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Longing for the Kingdom
indianabob:
Hello friend Colin,
Thank you for the interesting and helpful input. There is much to stimulate further study.
The development of patience does take a lifetime, plus a miraculous change.
God does not expect us to attain perfection in this life. It is enough that we have regular small successes to encourage us to continue the struggle to overcome and to keep the vision of full membership in the family of God in mind.
1 John 3:2-3
Thanks for your contribution, Indiana Bob
--- Quote from: Colin on September 02, 2015, 09:45:11 PM ---Replying to Longing for the Kingdom.......quote:I know that God is perfect in all of His ways, His timing is perfect, and it is selfish of me to wish this would all happen SOON, but I can help to earnestly pray THY KINGDOM COME, Thy will be done.
Whenever we watch the news and see the plight of people of all ages suffering from the ravages of war and fleeing for their lives, or see the squalor in which many eke out an existence on garbage piles, such sights give rise to an aching for an end to all this world’s troubles. Many, who have not the level of understanding we have been given, tend to turn their eyes away and seek relief in more pleasant and distracting activities that are less upsetting to them.
Paul drew a distinction between the experiencing of the calamities by the world in general, and our hopes.
Two different Greek words - sustenazo and stenazo - are used in Romans 8:22, but each has become “groaning” when translated into English.
The original Greek conveys, the entire creation is experiencing calamities and having birth pangs.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth [sustenazo] and travaileth in pain [sunodino] together until now.
Paul then mentions those who have more understanding of the Spirit.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan [stenazo] within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
This Greek word, I read, includes the meaning of praying as we groan, sigh. It differs from simply being burdened and feeling hopeless.
Because we have been granted to know what is guaranteed to happen, we wait……for our change and the subsequent stages of God’s plan for this planet and its inhabitants.
Romans 8 :26 CLT Now, similarly, the spirit also is aiding our infirmity, for what we should be praying for, to accord with what must be, we are not aware, but the spirit itself is pleading for us with inarticulate groanings [stenagmos] ."
Another Greek word is used here and carries the meaning “sighings”.
I left out verse 25, so as to have it concentrate on how we are to wait, until Christ’s return.
Romans 8:25 KJV But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
We can find many verses containing the word “patience” in the New Testament. It is a requirement in our being modelled into the “image of God”.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
The development of patience is taking a lifetime for me …it is not something we can “work up” by ourselves… I still have a long way to go. As we practise it toward one another, it helps us to patiently await the next age that we yearn for.
When I read what Paul wrote to Titus, one of his latest letters, I wonder if Paul reflected that it had taken him some time to be patient, just as I, (now an old man) look back and see how long it has been, while being moulded to become (somewhat) patient.
Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
Thank you all for being patient with me, until I work out how to become more proficient at this forum.
--- End quote ---
Kat:
--- Quote from: zvezda on September 02, 2015, 08:46:00 PM ---Hi Kat, Mat 24:14 doesn't say "this gospel to be preached to all the world as a witness," it says "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all the world as a witness". What is the "gospel of the kingdom"?
Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Mat 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God
The gospel of the kingdom [of God] is something Jesus preached to the synagogues. Did He preach about His own death and resurrection to the synagogues? Ray said no.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html
Okay the single most pat and concise answer you will get in all Christianity, it is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I’m not saying there is no truth to that being part of the gospel, but let me ask you this, in reference to that. Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel, right, did He come preaching His death, burial and resurrection? I mean throughout His whole ministry. What I’m saying is Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, did He go around Judea and Galilee teaching His death, burial and resurrection? Can you show me that any where in the Gospels, that He taught that? No. So what is the gospel? He taught the gospel, He preached the gospel, but He did not go around saying I’m going to die, you’re going to kill Me and I’m going to come back to life and then I’m going to save you.
I don't think Mat 24:14 has been fulfilled by the church. I do think it's been fulfilled by the internet, since now people around the world can access bible-truths.com. Ray did preach the gospel of the kingdom:
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html
--- End quote ---
Hi zvezda,
Here is more from the conference to add to what you posted 'What Is The Gospel Of The Kingdom?'
