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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Kingdom of Heaven, #3
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (I Corinthians 6:9,10)
"Shall not inherit the Kingdom of God"!
Fornicators do not inherit the Kingdom of God, of Heaven, because there is no fornication in the Kingdom of God.
Idolaters do not inherit the Kingdom of God because there is no idolatry in the Kingdom of God.
Thieves do not inherit the kingdom from Heaven because there is no stealing in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Since it is obvious that Paul is speaking to Christians, in First Corinthians, where, then, does Divine mercy apply? Where does New Testament "grace" fit in?
Mercy forgives us and sends us on our way rejoicing. Then the grace of God in Christ changes us so we no longer practice fornication, idolatry or thievery. The Kingdom of God, of Heaven, is not the forgiving of sin alone but also—and primarily—deliverance from sin. Where the Kingdom of God is, the works of Satan are destroyed.
It is not the purpose of Divine mercy to bring lust and violence into Paradise. It is the purpose of Divine mercy to bring the lustful and violent to repentance so they may become part of the Kingdom of God.
This is why the prostitute will enter the Kingdom before the Pharisee. The prostitute will repent. The Pharisee will not repent.
Our Christian tradition leaves people with the impression that no matter how Christians behave themselves in the world, God will bring them to Paradise when they die. This is not the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven.
If the Kingdom of Heaven is deliverance from sin and rebellion, and we have not been delivered from sin and rebellion, then the Kingdom of Heaven has not as yet entered fully and permanently into us. Remember, the goal of redemption, as expressed in the Scriptures, is not admittance to Paradise, it is inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. (Matthew 13:47,48)
The Kingdom of Heaven is composed of the spirits of righteous people made perfect (Hebrews 12:23).
The eternal inhabitants of the new Jerusalem, of the Kingdom of Heaven, still are being formed, still are being "made perfect." Therefore "heaven" itself still is being created, is being formed in the image of Christ, if we wish to think of it in this way.
Heaven is the persons who dwell there, not an empty paradise. The beauty of Heaven is the beauty of the holiness of God in Christ in the saints. Apart from the Person and persons who make up the Kingdom there is no Kingdom and Paradise loses its charm.
To be continued.