Suffer The Little Children....

Jesus welcomed the little ones, wanted them to come to Him, and blessed them, while the disciples had no time for them and thought Jesus was too busy to be bothered. He said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, [in NIV: "do not hinder them"] for such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14). Jesus rebuked them and told them that to such belong the kingdom of God. He also said that he who humbles himself like a little child shall be greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Are children the enemies of God? Yes and No. James 4:4 says that he who is a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Children are born in sin, of course. "In sin did my mother conceive me," says Psalm 51:5. The Minnesota Crime Commission issued a report saying that little children are born to be criminals and if they are not civilized by the parents will grow up delinquent. The grace of God covers all children till the age of accountability (I don't want to get into an extensive proof of this doctrine here because most believers accept this) and children are to be welcomed into the church body and its fellowship, and not to be treated as outsiders. There will be no children in hell, and God loves all children and wants to bless them. If you make one of them stumble you will be better off with a millstone around your neck and cast into the sea. They have angels that always behold the face of God and take care of them.

Yes, children sin but they have not learned to discern good and evil and are innocent to a certain extent. Technically all unbelievers are children of Satan but children can be converted to Christ--the way of salvation is so simple even they can comprehend it. God can and sometimes does speak to us through the children, just like St. Augustine claimed happened to him. We were all enemies of God before salvation and the miracle is that God loved us in that while we were His enemies He sent Son to die for us. 

It is true that infants are completely self-centered and their world revolves around them, and it is the job of the parent to civilize them and bring them up in the training and nurture of the Lord ("Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it," says Proverbs 22:6, ESV). Responsible parents stand in loco Dei or in the place of God to teach concepts of authority, respect, and obedience.

Though children may have not accepted Christ yet, God is working on them and it is the job of the parents to teach them the truth and way of salvation. We should never treat them as if they are enemies of God--that is the logical outcome of believing they are. Only God knows and sees who His elect are and we are not to judge people prematurely or before the time. The wheat and chaff look similar when growing together and it is not the task of believers to separate them because they could be wrong.

"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14, KJV). Jesus welcomed children with open arms and blessed them when his disciples thought to rebuke them that He had no time in a day when children were of little worth in a man's world. The kingdom of God belongs to them in the sense of being grandfathered in to be included in God's blessings until they reach the age of accountability and know good from evil (per Isaiah 7:16). We are to consider them in and treat them that way. Children have the faith of their parents and haven't really developed a personal relationship with Christ--they are just beginning to know Him through those who teach and their family members. You must have faith in Christ alone and that means not in Christ plus your parents or plus family ties--where would that faith be if the family fails. Children can even be confirmed in the faith and not be saved, just having gone through the motions and memorized the Dance of the Pious.

Children can comprehend a great deal of spiritual truth and be enlightened, and even taste of the heavenly gift, and share in the Holy Spirit per Hebrews 6 (but these matters do not prove salvation), and love of Bible stories or preaching without coming to a complete spiritual apprehension--which is pending their decision to follow Christ and deny themselves. Even having the ability to discuss Bible doctrine or knowing one's way around Scripture is no proof of salvation. They are incapable of making a decision to take up a cross at such an early age and their faith isn't confirmed until it is tested by God as if by fire, because it is more valuable than silver or gold. The gospel message must be presented clearly enough to be rejected, but not an easy-believism, which undermines it. You aren't saved until you get convicted, realize you are lost and are converted through saving faith and genuine repentance, and most children cannot adequately articulate how they met Jesus and it transformed their life--for giving public testimony of Jesus is part of salvation ("For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved," says Romans 10:10, ESV).

Just liking church, doing church, or loving Jesus (you aren't saved by loving Jesus or your idea of Him) and so forth are not salvation--they are responding to their own world as they know it, and would love Buddha or Confucius if they were Asian--our emotional experiences can be duplicated in other religions. Children are very impressionable and can be influenced even to be suicide bombers at that age of innocence. The point is that we should bring them up in the training and nurture of the Lord and in the fear of God and God promises that our efforts of teaching them will bear fruit some day. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it," (cf. Prov. 22:6). This refers to exposure to the admonition of the Lord.

