THE KINGDOM OF GOD-11 "Kingdom vs Religion"

Matt. 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

When Christ came into the world He didn’t bring a Religion to earth, but a Government.  Throughout His ministry, Jesus made it clear that His mission was to install the KOG in people’s hearts…

Lk. 8:1 Jesus preached the Good News of the KOG from town to town

Lk. 9:11 Jesus spoke with the multitudes about the KOG

Lk. 9:32 Don’t be afraid Little Flock, because your Heavenly Father is happy to give you the K’dom

Lk. 12:31 Jesus said, Seek 1st the KOG and everything else will be provided

Lk. 22:29  Jesus told His disciples, I confer upon you a K’dom, just as the Father has upon Me.

Jesus was announced as a King at His birth.   And tried as a King at His crucifixion.

The KOG isn’t a religion, it’s a government.  

Is. 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder… Of the INCFREASE of his GOVERNMENT and of PEACE there will be no end…The ZEAL of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

The INCREASE of GOD is the effect of the GOVERNMENT of His K’dom.  The difference between Christianity as a Religion and Christianity as a Government is this... 

When people receive the Gospel as the Kingdom of GOD they are Governed by the Lordship of Jesus.  They see their faith more as a public accountability than a private practice.   

BUT when people receive the Gospel as a Religion the LORDSHIP of Jesus is replaced with a kind of  Believerism.  Instead of obeying His Word they interpret it by the trends of popular culture.  And they often join the world in criticizing Conservative Christians, for not supporting popular cultural trends.

Christianity as a Religion rather than a Government is how we end up with liberal churches crusading for LGBTQ Rights rather than honestly LOVING gay people by sharing the Gospel with them.  It’s how we end up with Christians siding with feminists, that childbirth is a Woman’s Right To Choose instead of a Mother’s Responsibility.

When people receive the Gospel as a Kingdom rather than a Religion, they are GOVERNED by the Word of GOD and adopt the Culture of the K’dom by being.

1Th. 2:13 we constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 

The primary difference between Christianity as a Religion rather than a Government is ACCOUNTABILITY.

Matt. 18:23  “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a KING who wished to SETTLE ACCOUNTS with his servants.

Christianity as a Religion looks to Heaven as the place where accounts are settled.  It kicks the can of bondage down the road towards Heaven as the place where GOD will settle accounts and finally set people free.  BUT Christianity as a The Government of Christ overlays GOD’s gift of Sonship to you, with the K’dom Concept, and adds a layer of Servant Accountability to your faith.   Besides being your Savior and Shepherd, Jesus is your King, desiring to daily Settle Accounts with you.  It’s in the actual daily Settling of Accounts where your Transformation occurs…

Rom. 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you PRESENT your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Children of GOD who see themselves as Citizen-Servants of His K’dom, not only daily settle accounts with their King, but they’ll settle accounts between themselves.  It’s what keeps the KOG in a Church.

FINALLY, Jesus saw the Meek, not inheriting Heaven, but the Earth!  Christianity as a Religion is preoccupied with leaving Earth and going to Heaven.  But the priority of the KOG is the Reclamation of Earth, not an escape to Heaven.

Jesus said in Matt. 12:28,  “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”   Clearly, Jesus K’dom Objective was to make the devil flee from people so they’d inherit the Earth.  Not people fleeing from the devil to inherit Heaven. 

I leave you with this thought, Lk. 8:1 states that “Jesus preached the Good News of the KOG from town to town.”  The coming of the Government of the KOG to Earth is called The Good News because where Christians walk in the authority of the K’dom the effect of Jesus’ Government, which is Peace, Increases over the people.