Is the Kingdom of God and Heaven The Same? Yes, just Different Aspects

he kingdom of God is the same as The Kingdom of Heaven synonymous terms in the Gospels. Matthew is the only writer that uses " KOH" and he also uses KOG four times, whereas Mark and Luke only use Kingdom of God, never KOH. (KOH occurs 31 times in Matthew, KOG 4 times in Matthew). Kingdom of God occurs 69 times in the N.T. and 51 times in the four gospels. 

There are different aspects to the KOG 

1. The Universal Kingdom of God
2. The Spiritual KIngdom of God
3. The Theocratic Kingdom of God
4. The Mystery form of the Kingdom of God
5. The Millennial Kingdom of God
6. The Eternal Kingdom of God

Size of Faith,

FAITH

Size of Faith

1.        Matthew 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

2.        Matthew 8:26 He *said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

3.        Matthew 14:31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

4.        Matthew 16:8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?

5.        Matthew 17:20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you

6.        Luke 12:28 But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!

7.        Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.

8.        Luke 8:25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

9.        Luke 18:8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

10.     Matthew 8:10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

11.     Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.

12.     Luke 7:9 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

13.     Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”  (How did Jesus increase their faith?)

14.     Acts 6:5 The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.

15.      

Kinds of faith is a reflection of how much doubt there is, the more doubt the less faith.   To make anything greater or less about the use of words that express, no faith, little faith, mustard seed faith, where is your faith, will I find faith, great faith, such great faith and increase our faith is a miss use of Scripture and the normal method of understanding written language, this happens to be from God, we call it Scripture.   Fear is a key element in not believing more or having greater faith.   A willingness to surrender is directly associated with ones lack of faith or little faith.    Coming to a point of total surrender demonstrated in obedience is akin to great faith, strong faith, they go hand in hand. 

Re-Visiting CURED (Anti TULIP, ROSES, DAISY)

Christian Theological Acrostic C.U.R.E.D.

Scripture Only No Commentary

Several year back, about 15, I developed the “Acrostic – CURED” to combat Calvinism primarily.  I am neither Armenian or Calvinistic in my view of God’s word.  I will say things they say but I do not define them as they do.  Each system when investigated closely has their own definitions crafted to support their understanding of God’s word. 

CURED

C – Conditional Salvation/regeneration/born from above:  John 6:27-29; Luke 7:50; Acts 16:29-34; Romans 10:8-13, The Bible is filled with conditional salvation passages.

U – Unlimited Atonement: Matt. 5:14; Luke 19:10; John 1:29; John 3:16; John 4:42; Acts 2:21; Romans 5:6; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Timothy 4:10; Titus 2:11; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Peter 3:9; I John 2:1-2

R – Resistible Grace:  Acts 26:28-29; 2 Tim. 3:6-9; John 1:11-13; Matt. 23:37

E – Eternal Security:  I Cor. 3:14-15; 2 Cor. 1:21-22

D – Dead in Trespasses and Sins:  Ephesians 2:1-10; Col. 2:13-15

by Gordon Slocum

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A Work That Saves, Faith.

Almost everywhere you read or listen states that faith is not a work.  If God told you that faith is a work would you believe Him?  Most likely you would not believe such a claim in light of God's word. God's word is very clear that faith is not a work but salvation is a work of God whereby we simply trust in Him. 
John 6:27-29

27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Verse 27 answers the question clearly.  Jesus said work "for the food which endures to eternal life," If a person works for this food the Son of Man, Jesus, who is God will give that person eternal life, which means the person will be regenerated, saved by Jesus.  Notice further what is stated:  They ask "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"  Now Jesus has already established that one must work for his salvation and now Jesus is going to tell us how as He answers this question, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."   Only a fool would deny that Jesus is telling them that believing faith is a work, the only work they must do to be saved.  

Believing faith has always been a work, but this work is not the same as working for your salvation.  Working for our salvation is when we do not trust in Christ which means we trust in whatever we decide to trust in that is not the work of God, to believe in Jesus.    When man stops trusting, believing in himself, others, things, etc. and surrenders to Jesus he cannot become saved, Jesus saves those who truly do the work of believing faith.  The work of believing faith is not "of works" described in Eph. 2:8-9.  The context of Eph. 2:8-9 is the Law.  Israel pursued the law but not by faith, they failed to do the work of God in believing in Christ therefore they did the law, works, which did not save them. 

Believing Faith is Called A Work so stop telling everyone that believing faith is not a work.  Salvation is not out OF WORKS, but it is received by a person doing the work of God which is trusting in Him.  Trusting in Christ, a work, is not out of works. Working at being good or practicing this or that to appease God is false works, but forsaking you and trusting in Him is the only kind of work that will bring the blessing of God whereby He will then give you new life.