Kingdom Principles
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Composed of the following:
*
An Illustration of the Kingdom of God, here on earth, would be the United
States Embassy in a foreign land. The Embassy is considered a piece of
America, governed by America in a different country. At this present time;
God’s Kingdom here on earth is a spiritual one; where he reigns in the
hearts and lives of those that have accepted his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ
as their Savior and are submitting to his Lordship.
As Christians. we can be likened to
the U.S. Embassy: we are governed by God, but we live in a world that as a
whole, is in spiritual darkness; where Satan still rules in the hearts and
lives of unbelievers. The good news is that Jesus Christ made it possible to
escape from Satan’s grasp and to enter the Kingdom of God, by translation at
the new birth.
As Ambassadors,
this is the message that we proclaim to the citizens of this lost world.
While on earth, Jesus Christ exercised the authority of God’s Kingdom, as
can be seen in the casting out of demons, healing the sick, raising the dead
and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom.
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1. The Kingdom
preached
MATTHEW 3:1-2 In
those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2. And saying, Repent
ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
MATTHEW 4:17 From
that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand.
2. The Kingdom has
come
MATTHEW 12:28 But if
I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto
you.
3. The
Kingdom within you
LUKE 17:21 Neither
shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is
within you.
4. Kingdom
characteristics
ROMANS 14:17 For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy
in the Holy Ghost.
5. The
beginning of Satan’s end
JOHN 12:31 Now is
the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
JOHN 16:11 Of
judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
6. Some
mysteries of the Kingdom
MATTHEW 13:11 He
answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
* Many of the
Mysteries that were hidden in the scriptures, have been divinely revealed
with the
first coming of Jesus Christ, such as....
1.
The mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, in
parables. ( Matthew 13:3-50 )
2. The mystery of
Israel’s blindness. ( Romans ch.11 )
3. The mystery of the church,
as one body, composed of Jews and Gentiles
( Ephesians
3:1-12, 6:19 Colossians 4:3 )
4. The
mystery of the church, as the bride of Christ. ( Ephesians 5:21-32 )
5. The
mystery of the divinity of Jesus Christ. ( John 1:1-3, vs.14 )
6. The mystery of
the translation of the church. ( 1 Corinthians 15:51-52,
1 Thessalonians
4:13-17 )
7. The mystery of the first
coming of Christ, one of suffering. ( 1 Peter 1:11,
Mark 8:31,
Isaiah 53:3 )
8.
The mystery of the 2nd. coming of Christ. (
Revelation 1:7, 19:11, vs.12-16 )
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The King
* Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promise that God gave to king
David; that from David’s own body, God would raise up a king; whose throne
and rule would be forever
( 2 Samuel 7:8-17 ).
This promise will be fulfilled at the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The
establishing of the kingdom, by the King, can be viewed in three stages.
1. The King came and announced the kingdom but was rejected. (
Matthew 21:42-43 )
2.
The King declares the spiritual kingdom within us by
his indwelling presence. (
Luke 17:21, John 14:21-23 )
3.
The King, at his 2nd. coming, will restore the Davidic Monarchy in himself,
re-gather
the nation of Israel
and rule the
whole earth for 1000
years. ( Matthew 24:27-30
Acts 15:14-17,
Revelation 20:1-10 )
A. The King
Foretold
2 SAMUEL 7:12 And
when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will
set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I
will establish his kingdom.
ISAIAH 9:6-7 For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be
upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The
mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7. Of the increase of
his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David,
and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and
with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts
will perform this.
B. The King’s
birth Announced
LUKE 1:30-33 And the
angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31. And, behold, thou
shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name
Jesus.
32. He shall be
great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne of his father David:
33. And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no
end.
LUKE 2:8-11 And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night.
9. And, lo, the angel
of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about
them: and they were sore afraid.
10. And the angel
said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all people.
11. For unto you is
born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
C. The Kings
Genealogy
MATTHEW 1:1 The book
of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham... (
Luke 3:23-38 )
D. The Kings
Fulfillment of Prophesies
MICAH 5:2 But thou,
Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet
out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
ISAIAH 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
JEREMIAH 31:15 Thus
saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping;
Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children,
because they were not.
ZECHARIAH 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:
behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly,
and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
E. The King’s
Ministry
LUKE 19:10 For the
Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
MATTHEW 1:21 And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall
save his people from their sins.
MARK 10:45 For even
the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give
his life a ransom for many.
LUKE 4:18-19 The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at
liberty them that are bruised,
19. To preach the
acceptable year of the Lord.
ACTS 10:38 How God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went
about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God
was with him.
