The Deception of Being in the Church and not in the Kingdom of God

There is a lot of deception going on today in our churches. Many think or are made to believe that being a member of a particular denomination qualifies them automatically as a member of God’s kingdom. Some erroneously believe that being a minister, church worker, choir member, tithe payer etc make you part of God’s kingdom. While actively participating in church work and activities are very good, it is extremely important to understand that these deeds are meaningful to God only if and only if we belong to His kingdom.

A citizen of God’s kingdom is that man, woman, boy or girl who is member of the body of Christ according to Ephesians 2:19-22. It is possible to belong to a Christian denomination like the Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican, Assemblies of God, Four Square Gospel Church, The Redeemed Christian Church of God etc without being a citizen of God’s kingdom.

What does it mean to be a citizen of the kingdom of God? To answer this question we need to know what a kingdom means. A kingdom is a place where a king rules. The place where a king rules known as a domain could be a country, empire, city etc. There are also citizens that live in this kingdom and finally there are laws governing the social, political and economic lives of the people. If we extend this analogy to the kingdom of God, we can safely say that the kingdom of God is where God rules or superintendents or oversees. The domain where God rules is presently a spiritual one (Luke 17:20-21; Romans 14:17). However this will metamorphose into a physical one when Christ and the saints will rule during the millennium (Luke 22:28-30; Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:4). The citizens of the kingdom of God are the children of God and the laws of the kingdom are the laws of God as seen in the Bible. This kingdom where our Lord Jesus Christ rules is an everlasting kingdom that shall never be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14; Luke 1:31-33).


Note: The kingdom of God can also be referred to as the kingdom of heaven. Matthew being a Jew used this terminology when he wrote to his fellow Jews in his gospel. This is because the Jews usually find it difficult to call God by name or in writing. Hence we see Jews write YAHWEH as YHWH. Nevertheless the kingdom of God or kingdom of Heaven is not synonymous with heaven.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and the early apostles preached the message of the kingdom. In Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 3:1-2 and Acts 20:25, we read as follow:
Mark 1:14-15 ‘14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,’
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.’
Matthew 3:1-2 ‘In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Acts 20:25 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

For anyone who desires to be a citizen of the kingdom of God, he or she must:
i. Be born again. That is must be born of God (John 3:3, 5; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:4). This is the foundational prerequisite to our becoming citizens of God’s kingdom.

ii. Be in union with the Lord Jesus (Romans 14:8; 1 Corinthians 6:17; Colossians 3:3-4; Galatians 2:20).

iii. Obey the laws of God as seen in the Bible (Matthew 7:21; Romans 2:13; James 1:22)

iv. Put on the new man and walk in newness of life (Ephesians 4:24; Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

v. Not live a life of sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 6:8, 19-21; Colossians 3:5)

vi. Walk in the Spirit and not fulfil the passions of the flesh (Galatians 5:24-25; Romans 8:4-5)

vii. Be ready to suffer for the sake of the kingdom (Luke 22:28-30; Acts 14:22; Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:11-12).
Brethren the citizens of God’s kingdom are sanctified people who have been made holy, consecrated and set apart from sin so that they have intimate fellowship with God and serve Him gladly. They love the Lord whole heartedly. Their nature are renewed according to the image of Christ, this produces in them the fruit of the Spirit. Although these statements do not imply an absolute perfection but an ethical righteousness of unblemished character demonstrated in purity, obedience and blamelessness (Luke 1:6; Philippians 2:14-15; Colossians 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 2:10). The citizens of God’s kingdom have by the grace of God given to them, died with Christ and are set free from sin’s power and dominion. They therefore need not and ought not to live in sin because they can find adequate victory in their Saviour Jesus Christ.
Let us conclude this message by reminding ourselves of the church in the wilderness that started with 600,000 men (excluding women and children) but ended with just two (2) of the men making it to the Promised Land. The Bible has this to say about these two men in Numbers 32:11-12.
‘11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:
12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.’
These two men the Bible says entered the Promised Land because they whole heartedly followed the Lord. Brethren like it was in the wilderness church so it is today. God’s standard has not changed. He is no respecter of persons. He honours only those who honour Him and those who despise Him are lightly esteemed (1 Samuel 2:30). You may be a Reverend, Pastor, Overseer, Bishop, Sunday school worker, Choir member etc. and still not be a citizen of God’s kingdom. One’s past experience of God’s grace and supernatural deliverances without a continual walk with Him will not get anyone a place in His kingdom (Ezekiel 18:26). The Israelite members of the church in the wilderness had experienced God’s grace in the exodus; they had been delivered from bondage; were sustained supernaturally by God in the desert. ‘But with many of them God was not well pleased’ (1 Corinthians 10:5). He was not pleased with their unbelief, complaining, idolatry and sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 10:6-10). As a result the judgements of God scattered their bodies over the desert and they missed the promise of God. Just as God did not tolerate Israel’s sins of idolatry, fornication, adultery and other sexual sins, so He will not tolerate the sin of believers under the new covenant.
God’s judgement on the disobedient Israelites serves as an example and a warning for those of us under the new covenant not to desire evil things. Those who repeat Israel’s unfaithfulness will receive God’s judgement and will not enter the promised heavenly country.

My brothers and sisters, I ask you ‘Are you a citizen of God’s kingdom or just a member of a church denomination?’ God’s will for you is to be a citizen of His kingdom.