Featured "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Believers are "heirs of the kingdom" (Jas. 2.5). Where do the scriptures ever state that we are heirs of the church?

 

I'll assume that cannot be proven

 

The church is not the kingdom. Do you really believe Jesus was instructing his disciples to pray for the coming of the ecclesia (Mt. 6.10)?

We have been translated into the kingdom of his dear Son (Col. 1.13). We were also chosen in him before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1.4), but we were not "in him" before the foundation of the world. "Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." (Ro. 16.7)

I am claiming what Daniel and John claimed: "And 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." (Da. 2.44) "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast." (Rev. 17.12) Like you stated, "[F]urther down the iron is mixed with clay..."

The apostles were with Jesus during his entire ministry, and he was with them after his resurrection. "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Ac. 1.6) What was his reply? "And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." (Ac. 1.7) According to most, he should have said, "You have it all wrong! Steve Gregg is going to write Revelation: Four Views in 1997 (Revised and Updated in 2013), and that will clear it up for you." You base your faith on writings of men who walked and talked with Jesus even after his resurrection but still have no understanding. Of all that Jesus taught concerning the kingdom, were they still clueless? Apparently, you are okay with that. I am not.

"And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear." (Lk. 19.11)

"He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return" (Lk. 19.12)

You can call it a "parenthesis" if you want to. I will just go with what scripture states.

 

No one believes that.

 

You still have not even shown from Scripture how you consistently justify this "next coming" of which you speak.

 

Read the scriptures and believe what they say. We have indeed tasted the powers of the age to come (Heb. 6.5). You claim we are in that age. In fact, we see "face to face (1 Co. 13.12) according to your theory. There is no mystery to what I believe. That post does not contradict my Premillennial position, and I am confused as to why you referenced it. The only thing it does is give you something to type.

 

At "his appearing and his kingdom" (2 Tim. 4.1), the Lord Jesus Christ will reign on earth with his saints (Rev. 5.10; 20.4). After his reign, before he delivers up the kingdom, he will have reigned and abolished all rule, authority, and power. Will that be visible?

 

I am not a Dispensationalist. I have made that clear.

 

Perhaps all the spiritual preaching you heard from the "No-Hellers" is true and there is no substantial kingdom at all. You can all sit on the clouds and sing "Precious Memories" together...acapella of course.

 

And if the kingdom of God is the church, and it is supposed to consume all other kingdoms, you have some work to do. Since Mt. 28.19 is fulfilled, you have a big problem. But God's elect are going to be saved whether they hear or believe anyway, right? As of 1995, there were 64,000 Primitive Baptists. Of course, that is by name and does not include the majority you would re-baptize because they did not meet the criteria your church or association (unbiblical) set up for a "valid" baptism. I would say you have a big problem.

 

Mt. 22.1-13 is your "gap theory," but you will not accept it.