WHAT IS ‘THE KINGDOM OF GOD’ AND HOW SHOULD I SEEK IT?
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans: “Wat is die Koninkryk van God en hoe moet ek dit soek?”
Someone wrote to me in brief:
“What is the kingdom and why should we seek it – Matthew 6:33?”
Let us first read the passage from Matthew 6:33:
MAT 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
My answer is how I understand and believe it from the Word and then try to live it to the best of my ability.
First, we must understand; our Lord is omnipotent, omniscient, all-seeing and omnipresent, and in that sense, He reign as the only All Wise Supreme God over the universe.
Thus, in the broadest sense of the word, the whole of creation is the realm over which He rule as King and it is His Kingdom:
PS 103:19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
Jesus is talking to you and me, His children, and although man is already moving to the heavens, He has come to establish His Kingdom as far as we are concerned, for us here on earth – and it is that Kingdom that I must search.
So, what and where is this Kingdom that I should seek that we read about in MAT 6:33?
It is a spiritual Kingdom.
Remember, that everything in creation, including you and me, will eventually move into another dimension, a spiritual dimension.
Jesus therefore on occasion say the following of this Kingdom of His:
JOH 18:36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
To put it in this way – All who are or want to be subject / followers of our Lord, will also have to serve Him, as He want to be served in His kingdom:
JOH 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
JOH 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
Then the questions are:
Who are the subjects of God Almighty in this Kingdom and how does one obtain citizenship of this Kingdom?
Can a sinful, simply wicked man like me get citizenship of this Kingdom at all – where the King, the Almighty Holy GOD, Creator of the universe is the Ruler?
And the answer is:
Praise the name of the Lord! Yes! I can!
For you see, there was a day:
GAL 4:4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
JOHN 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
JOHN 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
How do I already get citizenship of this kingdom here on earth in this life, where in the hereafter I will not only live forever and always, but will rule with my King?
REV 3:21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
REV 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
Again I want to call out in joy:
Praise the Name of our Lord!
How wonderfully easy and simple He made it for us through His Son's great sacrifice at Calvary:
ACTS 2:37-39
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."
So, what is the Kingdom that Jesus is talking about in MAT 6:33?
I quote again MAT 6:33 but this time from The Amplified Translation:
MAT 6:33 “But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.
The Kingdom of God here on earth is the Spiritual Government of our LORD over you and me and all other people's hearts and our lives – every person who convert to God, in other words, submit him/her to God's authority, and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Redeemer.
Who is this Jesus Christ of whom the Word speaks that I must accept as my Saviour and Redeemer?
We read in God's precious Word from John 1:
JOHN 1: 1-5 and verse 14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
To summarize very briefly what I have now shared with you:
As for man, God's highest creation, His Kingdom here on earth is a spiritual Kingdom and every person seeking that Kingdom, find it in a loving relationship with Jesus Christ, to whom they surrender their hearts and their lives.
Then also, Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end of everything, as far as the subjects of God in His kingdom are concerned.
REV 1:7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
REV 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Now the most important question to everyone who has read this far is:
Have you ever accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Redeemer?
Because you see –
I must first seek the spiritual kingdom of God and find it, before I can become part of it.
In other words, I must accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Redeemer and thus live in a loving relationship with God Almighty.
This, as I said, is the only way to obtain citizenship in this Kingdom:
ACTS 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Through Jesus only)
How wonderful to know:
JOH 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (and citizens of His kingdom)
JOH 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
If you have not yet made Jesus King of your heart and life, you can do it right now where you are.
Just say to him in full sincerity in your heart:
“Lord, I realize that without You, I am doomed to spend eternity in hell after this life.
As of today, I turn my back on life as I have lived. I hand over my heart and my life into Your hand”.
Now, as a matter of urgency, you are looking for a Christian congregation that recognizes Jesus Christ as the Alpha and the Omega and that accepts the entire Bible as God's infallible Word for man.
Go to one of their services and contact the pastor/minister of that congregation. Tell him about your decision and ask him for further guidance.
Greetings,
Sakkie