…as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:21)
Studying the subject of the “Kingdom of God” has been a passion of mine for a few years now.
Typically, when people read scriptures about “The Kingdom of God” they assume that the Bible is talking about going to Heaven. So when they interpret Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 6 or Ephesians 5 that list a handful of “sins” (that at some point would likely include something that nearly EVERYONE has done), followed up with a statement like “…they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God” it leaves many with a feeling of hopelessness or frustration as they silently ask themselves how they will ever get to heaven after being one who could be labeled among those in this list… and this line of thinking becomes the catalyst for a slide down a slippery slope of additionally related questions about fairness, justice and God being a God of love…
Scholars and Theologians agree that Jesus’ central message was “the Kingdom of God”, but what “the Kingdom of God” refers specifically to is the original intent that God had for man to rule and establish His Kingdom (under God’s authority) here on the Earth, which originally man possessed in Adam but lost. And subsequently Christ’s life is what it should look like if man would experience the benefits extended to those living under God’s rule while exercising the authority God has given him.
Jesus prayed, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN”… And then throughout the gospels He modeled what it looks like when God’s Kingdom is established in the earth through God’s children.
It is unarguable that people choose different ways to live and those choices exhibit behaviors consistent with the kingdom from which they originate. In essence it’s not typically too difficult to observe whose “kingdom” people have chosen to live under based upon the flag that their lives raise. Everyone makes mistakes, (and that’s not what I’m referring to) Matthew 7 states “You will know them by their fruit” and for varying reasons, some are simply resolved to live a lifestyle that is consistent with a kingdom opposing God’s way of doing things…
In the same context that Jesus explained the difficulty of a “Rich man” entering into the Kingdom of God in Luke 18, Paul, in Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 6 and Ephesians 5 is not saying those who sin could never go to to heaven but rather that the lifestyle choices listed in these scriptures are duplicitous for those who call God their King and those practicing them will not experience the fullness of what God intended for His children here in the earth because a “Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand” (Matt 12, Mark 3).
Even after salvation, the duplicity of inconsistent lifestyle choices produces results that can counteract what God would desire for His children which, as a result, can interfere with them experiencing the fullness of what He has provided for them (in the Kingdom of God). (Anyone who would argue against this need only consider how the repercussions of choosing to murder someone could ultimately impact the rest of their lives and the ability to exercise freedoms that they now enjoy…or how choosing to live a loose and careless sexual lifestyle could produce consequences in the form of STD’s and ruined marital relationships impacting far more than just those engaged in the activity…there are still consequences in this life for sin that may not necessarily have anything to do with where you spend eternity…)
Galatians 6:7 states: Don’t be fooled…whatever a man sows that shall he also reap.
Spiritual weeds still have the capacity to choke out the harvest that God intends for your life. Choices that may not keep you from experiencing Heaven in eternity, may keep you from experiencing the provision of Heaven here on earth…
I’m convinced that this is where the thief is able to “Steal, Kill and Destroy” in the lives of most people…Still, Jesus came to destroy ALL the works of the devil… So, when we settle for less than God intended, we buy into a deception that ultimately steals destiny from us and destroys impact that we would have had if we had chosen God’s way over other alternatives.
~I’ve just finished a “Quantum Manuscript” that took me 3 years to develop and will be released as a book later this year… Subscribe to this blog for further updates. And if you enjoyed this, please repost it to your social networks, rate it and leave a comment! This will boost its impact and visibility.~ Thanks… Aaron
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