Matters Concerning the Kingdom of God

The General Message of the Lecture

This lecture explains the meaning of the phrase “matters concerning the Kingdom of God” which the Lord Christ spoke about with His disciples during the forty days after the Resurrection, clarifying that the Kingdom is not a theoretical concept, but a spiritual life that began at the Cross, enters the heart, and is completed in eternity.

Lecture Summary

1. The Beginning of the Kingdom at the Cross
   His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the Kingdom of God truly began at the Cross, when the authority of Satan was removed and the price of sin was paid, so Christ reigned “on the wood” and the restoration of humanity from the dominion of death began.
2. The Kingdom as Power, Salvation, and Victory
   The Kingdom of God came with power that destroyed the work of Satan since the fall of Adam. It is a Kingdom of victory and triumph, manifested in the life of the believer who struggles against sin even to blood.
3. The Kingdom in the Life of the Believer
   The Kingdom is not limited to a historical event, but enters the heart of the believer when he prays, “Your Kingdom come,” meaning that God reigns over the mind, emotions, will, and the whole life.
4. Faith and Baptism as the Foundation of the Kingdom
   Among the essential matters of the Kingdom are faith in Christ and baptism, through which a person becomes a child of the Kingdom and an heir of eternal life.
5. Repentance and the Work of the Holy Spirit
   The Kingdom is lived through continuous repentance and through the work of the Holy Spirit dwelling in the believer through the sacrament of Chrismation, sanctifying and guiding him on the path of salvation.
6. Church Sacraments and Building the Kingdom
   The sacrament of the Eucharist is a power of stability in the Kingdom, where the believer abides in Christ and is raised on the last day. Likewise, the priesthood and the service of the sacraments are central to the matters of the Kingdom.
7. The Role of the Church and Service
   The Church is the primary instrument for building the Kingdom through preaching, baptism, teaching, and preparing servants. Any service that does not aim at building the Kingdom is an incomplete service.
8. The Kingdom, Holiness, and Perfection
   Christ calls to a life of holiness and perfection, where a person fully surrenders himself to God, allowing Him to reign truly and practically over his life.
9. The Present and Future Kingdom
   The Kingdom begins on earth, in the heart and in the Church, and is completed in the heavenly Jerusalem, where there is no sin or death, and God is all in all.

Kingdom of God

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