The kingdom of heaven where is it and how do you get there

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Some of the Christians in the first century were citizens of the kingdom even
before they passed away.

†. Col 1:13 . . For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and
transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved son

The pronoun "us" indicates that the author of Col 1:13 included himself as a
transferee.

Col 1:13 indicates that at least a portion of the kingdom is exterior rather
than interior or otherwise the author would have said transferred the
kingdom to us instead of us transferred to the kingdom.

Once somebody is a citizen in the kingdom, is there any chance of them
being exiled due to conduct unbecoming? No.

†. John 5:24 . . I assure you: those who listen to my message, and believe
in God who sent me, have eternal life. They will never be condemned for
their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

Webster's defines "never" as: not ever, at no time, not in any degree, not
under any condition

How is it that Jesus can assure his kingdom's citizens that they will never be
condemned for their sins?

Well; the answer to that is very simple. According to John 5:24 and John
10:28, the citizens in Jesus' kingdom have eternal life; which according to
1John 1:1-2 is an infinite kind of life that's impervious to death, decay, and
the aging process. Therefore the Lord's citizens are impervious to the wages
of sin.

†. Rom 6:23 . .The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Buen Camino
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[Angelina]

Col 1:13 indicates that at least a portion of the kingdom is exterior rather than interior or otherwise the author would have said transferred the kingdom to us instead of us transferred to the kingdom.

The transfer is based on the fact that we as believer's have been taken from the "domain of darkness" into the "Kingdom of light." This transfer is not an external one but internal. Ephesians 4:17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.The exchange comes from believing that Jesus took our place of punishment and paid the price for our redemption by his blood. He rose from the dead and went into heaven becoming our great high priest who is seated on the right-hand of God, forever interceding on our behalf to the Father.

 

[williemac]

[SIZE=large]Jesus told us where the kingdom of God is, and how to enter.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=large](John 14: 23) “Anyone who loves me will keep my word and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make a home in him.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=large]One needs to understand keeping God’s Word includes not sinning. A sinner will never enter God’s kingdom.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=large](1 Corinthians 6:9-19) “You know perfectly well that people who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God: people of immoral lives, idolaters, adulterers, catamites, sodomites, thieves, usurers, drunkards, slanders and swindlers will never inherit the kingdom of God.”[/SIZE]

The good news for believers is that once born again, our sins are remitted. (taken away, removed). We are identified from that point on, not by the nature contained in our old man, but rather the nature contained in our new man, created in true righteousness and holiness (Eph.4:24). We are not identified by what we do, but by who we are, and by what Jesus did on our behalf. It is only the unregenerate who are identified according to their sin. Paul mentions this in Rom.7, in the fact that because his mind was in agreement with moral law, he was no longer identified with any sin that might be in him or that he was doing.

The promise in John 5:24 is that because we have passed from death to life and have everlasting life, we will not come into judgment. Case in point; In Rev.2:20, Jesus addresses a problem. He speaks of those whom He calls His servants, and reveals that they have been beguiled and seduced to commit sexual immorality. His warning to them was that He will cast them into great tribulation unless they repent of their deeds. This is a picture of chastening, not judgment.

They were doing things on the above list, but were still referred to by Jesus Himself as "MY SERVANTS".

The logic that we are to use to behave ourselves is that we should not be doing those same things that the lost will be judged for, since we are already in the kingdom of God, having entered in by faith at the new birth. The passage in 1Cor. speaks of never entering in the first place. That cannot be the Christian. The Christian has already entered....by faith.

All the sins on that list are forgivable. Once forgiven, the person enters the kingdom, because the sins have been removed from the sinner's record. If a person has to stop doing all those things, then no forgiveness would be necessary. There would be no sin to forgive. On the other hand, anyone who is judged according to the law will be found guilty of the whole law, for failure on just one point. As Jesus said, "let him who has no sin cast the first stone" At least they were honest. Those today who think they have no sin, are either delusional or just plain uniformed as to the standard that defines sin.

If we want to keep His word, why not start at John 3:16, or John 5:24, or John 6:50,51. His word is that we should believe on Him and partake of His flesh and blood for everlasting life (by faith). I'm all for keeping that word. And o, yes, their home is in me through the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of my inheritance. And I can surely speak for all here who know Him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have obviously kept His word. If anyone thinks that means don't sin, they are again, delusional, or misinformed. "Not of works, not of ourselves, lest any man should boast". Rom.10:9,10 makes no mention of moral obedience, as important as it is. It is not the way to salvation.

 

[Webers_Home]

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The perpetual dispute over the location of the kingdom is actually kind of
humorous. The pro spiritual-kingdom crowd has plenty of verses to support
their position and refute the pro physical-kingdom crowd; while the pro
physical-kingdom crowd has plenty of its own verses to support their
position and refute the pro spiritual-kingdom crowd.

All of which goes to show that opposing sides of controversial doctrines are
adept at making the Bible prove their own side right while proving the other
guy's side wrong. (chuckle)

What's even funnier is that after we today are all dead and gone, a whole
new generation of disputers will be online arguing over the same old stuff
over, and over, and over, and over again, ad infinitum while those of us
on the other side will look back upon ourselves as men and women gone
mad busying themselves with bull sessions and endless debating while Rome
burned down around them.

Buen Camino
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