God’s future punishment of the believers is a matter of His government. God has a governmental administration in the entire universe and even more so among His children. If God’s children live according to the principles of God’s government, they will not receive His governmental punishment; if they do not, they will have difficulty escaping God’s discipline. God the Father’s governmental discipline is so that His children, after receiving grace and being saved, can overcome sin, the world, and the self, follow His Son and live for Him, and accomplish His will in the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. If we have some weakness or sins, we must take advantage of our time on the earth to confess and deal with them before God, asking Him to forgive and cleanse us. If we do not take advantage of our time, we will offend God’s governmental administration and receive punishment. This aspect of God’s governmental administration will occur when Christ returns to judge all things. The punishment that comes out of His judgment will be in the kingdom age.
Punishment in God’s governmental administration does not conflict with the eternal, complete redemption accomplished by His Son, nor does it affect this redemption in the slightest. The redemption accomplished by His Son is eternally in accord with His governmental administration; His governmental administration eternally acknowledges the redemption accomplished by the Son. Although the Son accomplished an eternal redemption, we must diligently apply this redemption in this age. If we do not apply the Lord’s salvation, we will not be in accord with God’s governmental administration, and we will receive discipline. This discipline does not affect redemption; rather, it strengthens the standing of our redemption and proves its efficacy.
At the beginning of this chapter we saw that the kingdom of the heavens is the object of God’s eternal heart’s desire. God wants to obtain a kingdom as a realm where He can exercise authority, where His will is carried out freely, and where His glory is expressed. God not only wants to obtain such a kingdom, but He also has set aside a portion of this kingdom as a reward for those who faithfully follow His Son, live for His Son, and are His Son’s partners in accomplishing His will. The portion that God has set aside is the heavenly part of His kingdom. Thus, it is called the kingdom of the heavens. The kingdom of the heavens is the intrinsic, essential center of God’s kingdom. It not only speaks of God’s heart’s desire, but it also best expresses His divine nature. Therefore, it pleases God’s heart and satisfies His desire. At the beginning of the New Testament age God placed the kingdom of the heavens before His people so that they would pursue it. He also considers the kingdom of the heavens to be a reward for those who care for His heart’s desire and do His will today. He has made provision for the kingdom of the heavens in order to encourage the believers and to manifest His righteousness. God’s purpose for the kingdom of the heavens, in addition to establishing His reign, carrying out His will, and expressing His glory, is to encourage His believers and to manifest His righteousness.
1. “I solemnly charge you...by His appearing and His kingdom: Proclaim the word” (2 Tim. 4:1-2).
When Paul was about to leave this world, he charged Timothy, his spiritual son, by the Lord’s appearing and by His kingdom. The Lord’s appearing—His return—and His kingdom—the kingdom of the heavens—are serious tests for the believers. In 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 he says, “I am conscious of nothing against myself; but I am not justified in this, but He who examines me is the Lord. So then do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then there will be praise to each from God.” This shows how conscientiously he lived in the light of the Lord’s return. He knew that when the Lord returned, He would judge His servants, His believers, not only by examining their openly manifest works and outward living but also by bringing to light any hidden things and by exposing the counsels of their hearts. This should cause us to live carefully before Him. Whenever we think of His return, we should adjust our work and living and deal with our heart and thoughts, not daring to be loose in any way lest we have even a small offense. Paul lived so carefully in relation to the Lord’s appearing; therefore, he charged Timothy, whom he greatly cared for, by the Lord’s appearing because he wanted Timothy to live before the Lord’s appearing by preparing himself to receive the Lord’s judgment and testing at His return.
In 1 Corinthians 9:27 Paul says, “I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest perhaps having preached to others, I myself may become disapproved.” This shows that he had a sober, restricted living and did not want to indulge himself in the least. He lived in this way because he was afraid that he might not be approved by the Lord and would fail to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, especially after preaching to others of the need to endeavor to run the race to pursue the reward of entering the kingdom of the heavens. He took the kingdom as a warning and lived under this warning. He was deeply aware that the kingdom of the heavens could not be obtained merely by being saved; rather, he knew that it required one to run the race to obtain this prize. He knew that the kingdom of the heavens is not a gift but a reward that the Lord gives to His believers for running the race and for restricting themselves in all the things of this world. Paul took the kingdom as a warning and buffeted his body, dealing harshly with himself, in the hope of being approved by the Lord in the future and of receiving His reward of entering into the kingdom of the heavens. He was under the warning and hope of the kingdom of the heavens as he followed the Lord throughout the course of his life. Therefore, he exhorted Timothy by this kingdom to run the race. He wanted Timothy to live under the warning and hope of the kingdom and to endeavor to run the race set before him in order to obtain the reward of the kingdom in the future.
Believers often regard the Lord’s return as a matter of comfort and hope, but they do not regard it as a warning or a test. It is true that 1 Thessalonians 4:18 speaks of the Lord’s return as being a comfort to the believers, and it is true that 1 John 3:3 speaks of the Lord’s appearing as being the believers’ hope. However, other passages show that the Lord’s return should be a serious warning to the believers. It will be a terrible test. When the Lord comes, He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts (1 Cor. 4:5). When the Son of Man comes, He will repay each man according to his doings (Matt. 16:27). And when the Lord comes, His reward will be rendered according to the true nature of each one’s work, that is, as his work is (Rev. 22:12). This is quite a warning: the Lord will return not only to rapture and transfigure us but also to judge and repay us. If we see this warning, how can we dare live loosely or do things according to our own will?
