The Kingdom Gospel
“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come” (Matt. 24:14). What is the gospel of the kingdom that is to be preached—the message that will determine when the end of this age will come and culminate with the return of Jesus Christ?
The people of Jesus Christ’s day knew that there was a kingdom coming with signs to be observed. Jesus told them the signs of the end of the age. He said the sun would not give its light, the moon would look like blood and there would be signs in the heavens (Matt. 24:3, 29-30). When the Pharisees asked Jesus when that kingdom (with signs) was coming, He replied that He was not talking about a kingdom with signs to be observed, but one that was within them (Luke 17:20-21).
The Pharisees were not entering that kingdom within (Matt. 23:13). Neither were they teaching people about the kingdom within, just like people today are not being told how to enter that kingdom. They had taken away the keys of knowledge from the people, so Jesus Christ gave those keys to Peter (Luke 11:52; Matt. 16:18-19).
Those keys are the directions and the understanding of how to enter the kingdom within and become a new creature. In order to enter that kingdom, you have to study the Bible for yourself (Matt. 13:52). You must repent to enter that kingdom of God (Matt. 4:17). That kingdom is entered by performing daily acts of righteousness (Matt. 5:20). That kingdom is entered by doing God’s Will daily on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10; 7:21; 1 John 2:17). God’s Will is righteousness.
Disciples of Jesus Christ are expected to imitate God on a daily basis by visiting the sick, caring for the poor, the elderly, the lame, the blind, the widows and the orphans, as Christ explained (Eph. 5:1; Matt. 25:33-46; 1 John 3:17-19). That’s what the true sheep—true believers—are doing. They are overcoming evil by just doing good daily (Rom. 12:21; 1 Peter 3:11; 2 Thess. 3:13). They are glorifying God daily with good works so their lights can shine bright (Matt. 5:16).
Living a life of doing good for God daily is true repentance from a life of doing evil. Jesus said that His Way is easy and very pleasant (Matt. 11:30).
God wants you to do good daily so He can bless you daily (Eph. 6:8). When you put your hand to the plow (the plow represents good works), you are to continue to do good until the God of peace crushes Satan under your feet and forms Christ’s new nature in you (Luke 9:62; Rom. 16:20; Gal. 4:19). Then you become complete, a new person, a new creation (Gal. 6:15). When you put to death the deeds of the body by living to the Spirit daily, you will eventually rest from all your works of the flesh and enter Christ’s rest (Rom. 8:13; Heb. 4:10).
Jesus Christ is making a peculiar people who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). That is why His apostles told the people to engage in good deeds and not to get weary of doing them (Titus 3:8; Gal. 6:9; 2 Thess. 3:13). This is how you force your way into the kingdom of heaven within (Luke 16:16). It is how you strive to enter the narrow door that few people find (Matt. 7:14; Luke 13:23-24). When you overcome evil by doing good daily, you resist Satan and enter the abundant life, which is filled with a peace that transcends all human understanding (Phil. 4:7, 9).
“Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand [right now, as soon as you hear this message,” John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the apostles proclaimed (Matt. 4:17). That kingdom is entered by keeping Jesus Christ’s works and overcoming a life of evil by engaging in a life of good works (John 14:12). Do you know of any other way to be good, than to do good (Rev. 2:26)?