"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path". Ps 119:105

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

When Christ returns - and an earlier study has shown this will be soon - his first work will be to raise the dead:

'Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.' (Daniel 12 v 2)

'For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.' (1 Thessalonians 4 v 15-16)

The judgement will follow, and the reward of everlasting life will be given to the righteous who will then help with the government of the kingdom of God.

The Bible promises that the reign of Christ will see the end of the evils which at present corrupt the world.

Conditions in the Kingdom

There will be no oppression (Psalm 72 v 4) and no more war:

'And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.' (Isaiah 2 v 4)

The reign of the king will be righteous and just:

'He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.' (Isaiah 11 v 3-4)

Sickness will be controlled and the curses of illness and disease will be removed:

'Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.' (Isaiah 35 v 5-6)

Many countries today suffer famine and thousands of people are dying daily from hunger. In that day there will be no famine. Springs of water in the desert will enable crops to grow where they cannot today:

'In the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water.' (Isaiah 35 v 6-7)

'There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon.' (Psalm 72 v 16)

Finally, death itself will be destroyed:

'Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.' (1 Corinthians 15 v 24-26)

'And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.' (Revelation 21 v 4)

It is clear why this teaching about the kingdom of God is called the Gospel - we have learnt that the word means 'Good news.'

Salvation

After his resurrection, Jesus sent his disciples out with these instructions, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' (Mark 16 v 15-16)

It will be seen that baptism must follow a belief of the gospel. The verse continues - 'He that believeth not shall be condemned.'

On the day of Pentecost the apostle Peter spoke about the resurrection of Jesus and the hope of his Second Coming. The people who heard the address were moved by what they heard, and asked what they should do. They were told to repent and be baptized. To repent means, to change your mind - to make a fresh start:

'Then they that gladly received his word were baptized ... And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.' (Acts 2 v 41-42)

Notice the same order - Understanding and belief (that is, faith), followed by obedience in baptism. Then there must follow a continued effort by the believer to live his life in a way that pleases God. Thus the baptized Christian, who is spoken of as 'risen with Christ', can wait confidently for the coming of the Lord:

'If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.' (Colossians 3 v 1-4)

Forgiveness

If, during the time of this waiting for Christ, the Christian does wrong, he knows that Jesus is a sympathetic advocate on his behalf, because he knows what temptation is like. In the Letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded that our High Priest was tempted in the same way as we are, although he was able to resist and did no sin. (Hebrews 4 v 15) The Christian can be confident that his prayers will be heard:

'Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.' (Hebrews 4 v 16)

The Gift of God

We cannot manage by our own effort. It is only by the love and the mercy of God that we can obtain salvation through Christ. So the apostle Paul wrote, 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God.' (Ephesians 2 v 8) Also we read 'The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.' (Romans 6 v 23)

The next Step

You have now completed part 1 of these studies. You have read in them a brief outline of what the Bible teaches about God and His purpose with the earth. You may be like some of the people of Athens, who listened to Paul and 'when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, we will hear thee again of this matter.' (Acts 17 v 32) In other words, they had been glad to listen, but were not very interested in continuing their studies.

You may be like the people of Berea that the apostle visited, who 'searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.' (Acts 17 v 11)

To whichever group of people you belong, the purpose of God will still be fulfilled. Peter wrote that in the last days people would scoff at the idea of the return of Christ. Peter said that they mocked at the preaching of Noah, but when the appointed day came, the rain began. In the same way, whether people take notice or not, thus Peter records, 'The day of the Lord will come' (2 Peter 3 v 9-10)

A Special Message for You

The apostle concludes this letter by saying that, as you know this, 'What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?' (2 Peter 3 v 11)

This question must be left to each individual student to answer. We trust that you will

  'be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.' (2 Peter 3v14)

To get to know God's word properly we need to read the Bible for ourselves.

Study 18 Questions

These are for you to answer for yourself if you wish, or you can note the correct answer to each question and send via email to:  Bible Light Please give the number of the study that you are sending the answers for.

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