What is the kingdom of heaven (the church) like?
Jesus illustrated it one day when a certain occasion arose.
There is no striving to be first there, nor any in-fighting!
"Then came to Him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping Him, and desiring a certain thing of Him. And He said to her, What will you? She said to Him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on Your right hand, and the other on the left, in Your kingdom".
"But Jesus answered and said, You know not what you ask. Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said to Him, We are able. And He said to them, You shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father".
This was a request which angered the others.
"And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation [jealousy] against the two brethren. But Jesus called them to Him, and said, You know that the princes [rulers] of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister [servant]".
"And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant even as the Son of man [who] came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many". Matthew 20:20-28.
On the way to Calvary
"And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen to Him, saying, ‘Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests, and to the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles. And they shall mock Him, and shall scourge [whip] him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again". Mark 10:32-34.
This was a statement of the future which
"amazed" (or confused) the disciples. Why?
He had proclaimed that the kingdom was "at hand".
"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel". Mark 1:14-15.
He had promised them glory in it.
"Then answered Peter and said to Him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed You; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said to them, Verily I say to you, That you which have followed Me, in the regeneration [the new world] when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel".
"And every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life". Matthew 19:27-29.
Now He was saying that He would soon be "dead"!
Who can understand such a contradiction?
Only those who allow their eyes to be opened.
"And the disciples came, and said to Him, Why speak you to them in parables? He answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
"For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that [which] he has".
"Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which said, ‘By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive', for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them".
"But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them". Matthew 13:10-17.
Position in the kingdom is not given arbitrarily,
it is the RESULT of character.
"And He said to them, You shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father". Matthew 20:23.
It is the RESULT of overcoming "self"
"Then said Jesus to His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it". Matthew 16:24-25.
"To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches". Revelation 3:21-22.
Paul had listened
He wrote: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love His appearing". 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
The kingdom of heaven has different rules
"And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John, but Jesus called them to Him, and said to them, You know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister, and whosoever of you will be the chief, shall be servant of all, for even the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many". Mark 10:41-45.
This is Christianity, and Paul had done the same.
"For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more".
"Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved". 1 Corinthians 9:19; 10:33.
Each must choose
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way". Romans 14:12-13.
There is no force used in this kingdom
"For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides [still] in death".
"Whosoever hates [or criticizes] his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren". 1 John 3:11-16.
Using force in religion is following Baal the god of force, a crime God repeatedly accused His people of doing! Judges 2:13.
Now you might like to try reading part of A T Jones' "Christian Patriotism"