Bible about the Kingdom of God ~ Prose (Mysticism)

The Bible about the Kingdom of God. In the Semitic expression for the Kingdom of Heaven, “heaven” replaces the name of the God of the Jews (Luke 15:18). It is known from the Gospel of Matthew, in which it appears thirty-two times[2]. In other books of the New Testament, including also the Gospel of Matthew, it is conveyed by the expression Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Christ, or simply the word Kingdom[3]. Perhaps in the Gospels addressed to a pagan audience, a Semitic expression that would have been incomprehensible to them was deliberately replaced for missionary purposes.

63. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which, although smaller than all the seeds, when it grows, it is larger than all the grains and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and take refuge in its branches.” Mf. 13:31-32

She (Wisdom) guided the righteous man who fled from his brother’s wrath to the right path, showed him the Kingdom of God and gave him the knowledge of the saints, helped him in his sorrows and richly rewarded his labors” (Wisdom of Solomon, 10:10)

The Kingdom of God, Heavenly in the New Testament (the number at the beginning is the number of the event according to Brockhaus.)

20. “In those days John the Baptist comes and preaches in the wilderness of Judea, and says: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven ” (Matthew 3:1, )
28. “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God ” (John 3:5)
35. “From that time Jesus began to preach and say: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven ” (Matthew 4:17)
50. Sermon on the Mount. “Pray like this: Our Father who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come ; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9, )
50. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33)
54. “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and those who use force take it” (Matthew 11:12)
54.5. “For I say to you, of those born of women there is not one prophet greater than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28)
57. “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then of course the Kingdom of God .” Matthew 12.28
61. “Seek above all else the Kingdom of God , and all this will be added to you... Fear not, little flock! for it has been your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom ” (Luke 12:31, )
63. “ The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which, although smaller than all the seeds, when it grows, it is larger than all the grains and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and take refuge in its branches.” Mf. 13:31-32

33 years old.

86. “And he said to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power.” (Mark 9:1)
110. “The Law and the Prophets until John; from now on the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone enters into it with effort” (Luke 16:16)
113. “ The Kingdom of God in a noticeable way, and they will not say: behold, it is here, or: behold, there. For behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20)
120. “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter into it” (Mark 10:15)
120. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:25)
154. Judgment before Pilate “ My kingdom is not of this world... now my kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36)
“For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17)
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous the Kingdom of God ? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will the kingdom of God ” (1 Cor. 6:9)

MALACIA

Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals... - Will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Apostle Paul

Jesus Christ (Savior)

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you...

You have heard what was said to the ancients: “You shall not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye offends you, pluck it out and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members perish, rather than your whole body being cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell (Matthew 5:27-30).

Apostle Paul

Do not be deceived: neither fornicators... nor fools will inherit the Kingdom of God

Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

Saint Basil the Great

Of that which is forbidden or approved in the Scriptures, cumulatively and equally.

(1 Cor. 6:9-10): “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Saint John Chrysostom

(Conversations on Hebrews)

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God

“Try to have peace and holiness with everyone.” What does “holiness” mean? Chastity and abstinence in marriage. He who is celibate, he says, remain pure, or get married, and whoever is married, do not commit adultery, but be content with your wife, and this is holy. How so? It is not marriage that is sacred, but marriage preserves the sacredness that comes from faith, not allowing one to cleave to a harlot; marriage is “honest” but not holy (Heb. 13:4); marriage is pure, but it does not bring holiness, but only does not allow the holiness that comes from faith to be desecrated. “...Without which,” he says, “no one will see the Lord.” He says the same thing in his letter to the Corinthians: “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor fools, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” ( 1 Cor. 6:9,10). Indeed, how can one who has become one body with a harlot be the body of Christ? “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness arise and cause harm, and lest many become defiled by it; lest there be any fornicator or wicked man [among you]…” (v. 15:16). Do you see how he commands everyone everywhere to contribute to the common salvation? “...Train one another every day,” he says (in another place), “until you can say, ‘Today’” (Heb. 3:13).

Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Those who are not punished from passions always strive for the most shameful

So, in each of the evils, an inappropriate outburst from the limits of reason and the usual measure for many can be called a wild scab; In addition, we are deprived of any passion, whatever it may be, which always spreads in breadth and has a constant increase for the worse. But Divine law wants us to moderate and reduce the passions that arise in us. This is how you should understand when you hear the words: “If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, then do not leave your place, because meekness covers even greater offenses” (Eccl. 10:4); for unpunished passions always strive for the most shameful, enveloping the heart and mind and leading to complete destruction. Thus, we must curb depravity, so that our sobriety tames it by ascending to the better, and destroys it little by little. In addition, he calls, as I think, a half-man, one-man, from whom what is due to a perfect husband is cut off, for it is said: “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators nor fools will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). He calls them effeminate because they, having received the nature of a man, distort what is proper for a man, being effeminate in mind and body, and voluntarily breaking themselves into powerlessness and effeminacy. But, probably, one-yatr means something else. A man is usually called a strong, tightly built person who has enough strength to accomplish anything he decides to do. And by half-man one can rightly understand one who is not entirely strong and not entirely zealous in achieving what is appropriate: for it does not become for one who is dedicated to God to bring to Him a curtailed courage and a damaged strength and, as it were, to be partially weak, but to “take courage and be strong,” according to what is written (Ps. 26:14), having perfect and blameless zeal. So, undoubtedly, a priest who is guilty of vice cannot be a priest, however, he is not excluded from partaking of holy food, for it is said: “He may eat from holy things, but he must not come to the veil, and he must not approach the altar” (Lev. 21:22 -23). Those who are possessed by infirmities hidden within the soul can still partake of the blessings of Christ, although not in the same way as the saints, that is, as a gift of sanctification, in strengthening the mind and in motionless constancy in all the best, but as befits those who are ill, that is, in putting aside evil, in the cessation of sin, in the mortification of lusts and in the perception of spiritual health. Since Christ is a “new creation,” according to the Scriptures (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15): therefore we also receive Him into ourselves, through His holy Flesh and Blood, so that through Him and in Him we may be transformed into “ newness of life, putting off our former way of life, the old man, which is corrupted by the deceitful lusts,” according to what is written (Rom. 6:4; Eph. 4:22).

Venerable Barsanuphius and John the Prophet

Question. It happens that when I meet another person, I look at him passionately and feel hurt in my soul. When I need to talk to him, I can’t look at him, but through this I give him the idea that I despise him; and it happens to me that I close my eyes, unable to look at him, and grieve, not knowing what to do. Pray for me, master, and teach me the word of life and the medicine of your love for mankind.

Answer. Your love asked me about the fact that you happen to look passionately at what is coming: this obviously relates to battles from the devil; know that being carried away by the mind is its own suggestion. You must remember the decay and stench of our nature, how we will change when we are in the graves. But what should I tell you about decay? Shouldn't you rather imagine before your eyes the future Last Judgment of God? What will be the lot of those who do this? And how can you bear this great shame when our deeds are revealed before the Angels and Archangels, before all people and before the righteous Judge? And how then will the mouths of those who do these things be stopped? Let us fear Him who said: Do not be deceived: neither fornicators... nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals... will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10), and: anyone who looks at a woman with lust, etc., and: if the right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out (Matthew 5:28-29). You must remember this and not often visit those people towards whom you feel this abuse, but also do not reveal to them why you are moving away from them, so as not to give them reasons for different thoughts. And as soon as you need to talk with them, call on the holy name of God for help, saying: “Master Jesus! Cover me and help my weakness.” And do not be afraid: He will crush the bow of the enemies, for in His name evil becomes ineffective. Instead of saying a lot, say little and do not give freedom to your hearing and thoughts, but behave decently and without embarrassment, so that no one can notice what is happening. If through this you also receive strength, then do not be bold against your enemies, because they are shameless, and although they will be defeated thousands of times, they will begin to fight again. But God the Victorious helps the humility of man, for the sake of which He, of His own free will, wanted to be incarnate.

Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria
calls those upon whom shameful things are committed Malakia.
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?

Concludes the exhortation with a threat, strengthening the speech and asking them about a subject known to everyone.

Don't be fooled.

Here it alludes to those of the Corinthians who said that God loves mankind and will not punish, but will bring him into the Kingdom. Therefore he says: do not be deceived: for it is indeed obvious self-deception and delusion to expect all sorts of good things here, and then be executed there.

Nor fornicators.

He puts the one who has already been convicted in first place.
Neither idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakis.
Malachi names those over whom shameful things are committed, and then lists those who commit shameful things.

Neither homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Many people ask why he put drunkards and slanderers along with idolaters and those who commit indecent acts? Because Christ also declared the one guilty of Gehenna who says to his brother, “He’s a fool” (Matthew 5:22), and again because the Jews, from drunkenness, reached idolatry. Further, now we are talking not about punishment, but about deprivation of the Kingdom; All such sinners are equally deprived of the kingdom, and whether there will be a difference in their punishments is not the place to discuss this.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

Enemy trap. About malakia

God's mercy be with you!

I.I., the Lord has preserved you. God bless! And always trust that he will keep. But keep in mind the proverb: God protects those who are careful. And watch out!

What you wrote about must be stopped completely. Whoever is in the water and in danger of drowning should not extend his hand to another drowning person, otherwise they will both drown and one will drown the other. Leave the salvation and conversion of others to God. Just pray. Or better: pray harder one day and then forget it completely - and don’t bring it to mind. You rightly see this as a trap of the enemy, who is trying to plunge you into destruction again.

Another matter of yours, which, in your consciousness, makes you guilty before God, you seem to consider easy. Find and read the following passage in the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians: chapter 6, v. 9. What is called here: malakia, that is, your business. It deprives one of the kingdom. Therefore, there is a mortal sin. Prodigal passion is here in full force - and it is satisfied. Think about this. And put an end to this matter. It dries up and causes premature death. For others, it relaxes their abilities, suppresses sanity and energy, and sometimes causes insanity. Take care of yourself!

If you have decided to live properly, take care not to give way to lust!

You need to finish your studies, and take care of this.

God help you! Save yourself!

Your good friend E. Feofan.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like heaven on earth

The Kingdom of Heaven , understood as a paradise on earth that will be built in the future, is professed by the following religious and philosophical movements:

Judaism (beginning no later than the 8th century BC; see Messiah in Judaism and the messianic era);
Manichaeism (from the 3rd century on the territory of modern Iraq);
Paulicians (starting from the 7th century in Armenia);
Bogomils (from the 10th century in the Balkans);
chiliasm (starting with Joachim of Flora (XII century) and spiritualists of the XIII-XIV centuries);
Anabaptism (XVI century).
Jehovah witnesses.
Tolstoyans.
Communism according to Marx, etc.

Russian religious philosophers of the Silver Age at the beginning of the 20th century were also preachers of the idea: D. Merezhkovsky, Z. Gippius and others.

Commentary on 1 Corinthians 6:9

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Commentary on 1 Corinthians 6:9 / 1 Cor 6:9

1 Corinthians 6 verse 9 - synodal text:

Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals,

Feofan the Recluse (1815−1894)

Art. 9−10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not flatter yourselves: neither harlots, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor defilers, nor harlots, nor sodomites, nor covetous people, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor molesters, nor predators will inherit the kingdom of God.

The words: “or you don’t know, because the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God ,” refer to the previous one - to the conviction that those who are ready to offend refrain from offending, and so that, thus, no reason is given for litigation. Insults, or untruths, in everyday affairs, which give rise to litigation, may not seem so important in appearance; but since they come from disrespect for the truth, or a lack of love for the truth, and thereby expose a crooked conscience and depravity of the heart, then no matter how unimportant their subject may be, they make them unclean and unfit for the kingdom of God; for nothing unclean will enter there. Having finished this, the Apostle turns to denouncing sinful and passionate life in general.

