order to enter, must have their right to
citizenship established through Yahshua. This is what Paul
meant when he said:
"For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might
have mercy upon all." (Romans 11:32)
It is through Yahshua that God will have mercy upon His
Israel people, for He is the Redeemer of Israel.
Importance of the Kingdom
The importance of the Kingdom in relation to the ultimate
fulfillment of all the Divine purposes cannot be
overemphasized. It is only by the administration of its
righteous laws that poverty, distress and all forms of
inequity will be banished from among men. Neither should it
be overlooked that man's future home, even after death, is
to be on the earth itself, for this is the purpose of the
resurrection. At that time Daniel declares, the saints
(God's People) shall possess the Kingdom. (Daniel 7:27)
All the prophets looked forward to the day when the Kingdom
would function upon earth in perfection. Thereafter sickness
and every allied affliction will never again be experienced
by its citizens. Peace, well-being, prosperity and happiness
will be the portion of all who are privileged to live under
its benevolent rule.
The Law of the Lord
Nothing is more vital to humanity in the establishment of
orderly governmental functions than an adequate system of
jurisprudence. Law and order go hand in hand to produce
liberty and peace. It is self-evident that the perfection of
the Kingdom can only be preserved by a reverence for and
faithful adherence to its laws. This fact is made quite
clear by Yahshua's condemnation of all those who oppose the
law:
"Whosoever there fore shall break one of these least
commandment, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the
least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and
teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of
heave." (Matthew 5:19)
This is a clear statement that among those who have
obtained citizenship in the Kingdom of God, having accepted
Yahweh's call and have accept Yahshua as their Savior and
Redeemer, will be found some who, because of their
opposition to the laws of the Kingdom, will find themselves
occupying a place of obscurity there.
The commandments, or laws, to which Yahshua referred, are
not the ordinances of sacrificial worship. The laws of
ritual and sacrifice were nailed to the cross as the result
of the atonement accomplished by the death of Yahshua, the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world for the
remission of sins. (Colossians 2:14) The ordinances
comprised the law that was added because of sin (Galatians
3:19) and they were our schoolmaster to bring us to Yahshua,
through whom we are justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)
In speaking of the laws, which will be obeyed in the
Kingdom, Yahshua was referring to the laws contained in the
commandments, statutes and Judgments These comprise the Law
of the Lord, which has never been abrogated. In fact,
Yahshua came to confirm and strengthen it, as He did in his
discourse on the Mount. (Matthew 5)
Restoration of Righteousness
Both John the Baptist and Yahshua preached the Gospel of
the Kingdom, declaring the need for the restoration or
righteousness. Righteousness cannot be defined apart from
the law and will only be restored through the administration
of the perfect laws of the Kingdom. For this reason Yahshua
admonishes all of His followers who desire to be free from
worry and fear:
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness
(the laws of the Kingdom); and all these things (the needs
of life) shall be added (given) unto you." (Matthew 6:33) |
|
