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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Sowing and Reaping, #12
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Matthew 13:31,32)
The Kingdom of God Is As a Seed
If the goal of the Divine salvation were our eternal residence in the spirit Paradise, and if we attained our goal by believing that Christ died for our sins, then seeking to balance the necessity for righteous behavior with continued reference to God's love and grace might be a logical (though not scriptural) action.
"Lord, open to us. We have sinned. We have disobeyed the Apostles you sent to us. But please, Lord, have mercy on us and let us into Paradise."
But the goal of the Divine salvation is not eternal residence in the spirit Paradise. The goal of salvation is entrance into the Kingdom of God, which is a different issue, a different concept, and we do not enter the Kingdom of God only by believing that Christ died for our sins.
The Kingdom of God is as a seed that is born in us and then grows in us. In actuality, the Kingdom of God is Christ Himself who is born in us and then formed in us.
There is no sin in the Kingdom of God. There is sin in the churches on the earth, but there is no sin in the Kingdom of God.
The reason the covetous, the adulterers, the violent, and the liars cannot enter the Kingdom of God is that there is no covetousness in the Kingdom of God. There is no adultery in the Kingdom of God. There is no violence in the Kingdom of God. There is no lying in the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is the doing of God's will in the earth as it is in Heaven.
It is also true there is no sin in the Paradise of God. Sin entered the Paradise of God when it was on the earth. God's response was to immediately withdraw Paradise from the earth into the spirit realm. God will not have rebellious people in Paradise along with the holy angels, the pure in heart, and the children. It shall never happen, by love, mercy, grace, or any other means.
We understand that the Lord Jesus brought the thief with Him into Paradise. But you can be sure that the body of the thief was not resurrected with the Lord; neither did the sinful aspect of his personality enter the beautiful garden of God.
The spirit Paradise is a place of waiting, and perhaps instruction in some instances, until the Lord returns and the Kingdom of God is established on the earth. It is then that the sinful part of the personalities of saved people will be dealt with, according to our understanding. The living and the dead will be judged when the Lord returns. In fact, the judgment may have begun already as far as the saints are concerned.
Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick [living] and the dead. (I Peter 4:5)
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (I Peter 4:17)
To be continued.