I heard of a believer who dreamed that he was in a movie theater watching a movie, and just as he was totally involved in the movie, the heavens opened, lightening flashed, and a voice proclaimed, “Christ is coming!” When he heard this, his heart began to race, and he began to tremble with much fear. He became so afraid in his dream that he woke up. After he awoke, he was still frightened. Then he thought to himself, “I am lucky that this was a dream. What if I was really watching a movie when the Lord returned, how would I face Him? Would I be able to stand before Him? Would I be able to bear His judgment?” Even though this was only a dream, it is a good lesson. If we really saw the seriousness of the Lord’s return, would we still dare to commit sins loosely, love the world, indulge the flesh, care for human emotions, or be cold, backslidden, and unfaithful?
We must remember the word in Revelation 1 and the situation when the Lord appeared to John on the island of Patmos. When he was young, John reclined peacefully on the Lord’s bosom (John 13:23, 25), but when he saw the Lord in Revelation, he “fell at His feet as dead” (1:17). The Lord’s “eyes were like a flame of fire...And out of His mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword” (vv. 14, 16). In Revelation John saw the Lord coming in His capacity as a Judge; it was a foreshadowing of His return. When the Lord came the first time, He was lovely; His face was full of grace, and He spoke words of grace. But when He comes the second time, He will be terrible; His eyes will be like flames of fire that will bore into every hidden thing in us, and out of His mouth will proceed a two-edged sword to judge all our words and actions. How can this not cause us to be fearful? How can we not be warned?
Today believers speak frequently about the glory and blessing of the kingdom of the heavens, but they neglect the chastisement of the kingdom of the heavens. It is true that the kingdom of the heavens will be glorious and that those who enter into it will enter into the Lord’s joy, but the Lord spoke also of the kingdom of the heavens in relation to chastisement. He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of the heavens...And then I will declare to them: I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:21, 23). He also said, “Cast out the useless slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (25:30). His words speak of chastisement in the kingdom of the heavens. If believers see this, who would dare to continue to indulge the self, ignore God’s will, entangle themselves with the world, and not pursue the kingdom of the heavens? If sinners would see the horrors of hell, who would not repent and pursue the Lord’s salvation? Likewise, if the believers see the terribleness of the Lord’s chastisement in the kingdom of the heavens, who would not turn to pursue the Lord’s kingdom? We often say that unbelievers are living in a drunken stupor and in their dreams, with no worry about tomorrow. But how many believers also are living in a drunken stupor and in their dreams? How many believers are wide awake and concerned about the matter of the kingdom of the heavens?
Some believers also strongly oppose the truth of the kingdom of the heavens. But we hope that these brothers would not just be concerned about doctrinal arguments but also care for the practical questions. What will the coming kingdom of the heavens be like? Will we be able to enter into it? Is an entrance into the kingdom of the heavens really a matter of concern for us? Does our condition today meet the requirements of the kingdom of the heavens? Are people who live and act as we do really worthy to enter the coming glorious, holy kingdom of the heavens? I deeply hope and beg these brothers to ponder and consider these matters from the practical side.
More than ten years ago a brother who opposed the truth concerning the chastisement of the kingdom of the heavens asked another brother who received this teaching, “Will the believers who have received the Lord’s precious blood really be thrown into outer darkness?” The brother did not debate with him but only said, “Brother, let us first not ask if the believers who have received the Lord’s precious blood will be thrown into the darkness; rather, let us first ask whether we are in darkness today. If we are in darkness today, how can we enter into the kingdom of light in the future? If we continue to believe that we will be able to enter into the light of the kingdom no matter what our condition is today, why should we seek the light today and forsake the darkness?” If we see that chastisement in the kingdom means that some believers will be thrown into the darkness, we will certainly strive to forsake the darkness today. We should not only worry about expounding prophecies; we should also be concerned about our practical living. We should ask not only where we will be in the future but also where we are today. Where we are today is where we will be in the future. When we see where we are today, we should realize that this is where we will be in the future. The seriousness of the question of where we will be in the future should cause us to be concerned about where we are today and repent for the kingdom.
More than ten years ago a Bible teacher who opposed the truth of the chastisement in the kingdom, asked me, “Are the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25 saved?” I did not want to debate with him, so I merely said, “If they are not saved, I would ask you how many of today’s saved ones are prudent? How many are watchful, ready, and waiting for the Lord?” We should not be concerned with expounding prophecies by means of empty reasonings; rather, we should compare our practical living with the matters in the prophecies. We should not ask if the foolish virgins are saved. Instead, we should ask whether we who are saved are prudent. If we believe that every believer will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, we will think that it is enough to be saved, and we will not go on to determine whether we are prudent, watchful, ready, and waiting for the Lord’s coming. If we see that some believers in the future will enter the kingdom and that others will not and see that this distinction is based upon their prudence, watchfulness, readiness, and waiting for the Lord, we will be compelled to be one who is prudently waiting for the Lord.
