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SEEK THE KINGDOM FIRST! 

We saw in “The Kingdom: Our Inheritance" that redemption is a process, or a journey, that culminates in the receiving of our inheritance, which is final redemption. Our inheritance is the kingdom of Christ and of God.  The Kingdom is totally other; thus corruption or unrighteousness cannot inherit this Kingdom (1 Cor. 15:49-50). 1 Cor. 6:9-10 says, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?”  To enter in we must be prepared. Suffering, tribulation, and trials are part of the process God uses to conform us to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-37), to perfect us, to strengthen our faith, establish us, and make us fit to enter in.   

Inheritance means “possession.”  To inherit (2816) means “to obtain, acquire, possess.”  In Matt. 5:5, “they shall possess the land, referring to the Messiah’s Kingdom.”  “The inheritance (2817) of the earthy Canaan typifies the heavenly possession of salvation as the inheritance of God’s children.” ^[1]  God provides everything needed for the journey:

• Exodus 12:36 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

• Exodus 13:21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
• In Exodus 20, the Lord gave them clear instructions.
• Exodus 16:15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
• Exodus 17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
• Deut. 29:5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.
• Deut. 1:30 The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

“Before God could act it was imperative that the people come to the land. i.e. they had to respond in faith expecting God to overcome their enemies by placing their lives in jeopardy on the battlefield. In other words, they had to present themselves to receive the promise. Here there was the crucial balance between the act of God and the responsive participation of the people, both of which were necessary to accomplish God’s purpose (Deut 9:3). There was no doubt that it was God who gave them the land and the victory to possess it; yet they had to respond by actively participating in the taking possession for the plan of God to be realized. There is a definite theological pattern established here. Covenant results in inheritance, but one must come to the inheritance to obtain it. And he must be willing to face all opponents in obtaining the inheritance. Yet in reality it is God who defeats the opponents and allows the inheritance to be gained”(^[2] #920, p.409). 

 “Those who enter into covenant with God receive an inheritance, but they must act to take possession of it and must live uprightly to maintain their inheritance.  Divine salvation, considered both promised and already bestowed, is designated an inheritance in the New Testament so far as man, the heir, obtains possession of it" (^[3] p. 785).

• 1 Peter 1:4 “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”

The people of faith have the promise of an inheritance and yet before it is fully enjoyed the final conquest of their greatest opponent Satan must be accomplished.” (2,# 920, pp.410, 411).
 

Few Complete The Journey 

• Luke 13:23-24 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
• Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The gate is “strait” (4728) “narrow from obstacles standing about” (^[4] Strong’s).  We must “strive” (Luke 13:24) to enter in.  “Figuratively, it is the task of faith in persevering amid temptation and opposition”(^[5], #75).  “The struggle for the kingdom of heaven allows of no indolence, indecision or relaxation”(^[6], p. 137).  The way is “narrow,” meaning “To press together, compress, afflict. Figuratively, to oppress with evil, afflict”(1, #2346). “The requirements which Jesus puts to His disciples are of unconditional severity” (6, p. 147).

 Many seek to enter in the Kingdom but few are able even though God does provide everything.  The journey is difficult, the path fraught with stumbling blocks, the cost is high, the battle is fierce, and few complete the journey.  Only two men out of several million Israelites crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land.  Three thousand fell because of temptation and idolatry in Exodus 32:28; the Lord slew the chosen men of Israel because of their lust for the things of the life of bondage (Num. 11:33-35, Ps. 78:27-32); the Lord sent fiery serpents and much people of Israel died (Num. 21:6); twenty-four thousand died with plague because the people committed whoredom (Num. 25:9); and finally because of unbelief they could not enter in (Deut 1:28-30).

• 1 Cor. 10:6-11 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.  

And then there is the cost: “self” and all that we have.  “True regard for the kingdom of God requires the most serious decision, the most serious weeding out of the few from the many (Mt. 22:14).  A sharp alternative demands a pitiless decision. “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:62). This decision is no mere matter of enthusiasm. It is not taken in a wave of emotion. It is a matter for cool and sober consideration, as when an architect makes his plans before beginning to build or a king considers his strategy before going to war (Lk. 14:28–32). Those who are invited by God to His kingdom must reflect whether they can really accept the invitation. Those who do so without realizing what it implies, or who hear without obeying, are like a man building his house on sand (Mt. 7:24–27; Lk. 6:47–49). Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord!” will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of God (Mt. 7:21). Supreme readiness for sacrifice is demanded, even to the point of sacrifice of self, or of hatred of one’s own family (Mt. 10:37; Lk. 14:26)” (6, TDNT).

• Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

• Matthew 10:38-39 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
• Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
• Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
• Matthew 13:45-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

“In this Kingdom, Christ alone has the preeminence, and you cannot serve two masters. Why are riches such a stumblingblock? It all relates to Self. For the rich man, Self is mostly represented in his riches. For the wise man, Self is mostly represented in his wisdom. For the good man, Self is mostly represented in his goodness. For the strong man, Self is mostly represented in his strength. YOU are your biggest obstacle to entering in, because there is no room in the Kingdom of God for Christ and Self” (Brogden, § 7, ¶5).

We must seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness. Oswald Chambers said, “When we look at these words of Jesus, we immediately find them to be the most revolutionary that human hears have ever heard.  ‘….seek first the kingdom of God.’  Even the most spiritually-minded of us argue the exact opposite, saying, ‘But I must live; I must make a certain amount of money; I must be clothed; I must be fed.’  The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but how we are going to take care of ourselves to live.  Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the relationship with God first, maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives….It is one of the most difficult, yet critical, disciplines of the Christian life to allow the Holy Spirit to bring us into absolute harmony with the teaching of Jesus in these verses” (Chambers, 2005. May 21).  We must let nothing corrupt us from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). “There is no secret for the Christian Life, but Christ. No key, but Christ. No method, but Christ. No formula, but Christ. No technique, but Christ. In Him, through Him, because of Him, by Him we may enter the Kingdom” (Brogden, next to last ¶).

God prepares us for His Kingdom…  

• Col. 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

• 1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

…and He gives us all things to live a life pleasing to Him:

• 2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

• 2 Tim. 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

But we must co-operate with God during the course of this journey…

• 2 Peter 1:10-11 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

• Rev. 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

…not resist: 

• 2 Tim. 3:8-9 …these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9But they shall proceed no further…

…look back…

• Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

…or be fearful or unbelieving.

• Rev. 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Hebrews 10:32-36 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 33Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. 34For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance [possession]. 35Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  

In vs. 35, confidence (#3954) means “boldness, courage” “do not lose your courage, which brings a great reward”(^[7] # 25.158). “…courage, confidence, boldness, fearlesssness.  Joyous confidence as the result of faith” (^[8]p. 630.)  We must not grow discouraged as we seek to enter into the Kingdom!

• Deut. 1:21 Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

Please read Luke 14: 15-35, which gives a vivid picture of the cost of seeking first the kingdom.  We must not allow anything to mean more to us than following Christ.  Not father, mother, wife, children, brothers or sisters.  We cannot be His disciple and enter into His Kingdom if we are not willing to forsake all that we have to follow Him. 

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*All emphasis  mine.

Copyright ©2005 by Mae Shurow 
Permission is granted for non-commercial (free) distribution 
provided proper citation of authorship is included.

_____________________________
Brogden, C.  (2005).  Enter the Kingdom.  Retrieved June, 2003 from
          http://www.watchman.net/articles/enter.html
Chambers, O.  (2005).  My Utmost For His Highest. May 21.  Retrieved June, 2003
         from http://www.myutmost.org/05/0521.html