Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate.  Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.  For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.

 
 
 

Going to Jesus

Daily Thoughts

 Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:

 

Thought for Today
Oct. 12

INHERITING THE KINGDOM

From conversations with Preacher Clark, late 1970's.

When we are delivered by Jesus "from the power of darkness" and receive God's Spirit, we are at that moment "translated into the kingdom of [God's] dear Son" (Col.1:13). Every child of God is an honored citizen of heaven's kingdom (Eph. 2:19). The children of God are "heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ", heirs of the Father's kingdom (Rom. 8:17), even though they have not yet received their promised inheritance.

An important truth of Christ is the sad fact that at the final Judgment, some of God's children will be judged unworthy of their inheritance and will be disinherited by the Father and cast out of His kingdom. We will partake of the future glory of Christ in God's eternal kingdom only if we are faithful to Christ while we live in this world. "We are made partakers of Christ", wrote the author of Hebrews, "if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast until the end" (Heb. 3:14). This is why Jesus repeatedly warned his followers that "he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

Many Christian ministers, falsely claiming to speak for Jesus, teach that once a person is born into the family of God and becomes a joint-heir with Christ, he will never be disinherited, regardless of how lawless a life he lives. They are blind leaders, and only blind people follow them. The holy Ghost teaches every child of God on earth that they must continually confess Jesus Christ before men if they hope to receive their promised salvation, "for with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom. 10:9-10). This is the Word of God that is living in the heart of every person with God's Spirit within him. This is what Jesus teaches us. This is the truth, and all other doctrines concerning salvation are, as Peter described them, "damnable heresies" (2Pet. 2:1).

"Buy the truth and sell it not", counseled Solomon (Prov. 23:23). We purchase the truth from Christ with humility and sincerity, not with money (Isa. 55:1), and I am convinced that every truly humble and sincere soul can understand and rejoice in the truth. Do you have the price to pay for the simple truth? An inheritance in God's kingdom, what the Bible calls "salvation", is promised to every one of God's children, on the condition that they obey the commandments of God. No one has difficulty understanding that or believing that who hears and recognizes the voice of the Spirit, for that is what the Spirit teaches us.

I close with this encouraging exhortation from Peter: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that is not fading away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept [from sin] by the power of God" (1Pet. 1:3-5a). When you stand before Jesus, dear fellow believer, may you be among those who are counted worthy to receive their inheritance with Christ and who rejoice forever in the light of God's countenance.

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