Dear reader, please have your bible to hand as we proceed; the AKJV is our translation of choice.
God’s ultimate purpose is to establish a kingdom for his Son Jesus Christ and a regenerated people.
Our starting point
“… in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2.44).
Jesus Christ’s preaching and teaching is exclusively about God’s kingdom. For example, his guide to prayer highlights the coming of the kingdom, and he primarily calls sinners to repentance in anticipation of the kingdom. So, let us first look briefly at the problem of sin and degeneration.
Degeneration (sin and death)
Adam transgressed God’s law and thus set the law of sin and death in motion, not only in himself, but also in his generations. The pattern of sin seen in the generations since Adam signifies loss of sonship to God. Further, the certain outcome of sin is death, that is, the eternal damnation of the body and the soul in hell. However, God’s intervention through his Son, Jesus Christ, whom he sent to call sinners to repent and be saved by the remission of sins, means the degenerate soul can be transformed.
Regeneration (restoration of sonship)
Jesus taught that the human soul must be reborn in order for anyone to perceive and enter the kingdom of God; the process of regeneration is possible only by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3.3, 5). Once spiritual rebirth takes place the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which sets us free from the law of sin and death begins to operate, signifying God’s work of restoration of sonship (Romans 8.14). This reflects the purpose of God to conform man to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Steps towards the new birth
Whoever desires life in Christ must complete the following actions. First, believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died for the sins of humanity, and that he was raised from the dead by God the Father. Second, repent (have a change of mind) from dead works (actions that fail to meet God’s standard) on the basis of these truths. Third, be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Fourth, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. When these actions are carried out sincerely, one will experience a rebirth of the soul, that is, a mind and heart governed by the Holy Spirit.
Growth and Progress
The newborn soul thrives on the sincere milk of God’s word (1 Peter 2.2). Sincere milk means sound doctrine, that is, firstly, the instruction of Jesus Christ, secondly, the instruction of his apostles. Any other instruction is self-evidently detrimental to the necessary attainment of “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13), which is the complete work of regeneration.
Final words
The expectation of God’s kingdom is critical to our preparedness for the diverse and often perplexing challenges we face as sincere Christians in a 21st century world. In this regard, Christ exhorts us to “strive to enter [the kingdom] in at the strait gate: for many,…, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13.24). Only those who respond to his call and remain faithful to him will be with Christ at the coming of his kingdom.