Don't be so quick to believe a superficial testimony of a child who is incapable of discerning true spiritual truth. What happens is that they have their parents faith and haven't developed their own until they get out on their own and in the real world and get tested. Just because Parents stand in loco Dei or in the place of God and represent His authority as authority figures don't mean they can lord it over them without biblical sanction. Children owe their parents due respect and affection just the same. In my estimation, it is next to impossible to "save" your children, however, you can lead them in the way of truth--and commend them to God and the Word of truth. They are just the first lesson of relationship that the children are exposed to and must pass this test to go on to know the Lord.

All you can hope is that your labor was not in vain and God will take care of them, as you submit to His nurture and providence. We instill truth in them as seeds that God will cause to grow and germinate someday unto salvation. We are to treat all children as if they belong to the kingdom, and woe unto him that causes one of these to stumble in whatever faith he has. But I believe that there comes a time to leave the bosom of the family, and they call it that because it's a sheltered environment, and then you must prove your faith is genuine and not just second-hand. Jesus said we must be willing to renounce our family ties and allegiance to all other loyalties, and even love Him more than father or mother. Remember, Christianity is not a way of life, but a vital, vibrant, and growing first-hand and personal relationship with the living God and Savior. And it is no easy step to leave the hearth and cut the umbilical cord to find one's true identity in God without the aid of the familiar domicile. Soli Deo Gloria!

Ushering In The Kingdom

Many believers assume geopolitical considerations concerning the faith as if it's the social gospel (actually a misnomer) or political reform were the Second Great Commission. "Seek the prosperity of the city..." (cf. Jer. 29:7). This a social mandate, not a social gospel. We are its salt and light, not its savior. America is a secular nation and not a Christian one, no matter how many believers make this land their home. Always keep the main thing the main thing and save souls as Job One.

We are not to stoop to the level of radical or fundamentalist Islam and institute Christian Shari'ah law, which forces everyone to live like a Christian, whether they are Christian or not.  God doesn't expect heathens to live like believers.  We are held to a higher standard!   Our nation established freedom from religion, as well as freedom of the exercise of religion, and no sect has the right to impose its views on the others--note that secular humanism and atheism are considered religions. We may have started out with our forefathers as a predominately Christian nation, but today it is highly multicultural and diverse ethnically and religiously. We are the salt as preservatives of morality and to give meaning and enjoyment to life, and also as light to show the way and how people should live in spiritual darkness--not political darkness, but moral depravity and in need of salvation, as the Bible sanctions no specific or certain type of government or economy.

What is legal is not always moral or right and could be sin or evil, and what is illegal may be the moral thing to do in an act of civil disobedience to unjust laws. The state may recognize gay marriage, for example, but that doesn't mean God recognizes it--it doesn't become right or moral by an act of governmental decree. We cannot legislate morality, law is merely the majority vote that licks all others, according to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, though Christians differ because they believe that God is the only Legislator and all law must comply with Him. Christians should never cease to drive basic morality in society as salt and light, but be aware that there are gray and doubtful or questionable areas where people should be free to make their own personal choices. Government is a "social contract" according to John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whether we want to be in it or not, or knowingly or not, according to contract laws. The Bible sees government ordained by God to restrain evil in the world.

Jesus alone will usher in His kingdom and His kingdom is not of this world--we are not to get too comfortable in this life and become too much at home, for our conversation and real citizenship is in heaven! Remember, at your homecoming you are not home yet! Oliver Cromwell failed in making England a Christian nation. The Puritans also attempted to make a Christian nation and John Calvin even tried his hand at it while mayor of Geneva--both utter failures and examples that the Great Commission is to spread the gospel and change lives, not to change the government--the Bible is a beacon of light unto salvation, not a social tool for government reform.

Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony wanted to "advance the kingdom of Christ" when he settled here, but he misunderstood the Great Commission and the doctrine of eschatology. It is a well-known fact that the Salem witch hunts showed the failure of instituting the Christian faith and making the Bible itself the law of the land. Jesus will bring about His kingdom in due time when the body is full and complete with all His lost sheep saved.

Jesus told Pontius Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world. Pilate then perceived Him to be a philosopher or harmless dreamer, but no threat to Caesar. If His kingdom were of this world His followers would fight, but we have no such marching orders. Many misled, though sincere believers throughout history have tried to usher in the kingdom of God, and thought that the church's job was to aid in doing it. As William Bradford, Pilgrim governor in Colonial America, said that his mission was to "advance the kingdom of Christ." The Puritans also tried legislating Christianity in early America, but it failed and turned out to have evil fruit, such as hanging innocent women accused of witchcraft. John Calvin even tried to enforce biblical mandates on Geneva, like mandatory Sabbath observance and even forbidding anyone from naming children anything but biblical names.

Only Christ will usher in the kingdom of God and our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission, not to reclaim a nation for Christ. Yes, we are light and salt, but we must not lose focus and keep the main thing the main thing. Christians are not to dedicate their lives to the betterment of society unless God calls them specifically to this. The "social gospel is not only a misnomer but has no place in the church. We are interested in saving souls and winning people, not becoming political activists. The Bible is meant to be a light for salvation, not government reform or social activism. Everyone has the obligation to be involved in his society that behooves a responsible citizen.

Entering the kingdom is synonymous with getting saved. The whole purpose of announcing the kingdom of God to be at hand is to make people realize the urgency to repent and get ready for the second coming of Christ in glory. The first words out of John the Baptist and Jesus in their ministries was to repent. The kingdom is both present in the here and now, and future to be fulfilled at the Second Advent. Presently Christ reigns in the hearts of His followers and we shall all reign with Him in His millennial kingdom after the tribulation period. Jesus said that if He cast out demons by the finger of God, "the kingdom of God has come upon you." Salvation (the fulfillment of our redemption) is nearer now than when we first believed according to Romans 13:11.

We are to do kingdom living while sojourning on this earth as pilgrims, this is not our home and we should realize that our true citizenship is in heaven (cf. Philippians 3:20). We are just passing through and have spiritual green cards and this life is but a staging area or tryout for eternity, where each note we play has eternal vibes. We are rehearsing for kingdom living and our faith must be tested and God wants to prove our faithfulness and reward it according to our deeds done through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Isa. 26:12; Hos. 14:8). Like Paul said (cf. Rom. 15:18), he would not venture to boast of anything, but of what Christ has accomplished through him.

We are not to seek nor store up treasure in this life nor to seek earthly fame, fortune, nor power, but to seek spiritual riches and to learn to live in the power of the Holy Spirit in God's kingdom. God's kingdom is invisible and only God knows who is in it for sure or who the elect are (cf. Mark 13:27 "... and shall gather his elect from the four winds..."). Jesus said to "seek ye first the kingdom of heaven" and this means that our number one priority is kingdom living in God's economy, and when we put God first in our lives all else falls into place. As it says, "all these things shall be added unto you."

The richest people are not those with worldly wealth, but those most content in what God has blessed them with and faithful stewards of our resources, time, talents, gifts, money, and opportunities. Someone has said that riches are not in the abundance of our possessions but in the fewness of our wants. When we seek first God's kingdom all our priorities become focused on Christ and our life is oriented in the right direction and given divine purpose and meaning. In sum, we ought to live one day at a time in light of eternity--not regretting the past, nor worrying about the future. 

Though Pilgrims made a compact to usher in the kingdom of God. or literally to "advance the kingdom of God," it failed.   Little doctrine did they know but that Christ will usher in His kingdom, and that His kingdom is not of this world. America is supposedly the "Great Experiment." They would've done a better job of it and speeded His coming (cf. 2 Pet. 3:12); we ought to always be about "hastening the day of His coming." The question is how this is accomplished. It doesn't mean passing legislation or beginning new governments such as a great experiment. Or like the Social Experiment that failed called Prohibition. Jesus gave us the Great Commission to spread the good news and make disciples, some seek the Second Great Commission to reform society to their agenda and to be a social gospel to help the needy and down and out, we must be lights and not just turn stones into bread but spread the good news.

