The Kingdom of God
Another
parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a
mustard seed, which a (1) man took and sowed in his (3) field, which
indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is
greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air
come and nest in its (5) branches.” Matthew 13:31-32
Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what
parable shall we picture it? It is like a (2) mustard seed which, when
it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but
when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and
shoots out (7) large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest
under its shade.” Mark 4:30-32
Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I
compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his
garden; and it grew and became a (4) large tree, and the (6) birds of
the air nested in its branches.” Luke 13:18-19
1) Jesus Christ is the original proclaimer of the Kingdom of God.
He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. Matthew 13:37
2) The mustard seed is the message of the Kingdom of God.
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the
gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and
the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark
1:14-15
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to
you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you
are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless
you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that
which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third
day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then
by the twelve. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
3) The field is the world.
The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. Matthew 13:38
4) The tree is the universal church that becomes greater than all false religions.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all
things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills
all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23
5) People abiding in Jesus Christ make up the branches of Christendom.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in
him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
6) Birds are false doctrines that plague the churches.
“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed,
that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and
devoured it.” Mark 4:3-4
7) Christians are in different churches such as Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant.
But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each
one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. 1
Corinthians 7:17
1) Our Lady, Blessed Mother, or the Perpetual Virgin Mary. (Saint Paul
had nothing to say about Mary and he wrote 1/2 of the New Testament)
While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and
brothers stood outside (physical blood relatives), seeking to speak
with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers
are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” But He answered and
said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My
brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said,
“Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My
Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” (spiritual
relatives) Matthew 12:46-50
2) Worship and praying to Mary and the saints using meaningless repetitious prayers.
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love
to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their
reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have
shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and
your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you
pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think
that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like
them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask
Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be
Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as
we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver
us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the
glory forever. Amen." Matthew 6:5-13
3) Acceptance of Practicing Homosexuals into the Church.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their
hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the
truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather
than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God
gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the
natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving
the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men
with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the
penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to
retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to
do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all
unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness;
they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who,
knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such
things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of
those who practice them. Romans 1:24-32
4) Being preoccupied with the fulfillment of future Bible prophecies.
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord,
will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to
them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has
put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:6-8
5) Forgiveness of sins through water baptism.
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest
anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also
baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I
baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to
preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ
should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is
foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved
it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:14-18
6) Forgiveness of sins by your good works or effort.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should
boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10
7) Forgiveness of sins with no evidence of faith in Jesus Christ from your heart.
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You
hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You
a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see
You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and
say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of
the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also
say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the
everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was
hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not
clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they
also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or
thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not
minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say
to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you
did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:37-46
Final Note: God has created diversity within Christendom due to the
diverse nature of people and cultures around the world. There is a
special gathering of Christians or Church for every sincere believer in
Jesus Christ in the world to give glory to God. These gatherings will
not be perfect due to possibly being infested with the above false
doctrines and approximately half (a) of professing Christians will not
be true believers. But be of good cheer as Jesus Christ has overcome
the world and eternal life awaits as you stay focused (b) on Jesus
Christ.
a) “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took
their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were
wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps
and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with
their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered
and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is
coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed
their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your
oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No,
lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those
who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the
bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the
wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also,
saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly,
I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know
neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
Matthew 25:1-13
b) “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in
him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone
does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and
they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If
you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you
desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified,
that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." John 15:5-8