Kingdom Truth: Volume Twelve

The meaning of "the just shall live by faith" has been misunderstood since the time of the Protestant Reformers. As a result, the testimony of the Church has been weakened. Agreement with doctrinal statements has been emphasized at the expense of righteous behavior. True faith is an active relationship with God that governs at all times what we are and what we do. Faith is not merely a belief in theological facts. The grace of God that brings salvation always produces righteous behavior.
The nations of the earth have suffered from injustice throughout the history of the world. Numerous people of today own millions of dollars. Other multitudes, including children, are starving to death. Whatever excuses we may wish to offer, the real reason for the disparity is sin.
If the Father in Heaven knows of the sparrow that falls to the ground, how must He feel about the child starving to death from protein deficiency or living in a rat-infested slum? Educated Christian people know of the existing horrors of injustice. Now it is time for us to awaken to the plan of God that will bring justice to the nations and to the role we are to play.
The Kingdom that is at hand, the Kingdom we await with such great joy, is the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom from Heaven. It is the Kingdom of God because God is the supreme Ruler of it. It is the Kingdom of Heaven because Heaven is the throne of God, although one day the throne of God will come to rest on the new earth in the new Jerusalem.
Some believe that the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are two separate kingdoms. It seems obvious to us that such is not the case, for three reasons: (1) the same parables to which Matthew refers as parables of the Kingdom of Heaven are referred to by the other writers as parables of the Kingdom of God; (2) there is no evidence that either John or Jesus preached about two different kingdoms, speaking part of the time about the Kingdom of Heaven and the remainder of the time about the Kingdom of God; and (3) the Prophets of Israel announced the coming of but one Kingdom.
Life on earth is a time of testing. It is a probationary period. What is the purpose of the troubles we experience continuously in the world? These pains and dreads discipline us; they teach us obedience to the Father; they drive out of us the love of the world. Obedience! We learn obedience to God through the things we suffer. As was true of the Apostle Paul, when we are faithful in our prisons and sufferings other people are blessed.
We Christians suffer many tribulations and pains throughout our discipleship. It is a comfort to know that when we are serving the Lord diligently our troubles are not chance occurrences or pointless harassments but are the disciplining hand of the Lord
There is a difference between eternal life and immortality. Immortality refers to endless life in the body. Eternal life speaks of a quality of life lived in the Presence of God. Life lived in the Presence of God always results in noticeable changes in the kind of person we are, in the manner in which we live.