By Jim Mettenbrink
We have reviewed the radical change over the past 100 years, especially the last 50, degrading from a God-fearing nation to one whose religion is Secular Humanism, that declares each person as his own god, making and changing his own rules as he desires. That such exists marks the decline of the nation and eventually consigned to the dust bin of history. Sadly most folks today do not realize that what they surmise is normal, is the work of Satan. The question is “Will people become tired of drowning in such spiritual misery and return to God and His way ONLY?”
For centuries, many have tried to discredit the Bible, thereby also Jesus as God’s manifested love by donning flesh as a human being in order to satisfy God’s demand of humanity and to make eternal life available to each person. These Satanic attacks have caused the billions to be lost eternally, however God’s word stands firm. This past year, we considered Jesus’ announcement that He would establish a kingdom. The record by Mark begins with Jesus declaring the gospel (good news) of the new kingdom was coming soon (Mark 1:15). Matthew noted that Jesus opened His ministry admonishing the Jews, to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Mat 3:2; 4:17). Obviously the “kingdom of heaven” (only in Matthew) was Jesus’ focus, referring to it 32 times.
In a meeting with His disciples, Jesus said to apostle Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Mat 16:19). “Keys” indicate Jesus is the origin and has Divine control (e.g. He has ultimate control of Hades and death – the power over the grave –“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” [Revelation 1:18]). “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). His power is declared as the Bible closes – “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:13-15). Jesus has key to end death and resurrect people to life eternal (John 10:28). All of the above, explains what Jesus said shortly before ascending into heaven, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Mat 28:18).
Having ones name in the book of life, begins by being a citizen of Jesus’ kingdom. How? And did Peter open the kingdom of heaven? Next!