Home | First | Prev | Next

LESSON FIFTY-FOUR

THE CORPORATE EXPERIENCE
OF THE DISPENSING
OF THE DIVINE TRINITY

(2)

OUTLINE

    1. Living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens:
      1. In the heavenly nature of the kingdom people.
      2. Being the salt of the earth to restrict the corruption of the earth and being the light of the world to enlighten the world.
      3. Practicing the higher law of the heavenly kingdom and having the surpassing righteousness.
      4. Doing righteous deeds and contacting God in secret, without making a show.
      5. Not loving or serving mammon, but loving and serving God.
      6. Dealing more with ourselves than with others.
      7. Walking on the way that leads to life and receiving Christ’s words as the foundation of our living and work so that we may do the Father’s will.

TEXT

We have seen that in the progressing stage of God’s full salvation, the believers corporately experience the dispensing of the Divine Trinity by entering into the kingdom of God. In this lesson we will see that because we have entered into the kingdom of God, we need to live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 5—7). If we desire to develop in the divine life to have a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we need to live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.

C. Living in the Reality
of the Kingdom of the Heavens

The kingdom of the heavens is a term used exclusively in the Gospel of Matthew, indicating that the kingdom of the heavens differs from the kingdom of God, which is mentioned in the other three Gospels. The kingdom of God is God’s general reign from eternity past to eternity future. The kingdom of the heavens is a specific section within the kingdom of God, a section composed only of the church today and the heavenly part of the coming millennial kingdom. Hence, in the New Testament, the kingdom of the heavens, a section of the kingdom of God, is also called “the kingdom of God” in the other three Gospels.

According to Matthew, there are three aspects concerning the kingdom of the heavens: the reality, the appearance, and the manifestation. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the inward content of the kingdom of the heavens in its heavenly and spiritual nature, as revealed in chapters 5 through 7. The appearance of the kingdom of the heavens is the outward state of the kingdom of the heavens in name, as revealed in chapter 13. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens is the practical coming of the kingdom of the heavens in power, as revealed in chapters 24 and 25. Both the reality and the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens are with the church today. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the proper church life (Rom. 14:17), which exists in the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, known as Christendom. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens is the heavenly part of the coming millennial kingdom, which is referred to as the kingdom of the Father in Matthew 13:43. In the heavenly part of the millennial kingdom, which is the kingdom of the heavens manifested in power, the overcoming saints will reign with Christ for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4, 6). Today, as believers in Christ, we need to live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens by entering into the kingdom of God for the corporate experience of the dispensing of the Divine Trinity.

Matthew 5 through 7 describes the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. The words spoken by the Lord Jesus in these chapters, as the revelation of the spiritual living and heavenly principles of the kingdom of the heavens, consist of seven sections (5:1-12, 13-16, 17-48; 6:1-18, 19-34; 7:1-12, 13-29). We will now briefly look at these sections to see the living of the believers in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.


Home | First | Prev | Next
Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 4   pg 6