Thus, we must see that the Lord’s return and His kingdom are a warning to the believers. Since they are a warning, they are also an incentive. If we want to avoid the discipline of the kingdom of the heavens, we must pursue the reward of the kingdom of the heavens. The reward of the kingdom of the heavens is glorious and joyous; it is an incentive that makes us willing to pay the price and pursue the kingdom. The reward of the kingdom of the heavens is worth sacrificing everything of our human life today, and the coming discipline of the kingdom of the heavens should compel us to be fearful today. If a believer sees the coming reward of the kingdom of the heavens, he will be drawn and encouraged to pursue; if he sees the coming discipline of the kingdom of the heavens, he will be in fear of not going on faithfully. The discipline of the kingdom of the heavens should warn us, and the reward of the kingdom of the heavens should encourage us.
Every time I think of the matter of the kingdom of the heavens, I am encouraged and in fear before God. Sometimes it seems that I am backsliding, but when I think of the kingdom of the heavens, I go forward with trembling! Sometimes it seems as if I am a little loose in myself, but when I think of the kingdom of the heavens, I am in fear and control myself. Sometimes it seems as if I am defeated, but when I think of the kingdom of the heavens, I dare not remain in my defeat. Sometimes it seems as if I fall, but when I think of the kingdom of the heavens, I am forced to pick myself up and ask the Lord to have mercy and give me grace. In the past years the kingdom of the heavens has been the greatest incentive for me to live and walk before the Lord.
Many brothers and sisters are still loose in their living and actions after being saved; they do not care for the Lord’s glory or pleasure. The reason for this is that they have not seen the matter of the kingdom of the heavens. If they see the consequences of being rewarded, which are reigning with joy and glory, and the consequences of being disciplined, which are weeping and gnashing their teeth in outer darkness, they would change and strive to do God’s will and live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.
2. “We are determined, whether at home or abroad, to gain the honor of being well pleasing to Him. For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:9-11).
Paul was determined to be well pleasing to the Lord. His determination was based on his realization that we would all have to stand and be judged before the judgment seat of Christ, receiving the things done through the body according to what we have practiced, whether good or bad. Paul was fearful of the Lord in this matter. He not only determined to be well pleasing to the Lord, but he also exhorted others to be well pleasing, lest they receive a negative recompense at the judgment seat of Christ. This shows that the judgment of the believers before the judgment seat of Christ should be a warning and an encouragement.
All believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged and to receive a reward or a punishment according to what they have done today. This is a very serious matter. When believers come before the judgment seat of Christ, some will be rewarded and some will suffer loss. This is a warning and an encouragement.
In 2 Corinthians 5:14 the apostle speaks of “the love of Christ,” but he also speaks of “the fear of the Lord” in verse 11. The Lord’s death on the cross for us is according to His love, but His judgment of us before His judgment seat will be according to His fearfulness. He died for us because He wants us to live for Him. If we have received His love but do not live for Him, His fearfulness should serve as a warning and an encouragement to us.
There are three things that we must pay attention to in the Lord’s dealings with us: the life of the Lord, the love of the Lord, and the fear of the Lord. The life of the Lord is the power that enables us to live for Him. The love of the Lord constrains us to live for Him. And the fear of the Lord encourages us to live for Him. The Lord gave us His life so that we may live for Him. If we are unwilling to live for Him, the love of the Lord will constrain us to live for Him. If we are unwilling to accept the constraining of His love, the fear of the Lord should encourage and warn us of our need to live for Him. We need to know the Lord’s life, to see the Lord’s love, and sense the fear of the Lord. While the Lord’s love constrains many believers to live for Him, many believers still need a fear of the Lord to warn and encourage them. While it is true that the Lord’s death on the cross moves some to consecrate their all to the Lord, many saved ones still need the judgment seat of Christ to press them to consecrate their all to live for the Lord. Those who ignore the constraining of the Lord’s love should be warned and encouraged by a fear of the Lord. Those who cannot be moved by the accomplishment of His death should be warned and encouraged by His coming judgment.
3. “Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize”; “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord...will recompense me in that day” (Phil. 3:13-14; 2 Tim. 4:8).
The apostle Paul spent his entire life running after the Lord because God’s reward was an encouragement to him. The Lord laid up this prize for him as his crown, which was the kingdom of the heavens. For the sake of the kingdom of the heavens, he gave his entire life, forgetting the things which were behind and stretching forward to the things which were before. The kingdom of the heavens was a great encouragement to Paul.
The Bible shows that God has a purpose for the kingdom of the heavens: to encourage us to escape from the things He wants us to escape from and to pursue the things He wants us to pursue. Some parents set aside a certain time as a reward to encourage their children to be obedient and to study hard. Whoever is obedient and studies hard will get a reward and have a special time of enjoyment with their parents. Whoever does not obey and study hard will miss out on this time of enjoyment with the parents and will also receive some suffering. Our Father God has the same purpose for the kingdom of the heavens with respect to us, His children.