On the Kingdom of God

Being a ChristianFor a Christian, the most valuable treasures are his honor and dignity, and losing them is like death.

“>Being a Christian

Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to the world and began preaching the Gospel after His Baptism by St. John the Forerunner in the River Jordan, and the first words of His preaching were, Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Matt. 4:17). And in His later sermons, the Savior often spoke of the On the Future Heavenly KingdomWe, modern Christians, should, too, move in line with apostolic Tradition, which does not entertain itself with colorful pictures of the future, but cares about moral perfection.

“>Kingdom of God and called His listeners to enter it. Thus, let us reflect together on what is the Kingdom of God, from which the Savior began His preaching, and what man must do to be vouchsafed to enter it.

Some Christians mistakenly think that the Kingdom of God will be established in Heaven and only in the future. But did not the Savior say: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand? Did He not admonish His listeners to receive and enter this Kingdom? No, brethren! The Kingdom of Heaven exists and begins on this earth, among men; it’s the unseen, inner life of man, when he fully submits his heart to the Gospel truth and lives according to the Savior’s commandments. This is how the Apostle Paul explained it: The Kingdom of God isn’t just meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17).

Human life consists of two components: one is internal, invisible, and the other external, visible. The first is all the spiritual qualities and thoughts of a man, that is, his thinking, reasoning, intentions, desires, inclinations, love and hate, joy or sadness. In a word, everything that a man feels within his heart. The second is all a man’s visible actions: speech, movement, and all the other numerous external, physical actions. Of course, all a man’s external actions and his visible life depend on his inner spiritual traits. Consequently, any of a man’s deeds or actions are reflective of his spiritual qualities and inclinations, as a man manifests only what exists within his heart and mind.

But when the Savior says: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; receive it and enter it,” He thereby teaches us to submit our hearts and souls to the divine Gospel, to build our entire inner, spiritual life according to the Gospel commandments. So our thoughts and desires, characteristics and inclinations, love and hate—everything must be submitted to the word of God. And when we reach this state, and when our entire inner life is subordinated to the Gospel, then our external actions will also be good and pleasing to God; then our whole being will enter the Kingdom of God.

“What should I do?” some may ask. “I really wish with all my heart to belong to the Kingdom of God… And who doesn’t want that? But my sins and weakness don’t let me in; the earth and my very flesh hold me back.” The Savior knew and understood all this very well, and therefore He said: Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. There’s only one condition under which a man can enter the Church of God—repentance. A man who’s still attached to sin, whose heart is full of nothing but evil desires, can only enter the Kingdom of God after he repents.

An example of what Cleansing the Heart and Mind Through RepentanceThe most perfect and greatest thing a man can desire and achieve is drawing near to God and abiding in solitude with Him.

“>repentance is and how a man should repent is given to us by the repentance of the sinful woman from the Gospel (Lk. 7:36-38). When our Savior was in the house of Simon the Pharisee, this woman, not fearing that her sin and shame would become known to all those present, fell down at the Savior’s feet, washing them with her tears and drying them with her hair; and she said not a word at that, only her weeping and moaning spoke of how burdened her conscience was, how ashamed she was of her sins, how she anguished over her dishonor and with what fervent heart and hope she begged the Lord’s forgiveness.

You should repent in the same way, my brother; you should also be ashamed of your sins; you should also anguish over your dishonor if you want to serve the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s like a rich and renowned city whose inhabitants and merchants are very wealthy and notable. Can any beggar be equal to them—must he not first acquire equal wealth? Likewise with a Christian—if he doesn’t first acquire spiritual wealth, which is virtue, he won’t be counted among those who dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And now, my beloved brother, knowing all this, go deeper into yourself, take stock and tell yourself whether you can be considered worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Have you received citizenship in the spiritual Kingdom? Or are you still spiritually impoverished, unable to consider yourself worthy of the Kingdom of God? This Kingdom has long been ringing the bell in your heart, waiting for you to accept it, but alas! It still doesn’t see your repentance, which you promised; it still doesn’t see that you’ve rejected the earth and the sins born from it.

Don’t say that you’re a Christian, brother, that you were baptized, that you believe in the Gospel, that you go to church and receive Communion in due time. Of course, this is all good, and of course without it a man cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. However, man can fulfill all this as he should but still not be a citizen of the Kingdom of God, for though he may formally do all these things, his heart is still subject to sin and tied to the earth; he still loves the things of the earth more than the Lord.

My beloved brother! You must submit your whole heart and mind to the Gospel! You can’t serve two masters at the same time—the earth and God. The Lord won’t accept half of your heart; He wants your whole heart and whole mind to belong to Him. Give Him your whole heart. Great and desirable is your calling, brother, with which the Lord has honored you—to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

The Savior established this Kingdom on earth and entrusted it to us Christians to propagate, strengthen, and fortify. Every one of us must use all our strength and means to promote the spread of His Kingdom. If your life is good and virtuous, if you try to spread and strengthen the Kingdom of God in word and deed, then know that you are a friend of Christ, because you work with Him and are His helper; but if you hinder this by your poor, unworthy behavior and you tempt your brother, you’ll be an enemy of Christ, because by such behavior you destroy His edifice and devastate His Kingdom.

Let us rejoice, brother, because the Lord has given us all the dignity of His Kingdom! But let us be reverent and careful not to lose this honor because of our sins.

Amen!