We recently finished a discussion with other believers trying to follow Jesus as best they know how. At times our discussion was heated, with people sharing sharp perspectives from different ends of the spectrum. In moments such as those, it’s easy to think “if this is what Christianity has to offer, then I want no part of it!”. Or, as a famous preacher is reported to have once said, “Your actions are so loud, I can’t hear what you’re saying!”.
But in reality, the kingdom of heaven is so much bigger than any petty disagreements we may have with others in this life. Throughout the history of institutional Christianity, people have disagreed with each other… often times over seemingly trivial issues, such as what name you use for God, or which day of the week you worship on, or whether you speak in tongues. But, occasionally, it has been about deeper issues, like authority, or whether someone has the right spirit, etc. According to our understanding of what Jesus taught, disagreements around behavior (greed, anger, pride, etc.) are far more important than disagreements around doctrinal theology.
And that’s where the kingdom of heaven shines like a beacon of hope in an increasingly dark world. You see, we humans are what the Bible calls ‘carnal’, and focused on what we can touch and see and feel. But way up there, in God’s eternal kingdom, is a world far beyond what we can experience in the natural. It’s a spiritual world, lived out in the spiritual realm; and it’s so much greater than the temporary issues so many of us devote our time to.
When Jesus gave the perfect example of love, He didn’t reference someone who had the correct theology or doctrine. (Luke 10:25-37) In fact, when we examine the story of the Good Samaritan, we see the exact opposite… Samaritans were more or less seen as heretics around the time of Jesus. And yet Jesus championed them as the prime example of what He was most interested in: love.
Look again at the parable of the sheep and the goats found in Matthew 25, and you’ll find a similar pattern. It wasn’t doctrinal correctness which drew the dividing line according to Jesus. It was simply whether they showed practical love: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those imprisoned, etc. (Matthew 25:31-46) That is what Jesus is truly looking for in those He chooses to save, and it beats out what we find in people simply seeking mere religion.
How broad is your vision of the kingdom of heaven?
