Throughout the centuries, man has devised all kinds of nuances on the gospel about Jesus Christ. Instead of focusing on the gospel of Christ (the message of the good news of the Kingdom of God) which He was sent by the Heavenly Father to preach to mortal man, beginning with the Israelites (Mark 1:14; Luke 4:43), many believers including well-intentioned bible scholars have mistakenly interpreted the Kingdom of God to be the church, or some kind of spiritual experience that is 'in your heart', 'in your soul' or 'in your mind'. But my previous blogs have already explained that this just do not square with the Holy Scriptures! The Person of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God are two separate matters, albeit they are related, because the Lord Jesus Christ will return at His Second Coming to rule and reign the earth in a physical,corporeal Kingdom for one thousand years as the King of kings and Lord of lords. That is why we (Christians) are told to pray 'Thy Kingdom come' (Matt 6:10).
The Kingdom of God is a ruling body of God Beings (the firstfruits of the resurrected believers to be sons and daughters of God) who will consist of true disciples of Jesus Christ awaken in the first resurrection at the last trumpet call - or if they are still alive at His Return, transformed into spirit beings. These are the chosen and predestined ones who will rule and reign with Christ come the Millennial Age.
Let us look briefly at why Jesus came to earth some 2,000 years ago. While it is true that He came to save mankind from their sins so that they can be reconciled back to God the Father, there are more. Jesus Christ came as the 'second Adam' to qualify to rule in the coming Millennial Age where the 'first Adam' had failed due to disobedience and deception from Satan. That was why He was tested three times in the desert by the evil one. We all know that He passed the test with flying colours (Matt 4:1-11), hence making Him qualify to rule in the coming Kingdom. Following that he preached, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven (God) is at hand" (Matt 4:17). He came to announce the 'good news' of the coming Kingdom of God and establish the church to train disciples to rule with Him in the SuperGovernment of God. Jesus did not come to dethrone Satan's world who was, and still is the ruler of this age (2 Cor 4:4). He will come again to save the whole world with His saints who have qualified (overcomers) to rule and reign with Him as He did at His first advent. That is why the church is currently being 'judged' to be so qualified (1 Peter 4:17). Meanwhile, the world will continue with its problems while Satan is still on the throne. But the good news is this - it will not be much longer. This is the hope and future of all mankind which will materialise in the soon coming Millennial Age with the Lord Jesus Christ on the throne!
During the time of the Roman Empire when Jesus walked the earth, the Jews and Pharisees were looking for the Messiah to rescue them from the oppression of their pagan masters - the Roman Government. Many of the Pharisees, including Nicodemus knew who Jesus was (John 3:1-2). However, they were civil servants of the Roman Government called to do their master's bidding. They were afraid that Jesus would be installed King of the Jews and threaten their positions, power and prestige. But they failed to understand that Jesus was not coming as King of kings and Lords of lord then, but probably two millennia later. They thought He was a subversive out to set up a kingdom by the use of force, and they be found guilty of subversion. Though they understood the message of the Kingdom, they misunderstood the nature and timing of it, just like modern theologians. That is why even right up to the time of His ascent to heaven, some of His disciples are still asking Him, "Lord, will You at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). His reply - "It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority". For if the Kingdom of God is the church, then this statement is superfluous as the church will be born at Pentecost ten days hence!
The Pharisees knew Jesus was the Messiah, but they failed to understand that there are TWO Messianic appearances - the second to appear some two millennia later. That was why Jesus told Nicodemius that the Kingdom of God will only come after the spiritual rebirth upon resurrection. That was why Jesus made plain to Nicodemius in John 3:5-6, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit". Sadly, many theologians spiritualised away as 'that which is in your spirit, in your soul, in your mind' kind of explanation. The Pharisees were familiar with water baptism as they had used it to baptise gentile proselytes converted to Judaism. Continuing from there, Jesus went on to explain about the wind, meaning to say that those born again in the Spirit into the Kingdom of God are invisible and immortal spirit beings (1 Cor 15:53-54). That is why flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 15:50), only spirit beings (born again of God's Spirit) can. And this will only occur to the true disciples in the first resurrection (firstfruits), which is yet in the future (Rev 3:20-21). Hence, the teaching that the church is the Kingdom of God cannot be true.
Folks, do not be deceived by false teachings orchestrated by Satan himself (Rev 12:9). For he does not want you to know the truth or else you be set free (John 8:32)...free from his influence and control over your lives. It is absolutely important to get the truth right from Scriptures firsthand as your eternity destiny and crown (reward) are in clear and present danger (2 John 8)!
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