The Kingdom of God's dear Son

We are now in the Spiritual Kingdom of God's dear Son Jesus Christ!

Colossians 1:12-13 (KJV)

12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

The Father has made us fit (meet) to be inheritors of the saints. When we became born again we were delivered from darkness by the Father and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son. Note the term of endearment used in relation to the Father and Son. This can only be understood to describe a bond between a real Father-Son relationship.

Also, we see a beautiful truth that as Christians we are now (present tense) in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. The word translated in the greek is rendered "methistemi" (Strongs 3179) and means "to transpose, transfer, remove from one place to another".

We were once subjects of satan's kingdom, even if just nominal subjects, however the Son of God bound and spoiled the strong man's house by defeating death. The Father then called us who are saints out of satan's kingdom of darkness into the marvelous light of His dear Son's Kingdom.

 Matthew 12:28-30 (KJV)

28But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.29Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.30He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

The above verse notes how Jehoshua Messiah bound satan and brought Jehovah's Kingdom at His first advent.

Revelation 1:18 (KJV)

18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Risen from the dead, the Messiah had authority over the forces of death.

Revelation 5:5 (KJV)

5And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Here we see that Jehoshua has conquered the world (prevailed, which is the same word as overcome). The greek word for prevailed and overcome is "nikao" (Strongs 3528) and means "overcome, conquer, prevail, to get the victory, to carry off the victory".

John 16:33 (KJV)

33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Jehoshua overcame the world as he obediently went to the cross and died for our transgressions, and then was  raised up the third day by the Father and ascended to heaven 40 days later where he cast out satan and the fallen angels.

Revelation 12:7-9 (KJV)

7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The immediate context of this passage is the ascension of the Messiah and His enthronement on the right hand of the Majesty on high. The Son of God now reigns as King of His Church on earth. The Church on earth is the Spiritual Kingdom of Jehoshua Messiah. We await entrance the physical Kingdom of God and Messiah however we are now in their Spiritual Kingdom.

The war of the angels shows the effect of the Son of God's exaltation upon satan and his forces. Jehoshua's atoning death redeemed His people from sin and His presence in heaven answers all charges against them.

Romans 8:33-34 (KJV)

33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

The Messiah's intercession for us as High Priest blots out our transgressions done after the cross. Jehoshua's death and resurrection and ascension gave Him the legal right to be our High Preist. Satan's accusations are now baseless against the elect as it is Jehovah God that justifieth us.

1John Chapter 2

1My 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:

We are exhorted by John not to sin and he also reminds us that if we do sin that we have the Son of God as advocate with the Father.

John 12 :31 (KJV)

31Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.33This he said, signifying what death he should die.

The death, resurrection and ascension of Christ facilitated the casting out of satan from heaven. Christ resurrection spoiled satan of subjects for his kingdom as it was Christ's resurrection that drew all men to Himself as the Father called those who He predestined to be delivered from darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son. Remember, before the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, the gospel went out primarily to the lost sheep of Israel however it was long after the ascension of Christ that the gospel went out to the uttermost parts of the earth.

John 16:7-11 (KJV)

7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:9Of sin, because they believe not on me;10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

The last verse is what I want to highlight, "of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged". Do you see this beautiful truth, satan has already been judged. Although satan may be the god of this world, our God is Jehoshua and we are now loyal subjects of His Kingdom. Satan has been judged unfit and his sentence to death in the Lake of Fire is sure.

Revelation 2:7 (KJV)

.7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The Son of God exhorts us to overcome satan's kingdom (the world) so that we have entrance into paradise.

Colossians 2:14-15 (KJV)

14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Jehoshua spoiled the principalities of darkness and triumphed over them at the cross of calvary. The Messiah's death conquered the spiritual powers of evil. He made a shew of them openly. Jehoshua's death was a public showing of the defeat of satan and the powers of evil, exposing and disgracing them before all. It was the The Son of God's death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that drew all men into His Kingdom at the calling of the Father.

