In this message we will continue to consider aspects of the experience and enjoyment of Christ as our God and Savior. We will then go on to see the enjoyment and experience of Christ as the Master and as the element of our growth.
Second Peter 1:11 says, “In this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly and bountifully supplied to you.” The eternal kingdom in this verse refers to the kingdom of God, which was given to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Dan. 7:13-14) and which will be manifested at His coming back (Luke 19:11-12). It will be a reward to His faithful believers, who pursue the growth in His life unto maturity and the development of the virtues of His nature that in the millennium they may participate in His kingship in God’s glory (2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:4, 6). To enter thus into the eternal kingdom of the Lord is related to entering into God’s eternal glory, to which God has called us in Christ (1 Pet. 5:10; 1 Thes. 2:12).
In 2 Peter 1:3-11 we see that the development of the kingdom within us is actually our entrance into the kingdom. In verses 3 and 4 Peter speaks of the divine power granting to us all things which relate to life and godliness and of becoming partakers of the divine nature. Then in verses 5 through 11 we have the development through growth in life unto the rich entrance into the eternal kingdom.
In verses 5 through 7 Peter says, “Adding all diligence, supply bountifully in your faith virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, endurance; and in endurance, godliness; and in godliness, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, love.” Here we see the development of the divine life in us through a number of steps. Then in verse 11 Peter concludes, “For in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly and bountifully supplied to you.”
The bountiful supply that we enjoy in the development of the divine life and divine nature (vv. 3-7) will bountifully supply us a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord. It will enable and qualify us to enter into the coming kingdom by all the riches of the divine life and divine nature as our excellent virtues (energy) unto the splendid glory of God. This is not merely to be saved but, after being saved, to pursue the growth and maturity in the divine life and thereby receive the kingdom reward.
The entrance into the kingdom is a matter of the development of the divine life within us. The growing of Christ within us is our entering into the kingdom. The reason that the growth of Christ in us is our entrance into the kingdom is that this growing is the developing of the kingdom. As we develop the kingdom, we enter into it.
We cannot simply walk into the kingdom; we must grow and develop into the kingdom. The secret of entering into the kingdom is simply to grow in life. The seed of life is already within us; it simply needs to grow and develop. We enter the kingdom day by day by the growth of the inner life.
Since the day we believed in the Lord Jesus, we received a little seed sown into us. Actually, there is no need for us to grow so fast. We need to simply go to the Lord, open to Him, enjoy Him, thank Him, and praise Him. Thank the Lord that He has sown Himself into us and that He is growing and spreading within us. If we sow a carnation seed into the ground, we do not need to pray and fast. We simply need to sow the seed properly and then go home and rest. Occasionally, we need to come and water the seed. It will grow without our effort. Likewise, to enter into the kingdom we simply need to grow in life and grow in grace. To enter into the kingdom we need the maturity of life, the full growth of life.
How can the kingdom develop within us? If we would have the kingdom develop in us, we need to humble ourselves, empty ourselves, and unload ourselves. We should not be occupied with culture, religion, ethics, morality, philosophy, improvement of character, or the effort to be spiritual, scriptural, holy, and victorious. We should care only for Christ and for the growth of Christ within us. All the ground within us should be made available for Him to grow in us. The entrance into the kingdom is supplied to us by the Lord through our growth in His life and through the development of this life within us.
We also can have a rich entrance by losing our soul today (Matt. 16:25-28). When we lose our soul and its enjoyment, we are undergoing transformation. The losing of the soul today actually transforms the soul, but the saving of our soul today frustrates the transformation. If we lose our soul in all things related to our daily living, we will gradually be transformed. The more we lose the enjoyment of the soul, the richer an entrance we will have.
According to 2 Peter 1:1-4, God has given the seed of faith, the growing power, and He has given the promises that He will send the rain, the growth, and the harvest if we cooperate with Him. With God’s giving, we must be diligent to develop the seed of faith by taking the promises, by receiving His word. The best way to receive His word is to pray-read the word. The more we pray-read all the promises, the more we will enjoy the divine nature. As we enjoy this divine nature, we have the growth in life, the maturity in life, and the harvest of life. This maturity is the entrance into the kingdom of the Lord Jesus. We all need to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.