Two kinds of obedience. The goal is obedience. It must be recognized, if we would understand the Kingdom of God, that there are two kinds of obedience. There is an obedience that is forced on us from the outside, a rod of iron, and then there is an obedience that comes as Christ is formed in us. Although both external obedience and internal obedience play a role in the plan of God, it is the internal obedience that is the final goal.

All of us have had to endure external constraints on our character. These constraints are of God. They are good and necessary. But the ultimate government of the Kingdom of God is an inner government.

The inner Divine government comes about as our adamic nature is destroyed and the new nature of Christ is born in us. It is the new nature which, by causing us to rejoice in God's Person and ways, by conforming our will to His will, by making His will the chief delight of our heart, brings into existence the loving obedience that God is seeking on the part of all of mankind.

This is true not only of the royal priesthood, of God's elect, but also of every member of the nations of the saved. The Kingdom of God in its final and ideal stage is an inner rule, and it requires a long period of time to bring the inner rule of the Kingdom into existence in a human being.

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [Torah ] is within my heart. (Psalms 40:8)

When Psalms 40:8 (above) is true of us we are saved. This is what it means to be fully redeemed. Then we are in Paradise whether we are on the earth or in the spirit realm. But as long as Psalms 40:8 is not true of us, our environment will be somewhat influenced by Hell whether we are on the earth or in the spirit realm. The eternal moral law, including stern obedience to the Father, is the foundation of eternal life, and Christ did not come to change the foundation of eternal life by grace or by any other means.

Notice the effect of being born again.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (I John 3:9)

This is how we know that many Christian believers, in spite of their assertion to the contrary, never have been born again. Their behavior, what they are in personality, reveals they never have been born again.

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (I John 3:7,8)

To be continued.