THE KINGDOM WITHIN by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 17, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 16.

THE KINGDOM WITHIN.

By H. A. St. John

WE talk, sing, and pray about the kingdom of glory yet to come. But we are in danger of forgetting that the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of grace, must first be in us, or the coming of the kingdom of glory will be a sad day for us. Our hearts, the citadel or throne of our bodies, must be cleansed from all sin, washed in the blood of the Lamb. When thus cleansed by the washing of regeneration, they become a miniature representation of the great white throne of God and the Lamb in the kingdom of glory. Our hearts, then, made whiter than snow, become a fit throne for an indwelling Christ. And do we not remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that His Father would come, and He would come, and they would both take up their abode in us? John 14:23. Do we not often sing:

“Come, my Redeemer, come, and deign to dwell with me; Come, and Thy right assume, and bid Thy rivals flee. Rule Thou in every thought and purpose of my soul, Till all my powers are brought beneath Thy full control. Come, my Redeemer, quickly come, And make my heart Thy lasting home; Wash me in the blood of the Lamb, And I shall be whiter than snow.”

Is this a true prayer in song? Do we mean it when we sing it? If so, when it becomes true in our experience it will be a happy day for us, for it will be the setting up of the kingdom in us. And it must become true of us here or we shall never enter the kingdom of glory hereafter.

And as we read in the blessed word, how that the river of life flows from beneath the great white throne to water all the kingdom of glory eternally, so the blessed Jesus teaches us that if our hearts become the purified throne of Him and His Father, in us will spring up a well of water unto everlasting life; yea, so abundant will be the flow that Jesus said, “from within him shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38. Therefore, if Christ and God dwell in us with all the graces of the Godhead, all our thoughts and the purposes of our souls will become channels for the out-flowing of a living Gospel of life to all around. The Lord will direct the out-flowing to His glory, and it will be unto all people.

Again: it is said of the capital of the kingdom of glory that nothing unholy or unclean can enter it. All evil is forever barred an entrance. So will Christ keep the kingdom of our bodies. All filthiness of flesh and spirit will be put away. No evil thing can find a lodging in the soul-kingdom of Christ, for no sinful motives or evil purposes can abide where Jesus is. All the rivals of Christ reigning within us must depart when He takes the throne of the heart. Ours then will be:

“A heart, resigned, submissive, meek,— My dear Redeemer's throne, Where only Christ is heard to speak, Where Jesus reigns alone.”

And, further, do we not read that the place of the great white throne in the kingdom of glory had no need of candle or light of the sun or moon to shine in it; “for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof”? Rev. 21:23; 22:5. Now I want to ask if it is not true that the same God and Lamb are the light of these bodily kingdoms. Yea, verily, and truly can all such living and working kingdoms on their pilgrimage here below ever sing:

“There is sunlight on the hilltop, There is sunlight on the sea, And the golden beams are sleeping On the soft and verdant lea; But a richer light is filling All the chambers of my heart, For Thou dwellest there, my Saviour, And 'tis sunlight where Thou art.”

If this that we love to sing so well is true in our experience, then it is true that the kingdom of God is within us, lighted up by a light independent of, and superior to, the light of the sun, even the light of God and the Lamb. And this light can not be extinguished by inner prisons at midnight, with feet made fast in stocks.

The reader may trace the likeness further; for there is a semblance in many things. When the kingdom of God is within us, all the faculties of our minds will be His subjects; all the members of our bodies will be members of righteousness and holiness. Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost will abide in us. We have crowned Jesus King of grace in our hearts here below, and some day we will crown Him King of glory above. Christ in me now is my hope of glory. H. A. ST. JOHN.