The Kingdom of Heaven

How easy it is to read the sobering warnings of the scriptures and simply discount them because "we are saved, no matter how we live". This thinking does not line up with the Word of God. Jesus warned his own disciples over and over that they could fail to enter the Kingdom. If the "chosen disciples" could fail, we can fail. Most believers have been taught that once you are saved, you cannot fall away. Has Satan deceived you into thinking you cannot fail? The scriptures warn us as seen below in the ten virgins. Five of the ten virgins were cast out into outer darkness. Do you know that Jesus' warnings about hell were only made to his disciples, except for warning two Pharisees? Please notice that the foolish virgins oil was running out. They previously had oil, but it was running out. Oil represents the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Warned His Disciples of Hell. Do we warn ourselves?
1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2“Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6“But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7“Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8“The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9“But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’10“And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11“Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12“But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 

13“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. Matthew 25 NASB

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Matthew 3 NASB
     1Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

3For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,
            “THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,
            ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,
            MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!’”

4Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

      7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8“Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10“The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

      11“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12“His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

This is not for just the time of the John the Baptist. This is still going on and will end when Jesus returns. 

Matthew 3 NASB 

13Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. 16After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Matthew 3 NASB

After Jesus sees the Spirit of God descending on Him, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 

  Matthew 4 NASB Have you repented and continued to turn from your sins as shown by the fruit of your life?

      12Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; 13and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

      15“THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,
            BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THEGENTILES—

      16“THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,
            AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,
            UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”

      17From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes. Do they describe us? It is a journey, but have you stopped? Are you fighting the good fight? See 1Timothy 1:18 in context.

Matthew 5 NASB

   1When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

      3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

      4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

      5“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

      6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

      7“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

      8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

      9“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

      10“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

      11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Kingdom 

Matthew 6 NASB

 7“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8“So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

      9“Pray, then, in this way:
            ‘Our Father who is in heaven,
            Hallowed be Your name.

      10‘Your kingdom come.
            Your will be done,
            On earth as it is in heaven.

 31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 13 NASB

  31He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;32and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.”

  33He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.”

      34All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable.

35This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
            “I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES;
            I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”

   36Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. 40“So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.41“The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,42and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43“Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

  44“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

  45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

 47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; 48and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49“So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, 50and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  51“Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.”52And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” 

If you understand the New Testament you will also understand the Old Testament. You will be able to bring the Old and the New together. If you have been instructed in the Law and the Kingdom, the old way of the Law and the new way of the kingdom, you can see together. The purpose of the whole.   David Pawson