Do not flatter yourself - do not be mistaken, do not be deceived, do not flatter yourself with empty hopes, as if sin is nothing. “Here the Apostle means some who said, as many now say: God is philanthropic and good, He does not take revenge for crimes, we have nothing to fear, He will never punish for any sin. Therefore, he says: do not flatter yourself . For it is extreme deception and delusion - hoping for something pleasant, receiving the opposite, and thinking about God in a way that they do not think about man. Therefore, the prophet speaks on behalf of God: you have repented of iniquity, for I will be like you: I will reprove you and bring your sins before your face (Ps. 49:21)” (St. Chrysostom). No matter how absurd such thoughts may be, yet all sinners always hold them. The enemy really stuffs it into their heads. Only when, by the grace of God, they begin to repent, they realize that they were deceived, and they clearly see that with God mercy is mercy, and righteousness is righteousness. He is infinitely good; but no less righteous. Therefore let us fear His fear.

Having opened the eyes of sinners, closed by flattery, the Apostle now lists them by generation, just as he did above when he expelled them from Christian society (5: 10-11). And he remembers all of them again, and adds new ones, either allowing us to assume that, besides these, the door to the kingdom will be open to other sinners, or making it clear that, like these, all other violators of the commandments will not be allowed to enter there.

Nor fornicators : wifeless, with husbandless harlots indulging in lust; nor idolaters , who, allowing themselves to eat things sacrificed to idols, fall into other indecencies associated with this; nor adulterers who violate the fidelity of the marital bed; neither defilers - this word is not in the original: it must be assumed that it was added to the incomprehensible following: malakia, - so as to read: nor defilers - malakia , by which it seems we must understand those who defile themselves with prodigal sweets, or hand-fornicators; nor sodomy , when a man has a man instead of a woman to satisfy fornication; nor the covetous , greedy for property in order to have more and more, without considering the means, such as: exorbitant growth, deception in trade, various tricks in turnover; They also include misers who, having a lot, do not use it themselves as they should, nor do they share it with others in need; neither tatie - thieves robbing houses, shops, churches, secretly, hiding mostly behind the darkness of the night; neither drunkards , not only those who are always drunk, or drink heavily, but also those who generally love drunken fun, in whatever form it may be composed - condemned as arbitrarily stupefying oneself by heating the blood and putting oneself in such a state, in which they are ready for anything; nor annoyances - scolding and pugnacious, scolders and scoffers, from whom no one lives or passes, this is both in a gross and in a subtle form; nor the predators who, like wild beasts, prowl along the roads and sit in secret places to attack and rob someone - robbers; This also includes those who empty their pockets and those who forcibly withhold some kind of payment. Two types of sins are listed - carnal lust in its most shameful forms, and covetousness with all its untruths. Of the sins of irritation and anger, there is only one - annoyance, which, however, can also come from a non-angerous desire to annoy others.

All such will not inherit the kingdom of God . And in a good society such people are intolerant, not only in the bright and pure kingdom of God. The Apostle puts forward this, probably because many of the believing Corinthians belonged to the lower class and were previously entangled in bad habits. The experience of an incestuous man has shown that in others a descent into previous affairs is also possible. That is why he writes to the entire Church: to expel such people from Christian society, and to threaten those who could fall again with hell. For nothing can sober up and turn away from the lures of habitual sin as much as the awareness of the danger of losing the kingdom and the perception of the fear of falling into Gehenna. That the Apostle’s real goal is to prevent is evident from what he says after this:

Source: First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul, interpreted by St. Theophan.

Ignatius the God-Bearer

Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals

Do not be deceived , my brothers! Corrupt houses will not inherit the Kingdom of God .

Source: Messages.

Ephraim the Syrian (~306−373)

Art. 9−10 Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Or don’t you know that covetous people and fornicators and all those who commit acts similar to these will not receive the kingdom of God into possession (inherit) ?

Source: Interpretation of the epistles of the divine Paul.

Theophylact of Bulgaria (~1078−~1107)

Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?

