Articles
Are You Close To The Kingdom?
ARE YOU CLOSE TO THE KINGDOM?
Mark 1:15 – “And saying, The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled (completed), and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent (have a change of mind which issues in regret for past sins and in change of conduct for the better) and believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to) the good news (the Gospel).
When living in Norfolk, I was approximately 5 blocks from the beach. At times, I would stop on my way home from the office and take 5-10 minutes and watch the waves, especially during high tide. As the moon and the earth get close, they literally pull on one another. The moon’s gravitational pull is what makes waves in the ocean. Well, the kingdom of God also makes waves on the earth. The closer the moon, the higher the waves; the closer the kingdom, the greater the impact. The kingdom of the Lord has arrived and people’s lives are changed for the better. Sinners are called to Christ through hearing, believing, repenting, confessing, and baptism. Obedience to the gospel call brings about the forgiveness of sins. If we are not experiencing a change in our lives for the better, then we must ask ourselves the question, “How close am I to the kingdom?” Let us lay aside the sins, which separate us from God and His kingdom. Let us believe and hear the good news of Jesus, so instruction can be known and salvation can be ours. Let us come near to God, so He can make “waves” in our lives for spiritual betterment.