Jesus kingdom would reign in human hearts, not on the throne of an earthly king or monarch. All authority has been given Him. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords and we are to make this real in our lives, not force it on others. We don't conquer territory in the name of Christ, but hearts with love. We love them into the kingdom. "Love conquers a multitude of sins," God promised Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing and God saves us to be a blessing (cf. Zech. 8:13) and we are heirs of Abraham as believers.

We never stop expanding Christ's kingdom and when He comes the church age will cease and Satan will have a pass or permission to bring in his idea of a kingdom dominated by him and the antichrist. There have been many antichrists so to speak that had the notion to conquer the world: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, et alia. The ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires all aspired to world domination, but the Spirit restrains the evil one. The spirit of antichrist is already here.

We are never to despair that God is not in control ("Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD"). His Providence is governing all events and creatures small and great. Yes, God doesn't just reign, He rules ("For the kingdom is the LORD's, and he is the governor among the nations") not like a do-nothing king or the monarch of the UK who has no powers though they reign. But we are to receive Christ as Lord of our hearts and let Christ's kingdom grow from there by the preaching of the gospel message and living it out as witnesses. We must admit we are not in charge, nor is any earthly ruler in charge, without any reservations in our lordship decisions--submission is an issue for some.

("The king's heart is in the hands of the LORD..."). What does this mean but we owe complete allegiance and obedience to Christ. We pledge allegiance to the Lamb on the throne! No governor or ruler can do anything outside God's will or permission (cf. Lam. 3:37). We must be encouraged that the only king who is capable of ruling hearts is Jesus. He has been called the Emperor of love. Christ is indeed the only Potentate and Ruler of heaven, the entire universe, not just earth--all things visible and invisible.

We must not just render lip service to God but bow in obedience to His sovereignty. Every knee shall bow to Him! This obedience is to the command to repent and stop the charade or hypocrisy and also to put our complete faith and submission in Christ as Lord and trust as Him as Savior. Christ demands the throne room of our hearts, the pass key to our complete soul, and if He isn't there, we are there and in control of our lives, it cannot be neutral! We must give Christ the ownership of our lives.

We must remember that Satan claims the soul of the infidel and actually influences him to evil and sin, and the only way to get free from his tyranny and power is to surrender to Jesus: We must say "No!" to Satan before saying "Yes" to Jesus. It is obvious that Satan is having his heyday and we must seek to be set free. "If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed." But after the church age, Satan will have his day to do as he wills: to take over the world for a period of tribulation on earth. After we belong to Christ, we are no longer in Satan's kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, and belong to God in His kingdom and are protected from the evil one who cannot touch us. Soli Deo Gloria!

Ushering In The Kingdom

The Pilgrims made a compact to usher in the kingdom of God. or literally to "advance the kingdom of God."   Little doctrine did they know but that Christ will usher in His kingdom, and that His kingdom is not of this world.  America is supposedly the "Great Experiment."  They would've done a better job of it and speeded His coming (cf. 2 Pet. 3:12); we ought to always be about "hastening the day of His coming." The question is how this is accomplished.  It doesn't mean passing legislation or beginning new governments such as a great experiment.  Or like the Social Experiment that failed called Prohibition.  Jesus gave us the Great Commission to spread the good news and make disciples, some seek the Second Great Commission to reform society to their agenda and to be a social gospel to help the needy and down and out, we must be lights and not just turn stones into bread but spread the good news.

Jesus kingdom would reign in human hearts, not on the throne of an earthly king or monarch. All authority has been given Him.   Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords and we are to make this real in our lives, not force it on others.  We don't conquer territory in the name of Christ, but hearts with love. We love them into the kingdom. "Love conquers a multitude of sins,"  God promised Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing and God saves us to be a blessing (cf. Zech. 8:13) and we are heirs of Abraham as believers.

