The Daily Word of Righteousness

The New Jerusalem, #10

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (Ephesians 3:16)

Notice the prayer of Paul (above) for "the saints that are at Ephesus."

And then for the "churches of Galatia":

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)

Paul does not write to the saints that they should make a profession of belief in Christ so they can enter Heaven when they die. We suppose the New Testament writings are filled with such admonitions, but they do not appear even one time.

Rather, Paul exhorts the saints continually and consistently that they must walk in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God so they can inherit the Kingdom of God.

Notice the following:

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)

"Hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."

"The kingdom of Christ and of God."

This was written to the saints and faithful in Christ (Ephesians 1:1)

Never is the emphasis on dying and going to Heaven. It always is on inheriting the Kingdom of God.

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21)

"Shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."

"The kingdom of God."

The issue is that of inheriting the Kingdom of God, of making our eternal home in the new Jerusalem. When Paul writes to the saints he cautions them, as does John in the Book of Revelation, that only those who behave righteously will be permitted to enter through the gates into the city.

But what about the believers who are spiritually weak, being ignorant of God's ways? They believe Jesus is Christ and that He died for their sins. Yet they have not been taught concerning the Kingdom of God.

It is not possible they can abide in the Presence of God's Glory in their untransformed state. There is neither sin nor self-seeking of any kind in the Kingdom of Heaven, in the new Jerusalem. If the Lord Jesus deems them worthy of salvation, they will be instructed in righteousness.

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. (Isaiah 54:13)

That which defiles never shall be permitted to enter the new Jerusalem. If we are not clear on this point we are in deception. The new Jerusalem includes no unchanged personalities who are there by the Lord's mercy. All the inhabitants are holy. All know the Lord from the least to the greatest. All are righteous in behavior. All are obedient to God the Father and to the Lamb of God, Christ.

To be continued.