Concludes the exhortation with a threat, strengthening the speech and asking them about a subject known to everyone.

Don't be fooled

Here it alludes to those of the Corinthians who said that God loves mankind and will not punish, but will bring him into the Kingdom. Therefore he says: do not be deceived : for it is indeed obvious self-deception and delusion to expect all sorts of good things here, and then be executed.

Nor fornicators

He puts the one who has already been convicted in first place.

Neither idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakis

Malachi names those over whom shameful things are committed, and then lists those who commit shameful things.

Neither homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God

Many people ask why he put drunkards and slanderers along with idolaters and those who commit indecent acts? Because Christ also declared the one guilty of Gehenna who says to his brother: “He’s a fool” (Matthew 5:22), and again because the Jews, from drunkenness, reached idolatry. Further, now we are talking not about punishment, but about deprivation of the Kingdom; All such sinners are equally deprived of the kingdom, and whether there will be a difference in their punishments is not the place to discuss this.

Source: Commentary on the first letter to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul.

Ambrosiastes (IV century)

Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals

By saying this, Paul points out to them that they are not sinning out of ignorance, and that is why the punishment for them will be greater.

Source: On the Epistles to the Corinthians.

Origen (~185−~254)

Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals

Let no one make excuses: I was young, I was celibate, so before marriage I sinned fornication. Why didn't you get married?

Source: Fragments.

Lopukhin A.P. (1852−1904)

Regarding the Corinthians’ forgetting of their sacred duty - to love their brothers in faith, Ap. notes that in general among the Corinthians a frivolous attitude towards the obligations they had assumed to lead a pure and righteous life began to take hold. They began to imagine that their religious, spiritual gifts themselves could open the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven for them, no matter what their behavior was. No, says Ap., this cannot be! At the same time, he first lists five types of intemperance, and then five types of violation of other people's rights, both the right to property and the right to public respect (those who speak evil harm the honor of others, their good name).

Old Testament references to the New Jerusalem

In the Old Testament prophecies there are references to the heavenly city, literally called New (Young) Jerusalem, and analogies are drawn with the youth.
The description of the earthly city of Jerusalem as a place where the name of the Lord should dwell (1 Kings 8:29), and the pictures of the future Jerusalem (Isa. 2:2; Mic. 4:1; Zech.) corresponds to the image of the Heavenly Jerusalem, the city, contained at the end of the Bible a world where God's people will live forever with God (Rev. 21:3) and where there is no place for any wickedness (Rev. 21:8). The improvement of the world or its renewal is not the reason for the emergence of the Heavenly Jerusalem; only the disappearance of the former earth makes room for the Heavenly Jerusalem descending from God to the new earth (Rev. 3:12; Rev. 21:1). The desire to enter this city is incompatible with earthly desires; on the present earth, the citizens of the Heavenly City are strangers (1 Pet. 2:11; Heb. 12:22–24); here they are rootless, like Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness (Heb. 3:7 - 4:11), and therefore their goals must be consistent with eternity (Phil. 3:14; Col. 3:1, ; Heb. 13: 14). The citizens of Heavenly Jerusalem are the true descendants of Abraham, who looked forward to the city God had built as the promised inheritance and lived in the promised land as a stranger (Heb. 11:9). The Apostle Paul says that Abraham had two sons: one from the slave Hagar, born according to the flesh, into slavery of the law, the second from the free Sarah, born according to the promise. Paul emphasizes that “there is an allegory in this”: Hagar “corresponds to the Jerusalem that is now,” and “the Jerusalem that is on high... is the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:22–30). Only in connection with these New Testament sayings does the prophets’ foresight of a new earth (Is. 65:17) and the coming salvation of Jerusalem (Is. 66:10) acquire true meaning.

Of particular note is the vision described in the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel. The prophet receives a revelation about the city of the Lord, located around the restored Temple of the One God. The city will become the capital of the Messianic kingdom, the meeting place of the twelve tribes of Israel during the coming Messianic era. The name of the city is also named in the book - “Yahweh-Shama”[1] (Hebrew: יְהוָה שָׁמָּה‏‎; The Lord is there

; "shama" also means "obedient" [2]).

