The gospel which the New Testament has preached to us is the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 3:1-2; 4:17, 23; 10:7; 24:14). We repented for the kingdom (Matt. 3:2). Perhaps when we were saved, we did not hear such a clear gospel. At that time, we were afraid of going to hell and desired to go to heaven. Thus, we repented for heaven. This is the preaching of the wrong gospel, for repentance is not for heaven but for the kingdom.
We have been reborn, regenerated, into the kingdom. In John 3:5 the Lord Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Recovery Version). Many of us were wrongly told that regeneration is for going to heaven. Here we see clearly that regeneration is for entering into the kingdom of God.
Colossians 1:13 says, “Who hath delivered us from the authority of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the son of his love” (Gk.). This verse reveals that we have been translated out of one kingdom, Satan’s kingdom of darkness, into another kingdom, the kingdom of the Son of God’s love.
In the church, we are living in the kingdom of God today. Romans 14:17 is a strong proof that today’s church life is the kingdom: “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Recovery Version). Revelation 1:9 also proves that we are in the kingdom of God today: “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.” When John wrote the book of Revelation, he was already in the kingdom of God. These two verses are a strong proof that the church today is the kingdom. However, as we shall see, what we are in now in the church today is the kingdom in its reality, whereas the kingdom in its manifestation will come with Christ’s return in the future.
If we would understand the New Testament truths regarding the kingdom, we must realize the two main aspects of the kingdom—the aspect of its reality and the aspect of its manifestation. In the church today, we do not have the kingdom in manifestation; we have the kingdom in reality. According to the outward appearance, men cannot see the kingdom in the church. Nevertheless, the kingdom is a reality among us.
The reality of the kingdom, the kingdom in its reality, is an exercise and discipline for us in the church today (Matt. 5:3, 10, 20; 7:21). Suppose you purchase a hamburger at a stand and the cashier gives you too much change. If you are exercised and are ruled by the kingdom, you will return this extra change immediately. This is an experience of the rule of the reality of the kingdom, which is both an exercise and a discipline.
The situation of today’s Christianity is very poor, for many Christians have been drugged, thinking that everything is of grace and that there is no need for training, exercise, or discipline. But we realize that we must uplift the standard of the church life through the discipline and exercise of the reality of the kingdom. Through the years, I have seen the Lord’s grace working in so many of us. I thank the Lord that there has been a great improvement in His recovery. Nevertheless, we must uplift the standard even higher. If we do this, our cheering angels will be very happy, for they will see a group of believers who are quite serious regarding God’s eternal purpose. How we need the discipline for the kingdom today!