At the time that Jesus Christ was on earth He repeatedly said "the kingdom of God/heaven is at hand."
Mark 1:14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
v. 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and
the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent! For
the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
It was at hand because Christ was soon to be offered and would return to the Father and send the Holy Spirit. Look at all of these Scriptures that states the Father and Jesus Christ/ Helper/Comforter/Morning Star will come to indwell the Elect in their lifetime on earth.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone should be loving Me, he will be keeping My word, and My Father will be loving him, and
We shall be coming to him and making an abode with him."
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (KJV Comforter), that
He may abide with you forever--
v. 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
v. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
2Pe 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and
the morning star rises in your hearts;
This verse in Revelation tell us who "the Morning Star" is.
Rev 22:16 "
I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.
I am the Root and the Offspring of David,
the Bright and Morning Star."
Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Luke 17:20 "The kingdom of God does not come with observation;
v. 21 nor will they say, "See here!' or "See there!' For indeed,
the kingdom of God is within you."
Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
v. 13
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
1John 5:1 Everyone who is believing that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God. And everyone who is loving Him Who begets is loving Him also who
is begotten by Him. (CLV)
The parable of the wheat and the tares also speaks about the kingdom of heaven being like the field with the wheat with the tares. The wheat is the Elect that are living in this age.
Mat 13:24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
v. 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
v. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
v. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, "Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'
v. 28 He said to them, "An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, "Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'
Mat 13:29 But he said, "No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
v. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.""'
But as Ray stated
"To the degree that we have God's Spirit is the degree to which we reside in this Kingdom." This is the begettal that the Elect receive in this lifetime, the Spirit is working inside, but it's a process. Those that are destined to be the elect (and none of us know for sure who that is) will have the Holy Spirit deposited when God calls you to repentance and it will remain for the rest of that person life and it will grow as the process continues. Like what Ray said in the excerpt that Marques provided;
God works in increments, He wipes out some of the trees and then He burns some of the grass… what is the trees and the grass? These are all things in us. We have islands, and mountains, and trees, and grass. All of these are belief systems and ideas and doctrines and philosophies of life and all these things. And they are all going to be burned out and broken down and destroyed. All of those seven seals, seven trumpets, seven plagues, they are all things that must happen in our lives.
It's like the Spirit is now working inside of the Elect preparing them and getting them ready for the first resurrection, but it is only a begettal now, a promise until Christ returns. At the first resurrection they will receive the full reward and fully enter the kingdom.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Heb 10:35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
v. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
v. 37 "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
v. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Just wanted to bring the Scriptures that I think would help in this discussion.
mercy, peace and love
Kat