Who will really enter the Kingdom?

Daniel D. Corner

One can gain insight into this by studying the characteristics of the conqueror who inherits the kingdom as revealed in Scripture (Rev. 21:7). This is a person who walks straight along the path of life and faithfully perseveres to the end to receive salvation.

Dear reader, as you ponder the following, ask yourself: Do these verses about those who enter the kingdom apply to you?

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and slander you in every way unjustly because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: even so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:3-12).

“Not everyone who says to me: “Lord! God!" He who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter into the kingdom of heaven... Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them will be likened to a wise man, who built his house on the rock...” (Matthew 7:21,24).

“...And you will be hated by all because of My name; but he who endures to the end is saved” (Matthew 10:22).

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me." Then the righteous will answer Him: “Lord! when did we see you hungry and feed you? or to the thirsty and gave them something to drink? when did we see you as a stranger and accept you? or naked and clothed? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You?” And the King will answer them: “Truly I say to you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:34-40).

“He answered and said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 8:21).

"...And those who have done good will come forth into the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil into the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:29)'.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

“...To those who by continuance in good works seek glory, honor and immortality, eternal life...” (Rom. 2:7).

“But those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24).

“...He who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good; For in due season we will reap if we do not give up. Therefore, while we have time, let us do good to everyone, but especially to those who are of the family of faith” (Gal. 6:8-10).

“For we have become partakers of Christ, if only we hold fast the life we have begun to the end...” (Heb. 3:14).

“Listen, my beloved brethren: has not God chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him?” (James 2:5).

1 If the doctrine of once-and-for-all salvation were true, one would expect the following words: “Those who once believed will go into the resurrection of life, but those who never believed will go into the resurrection of condemnation.” But that's not what Jesus said at all. “And the world passes away, and so does its lust, but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).

“Do not be afraid of anything that you will have to endure. Behold, the devil will cast you from among you into prison to tempt you, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear (to hear), let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches: He who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death” (Rev. 2:10-11).

“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and did not love their own lives even to death” (Rev. 12:11).

“They will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them; for He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, and those who are with Him are called and chosen and faithful” (Rev. 17:14).

If you are not very familiar with these important verses, it is worth taking the time to meditate on them and maybe even memorize them.

Who will be thrown into eternal fire?

Strange as it may seem to many, Scripture nowhere says that only people who have never accepted the true faith will be thrown into eternal fire, as we are now being told:

“...The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom all temptations and the workers of iniquity, and will throw them into the fiery furnace; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth…” (Matt. 13:41-42).

“Then He will also say to those on the left side: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and you gave me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and they did not accept Me; I was naked, and they did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and you have not visited Me." Then they too will answer Him: “Lord! When did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve You?” Then he will answer them: “Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life” (Matthew 25:41-46).

“...And they that have done evil shall come forth into the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:29).

“Whoever does not abide in Me will be cast out like a branch and wither; and such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6).

“...And to those who persist and do not submit to the truth, but indulge in unrighteousness, there is rage and anger. Sorrow and distress to every soul of a person who does evil, first the Jew, then the Greek!” (Rom. 2:8-9).

“And it is already very humiliating for you that you have litigation among yourself. Why would you rather not remain offended? Why would you rather not endure hardship? But you yourself offend and take away, and from your brothers. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:7-10).

“The works of the flesh are known; they are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, quarrels, envy, anger, strife, disagreements, (temptations), heresies, hatred, murder, drunkenness, disorderly conduct and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do these things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).

“...He who sows to his flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:8).

“...For know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous man, who dwells in idols, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for for this reason the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience; Therefore, do not be their accomplices” (Eph. 5:5-7).

“But the part of the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, is in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. This is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

“And nothing unclean will enter into it, nor anyone who practices abomination and lies, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:27).

“And without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices iniquity” (Rev. 22:15).

