The Kingdom Which Abides
By H. W. Cottrell
THERE is in the Book of God, altho hidden from the view and experience of the doubting soul, a revelation of true Christian happiness as real to the child of faith, as perceptible, as experimental, as the bright shining of the sun at midday; and if men seek for that pearl of great price, for that knowledge of God, for that experience in divine things in Christ, as they seek for gold and silver, yes, as some men seek for worldly honor, which corrupts with the using, and in many instances corrupts the possessor, it shall be found, known, experienced, in the kingdom of God throughout eternity. True Christian happiness is in Christ, in His way, His will; and the pearl will be found only at Christ’s feet. Despite the Biblical prophetic revelation of the Father’s love, of the Christ, of the certainty of the plan of redemption, men continued to grope their way in heathen darkness. Christ spoke to the unregenerated man, “Saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.” Mark 1:15. In this utterance He assures them that there is placed within their reach the kingdom of favor—grace. He said there is opportunity to receive God’s favor through Christ, for “the kingdom of God is at hand.” Christ is the King of the kingdom of grace; penitent sinners and Christians, His subjects; and their hearts and lives, His territory. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col. 1:27. To the repentant sinner He says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Rev. 3:20. As an earthly king is seated upon his throne and rules over his subjects, so Christ, after His ascension, seated Himself with His-Father upon the throne of grace, while He abides spiritually in the hearts of His children to reign in each life, and thus conquer therein every tendency to do evil. Rev. 3:21. But “He will not always chide; neither will He keep His anger forever.” Ps. 103:9. Probation will close; Christ will deliver up the kingdom of grace to the Father, that He may establish the kingdom which abideth forever. For we read, “Then cometh the end, when He [Christ] shall have delivered up the kingdom [of grace] to God, even the Father; when He [the Father] shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power. For He [Christ] must reign, till He [the Father] hath put all enemies under His [Christ’s] feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For He [the Father] hath put all things under His [Christ’s] feet. But when He [the Father] saith all things are put under Him [Christ], it is manifest that He [the Father] is excepted which did put all things under Him [Christ]. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him [Christ], then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him [the Father] that put all things under Him [Christ], that God may be all in all.” 1 Cor. 15:24-28. The purpose of Christ’s reign in the kingdom of grace is to condemn sin in the flesh, and gather out a people from the kingdoms of earth to reign with Him in His kingdom of glory. Christ taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” Matt. 6:10. The kingdom herein referred to was not then set up. It was, therefore, not the kingdom of grace for which He taught them to pray. John, while on the lonely Patmos, saw the eternal kingdom of God set up. Said he, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” Rev. 11:15. Daniel also saw the things of time crumble, and “the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, . . . and it shall stand forever.” When the court of heaven speaks the word, that9the time has come to establish the everlasting kingdom, “a stone” of prophetic origin, “cut out without hands,” was seen preparing the way. The citizens of this kingdom are unlike the subjects of any kingdom that ever antedated it, for their inheritance shall not be left to other people. Dan. 2:34, 44. When at last, humanly speaking, the fatal word is spoken, then “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” Dan. 7:27. There can be no further question in the mind of the Bible student in regard to the nature of the kingdom mentioned in Christ’s prayer. It is to be “everlasting;” “the kingdom shall not be left to other people, . . . and it shall stand forever.” Dan. 2:44. Neither can there be misunderstanding as to its location, for “the greatness of the kingdom [is] under the whole heaven.” No one should question further as to who are the only citizens, for we read that it “shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” Dan. 7:27. Every man’s case will have been decided for good or for ill, and all things unalterably fixed. King Jesus will come, in harmony with His promise. We read, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:11, 12. The Glory of That Kingdom
Sin will have been blotted out of God’s fair universe. He will have spoken the world into a new existence. “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.” Isa. 35:1. The blind shall see; the deaf shall hear; the lame shall run to and fro; the dumb shall sing the eternal praises of God. Isa. 35:5, 6. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Rev. 21:4. Jehovah our God, and Christ our Redeemer, have in heavenly preparation the metropolis of “The Kingdom Which Abides.” The seer, who saw the kingdom established, said, “And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. . . . And the city was pure gold. . . . And the street of the city was pure gold.” Rev. 21:2, 3, 18, 21. But more glorious yet, the subjects of that ever-abiding kingdom have been tested, tried as gold, and found to be loyal—faithful, true. The apostle Luke informs us that they can not die any more. Luke 20:36. They can not be tempted more. They can sin no more forever. They sorrow no more. No death-knell will ever be sounded there. No funeral trains will be seen. Furrowed brows and care-worn features will not be there. All the subjects of that immortal kingdom will live in the vigor of immortal youth. The highest type of liberty is theirs. They are freed from sin; yes, from the possibility of temptation to sin, forevermore. Friend, you are at liberty to be one of the citizens of “The Kingdom Which Abides,” the kingdom of eternal liberty, and follow the Lamb (the King) whithersoever He goeth.