HEBREWS 2:14-15
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15. And deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
F. The King’s
Rejection
1. His Home Town
Mark 6:3 Is not
this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of
Juda, and Simon? and are
not his sisters here
with us? And they were offended at him.
Luke 4:28-29 And
all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with
wrath,
29. And rose up,
and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill
whereon their city was built, that they
might cast him down
headlong.
2. Priests and Rulers
LUKE 23:18 And they
cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us
Barabbas:
3. The Jewish Nation
JOHN 1:11 He came
unto his own, and his own received him not.
G. The King’s
Death
MARK 15:24-26 And
when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon
them, what every man should take.
25. And it was the
third hour, and they crucified him.
26. And the
superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
MARK 15:45-46 And
when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
46. And he bought
fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in
a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door
of the sepulchre.
H. The King’s
Resurrection
MATTHEW 16:21 From
that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go
unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
ACTS 3:15 And killed
the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are
witnesses.
ACTS 4:33 And with
great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus:
and great grace was upon them all.
PSALMS 16:10 For
thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One
to see corruption.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:4
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to
the scriptures:
I. The Kings
Ascension
MARK 16:19 So then
after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat
on the right hand of God.
ACTS 1:9 And when he
had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud
received him out of their sight.
HEBREWS 9:24 For
Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the
figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence
of God for us:
J. The Kings
Return
ACTS 1:11 Which also
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner
as ye have seen him go into heaven.
LUKE 21:27 And then
shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
MATTHEW 24:36 But of
that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my
Father only.
1 THESSALONIANS 4:16
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:
17. Then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to
meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
REVELATION 1:7
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also
which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.
Even so, Amen.
REVELATION 19:11-14
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon
him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and
make war.
12. His eyes were as
a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name
written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13. And he was
clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of
God.
14. And the armies
which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean.
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The King's Authority
* Jesus Christ has been seated at the right hand of God the Father and given
all authority over all powers and principalities, in
heaven and in earth.
He is Lord and is Head of the church.
MATTHEW 28:18 And
Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth.
REVELATION 1:18 I am
he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death.
HEBREWS 2:14-15
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15. And deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
1 PETER 3:22 Who is
gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities
and powers being made subject unto him.
COLOSSIANS 2:15 And
having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it.
EPHESIANS 1:21-23
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come:
22. And hath put all
things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the
church,
23. Which is his
body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.
PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is
above every name:
10. That at the name
of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
11. And that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.
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The People of the Kingdom
*
The spiritual Kingdom of God here on earth consists of the universal church,
called the body of Christ, which is made up of all born again believers,
from all over the world. We are the family of God, his children by faith in
Jesus Christ, called sons and daughters, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
A. His children
ROMANS 8:16 The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God:
GALATIANS 3:26 For
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
GALATIANS 4:6 And
because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
PHILIPPIANS 2:15
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in
the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in
the world;
1 JOHN 3:1-2 Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew
him not.
2. Beloved, now are
we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know
that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he
is.
2 CORINTHIANS 6:17-18
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18. And will be a
Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty.
B. Heirs of God
ROMANS 8:17 And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
GALATIANS 3:29 And
if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise.
TITUS 3:7 That being
justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of
eternal life.
1 PETER 1:4 To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for you,
C. Blessed
EPHESIANS 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
* It’s never
wrong to speak about yourself, in light of God’s word; but just saying what
God’s word says, doesn’t necessarily bring the blessing into a Christians
life. There are certain principles that must be in operation, such as
prayer, faith, and love, to name a few.
The Bible says to seek ye first the
kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto
you ( Matthew 6:33 ). The things of God must be first, in ones life. The
blessings are in Christ, in other words; everything that God did and
accomplish in Jesus Christ, was for our benefit.
a.
Some of the blessings in the book of Ephesians
1.
adoption as children 1:5
2.
accepted in the beloved 1:6
3.
redemption through his blood 1:7
4.
sealed with the Holy Ghost 1:13
5.
seated in heavenly places 2:6
6.
by grace we are saved through faith 2:8-9
7.
brought close to God by the blood of Jesus Christ 2:13
8.
one family in Christ 2:15-19
9.
un-searchable riches of Christ 3:8
10.
armor of God 6:11-18
B. Delivered from
the fear of death
HEBREWS 2:14-15
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took
part of the same; that
through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the
devil;
15. And deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
C.
At death, Christians go to heaven
2 CORINTHIANS
5:1-2, 6-8 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved, we have a
building of God, an
house not made with
hands, eternal in the
heavens.
2. For in this
we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from
heaven:
6. Therefore we
are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we
are absent from the Lord:
7. (For we walk
by faith, not by sight:)
8. We are
confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be
present with the Lord.
