I've been studying the sermon on the mount and reading Joseph Dillow's book Final Destiny. He has an interesting proposal that entering the kingdom of heaven means to enter into heavenly kingdom blessing now, to live to be great in the kingdom. There are many aspects to the kingdom, as Dillow points out there are 6 aspects: power, permeating influence, experience of kingdom life, messianic kingdom, new heavens and new earth and the sphere of personal salvation.
He quotes Matt. 5:[SUP]19 [/SUP]Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches [SUP][i][/SUP]others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever [SUP][j][/SUP]keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [SUP]20 [/SUP]“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Here we have a description of those who are least in the kingdom (who annul commandments) and those who are great in the kingdom (who keep commandments). What is the reason for this? Because entering the kingdom is conditioned on a righteousness beyond the strict legalism of the Pharisees. It is Dillow's assertion that to enter the kingdom is therefore likened to being great in the kingdom, so enter the kingdom is to enter into a realm of kingdom living, to enter life, to truly live as God intended.
I understand the traditional understanding of these verses, that when we have faith in Jesus we have His righteousness that makes us positionally holy before God, and I don't have a problem with that interpretation. But the sermon on the mountain by Jesus is all about practical holiness, about obeying not just the letter of the law, but the spirit, about not just omitting sinful deeds, but even sinful thoughts. Jesus sums it up by saying "enter the narrow gate that leads to life". The whole discourse is actually given to His disciples, He was imploring them to enter a higher way of living that leads to life.
He quotes Matt. 5:[SUP]19 [/SUP]Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches [SUP][i][/SUP]others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever [SUP][j][/SUP]keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [SUP]20 [/SUP]“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Here we have a description of those who are least in the kingdom (who annul commandments) and those who are great in the kingdom (who keep commandments). What is the reason for this? Because entering the kingdom is conditioned on a righteousness beyond the strict legalism of the Pharisees. It is Dillow's assertion that to enter the kingdom is therefore likened to being great in the kingdom, so enter the kingdom is to enter into a realm of kingdom living, to enter life, to truly live as God intended.
I understand the traditional understanding of these verses, that when we have faith in Jesus we have His righteousness that makes us positionally holy before God, and I don't have a problem with that interpretation. But the sermon on the mountain by Jesus is all about practical holiness, about obeying not just the letter of the law, but the spirit, about not just omitting sinful deeds, but even sinful thoughts. Jesus sums it up by saying "enter the narrow gate that leads to life". The whole discourse is actually given to His disciples, He was imploring them to enter a higher way of living that leads to life.