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html --------------
Acts 10:36 You know the Word which God sent to the sons of Israel, preaching the gospel of peace by Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all!);
v. 37 that word which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
v. 38 how God anointed Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good, and healing all those who were oppressed of the Devil, for God was with Him.
v. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. Whom they slew and hanged on a tree;
This is all part of the gospel. He is teaching this now to Cornelius.
v. 40 but God raised Him up the third day and showed Him openly,
This is part of the gospel. Christ was crucified, was dead, rose from the dead.
v. 41 not to all the people, but to chosen witnesses before by God, even to us (Peter was a witness) who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
v. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and the dead.
Oops, how did that slip in there? Did you notice that? Did you notice what the gospel is? Jesus Christ is “the judge of the quick and the dead.” That is the gospel. This takes us all the way down to Rev. 22, doesn’t it. It certainly does. This thing of judgment is part of the gospel… "Judge of the quick and the dead." Now John says that as Christ is, so are we. Christ is the judgment. Guess what? So are we.
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There are Scripture that say as much.
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Rom 15:19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
1Cor 9:12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
There are a number of Scripture that speak of “the gospel of God,” as well Rom 1:1; 1Thess 2:2; 2:9; 1Tim 1:11, and of course we know that Christ is, was and always will be God.
Matt 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
The gospel is also called “the gospel of the grace of God” in Act 20:24, “the gospel of peace” in Eph 6:15 and “the gospel of your salvation” in Eph 1:13, all attributed to Christ. Here is another interesting Scripture.
2Cor 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
v. 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Yes it is also referred to as "the gospel of the kingdom," and as Ray pointed out in that conference, the kingdom will be made up of the elect, the body, and who is the Head of the elect/body? Of course Christ.
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
v. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
v. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
v. 18 And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
The gospel is Christ! He is the subject of it, the object of it, and indeed the very life of it. Everything was "created through Him and FOR Him," it's all about Christ. All of course this is only accomplished by the will of the Father through Him.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
v. 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
lauriellen:
Thank you for all the great replies. I was just thinking that in the preceding chapters, Jesus had been upbraiding the Pharisees and seemed to be comparing the government/authority of the established church system to the government/authority of God. He was more or less saying 'this is how YOU do this, but in Gods government, it will be done THIS way'.....so following the context, when we come to Him saying 'THIS' gospel would be preached, it seems to me that it is directly referring to the subject of all the previous chapters. Jesus seems to be giving a great outline of what His government will look like and how it will function. He went about teaching (department of education)....He healed ALL of their diseases and resurrecting the dead (department of health and welfare) and He appointed apostles (government officials) who He gave authority to bind and loose, of whom it was a job requirement to be humble and perfect.
My point being, all I ever hear being proclaimed by the current 'church' system is 'make a decision to accept/invite Christ to be your Lord and Savior or face eternity in hell." To me, that is not the gospel.
The internet has allowed the 'true' gospel of the complete sovereignty, the total successful accomplishment of Gods will to bring all men to repentance and salvation and the coming government of God, to the whole world, perhaps for the first time in history. Christ is the gospel, but not just the name, but the true nature and purpose of Him.
We don't seem to talk much here about the coming government of God. I think it is a very exciting and interesting subject to explore.
thanks again for all the input.
judy:
Dear lauriellen and lilitalienoi 16, thank you. I enjoyed the video so very much and I cried. When one gets as old as myself the longing to stay and the longing to go pulls against each other. I think someone even wrote a song on the subject but not in the context of which we are speaking. The longing to go "home" is actually painful but my pleas to God are that i be able to finish my work here which i am trying to wrap up and have a smooth transition for all my children and grandchildren and even great grandchildren. I call on His mercy because my husband is blind and being human I worry about how he will endure because he hasn't (it seems) a shred of faith. But i do believe he is sanctified by me being a believer.(thanks be to God) (I am not good at finding too many verses in the bible but I know this one is in there somewhere. Was raised Catholic, funny) I thought maybe I was just depressed but hearing the two of you sharing that 'longing' has made me realize it is a spiritual matter. This comes as relief to me because sometimes when you are old you wonder if you're just a bit touched. thanks again, judy
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