PHILIPPIANS
1:21-22 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22. But if I
live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I
wot not.
23. For I am in
a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ;
which is far better:
24.
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
LUKE 23:43 And
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in
paradise.
D. The resurrection of our bodies
1 CORINTHIANS
15:51-53 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed,
52. In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we
shall be changed.
53. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality.
1 THESSALONIANS
4:16. 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: ( see 4:13-18 )
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Entrance into the Kingdom
A.
By the New Birth
JOHN 3:3-5 Jesus
answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4. Nicodemus saith
unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time
into his mother's womb, and be born?
5. Jesus answered,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
* For God to reign in
the heart of man, a change must take place in man’s heart. The
change takes
place when a person hears the gospel, repents of their sins and accepts
Jesus Christ as their Savior. It’s not turning over a new leaf, doing good
works, going to church, or any such thing: man is lost in sin; his heart (
spirit ) is corrupt in nature and therefore he cannot save himself, by his
own efforts. The good news is that God sent his Son Jesus Christ, to save
us.
EZEKIEL 36:26 A new
heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I
will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an
heart of flesh.
TITUS 3:5 Not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he
saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
1 CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
B. By translation
COLOSSIANS 1:13 Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son:
Upon receiving Christ
into our hearts and lives, we are translated into the Kingdom of
God;
Jesus Christ is the head of the church and we are citizens of his Kingdom.
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Some Principles of the Kingdom
1.
Love
A. Love is the
greatest Commandment
MATTHEW 22:37-39
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38. This is the first
and great commandment.
39. And the second is
like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
1.
Loving God
John 14:15, 21,24
Vs.15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
21. He that hath my
commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth
me shall be loved of my
Father, and I will
love him, and will manifest myself to him.
24. He that loveth
me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but
the Father's which sent me.
2.
Loving people
John 13:35 By this
shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 15:12 This is
my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
1 John 3:11,14,16-18
Vs.11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another.
14. We know that we
have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that
loveth not his brother
abideth in death.
16. Hereby perceive
we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to
lay down our lives for the
brethren.
17. But whoso hath
this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his
bowels of compassion from
him, how dwelleth the
love of God in him?
18. My little
children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in
truth.
3.
Love your enemies
Matthew 5:44-46
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
to them that hate you, and
pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45. That ye may be
the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to
rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on
the just and on the unjust.
46. For if ye love
them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the
same?
Proverbs 25:21 If
thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him
water to drink:
4.
The excellence of Love
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is
not proud.
5. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of
wrongs.
6. Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7. It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8. Love never
fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are
tongues, they will be stilled; where
there is knowledge, it
will pass away. (NIV)
5.
Love is the Royal Law
Romans 13:8-10 Owe
no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath
fulfilled the law.
9. For this, Thou
shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou
shalt not bear false witness, Thou
shalt not covet; and
if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this
saying, namely, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as
thyself.
10. Love worketh no
ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
6. God gave us his Love
Romans 5:5 And
hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto
us.
2. FAITH
* As a child of God
and a citizen of his Kingdom; the Lord teaches us not to worry about the
things of this life, but to trust in God; who as our Father will meet our
need, as we seek him and his Kingdom ( Matthew 6:33-34 ). This involves the
subject of faith, which has many facets to it.
A. Faith as
trusting in Jesus for salvation
John 3:16 For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not
perish, but have
everlasting life.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
9. Not of works,
lest any man should boast.
B. By faith in
Jesus we are justified
Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ:
C. By faith in
Jesus, His righteousness is ours
Romans 3:21-22 But
now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed
by the law and the
prophets;
22. Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all
them that believe: for there is no
difference:
Romans 4:3 For
what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him
for righteousness.
Philippians 3:9
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the
faith of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith:
D. Faith comes by
hearing God’s word
Romans 1:16 For I
am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 10:17 So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
E. A definition of
faith
Hebrews 11:1 Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
F. Living by
faith, a way of life
Hebrews 10:38 Now
the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have
no pleasure in him.
Romans 1:17 For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is
written, The just shall live by faith.
G. Faith pleases
God
Hebrews 11:6 But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
H. Walk by faith
2 Corinthians 5:7
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
I. Two types of
faith contrasted
1. Abraham’s faith
Romans 4:17-20
Vs.20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was
strong in faith, giving glory
to God;
2.
Thomas’s faith
John 20:24-29
Vs.29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast
believed: blessed are they
that have not seen,
and yet have believed.
3. FORGIVING
A. God’s
forgiveness for salvation
1. Based on the blood of Christ
Matthew 26:28
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the
remission of sins.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his
grace;
2. Based on man’s Repentance
Acts 2:38 Then
Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
3. Based on faith in Christ
Acts 10:43 To
him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth
in him shall receive remission
of sins.
