Who will enter the kingdom of God's dear Son, today?

The gospel of the kingdom that Jesus preached was the gospel that Peter and the other apostles preached to Jews and Gentiles alike --for God is no respecter of persons.  Paul wrote:

"Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:"  Romans 2:9-10

We enter the kingdom of God, through faith and repentance.

" ...  Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD,  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT  ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL"  Mark 1:14-15

Jesus said to Nicodemus:  " Except a man be born again [marginal reading: begotten from above], he cannot SEE the kingdom of God ... Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot ENTER into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."  John 3:3; 5-7

On resurrection morning, The Father raised up Christ to sit on his throne fulfilling this old testament prophecy:

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."  Psalms 110:1

On the day of Pentecost, Peter said:  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both LORD AND CHRIST."  

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, AND TO ALL THAT ARE AFAR OFF, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."  Acts 2:36-39

ALL MEN, are born into the kingdom of darkness where sin and death rule.  

MANY MEN, hear the Father's call to come out of that dreadful kingdom where satan keeps men in the bondage of sin. Those men SEE the kingdom of God; but they do not ENTER the kingdom. Yes, they are begotten from above --and like the fetus in the womb, they have the first movements of an unborn child.  They have ears and eyes and experience the quickenings; but remain unconverted because they do not understand they must depart from evil and be baptized into the authority of Jesus Christ to be born of the Holy Spirit.  

FEW MEN ENTER the kingdom of God's dear Son.  Just like Jesus said:

" ... The way is HARD that leads to life and those who find it are FEW."  Matt 7:14 RSV

"For MANY are called; but FEW are chosen."  Matt 22:14 RSV

THE APOSTLE PAUL understood the wretchedness of the MANY who are called; but still commit sin.  He speaks of his past experience, when in the time of temptation, he could not overcome the power of his flesh.  He knew that "the soul that sins shall die."
--and he could not stop committing sin!

"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"  Romans &7:24

The FEW MEN that enter the kingdom of God, through the new birth, first must come to the understanding that they cannot overcome the power of sin, through their own will-power or strength.  The Father brings them to this wretched experience so they will always know that they live the victorious life through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit that Christ sends them.  Like Paul, they will say:

Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord ..."

Paul spoke these words of thanksgiving to the saints and faithful brethren at Colosse:

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet* to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints** in light: Who HATH delivered us from the power of darkness, and HATH translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"  Colossians 1:12-13

Christian, you already know that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and that he arose the third day.  You already SEE His kingdom.

Will you ENTER the kingdom of God's dear Son, today?  Or will you be among the MANY who say:  "The kingdom is for another time."

Only the FEW say:   "My risen Lord reigns in my heart today.  I delight to do thy will O God."

Donna Kupp

Notes:

* MEET

G2427
é?êáíï?ù
hikanoo?
hik-an-o'-o
From G2425; to enable, that is, qualify: - make able (meet).

**  SAINTS

G40  
á??ãéïò
hagios
hag'-ee-os
From á??ãïò hagos (an awful thing) compare G53, [H2282]; sacred (physically pure,
morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing),
saint.
dk