We never stop expanding Christ's kingdom and when He comes the church age will cease and Satan will have a pass or permission to bring in his idea of a kingdom dominated by him and the antichrist. There have been many antichrists so to speak that had the notion to conquer the world:  Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, et alia. The ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires all aspired to world domination, but the Spirit restrains the evil one.  The spirit of antichrist is already here.

We are never to despair that God is not in control ("Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD").  His Providence is governing all events and creatures small and great. Yes, God doesn't just reign, He rules ("For the kingdom is the LORD's, and he is the governor among the nations") not like a do-nothing king or the monarch of the UK who has no powers though they reign. But we are to receive Christ as Lord of our hearts and let Christ's kingdom grow from there by the preaching of the gospel message and living it out as witnesses.   We must admit we are not in charge, nor is any earthly ruler in charge, without any reservations in our lordship decisions--submission is an issue for some.

("The king's heart is in the hands of the LORD...").  What does this mean but we owe complete allegiance and obedience to Christ.  We pledge allegiance to the Lamb on the throne!  No governor or ruler can do anything outside God's will or permission (cf. Lam. 3:37).  We must be encouraged that the only king who is capable of ruling hearts is Jesus.  He has been called the Emperor of love. Christ is indeed the only Potentate and Ruler of heaven, the entire universe, not just earth--all things visible and invisible.

We must not just render lip service to God but bow in obedience to His sovereignty. Every knee shall bow to Him!  This obedience is to the command to repent and stop the charade or hypocrisy and also to put our complete faith and submission in Christ as Lord and trust as Him as Savior. Christ demands the throne room of our hearts, the pass key to our complete soul, and if He isn't there, we are there and in control of our lives, it cannot be neutral!  We must give Christ the ownership of our lives.

We must remember that Satan owns the soul of the infidel and actually influences him to evil and sin, and the only way to get free from his tyranny and power is to surrender to Jesus:  We must say "No!" to Satan before saying "Yes" to Jesus. It is obvious that Satan is having his heyday and we must seek to be set free. "If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed."  But after the church age, Satan will have his day to do as he wills: to take over the world for a period of tribulation on earth.  After we belong to Christ, we are no longer in Satan's kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, and belong to God in His kingdom and are protected from the evil one who cannot touch us.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Does It Seem Like A Lost Cause?

"You start by standing up for what you believe, then you go out there and fight for it!" --Sen. Elizabeth Warren
"... Our God will fight for us" (Neh. 4:20, ESV).
"'Do not be afraid of them.  Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes" (Neh. 4:14, ESV). 

St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, is the supposed patron saint, or champion, of lost causes in the Roman Catholic Church.  Everyone must have a go-to person for aid in time of need when the chips are down and one needs to grin and bear it. Not that we face life like fate with a stiff upper lip, but with faith in Providence.  We are to keep on praying and not to give up despite the circumstances because discouragement is actually a sin.   This is where the church body comes in:  We comfort those with the comfort we have received (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4) and be there for them just like the Holy Spirit is with us (i.e., He is called the Paraclete or "One called alongside").

When we get focused on the here and now instead of the heavenly vision it can seem hopeless at times; however, we're never in a no-win situation with God as our Pilot!  That's how we get depressed:  not correctly interpreting time by worrying about the future and regretting the past--two great time wasters.    But we are to live in light of eternity though and each day one at a time, not being remiss or slack in our duty, but trusting in Providence to meet all our needs and to guide us in God's will.  When we live for something bigger than ourselves, our whole perspective on life changes and is an inspiration to others.

God wants us to engage in spiritual warfare against spiritual wickedness using the armor of Christ.  We fight Satan's territory in protesting injustice, standing up for righteousness, and being appalled by sin in any form.  We are literally marching as to war, singing "Onward, Christian Soldiers!" on Sunday and must not go AWOL the next day!   Our victory is sure because the battle is the Lord's and we are fighting from victory, not for a victory--Christ already won and our battles are but a win-win in the name of Christ.  All victory comes from God and He must get the glory or credit not us.

