THE PRINCIPLES OF THE KINGDOM - PART 3 (Matthew 7)

THE PRINCIPLES OF THE KINGDOM - PART 3 (Matthew 7)

H. A. IRONSIDE

His kingdom, as far as its outward aspect is concerned, is now in abeyance. He has gone “into a far country,” even heaven itself, to receive a kingdom, and to return (Luke 19:12). At His second advent the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ (Rev. 11:15). But while He is personally absent, though present by the Spirit, yet unseen to mortal eyes, all who are born again are in the kingdom of God, and, though in the midst of a rebellious world, are responsible to maintain allegiance to the One whom that world rejects. Thus they know the reality of the kingdom, which is not meat and drink (that is, it has not now to do with temporal things), but is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom. 14:17). It was concerning this aspect of the kingdom that our Lord instructed His disciples during the forty days between His resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:2, 3). 

  “Judge not.” It is a question of motives. There are circumstances when the people of God are commanded to judge (1 Cor. 5:12), in the sense of dealing with offenders against the Christian standard of morals, even to excluding them from church fellowship (1 Cor. 5:3–5, 13). But we are not to attempt to sit in judgment upon the hidden springs of action. We are so easily prejudiced and our snap judgments are wrong so often. We cannot read the heart or discern the thoughts. This is God’s prerogative alone. If we disobey this command we need not be surprised if others pass judgment on us in a similar way. 

  No one is fit to rebuke another when there is something in his own life that is as much worse than that which he thinks he detects in the other, as a beam or splinter of wood is greater than a mote or speck of straw. 

“Ask … seek … knock.” In these words our Lord stresses the importance of prevailing prayer, which is not just a casual or thoughtless repeating of certain words. We are bidden to ask; that is, to make our requests known to God (Phil. 4:6, 7), and if not answered at once we are to seek further by endeavoring to learn more clearly the mind of God in the matter, that we may pray with enlightened intelligence (Isa. 26:9). Then we are to knock with that importunity which implies sincere exercise and faith which brings the answer (Luke 11:5–10). God does answer prayer.

  “Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction.” This is the way of self-will, of disobedience to God’s Word. All are on the broad way who refuse to own their needy condition and who ignore the claims of Christ. It is entered by a wide gate, for all men naturally choose this road. 

  “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way … unto life.” There is no real life apart from the knowledge of Christ (1 John 5:12). It is as we yield our wills to Him that we enter the strait gate and pass into the narrow way. This leads to life—life in its richest, fullest sense—to be embraced in measure here on earth, but enjoyed in all its fulness in a blest eternity 

 

“False prophets … in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly … ravening wolves.” The simile is a very striking one. It suggests a prowling wolf with the fleece of a sheep drawn over its body as it roams about the outskirts of the flock waiting for an opportunity to pounce upon an unsuspecting lamb or sheep. In like manner teachers of that which is false do not come out in their true color at first, but seek to hide their actual identity and intentions in order that they may draw away disciples after them (Acts 20:30). The only safe way is to try all such by the Word itself, and particularly by the doctrine of Christ, as in John’s Second Epistle.  

 “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Whatever the professions men may make, it is the life that tells (1 Thess. 1:5; 2:10). Good men delight in purity and righteousness. Evil men grovel in that which is sinful and corrupt. Where grace operates in the soul, the good fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) will be manifest in the life. That which is really of God will produce godliness on the part of its recipients. 

“Not every one that saith … Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Mere lip profession is of no avail if the heart and life are not subject to the Word of God. We are not saved by our works, but good works are the test of reality. He who is born of God will delight in obedience to the Father’s will (Eph. 2:8–10). 

 

Christ is presented in many scriptures as the Rock foundation on which the Church is built. He is also the Rock upon which each individual believer is established. He who trusts in Him builds on a sure foundation (Isa. 28:16; Rom. 9:33) which will never fail. To build our hopes on any other person, system, or fancied meritorious behavior, is to erect our house on shifting sands. In the day of judgment, all who have relied on anything save Christ and His finished work will find themselves lost and hopeless for eternity.  

When our Lord returns and the kingdom of God is fully displayed upon earth, the principles proclaimed in this sermon will prevail everywhere, for then righteousness and praise will be made to spring forth among all nations (Isa. 61:11). That will be the time of earth’s regeneration (Matt. 19:28). Now when the individual is regenerated (Titus 3:5), he is given power to walk before God in holiness and righteousness (1 John 3:7–10).