B. God’s
forgiveness of a Christian’s sins
1.
Based on confessing our sins
1 John 1:9 If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2.
Based on our Advocate, Jesus Christ
1 John 2:1-2 My
little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous:
2. And he is the
propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of
the whole world.
3. Based on our forgiving others
Matthew 6:14-15
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you:
15. But if ye
forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses.
C. Forgiving
others
1.
How often?
Luke 17:3-4
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him;
and if he repent, forgive him.
4. And if he
trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn
again to thee, saying, I repent; thou
shalt forgive him.
Matthew 18: 21-35
Vs.21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother
sin against me, and I
forgive him? till
seven times?
22. Jesus saith
unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times
seven.
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even
as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you.
Colossians 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a
quarrel against any: even as Christ
forgave you, so also
do ye.
D. Examples of
forgiving
1.
Jesus forgiving his tormenters
Luke 23:34 Then
said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they
parted his raiment, and
cast lots.
2.
Steven asking God to forgive his murderers
Acts 7:59-60
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit.
60. And he
kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge. And when he had said this,
he fell asleep.
4. JUDGING
The Principle of:
MATTHEW 7:1-3 Judge
not, that ye be not judged.
2. For with what
judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it
shall be measured to you again.
3. And why beholdest
thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam
that is in thine own eye?
The judgment Jesus is
talking about in the above scripture, is one that comes from a
self-righteous attitude, this kind of judgment only tears down, it never
builds up. Christians are not to pass an unrighteous judgment, based on
outward appearances. From time to time, the leaders in the church may have
to discipline a member, based on a righteous judgment, for the good of the
church.
1. Outward
appearances
In 1 Samuel ch.16, Samuel is sent to the household of Jesse, to anoint the
next king of Israel; when Samuel sees Eliab, he thinks surely this must be
God’s choice, based on Eliab’s appearance but God says in Vs.7 “ look not on
his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused
him: for the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward
appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart”.
2.
Righteous judgment within the church
1 CORINTHIANS 5:3-5
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged
already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this
deed,
4. In the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the
power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5. To deliver such an
one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be
saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 CORINTHIANS 6: 1-4
Vs.2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the
world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3.
Unrighteous judgment
ROMANS 14:13 Let us
not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man
put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
1 CORINTHIANS 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both
will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest
the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
4. The example of
Jesus
JOHN 8:3-11 And the
scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when
they had set her in the midst,
4. They say unto him,
Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5. Now Moses in the
law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6. This they said,
tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down,
and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7. So when they
continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is
without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8. And again he
stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9. And they which
heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one,
beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and
the woman standing in the midst.
10. When Jesus had
lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman,
where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11. She said, No man,
Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no
more.
HOSEA 6:6 For I
desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt
offerings.
5. PRAYER
The Principle of:
JAMES 5:16....The
effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
1.
For Answered prayer
1 JOHN 5:14-15 And
this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing
according to his will, he heareth
us:
15. And if we know
that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that
we desired of him.
1 JOHN 3:22 And
whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that
are pleasing in his
sight.
JOHN 14:13 And
whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son.
JOHN 15:7 If ye
abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye
will, and it shall be done unto you.
MARK 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray,
believe that ye receive them, and ye
shall have them.
2 CHRONICLES 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and
pray, and seek my face,
and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and
will heal their land.
2. Some answered
prayers
Of Moses Exodus
15:24-25
Of Hannah 1 Samuel
1:27
Of Solomon 1 Kings
9:3
Of Elijah 1 Kings
18:37-38
Of Jehoshaphat 2
Chronicles
3. Prayer of
agreement
MATTHEW 18:19 Again
I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any
thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is
in heaven.
ACTS 4:24 And when
they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and
said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea,
and all that in them is:
4. Intercessory
prayer
1 TIMOTHY 2:1-21 I
exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2. For kings, and for
all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and honesty.
Examples of
Intercession
Abraham of Sodom,
for Lot’s sake - Genesis ch.18
Moses for Israel -
Exodus 32:32 Numbers 14:17 Deuteronomy 9:26
Samuel for Israel -
1 Samuel 7:5
David for Israel -
1 Chronicles 21:17
5. Hindrances to
prayer
1 PETER 3:7
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving
honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together
of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
JAMES 1:6-7 But let
him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of
the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7. For let not that
man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
JAMES 4:2-3 Ye lust,
and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and
war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3. Ye ask, and
receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
6. GIVING
The Principle of:
LUKE 6:38 Give, and
it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together,
and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure
that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you
Giving is an attitude of the heart, that is willing to give not only
material possessions but ones very life for the purpose and cause of the
Lord Jesus.