We will be rewarded for our battles in the kingdom of God or what may be a hardship tour of duty with the Lord at the helm.  It is always our duty to fight with all we have, i.e., our whole being, but to pray also with all our being.  You could say we work as if it depends on us, but pray as if it depends on God.  We must be honored to be God's standard bearers or the ones carrying the Lord's flag into battle for Him. The flag we bear is the one for the kingdom of heaven and we must be reassured God will fight for us as we maintain our allegiance to Him. We march to victory in Christ's name and claim the beachhead in His name, taking Satan's turf away from him.  Yes, we engage in the enemy-occupied territory and must be prepared to meet the enemy in his domain on his terms.  We only can have the right attitude in fighting if we are oriented towards serving, obeying, and trusting the Lord.  We are not here to usher in the Millennial Kingdom in a visible sense like establishing a utopia, and don't see the government as a means to advance the agenda of God, but in being a light in a dark place, a city on a hill.

What this is to us in the application is that we are proud to serve in God's kingdom and to represent Jesus to the world in their need.  We must always be ready to stand up for Jesus, to fly our Christian colors, and to be God's ambassadors in the world at large.  We should never be afraid to stand alone or to suffer for the Name, which is an honor!   Jesus is our standard bearer, who will never be a casualty, carrying the flag on ahead of us into battle with pride and we must believe that He will always be there in Spirit representing our assured victory. What is our flag but our symbol of bravery and courage in the name of Christ and it represents all we fight for:  our ideals and dreams in Christ.  It should be our inspiration to bravery and victory as it will forever wave and never cease to fly to the glory of God. Never cease to fly our Christian colors! 

In sum, the positive thinker sees opportunity in any difficulty and believes there are no hopeless situations, only those who've given up hope.     Soli Deo Gloria!

Ushering In The Kingdom

Many evangelicals think of geopolitical considerations concerning the faith as if the social gospel (actually a misnomer) or political reform were the Second Great Commission.  "Seek the prosperity of the city..." (cf. Jer. 29:7).  This a social mandate, not a social gospel.  We are its salt and light, not its savior.  America is a secular nation and not a Christian one, no matter how many believers make this land their home.  Always keep the main thing the main thing and save souls as Job One. 


We are not to stoop to the level of radical or fundamentalist Islam and institute Christian Shari'ah law, which forces everyone to live like a Christian, whether they are Christian or not.  Our nation established freedom from religion, as well as freedom of the exercise of religion, and no sect has the right to impose its views on the others--note that secular humanism and atheism are considered religions. We may have started out with our forefathers as a predominately Christian nation, but today it is highly multicultural and diverse ethnically and religiously.  We are the salt as preservatives of morality and to give meaning and enjoyment to life, and also as light to show the way and how people should live in spiritual darkness--not political darkness, but moral depravity and in need of salvation, as the Bible sanctions no specific or certain type of government or economy.


What is legal is not always moral or right and could be sin or evil, and what is illegal may be the moral thing to do in an act of civil disobedience to unjust laws.  The state may recognize gay marriage, for example, but that doesn't mean God recognizes it--it doesn't become right or moral by an act of governmental decree.  We cannot legislate morality, law is merely the majority vote that licks all others, according to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, though Christians differ because they believe that God is the only Legislator and all law must comply with Him.    Christians should never cease to drive basic morality in society as salt and light, but be aware that there are gray and doubtful or questionable areas where people should be free to make their own personal choices.  Government is a "social contract" according to John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whether we want to be in it or not, or knowingly or not, according to contract laws.  The Bible sees government ordained by God to restrain evil in the world.


Jesus alone will usher in His kingdom and His kingdom is not of this world--we are not to get too comfortable in this life and become too much at home, for our conversation and real citizenship is in heaven!  Remember, at your homecoming you are not home yet!  Oliver Cromwell failed in making England a Christian nation.  The Puritans also attempted to make a Christian nation and John Calvin even tried his hand at it while mayor of Geneva--both utter failures and examples that the Great Commission is to spread the gospel and change lives, not to change the government--the Bible is a beacon of light unto salvation, not a social tool for government reform.


