Matthew 5:3, 10, 20, and 7:21 are not the only portions that speak of conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. Actually, the Lord’s entire speaking on the mountain in Matthew 5—7 presents conditions for entering the kingdom of the heavens. In chapter 5 these include matters such as mourning, being meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, being merciful, broad, and gracious toward others, being pure in heart toward God and wanting only God, being a peacemaker, rejoicing when being reproached or persecuted for the Lord’s sake, being the salt of the earth and eliminating corruption, being a light in this dark age to dispel the darkness, not being angry in the flesh, forgiving others and asking their forgiveness, not following one’s choice in the matter of witnessing, and pursuing perfection. In chapter 6 these include giving alms, praying and fasting in secret to serve God, praying for the Lord’s grace and seeking the Lord Himself by spending time to obtain the Lord’s presence and to live before Him, sanctifying God’s name and looking for the coming of God’s kingdom, not enjoying the world or the things in the world, not being touched by earthly riches, not being anxious for clothing or food, serving God, relying on God, and living in God to pursue His kingdom. In chapter 7 these include not judging others, not counting the faults of others and not overlooking one’s own faults, being restricted by the Holy Spirit and being willing to treat others as one would want to be treated, entering by the narrow gate and walking on the straight way, not blindly following others, and always living and acting by the Lord’s word. These preceding points are requirements for entering the kingdom of the heavens because they are the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is a condition for entering into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.
Only those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today will enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Only those who are not touched by earthly things today will enjoy the kingdom of the heavens. Only those who are restricted by the heavens and who submit to the heavenly authority will reign in the kingdom of the heavens and rule over others. Only those who are selfless and conquer their fleshly temper today will rule the nations in the kingdom of the heavens in the future.
If we are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and are restricted by the heavens, we are in the kingdom of the heavens today, and the kingdom of the heavens is ours. The Lord said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (5:3), and “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (v. 10). The Bible speaks of the kingdom of the heavens being ours today; it does not speak of it as being only in the future. If we are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today, we will enter into the kingdom of the heavens in the future. Living in the kingdom of the heavens today is a condition for entering the kingdom of the heavens in the future.
1. “The kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence, and violent men seize it” (Matt. 11:12).
God’s opponent Satan uses many methods to frighten or frustrate people so that they cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens. Thus, if people want to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, they must take it by violence. With respect to God, the kingdom of the heavens is something we should seek; with respect to Satan, the kingdom of the heavens is something we should take violently. A person who is fearful and easily frightened, who shrinks from everything, and who is cowardly and afraid to pay a price cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Only those who are willing to be violent to take the kingdom can seize the kingdom of the heavens.
1. “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me...Whoever loses his soul-life for My sake shall find it” (Matt. 16:24-25, see also vv. 26-27; 10:37-39).
All the things of the kingdom of the heavens are absolutely different from our thoughts, desires, and pursuits. Therefore, if we want to enter the kingdom of the heavens, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, lose our soul-life, and follow the Lord. To deny our self is to not set the mind on our will or our desires. To take up the cross is to set the mind on God’s will and to carry out His purpose. To lose the soul-life is to not care for the desires and feelings of the soul or to live by the soul. We must deny our self, reject our own will, put our soul to death, force our soul to be dealt with by the cross with respect to our desires and enjoyment, and follow the Lord on the narrow way of the cross so that we can enter the kingdom of the heavens and be glorified. The way to enter the kingdom of the heavens and arrive at the throne is through the narrow way of denying the self, taking up the cross, losing the soul-life, and following the Lord. We must pass through this narrow way before we can enter into the kingdom of the heavens and arrive at the throne.