There is a strong thought concerning the kingdom in the Word of God. If we read through the Scriptures carefully, we will see that from beginning to end God desires to obtain a sphere for His reign. How does God obtain this sphere of reign? Or we may ask, how does God bring in this kingdom? He does it by His life. Hence, in the Bible life is always linked to the kingdom. In the beginning of Genesis we see that God’s desire is that man would exercise dominion for Him on the earth (1:26). Dominion is related to the kingdom. God’s desire that man would exercise dominion for Him on the earth indicates that God intends to establish His kingdom on the earth through man. After Genesis 1, which speaks of God’s desire that man would exercise dominion for Him on the earth, Genesis 2 presents the tree of life (v. 9). This indicates that for man to exercise dominion for God on the earth and bring in the kingdom, he must have God’s eternal life within him. If man does not have God’s eternal life, he will never be able to bring God’s authority to the earth. Therefore, the very beginning of the Bible reveals that God links life to dominion. Hence, the focus of Satan’s work is also related to this matter. Satan took man away from the tree of life because he knew that if man did not receive God’s life, he would have no way to bring God’s authority to the earth. The kingdom as the sphere of God’s reign altogether depends on God’s life.
Thus, the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). He also said, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (v. 5). God’s kingdom is a matter of God’s reign; man’s regeneration is a matter of man’s receiving God’s life. In order for man to touch God’s reign and bring God’s authority to the earth, he must receive God’s life inwardly. If man does not have God’s life, he will have no way to bring in God’s reign.
The highest requirements in the Bible are the requirements of the kingdom. We may say that God’s requirements in the Old Testament are the requirements of the law, and God’s requirements in the New Testament are the requirements of the kingdom. We all know that the law commands us not to kill, not to swear falsely, not to steal, and so forth (Exo. 20:13-17; Lev. 19:11-12). All these are the requirements of the law. The requirements of the kingdom in the New Testament, however, are higher than the requirements of the law. The kingdom requires man not to be angry with others. Not only should there not be the act of murder, but there also should not be the motive to murder, which is anger (Matt. 5:22). All the requirements of the kingdom touch man’s heart within man. The requirements of the law are outward, but the requirements of the kingdom are inward. The law requires that man not break an oath or swear falsely, but the kingdom requires that man not swear at all but that his word should be, “Yes, yes; No, no,” without the need of swearing (vv. 34-37). The law requires that man be perfect according to the letter of the law, but the kingdom requires that man be perfect even as the heavenly Father is perfect (v. 48), meaning that man must be perfect as God is perfect. The law requires an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (Exo. 21:24; Lev. 24:20), but the kingdom requires that whenever someone slaps us on our right cheek, we must turn to him the other also (Matt. 5:39).
Here we clearly see two kinds of requirements. One kind is low, and the other is high. The requirements of the law are relatively low and somewhat attainable. The requirements of the kingdom, however, are high, difficult to fulfill, and even unachievable. For instance, the requirement not to murder is reasonable, but the requirement not to be angry with someone is exceedingly difficult. This shows a contrast. Under this contrast we may think that although it is possible to meet the requirements of the law, it is absolutely impossible to fulfill the requirements of the kingdom.
Actually, it is also impossible for man to meet the requirements of the law. When God gave the law to man, He never intended that man would keep it; He knew that man would not be able to keep it. Man simply cannot meet the requirements of the law. What then is the use of the requirements of the law? The requirements of the law are intended to prove that man is impotent toward the law. Because man originally thought that he was able, God seemed to say, “I will put the requirements of the law before your eyes and see if you are able to keep them.” We all know that man fell in relation to the law; man violated every item of the requirements of the law. Therefore, we can conclude that the requirements of the law are intended to show man’s impotence.
The requirements of the law had already exposed man’s inability, but then God gave man higher requirements, that is, the requirements of the kingdom. Anyone who reads Matthew 5 through 7 acknowledges that the requirements there are too high for man to keep. I have heard many brothers and sisters say, “Matthew 5 through 7 is altogether unattainable.” Who can have no anger in himself? Who can have a righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees? Who can turn to someone his left cheek when he is slapped on his right cheek? Who can be perfect as God is perfect? When we read all these requirements, we can only say that they are beyond our reach; they are exceedingly high and unattainable.