The Kingdom or the World

     Scriptures reveal that only a minority; a small part of mankind, or a remnant will be delivered from God’s righteous judgment. 

     There will be a remnant from the nation of Israel and a remnant from all nations, tongues, tribes and peoples from all ages of which the church is part.

     The term remnant means the smaller part remaining after the majority is dealt with.

     The Bible states the size of the remnant of God’s chosen nation, i.e. Israel will be one-third when Christ returns to end the great tribulation. 

     And in the New Testament Jesus said:

     “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14

     At a later time Jesus was directly asked, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”

     Jesus confirmed His earlier teaching.

     “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”  Luke 13:24

     It is difficult to determine the actual percent of Americans who are Christians.  The percent of professed Christians hovers around 75% but the Pew Research Center reported that in 2013 approximately only 37% of Americans attend church once a week or more. 

     Add to those statistics Reverend Billy Graham’s estimate that two of three church attendees are really not Christian it can be surmised that Christians are a minority remnant of America’s populace similar to Israelites.

     That being the case what is known about the majority?  What are their priorities during this present age?  What determines their values and actions?

     We’ll do a series differentiating the majority from the minority.  The minority will be referred to as citizens of the Kingdom and the majority will be referred to simply as the ‘world’.

     There are several definitions of the ‘world’ depending on the context.  In the present discussion the focus will be on organized mankind inhabiting the earth without God.  The Greek base for this definition is kosmos.

     The world is more concerned with the visible and tangible than the invisible and spiritual.  A further differentiation is that the world is more interested in transience while citizens of the Kingdom are more concerned with the eternal.

     Those of the world are indifferent or even hostile to citizens of the Kingdom.  In fact the differences between the world and the Kingdom are so pronounced that there is enmity or hatred between them.  Such enmity began ages ago in the garden resulting from the great deception.

     All descendants of Adam and Eve were/are born without the Spirit of God within them.  The worldly continue throughout their lives without the Spirit while the citizens of the Kingdom have been redeemed out of the world.  God has placed His Spirit within them.  Such is called being ‘born again’.

     Therefore, the wisdom of the worldly is totally at odds with Godly wisdom.

     The Apostle Paul had much to say about worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom.  Worldly wisdom is based on man’s logic while Godly wisdom is based on divine revelation provided freely to the redeemed.

     “Let no one deceive himself.  If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God…”  1 Corinthians 3:18-19a

     “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise…”  1 Corinthians 1:27a 

     Paul goes on to say that the minority remnant is mature, having Godly wisdom vs. wisdom of this age.  Rulers of this age who depend on worldly wisdom or on man’s reasoning and logic are on their way to destruction according to Scriptures.

     “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.”  1 Corinthians 2:5

     Therefore, the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God have absolutely nothing in common.

     More differences between the world and the Kingdom to follow.