1. The Promise of
the Lord
MATTHEW 19:29 And
every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an
hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
2. Giving to the
poor
PROVERBS 11:25 The
liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also
himself.
PROVERBS 22:9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth
of his bread to the poor.
PROVERBS 28:27 He
that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall
have many a curse.
3. Giving to the
Christian brethren
2 CORINTHIANS 8:14-15
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply
for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your
want: that
there may be equality:
15. As it is written,
He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little
had no lack.
ACTS 4:34-35 Neither
was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of
lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were
sold,
35. And laid them
down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man
according as he had need.
4. Giving to God
PROVERBS 3:9-10 Honour
the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine
increase:
10. So shall thy
barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
MALACHI3:10-11 Bring
ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,
and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you
the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it.
11. And I will rebuke
the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your
ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field,
saith the Lord of hosts.
5. Giving without
show
MATTHEW 6:3-4 But
when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4. That thine alms
may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward
thee openly.
ROMANS 12:8 Or he
that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with
simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with
cheerfulness.
6. General
scriptures concerning giving
MATTHEW 5:42 Give to
him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou
away.
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-7
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and
he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7. Every man
according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or
of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
7. Warnings about
greed
1 TIMOTHY 6:10 For
the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after,
they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
LUKE 12:33 Sell that
ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a
treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth,
neither moth corrupteth.
(
See Matthew 6:19-34 Luke 12:15-21 parable of the rich man )
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The Future Kingdom
The
future Kingdom of God will begin with the return of the King himself; His
Royal Majesty, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord will return in great glory
and power and will establish his rule from the throne of David, over all the
nations of the earth. His reign will last for 1000 years; which at the end,
he will turn it over to God the Father.
1. His glorious
return
REVELATION 19:11-16
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon
him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and
make war.
12. His eyes were as
a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name
written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is
called The Word of God.
14. And the armies
which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean.
15. And out of his
mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he
shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16. And he hath on
his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS.
MATTHEW 24:30-31 And
then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all
the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in
the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31. And he shall send
his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together
his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
2. An order of
events at his return
A. Translation ( Rapture ) of all God’s people to meet the Lord
in the air.
( 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 )
B.
Judgment seat of Christ, for the church. ( 2 Corinthians 15:10, 1
Corinthians
3:11-15, 2
Timothy 4:8 )
C.
Armageddon ( Christ defeats the anti-christ, false prophet and their
armies.
Zechariah
12:1-9, Revelation 19:17-21 )
D.
Satan bound for 1000 years ( Revelation 20:1-3 )
E.
Israel’s Conversion ( Zechariah 12:10-14 14:4-8 )
F. The judgment of the nations, as to how they treated the Jews
( Zechariah 14:1-9
Matthew
25:31-46 )
G.
The 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ ( Revelation 20:4-6 )
H.
At the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ
1. Satan’s revolt and final doom ( Revelation 20:7-10 )
2. The Great White Throne
Judgment ( Revelation 20:11-15 )
3. Fire of God purges Heaven and Earth for the Eternal Kingdom
( 2 Peter
3:10-12
4. New Heavens and New Earth ( 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1
)
3. His throne and
reign
A. His Throne
LUKE 1:31-33 And,
behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt
call his name Jesus.
32. He shall be
great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne of his father David:
33. And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no
end.
ACTS 2:25-35 Vs.30
Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God has sworn with an oath to
him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise
up Christ to sit on his throne;
B. His Reign
REVELATION 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such
the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
ISAIAH 9:6-7 For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be
upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The
mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7. Of the increase of
his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David,
and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and
with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts
will
perform this.
( See Isaiah 11:1-10 )
JEREMIAH 23:5
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a
righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute
judgment and justice in the earth.
4. Christ
delivers the Rule to God the Father
1 CORINTHIANS 15:24
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.
5. God Purges
Heaven and Earth
2 PETER 3:10-12 But
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned
up.
11. Seeing then that
all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be
in all holy conversation and godliness,
12. Looking for and
hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
6. New Heaven
and New Earth
REVELATION 21:1 And
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth
were passed away; and there was no more sea.
7. The Holy
City new Jerusalem
REVELATION 21:2, 9-27
Vs.2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out
of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
8. The Tree of
Life
REVELATION 22:1-5
Vs.2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river,
was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded
her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of
the nations.
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In Christ's Service
E.L. Davis
biblestudycourses@yahoo.com
http://foundationbiblestudy.tripod.com
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