The First Place of Christ's Kingdom
By H. A. St. John
The Kingdom of Christ—No. 1
The First Place of Christ's Kingdom
IN the Word of God, Christ's kingdom is presented to us under three distinct phases. Under the third and last it is fully developed, and rounded out in completeness, and it will stand forever. The subjects of Christ's kingdom in this world are the members of His body, His church; and their names are written in heaven. Their King is a Priest-King on the throne of grace in heaven. The law of His kingdom is the Word of God. His ministers are the Holy Spirit and the holy angels. Every subject of Christ's kingdom has become such by a deliverance from the power of darkness, the kingdom of Satan, and a translation into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Col. 1:13. This translation is a conversion, a regeneration, a transformation, which brings the kingdom of Christ into the heart and life of each individual subject. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as one, are said to abide in the true believer; and hence the principles of the kingdom of Christ, righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, all abide in the soul. They have the mind of Christ. Their thought life is brought into obedience to Christ. Likewise their word life, their deed life, yea, their whole life, is brought into sweet harmony with the divine will. Thus to such the kingdom of God has come, and the will of God is done by them on the earth. Every true child of God is a miniature kingdom of God on earth. Christ dwells within them, and rules over every desire, purpose, and aspiration of the heart, and over every member of the body, and faculty of the mind. This first phase of Christ's kingdom is contemporary with the first phase of Satan's kingdom on the earth, and every subject thereof is a constant target for the darts, snares, and temptations of the great adversary; and they can only hope to be overcomers, by setting their faces as flints Zionward, and drawing grace and strength every day, according to need, from the throne of grace, which is always and everywhere accessible. The King of Grace has made ample provision for the triumphant life of all His subjects. Exceeding many, great, and precious promises are given them, whereby they may become partakers of the divine nature, and escape all the corruptions that are in the world. They may fall in death, and be shut up in the prison-house of their great enemy. But their glorious King has the keys to the grave, and the gates of hell can not prevail against His subjects. When this first phase of Christ's kingdom shall end, there will come a day of deliverance and everlasting triumph over their last enemy.