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Good answer 100% God. 
At church on Sunday the sermon touched briefly on the keys to the kingdom but
it did not focus on this subject. It sort of caught my imagination a bit (I have a vivid
imagination!) and I was left wondering. If we in part have the keys to the kingdom,
why don't we use them, or maybe we do but in an inaffective way.
What are these keys, how can we use them more effectively. Does it matter anyway if
Jesus holds the keys etc. Is it all Jesus anyway.
Maybe its just me feeling really ineffective at the moment and frustrated in my
ineffectiveness. Lol
At church on Sunday the sermon touched briefly on the keys to the kingdom but
it did not focus on this subject. It sort of caught my imagination a bit (I have a vivid
imagination!) and I was left wondering. If we in part have the keys to the kingdom,
why don't we use them, or maybe we do but in an inaffective way.
What are these keys, how can we use them more effectively. Does it matter anyway if
Jesus holds the keys etc. Is it all Jesus anyway.
Maybe its just me feeling really ineffective at the moment and frustrated in my
ineffectiveness. Lol
How about a different slant on this -- how is God using you effectively?
Matt 6 v 5 - 13: thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven etc
Q1 Gods Will is done in heaven, who carries out that will in heaven.
What stops it from being carried out on earth?
------
The kingdom has a key,
Matthew 16:18-19 NKJV
[18] And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and
the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. [19] And I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
This suggests Peter was given a key and given the authority to open the door or close the door
to the Kingdom. I've seen commentaries which suggest preaching the gospel is like
opening the kingdom to others. But I wondered what your opinion was.
Q2 How much of the time does God use people to achieve His will on earth and
does this partly answer Q1 as well. Is that why we have to pray they will be done
on earth, as we are the answer to achieving that will.
----
I have KJV with concordance and got this from it in regards to Matt 16.
Im no Greek scholar though but thought it may help a bit.
Strong's Definition
From G2808; a key (as shutting a lock) literally or figuratively: - key.
Thayer's Definition
a key
since the keeper of the keys has the power to open and to shut
metaph. in the NT to denote power and authority of various kinds.
--------
But according to this verse Jesus holds the key
Revelation 1:18 NKJV
[18] I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.
And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
Q3 I suppose my ultimate question is how do we unlock the kingdom, is it just when
we are saved or is there more meaning here. What does it mean to hold the keys to the
kingdom.
Q1 Gods Will is done in heaven, who carries out that will in heaven.
What stops it from being carried out on earth?
------
The kingdom has a key,
Matthew 16:18-19 NKJV
[18] And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and
the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. [19] And I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
This suggests Peter was given a key and given the authority to open the door or close the door
to the Kingdom. I've seen commentaries which suggest preaching the gospel is like
opening the kingdom to others. But I wondered what your opinion was.
Q2 How much of the time does God use people to achieve His will on earth and
does this partly answer Q1 as well. Is that why we have to pray they will be done
on earth, as we are the answer to achieving that will.
----
I have KJV with concordance and got this from it in regards to Matt 16.
Im no Greek scholar though but thought it may help a bit.
Strong's Definition
From G2808; a key (as shutting a lock) literally or figuratively: - key.
Thayer's Definition
a key
since the keeper of the keys has the power to open and to shut
metaph. in the NT to denote power and authority of various kinds.
--------
But according to this verse Jesus holds the key
Revelation 1:18 NKJV
[18] I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.
And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
Q3 I suppose my ultimate question is how do we unlock the kingdom, is it just when
we are saved or is there more meaning here. What does it mean to hold the keys to the
kingdom.
Peter was the first to use the keys, in Acts 2:38, but we can also use the keys to the kingdom- which is Christ's church. The keys are: believe, repent, and be baptized (notice that "keys" is plural- that means belief is not enough).
Jesus said that some of them would not die before they see the kingdom. That's because the kingdom is Christ's church. The Bible says that the church is His body- of which He is the head (authority). So in order to get into the kingdom you have to get into His body. How? Romans 6:3 says we are baptized into His death- that's where we come in contact with His life saving blood. One of the key things we must do is to get baptized into Christ.
Jesus has the keys of death and hades because it is up to Him who goes there and who don't.