In summation, Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony wanted to advance the kingdom of Christ when he settled here, but he misunderstood the Great Commission and the doctrine of eschatology.  It is a well-known fact that the Salem witch hunts showed the failure of instituting the Christian faith and making the Bible itself the law of the land.  Jesus will bring about His kingdom in due time when the body is full and complete with all His lost sheep saved.   Soli Deo Gloria!  

Ushering In The Kingdom

Jesus told Pontius Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world.  Pilate then perceived Him to be a philosopher or harmless dreamer, but no threat to Caesar.  If His kingdom were of this world His followers would fight, but we have no such marching orders.  Many misled, though sincere believers throughout history have tried to usher in the kingdom of God, and thought that the church's job was to aid in doing it.  William Bradford, Pilgrim governor in Colonial America, said that his mission was to "advance the kingdom of Christ."  The Puritans also tried legislating Christianity in early America, but it failed and turned out to have evil fruit, such as hanging innocent women accused of witchcraft. John Calvin even tried to enforce biblical mandates on Geneva, like mandatory Sabbath observance and even forbidding anyone from naming children anything but biblical names.

Only Christ will usher in the kingdom of God and our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission, not to make a Christian nation. Yes, we are light and salt, but we must not lose focus and keep the main thing the main thing.  Christians are not to dedicate their lives to the betterment of society unless God calls them specifically to this.  The "social gospel is not only a misnomer but has no place in the church.  We are interested in saving souls and winning people, not becoming political activists. The Bible is meant to be a light for salvation, not government reform or social activism. Everyone has the obligation to be involved in his society that behooves a responsible citizen.

Entering the kingdom is synonymous with getting saved.  The whole purpose of announcing the kingdom of God to be at hand is to make people realize the urgency to repent and get ready for the second coming of Christ in glory.  The first words out of John the Baptist and Jesus in their ministries was to repent.  The kingdom is both present in the here and now, and future to be fulfilled at the Second Advent.  Presently Christ reigns in the hearts of His followers and we shall all reign with Him in His millennial kingdom after the tribulation period.  Jesus said that if He cast out demons by the finger of God, "the kingdom of God has come upon you."  Salvation (the fulfillment of our redemption) is nearer now than when we first believed according to Romans 13:11.

We are to do kingdom living while sojourning on this earth as pilgrims, this is not our home and we should realize that our true citizenship is in heaven (cf. Philippians 3:20).  We are just passing through and have spiritual green cards and this life is but a staging area or tryout for eternity, where each note we play has eternal vibes.  We are rehearsing for kingdom living and our faith must be tested and God wants to prove our faithfulness and reward it according to our deeds done through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Isa. 26:12; Hos. 14:8).   Like Paul said (cf. Rom. 15:18), he would not venture to boast of anything, but of what Christ has accomplished through him.

We are not to seek nor store up treasure in this life nor to seek earthly fame, fortune, nor power, but to seek spiritual riches and to learn to live in the power of the Holy Spirit in God's kingdom.  God's kingdom is invisible and only God knows who is in it for sure or who the elect are  (cf. Mark 13:27 "... and shall gather his elect from the four winds ...").   Jesus said to "seek ye first the kingdom of heaven" and this means that our number one priority is kingdom living in God's economy, and when we put God first in our lives all else falls into place.  As it says, "all these things shall be added unto you."

The richest people are not those with worldly wealth, but those most content in what God has blessed them with and faithful stewards of our resources, time, talents, gifts, money, and opportunities. Someone has said that riches are not in the abundance of our possessions but in the fewness of our wants.  When we seek first God's kingdom all our priorities become focused on Christ and our life is oriented in the right direction and given divine purpose and meaning.  In sum, we ought to live one day at a time in light of eternity--not regretting the past, nor worrying about the future.   Soli Deo Gloria!