Be resilient

In light of the spiritual goals before us, it is absolutely true to say: Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Instead of the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Think about Him who endured such reproach from sinners, so that you do not grow weary and weakened in your souls. You have not yet fought to the point of blood, striving against sin...” (Heb. 12:1-4). Unlike some, Paul kept the faith to the end (2 Tim. 4:7). Dear believer, you too not only can, but must, faithfully follow the instructions set forth in the Bible. (See the chapter on precautions to keep in mind.) Do not forget that a Christian can only reap eternal life if he sows to the Spirit (Gal. 6:8-10).

The text is especially important in this regard: “...Confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith and teaching that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

Take heart, dear believer, it is easier to stay on the path that leads to life than to take it - on the path that means the transition from death to life, from darkness to light. Ultimately, many will enter the kingdom (Heb. 11:12; Rev. 7:9-17), but we are not able to do this in our own strength. We must rely on God while fulfilling our responsibilities as taught in Scripture. Notice the result of this interaction shown in the text: “...For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live” (Rom. 8:13).

So, we must put to death the deeds of the flesh, but only the Spirit can do this. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His might” (Eph. 6:10).

Daniel D. Corner, Eternal Salvation Conditional on Faith

Protestant newspaper, ru

Fornicators and adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God - the problem of cohabitation in churches

Evan Lenow

istina.info

Many of us would like to believe that the church is immune to the growing trend of cohabitation (before marriage or instead of marriage). Unfortunately, this immoral practice is creeping into communities as fewer and fewer believers realize that cohabitation is a violation of biblical ethics between the sexes.

Scripture unequivocally condemns fornication (this word in the synodal translation most often means premarital sexual relations). Fornication and adultery are described as evil, as objects of God's wrath. Fornicators and adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God (Matt. 15:19; Acts 15:20, 29; 1 Cor. 6:9; Heb. 13:4).

In addition to being clear in Scripture against fornication, cohabitation also violates an important principle of biblical ethics: God ordained sexual relations between a man and a woman in Gen. 2 as a sign of the marriage covenant. Just as the rainbow serves as a visible reminder of God's covenant with Noah—that mankind would never be destroyed by a flood—the sexual relationship between husband and wife points to the exclusive, indissoluble unity of marriage. Marriage relationships imply such intimacy that in Gen. 2:24 says that men and women become “one flesh” in marriage.

Therefore, those who practice cohabitation participate in "pleasure" without a covenant commitment, a covenant commitment. And this is a direct violation of God's plan for marriage - the plan that He established back in Gen. 2, i.e. before the Fall.

How should we deal with the sin of cohabitation in churches? First, it should be remembered that cohabitation is not an unforgivable sin. After the list of sins recorded in 1 Cor. 6:9-10 - which says that fornicators and adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God - the Apostle Paul emphasizes: “And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11).

It is necessary to work with those Christian couples who cohabit. It is important to lead them to awareness of their sin, confession and repentance. Ideally, such repentance should take place publicly in church. There is no need, of course, to spoil the solemn atmosphere of the service by “airing dirty linen,” but those who knew about this sin, who are among the circle of acquaintances of the sinning couple, should know about the confession of this sin. Most often, all members of the church know about this sin, so it would be more correct to repent at a membership meeting. It is important to remember that the sin of one couple can have a devastating effect on the entire body of a local church.

Secondly, we need to help these couples separate so that they leave their sinful lifestyle. Many couples practice cohabitation as a kind of “test” - are they suitable for each other, can they live a family life? However, such “trials” only lead to sad consequences. If a cohabiting couple intends to get married, one of them needs to be convinced to change their place of residence. There will be nothing wrong if a woman, for example, lives for several months with her parents or a man with his friends. If the couple refuses this temporary separation, then their repentance becomes meaningless and it becomes obvious that they do not want to glorify the Lord with their marriage.

We cannot turn a blind eye to the problem of cohabitation in churches. The biblical covenant of marriage is too important an institution of God for us to accept the world's view of it: pleasure without commitment or commitment.

gazetaprotestant.ru