ENTERING THE KINGDOM

[Doug]

[Luke 17:21 KJV] 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

I couldn't say how many times I have heard it said that this verse shows how the kingdom isn't a literal earthly kingdom, but it is a spiritual kingdom.

Below are a number of verses that speak of entering into the kingdom. Entering into something is a physical, literal action. Jesus spoke of physically entering into a physical, literal kingdom.

[Matthew 5:20 KJV] 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
[Mat 7:13, 21 KJV] 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ... 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[Mat 18:3 KJV] 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
[Mat 19:23-24 KJV] 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, 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.

 

[ScottA]

Entering into something is a physical, literal action. Jesus spoke of physically entering into a physical, literal kingdom.

That may be true in the flesh, but not true of the Spirit. "So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

God is spirit, and the physical elements of this world are passing away and are destroyed. Which in no way makes the kingdom of God less than the physical kingdom of this world, but rather greater, as He is greater.

 

[ScottA]

Entering the kingdom of God is referred to by Jesus as "within you" because of the Spirit coming within those born again of the spirit of God. Which Jesus explained referring to Himself as One with God and of the same spirit, saying "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20). It is in this way that we come to be "in Christ" and "Christ in us."

Jesus also scorned the Lawyers of the Law, saying “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered" (Luke11:52). In other words, the Lawyer's approach to the truth from God as it is written, was--and is--to look to the words merely in literary terms as only words of law, and not as being spirit. Which Jesus, also clarified, saying, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). The apostle Paul then elaborated describing what that looks like--alternatively to the lawyer's approach, what our approach should be--saying, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Before the above clarifications, Solomon revealed that the fate of our physical bodies and spirit was after death, saying, "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Which was the case until Jesus--as He promised--sent the Holy Spirit, the fulfilment of the prophecy given by Joel of God pouring His spirit out upon all flesh, which began at Pentecost "soon" after Jesus went to be with the Father. After which, those born of the spirit of God could enter the kingdom of God while our physical bodies still walk in this world--which Paul referred to as "we who are alive and remain"--alive in Christ in God, while remaining in this world until the passing of the flesh.