Hebrews 2:14-15 (KJV)

14Forasmuch 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;15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Jehoshua's death on the cross destroyed the power that satan had over those who all their lives were subject to the bondage of sin. The Messiah's death provides the means by which we can be delivered from satan's kingdom (this world) to the Kingdom of the Son of God. That's how significant the cross is, it is the very means by which satan's grip on death was destroyed. All men and women everywhere now have the right to the free gift of salvation and eternal life and thereby entrance into the Kingdom of Jehoshua Messiah.

2 Peter 2:4 (KJV)

.4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Jehoshua has judged and limits satan's forces.

Jude 6 (KJV)

6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Satan and his brigade of angels are being reserved for the final judgement of the great day at the end of the millennium.

Romans 8:28-32 (KJV)

28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

This is one of my favorite bible passages, we as Christians have been called according to God's purpose. The word "called" comes from the Greek word "kletos" (Strongs 2822) and means "called, invited, divinely selected and appointed"

We as Christians have been divinely selected and appointed by Jehovah God to His purpose and will.

In verse 29 it says that whom Jehovah "foreknew" which comes from the Greek word "proginosko" (Strongs 6267) and means "to have foreknowledge beforehand, foreordain, know before, of those whom God elected to salvation, to predestinate."

We who have accepted Jesus as the Son of God were foreordained and predestined by the Father to be conformed to the image of His Son. It is the God the Father who initiates the salvation process not us. It is important to always remember that. Jehovah God predestinated us to the restoration of the image of His Son in us. Adam and Eve had the image of God and His Son in them before the fall and then it was lost. While there were men and women of faith in the old testament times that had the image of God and His Son in them, the full restoration would not be realized until the first advent of Christ and his subsequent life, death, resurrection and ascension.

Verse 30, so those who the Father predestinated he called (invited, divinely selected and appointed). Predestinated comes from the Greek word "proorizo" (Strongs 4309) and means "predestinate, ordain, determine before, predetermine, decide beforehand, appoint beforehand."

Those whom he called (divinely appointed beforehand) He justified. This passage proves that it is God and His Son alone that get the glory for our salvation and that it is nothing of ourselves. The Father initiates the process of salvation by choosing and calling us and His Son is the means, through His death on the cross, by which salvation is obtained. How are we justified? By confessing and having faith that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 4:15, 1 John 5:4-5, Acts 8:37).

The word "justified" comes from the Greek word "dikaioo" (Strongs 1344) and means "be freed, justifier, be righteous, to render righteous, to declare, pronounce, one to be just or righteous, to show, exhibit one to be righteous."

When we heed the divinely appointed calling of the Father and confess and have faith that Jesus is His Son we are rendered righteous by Him without having done any works.

Those who are justified by faith in the Son of God are also glorified by the Father. The word glorified comes from the Greek word "doxazo" (Strongs 1392) and means "glorify, honour, magnify, make glorious, full of glory, to celebrate, to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged, clothe with splendor."

Do you realize this applies to us as the saints of the Most High? God the Father has glorified us by rendering us righteous (Justification) and glorifying us by clothing us with splendor in the righteousness of His Son's pure spotless garments. The Father bestows honour upon us as a result of the free gift of salvation. This glorification happens at our born again experience and then ultimately again at the second advent of Christ.

Verse 31, we can now have confidence, because of the work of the Father's divine predestination of us, that no one can be against us and prosper in their attacks of us as we have the Almighty Jehovah that is for us. The Father is on our team and any attacks from satan or the subjects of his kingdom  (whether angels or wicked unbelievers) don't stand a chance.

Verse 32, How much does God love us? He spared not His literal only begotten Son so that we can have eternal life. If the Father did this for us how, shall He not give us freely all things according to His will?

Many false teachers deny the beautiful record that God gave of His Son and say that the Father-Son relationship between Jehovah and His Son Jehoshua is a metaphor. I leave you this passage:

1 John 5:9-15 (KJV)

9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.