What Is God's Kingdom Like?预览

Entering God’s Kingdom requires a radical change

Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)

The Kingdom of God is open to everyone, but you can only enter it if you are willing to be changed. Naturally, nobody is righteous (see Romans 3:10-11), and the Bible says that “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God” (see 1 Corinthians 6:9). So, no human can receive this Kingdom if he remains as he is.

The apostle Paul mentions some examples of “unrighteousness” that exclude people from God’s Kingdom, such as sexual immorality, idolatry, and greed, to warn his readers who live like this. But he also points them to the solution that Jesus offers us:

Such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were jusitfied in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthian 6:11)

He uses three different words to describe this transformation. Jesus mentions one more, as He calls it, “a new birth.” All these terms express a new beginning that is not initiated by the person himself but by the Spirit of God. Only if you accept His gift of righteousness and let Him transform your heart can you inherit God’s Kingdom.

Are you ready to let the Holy Spirit change you?