In the fourth section there are four circles which represent various aspects of the kingdom of the heavens. The innermost circle represents the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. These are the overcoming believers. The believers in this circle are like those mentioned in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. They are poor in spirit, pure in heart, hungering for righteousness, meek, merciful, and have the surpassing righteousness. These are not only believers, but overcoming believers. Thus, they represent the reality of the kingdom today. They are in the reality of the kingdom, and they are the reality of the kingdom.

Surrounding this innermost circle is a second circle that represents the church which is composed of all real Christians. This indicates that not all of the real Christians are in the reality of the kingdom, but they are in the church. Because they have been bought by the blood of the Lamb and because they have been reborn of the Holy Spirit, they are real Christians. Thus, they are a part of the church. But whether, after they are reborn, they will be overcomers is something pending. In the church there are two categories of real Christians. One category is those who are reborn but who are not overcoming. A higher category is the overcoming Christians. The overcoming Christians represent the reality of the kingdom. The overcoming Christians plus all the real, but defeated Christians, compose the church.

Outside the second circle there is a third circle which represents the appearance of the kingdom. Some today are Christians in name only. They are the so-called nominal Christians; they are not real. They are in Christendom, but they are not in the church. They have never been redeemed by the blood, and they have never been reborn of the Spirit. They are Christians only in name. This means they are tares, not wheat. Outside of the third circle, there is the fourth circle which represents the world or the nations. According to this chart there is the reality of the kingdom, the church, and the appearance of the kingdom. The appearance of the kingdom is today's Christendom. There is very little difference and separation between Christendom and the world.

Thus, we may say that there are basically three kinds of Christians: first are the victorious, overcoming Christians who are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and also in the church. The second are the true believers who are defeated. They are in the church because they are real believers, but they are not in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. The third group are those who are Christians in name only. Christendom is full of such nominal Christians. These are not actually in the church. Of course, outside of Christendom there is the world with all the unbelievers. The biggest group of people on the earth today are the unbelievers. Perhaps the second biggest group are the false Christians of Christendom. The next largest group are the real Christians who are the church, and the smallest group are the overcoming ones within the church. These three groups of people are included within the age or dispensation of the church.

Following this section there is the second section of the kingdom of the heavens, the manifestation of the kingdom. After the dispensation of the church, the Lord will come back, and the kingdom of the heavens will be manifested. This aspect will be in the future and will include the millennium. In the New Testament, the millennium is clearly revealed to be of two parts: the upper part, the heavenly part, and the lower part, the earthly part. The upper part is the manifestation of the kingdom. This is the heavenly part where the Lord Jesus and all of the overcoming saints will be reigning as kings. The lower part is composed of the revived nation of Israel in the center teaching the nations how to serve God.

Matthew 5, 6, and 7 show us the reality of the kingdom. They reveal the internal or interior reality found in the kingdom. The first aspect of the people who are living in the reality of the kingdom is that they are poor in spirit. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens" (Matt. 5:3). This is something real. Please note that the verb here is not in the future tense. It does not say theirs shall be the kingdom. Rather, it says theirs is the kingdom. This means the reality of the kingdom is something real and present today. It is not merely something in the future. Another verse says, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens" (Matt. 5:10). Here are some who are persecuted for being right, for the sake of righteousness. And they themselves are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. They are even willing to pay a price and to suffer for the sake of righteousness. This indicates how real it is to them. Again, this also is something for today, not merely something for the future. Surely this is the reality of the kingdom. Then Matthew 7:21 says, "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in the heavens." This too is something of the reality. Another verse, Matthew 18:3, says, "Truly I say to you, Unless you turn and become as little children, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens." These four verses refer to the first aspect, the reality of the kingdom. They indicate something so real, pure, and genuine.