What Is God's Kingdom?

Jesus said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18). His power is demonstrated through kingdom authority. In the name of Jesus, the kingdom is in power through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:6-8). God's kingdom includes all who confess Jesus is Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3).

God's kingdom authority works through our Lord Jesus Christ. He came into this present evil world to defeat sin, Satan, and death, through the cross and the resurrection. The power of evil was broken, yet the victory has not come in all of its fullness. The warfare rages, as the kingdom authority of Christ advances. However, the complete defeat of evil will only come at the return of Christ in power and great glory (Luke 21:27; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

God's kingdom in Christ is demonstrated through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). We enter the kingdom by faith in Jesus Christ. Only through the authority of our Lord Jesus can we break free from the control of the evil one (1 John 5:18-20). Those who are born again enter the kingdom of God in Christ through the gospel (Romans 1:16; 1 Thess. 1:5).

Jesus taught us to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10). The kingdom of God is now and not yet, until that day when King Jesus returns. Then, God's kingdom shall come in the final and total victory forever. That means God's will in Christ shall be done throughout the earth as it is in heaven.

What Is Amazing Grace?

God's common grace is for all. Common grace gives rain with fruitful seasons to all people. Every provision we all have is by God's common grace. However, God's saving grace is only for believers in Christ. God works in and through us to do His will by grace alone. John Newton referred to God's saving grace as "amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."

God's amazing grace is offered to all, because we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). There is no way we can merit nor earn the favor of God. It comes to us only as the gift of God freely received. "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith in Jesus Christ receives God's amazing grace. Don't fall for the idea that we can somehow be good enough to merit God's gift. 

The only way that we can have a personal relationship with God is by grace alone. He must reveal himself to us and in us. That has been appropriately called amazing grace. It's not what we do for God. It's what God has done for us in Christ. All that we are or ever hope to be is by God's amazing grace.

Your testimony may echo the words of the apostle Paul,"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain" (First Corinthians 15:10). Grace gives all the glory to God. It's always by God's amazing grace and never earned by our works.

Is God's Call Effective?

God calls whoever to believe in His only begotten Son (John 3:16). The call comes through hearing or reading the gospel. God's effective call saves us, as we receive the engrafted word (James 1:21). The Holy Spirit convicts the world of unbelief (John 16:7-11). God's call is effective, when faith comes through hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

God's call is effective when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). God commands all people everywhere without exception to repent (Acts 17:30). The benevolent will of God's grace common to all is for sinners to turn away from the old life and receive new life in Christ. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). None are turned away who truly come by faith to Christ (John 6:37).

God's call is effective in all who believe the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Some may hear the gospel and even be convicted by the Holy Spirit without being convinced to believe in Christ (John 16:7-11). However, God's effective call goes beyond conviction. The Holy Spirit enables us to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3).

God's call is effective changing our hearts through the gospel of Christ (Acts 16:14). That's when we are awakened to the truth of the gospel. Then, we are willing to receive and believe the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:11-13). That's when the gospel comes to us not in word only, but with power and much assurance through the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5). That's God's effective call.

Do You Rest In Christ?

Charles Spurgeon wrote, "My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah!" 

Do you rest in Christ? We know that we are sinners and Christ died for our sins. We are not trusting in self-righteousness. Faith is resting in the righteousness of Christ alone. He is our righteousness.

Spurgeon taught that faith is "in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing." That's our faith resting in Christ. We are saved "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

Do you rest with confidence and assurance in Christ? It is trusting in Christ and not in ourselves. It is knowing Christ as our Surety (Hebrews 7:22). He is our guarantee of eternal salvation. 

You can testify with Spurgeon, "My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah!" 

Do you rest in Christ alone? Then, you may confess, "I am a sinner for whom Christ died." You are focused upon Christ crucified for your sins. No self-righteousness do you claim. You know by faith, that Christ died for your sins. He is risen from the dead as your living Lord.

Jesus the Great Stone

In Daniel 2:31-35 Christ is pictured as the great stone (Isa. 28:16). This symbol came through a dream interpreted by the prophet Daniel. His interpretation is confirmed throughout the New Testament. Jesus is described as the chief cornerstone for his church, and a stone of stumbling for those who reject him as the Messiah and Lord (Acts 4:11; Ro. 9:33; Eph. 2:20). He is the great stone, because his kingdom includes people out of all nations (Rev. 5:9).

Jesus is a stone "cut out without hands" (Dan. 2:34). It was a common practice in those days to cut stones for building construction. However, to be cut out without hands refers to God's work and not man. Jesus came into this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.

Jesus is the stone that struck the image, representing the kingdoms of this world, and broke it into pieces. He crushed the image and it "became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so no trace of them was found" (Dan. 2:35). This is a prophecy fulfilled in the second coming and the battle of Armageddon.

Jesus is the stone that "became a great mountain and filled the whole earth" (Daniel 2:35). That's when the kingdoms of this world are destroyed. Then, the kingdom of our God and Christ will reign over all the earth. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. So, his kingdom "filled the whole earth."

Can We See God?

Jesus said, "God is Spirit ..." (John 4:24). That means we cannot see God with our eyes, because he is invisible to us. However, we can see God and walk with him by faith. 

Moses was an example of faith that sees God who is invisible. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27). He fulfilled his destiny, because of faith that endured, seeing him who is invisible. 

Seeing the invisible God is like seeing the wind move. We see what the wind is doing and where it is moving. So faith is able to see what God is doing and where he is moving. Faith sees "that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men" (Daniel 4:17). Faith sees the Most High God ruling and reigning in life. Faith enables us to see what God is doing in our lives.

Faith sees not by natural vision through our eyes, but with understanding from the word of God (Romans 10:17). We walk with God daily by faith. We remember that faith is "the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). We are walking by faith, "as seeing him who is invisible."

Those who have faith in God see him ruling over all. "For of him and through him and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever" (Romans 11:36). Faith sees God according to the truth of the word of God. Believers see God at work in all things to his glory forever.

Your Sins Cleansed

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"(1 John 1:9). Believe the promise. God will forgive and cleanse you. God wants to forgive you. That's the reason Jesus died for all your sins. Thank God that you are cleansed through Jesus Christ. 

Why do some people refuse to confess their sin to God and receive cleansing through Christ? There are at least two reasons. First, they don't know the good news in Christ. Secondly, they don't really believe the good news. The believer's confession of sin brings immediate cleansing through Christ. You can have a clean conscience today.

God cleanses your conscience. It tells us when we have done wrong. God made us that way not to make us feel guilty all the time. Conscience calls us to confession. God wants to forgive you and cleanse your conscience. Confession of sin is simply agreeing with God that we have done wrong. God wants us to have a clean conscience. 

Christ died for all of your sins. When we confess sin to God, we are forgiven and cleansed. The Bible teaches that God cleanses us upon confession of our sin. We are made clean before God through Jesus Christ. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin"(1 John 1:7).