Focus: In or Out?

Text: Mk.12:34

"Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."

There comes a time in one's life when lying to one's self must stop. Lying to one's self makes one's life a lie. Success achieved by lies becomes itself a lie. Nothing is true of a life full of lies, except the lie itself. Paul writes to the church in Corinth, and says, "But let a man examine himself… Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith…" (1Cor.11:28; 2Cor.13:5). We must form the habit of telling ourselves the truth and constantly holding up ourselves before the mirror of God's word.

A scribe comes to Christ and speaks very softly and wisely to him, and the Lord responds to him with these words, "You are not far from the kingdom." Christ's response to him sounds so sweet to the ear. It sounds like a commendation, but if you examine the words critically, you will see that it leaves nothing to be desired. Our Lord Jesus Christ simply and mildly tells the scribe, 'You are near the kingdom of God, but you are not yet in it.' He is so close, yet so far from the kingdom of God. No matter how near, he is still outside. You are either in or out of the kingdom. 

No one is a citizen of any kingdom by simply being close to it. Though a highly respectable scribe, yet he is still outside the kingdom.

Jesus Christ says to the religious gurus of His day, "Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered" (Lk.11:52). You see, because they are not inside the kingdom, they are not letting those who want to enter in. They are just blockers and hinderers. They are standing in the way of others who desire to go in. They are holding in vain the key of knowledge. The key in their hands serves no purpose.

Nicodemus was a mighty man of religion, a teacher of the Jewish religion, a member of the ruling class, and a Pharisee. In a night conversation with Jesus Christ, he is told, "Except a man be born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God… Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot Enter into the kingdom of God… Ye MUST be born again" (Jh.3:3,5,7). Even at his level of religiosity, Nicodemus lacks an understanding of what Jesus Christ means by being born again. He is so close to the kingdom, and at the same time he is outside of it. He talks about the kingdom he has not seen or encountered. He teaches about the kingdom from the outside. He is not a resident or citizen of the kingdom.

Cornelius is a good man, a God-fearing man, a praying man, and a generous man, but he was not in the kingdom until Peter arrived with the gospel message. Then he and household received the gospel, were born again and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ says, "I am the DOOR: by me if any man ENTER in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" (Jh.10:9). Jesus Christ is the door of access into the kingdom. He is the way to heaven and to the Father. 

Mere religion cannot cut it for anyone. Mere church-going cannot do it. To see or be in the kingdom, you must be born again.

Going to the seminary and acquiring degrees is not the same as being in the kingdom. Knowing a lot about God is not the same as being born again. Our religious affiliations cannot qualify us as citizens of the kingdom of God.

I ask you, are you in or out of the kingdom? Don't lie to yourself. Tell yourself the truth. Examine yourself in the light of divine revelation. If you die now, are you sure of God's eternity? Is the Spirit of God bearing witness in your heart that you are a child of God? Make certain that you are in the kingdom, not outside of it. The truth you tell yourself today will save you tomorrow. If you are already in, then stay in, but if not, I, therefore, bid you to get in. Jesus Christ is the door, the way, or if you like, the birth canal. Be in, not out.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter