How the Kingdom Should Change Our Lives Now

Jesus Christ and the New Testament Church preached about the Kingdom of God—a literal kingdom that will rule over the earth at Christ’s return.

In his address recorded in Acts 3:21, Peter described the transition from man’s governments to the government of God as “the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” (To learn more about the coming Kingdom of God, read “What Is the Kingdom of God?”)

Though the Bible shows unequivocally that the Kingdom has yet to arrive, it also shows the Kingdom should affect us now.

The Kingdom should change our view of the world

One way we should change when we begin to believe in the good news of the Kingdom of God is in our perspective of the world around us. This physical world is all we know from personal experience.

Though there are good things in this world, with God’s calling and understanding of the Kingdom, we come to realize that everything—everything we can see and hear and touch, everything we can taste and smell—is temporary. Much of what we thought would make us happy leaves us empty and unfulfilled.

Learning about the Kingdom of God, and coming to understand that our physical lives don’t have to be the end for us, can bring great joy.

At the same time, we begin to understand that we should not put our hopes in this world, which so often disappoints. Christ warned His followers not to lay up “treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).

Instead, we should lay up “treasures in heaven” (verse 20). This refers to spiritual treasures now stored in heaven. God watches over us and plans to reward us according to our conduct when Christ returns. Heaven does not refer to an afterlife destination. (For more on this topic, read “Will You Spend the Hereafter in Heaven?”)

A changed mindset does more. Once we decide to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (verse 33), we transform our future expectations. As a result, we should begin to alter our behavior.

The Kingdom should lead us to repentance

Christ taught that the coming of His Kingdom should motivate us to repent (Matthew 4:17).

Repentance involves more than regret or sorrow. According to Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary, to repent means “‘to change one’s mind or purpose,’ always, in the NT, involving a change for the better, an amendment.”

True godly repentance, then, includes a determination to change one’s behavior—to stop sinning and to instead obey God’s laws.

God takes no pleasure in punishing the sinful, but rather wants to see a sinner “turn from his ways and live” (Ezekiel 18:23).

Christ taught that “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Repentance is necessary before anyone can hope to enter the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom would not be a place of universal joy if it were filled with unrepentant and miserable sinners (1 Corinthians 6:8-10).

True repentance is not an overnight change. It is a lifelong challenge. (Learn more in the booklet Change Your Life.)

The Kingdom requires work

As with any challenging task, determining to change our behavior requires work. Although forgiveness of sins is possible only through the blood of Christ (Romans 3:23-26; Hebrews 9:13-15), Christ made it clear that we have work to do.

Our personal responsibility is explained in many of the Kingdom parables. When interpreting the parable of the sower for His disciples, Jesus said that the individual “who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces” (Matthew 13:23) is the one who will enter the Kingdom.

This responsibility is also clear in Christ’s parable of the sheep and the goats. Those who live their lives without concern for other people will not inherit the Kingdom (Matthew 25:31-46).

It is possible, however, to do what we think are great works and have them, in reality, mean nothing. Jesus made this point during His Sermon on the Mount.

He asserted, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). These people, who decide for themselves what should be considered amazing works, will be told, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (verse 23).

How, then, can we learn the works that God will accept?

The Kingdom should motivate lifelong learning

Learning to live selflessly is hard work, and it can be daunting. We must “be diligent to enter” the Kingdom (Hebrews 4:11). To do so, we must first commit to staying in regular contact with God through the tools He provides.

Foremost among those tools is prayer. Prayer makes it possible for us to confidently approach the very throne of God (verse 16).

Another vital tool God provides is His Word, the Bible.

Through the pages of Scripture, we learn of God’s character, His plan and His will for our lives. We learn His laws, which guide us in our daily lives, and we gain insight and wisdom in the process. The Bible is God’s primary way of speaking to us.

God teaches us and corrects us as we study the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God sanctifies us—sets us apart—by His truth, by the Bible (John 17:17).

Community is also vital to us as we work toward the goal of preparing ourselves for the return of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom on earth. That community is the Church—not just any church, but the Church that obeys the teachings of Jesus Christ. (To learn more about the true Church, download our free booklet Where Is the Church Jesus Built?)

Through the community of believers, we find guidance as we learn what is important to prepare ourselves for the coming Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom changes us now, not the world

How we behave now is important, but we must always remember that we cannot change the world ourselves. As much as we would like to see God’s Kingdom here and now, we must wait for God’s timing, knowing that Christ will not establish His Kingdom until He returns.

Why, then, is our conduct now so important?

We demonstrate our loyalty and submission to God as we obey. It is only after we do so that He can trust us to be faithful members of His government and family in the future.

Do you want to be part of this wonderful future, the Kingdom of God? If so, allow hope for the Kingdom to change your life now. Equally important is our role in preaching the gospel to the world. We are commanded not only to preach the gospel message, but to teach people “to observe all things that [God has] commanded” (Matthew 28:19-20).

We will not be effective in that role unless we first demonstrate obedience ourselves. How we conduct our lives is just as important as what we teach. It is through our obedience that we become “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Our efforts should be devoted to serving God, which at times will mean serving the people around us. However, we must not make the mistake of thinking that we can change the world around us, whether through charitable efforts or through politics. Through service, we can temporarily give people a tiny glimpse of what God’s Kingdom will be like, but the real systemic change this world needs will be achieved only by the establishment of Christ’s rule on earth.

In addition, we must remember that we have no power to convert anyone. Yes, Jesus commissioned His disciples to preach the gospel, but He also explained that conversion is possible only when the Father draws that person (John 6:44). We must trust God’s timing.

The Kingdom requires lifelong commitment

Anyone who follows Christ in this life can look forward to a great future, but we must also bear in mind that this world is still ruled by Satan. Paul called Satan and the fallen angels “rulers of the darkness of this age” (Ephesians 6:12).

What this means is that our lives will not necessarily be easy. Paul warned that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Even so, we must endure, overcoming the obstacles placed before us. Overcomers will find their place in God’s Kingdom (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21).

We may be tempted to give up, but our hope for the Kingdom should strengthen our resolve. Giving up is not an option, as Christ clearly taught: “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

What about you? Do you want to be part of this wonderful future, the Kingdom of God? If so, allow hope for the Kingdom to change your life now.