International Conferences for Clergy

QUESTION: 1. Will there be sinners in the Kingdom of Heaven?

ANSWER: No, only former sinners.

QUESTION: 2. The Lords Prayer states,..."Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done." Isn't that in simplicity a Testament that when you do the will of God, the Kingdom is already established in you?

ANSWER: I can agree with that. However, I do not think that it would qualify as fulfillment of prophesy for the coming of His Kingdom. Scripture gives us a clear view of a world under the complete universal acceptance of the authority of Christ.

QUESTION: 3. The Kingdom of God is a place, how does this relate to Jesus' assertion that His Kingdom is not of this world?

ANSWER: Jesus, in stating that my Kingdom is not of this world, did not mean my Kingdom would never be of this world or is not meant to have a visible external manifestation. The Old Testament gives a very explicit vision of an earthly world under the universal acceptance of Christ's authority (Isa. 2:4, 11:6-10). Finally, we should note that in John 18:36, Jesus doesn't just say "my Kingdom is not of this world..." He goes on to say "my Kingdom is not now of this world" which of course points to the ultimate vision of His Second Coming when His Kingdom will be of this world also (Acts 3:21).

QUESTION: 4. In light of your teaching that if Israel had embraced Jesus, the Kingdom would have been established and thus no need for His death and resurrection and Second Coming. How do you explain John 12:27? What cause?

ANSWER: The cause? Of course His death and then resurrection. Jesus is commenting on the purpose of "this hour". He is not saying how long has His journey been to get to this hour. It in no way contradicts the fundamental truth of the presentations: That in the last year of His ministry owing to the faithlessness of Israel, the cross became predestined as Christ's purpose. He arrived at that hour with a troubled heart, but with the knowledge that this was the reason (to die) that He had come to this hour.

QUESTION: 5. What is mean by the term "Kingdom of God" on earth?

ANSWER: The Kingdom of God on Earth is the world under the universal acceptance of the authority of Christ as described in scripture such as Isa. 2:1-4, 9:1-7, 11:1-9. This will be implemented at the Second Coming (Rev. 21:1). The Kingdom will not just be an earthly Kingdom, it will also be a spiritual Kingdom.

QUESTION: 6. Psalms 89:4 makes a promise of David's and to build up David's throne unto all generations. Psalms 89:37 tells us David's throne would be established and as a faithful witness in Heaven. Acts 2:25-31, Peter points to a fulfillment of that promise, verse 30 says: God would raise up Christ to sit on that throne. If that indeed is true, than how would that throne be removed from Heaven to the earth?

ANSWER: Not removed from Heaven to earth, extended from Heaven to earth. Jesus said in John 3:13 "no one has gone into Heaven except the one who came down from Heaven, the son of man which is (now) in Heaven. Jesus prayed that God's will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven. The Kingdom should have a visible earthly manifestation. Jesus said my Kingdom is not now of this world and it is for the establishment of His earthly Kingdom that we now await (at His Second Coming), Acts 3:21, Rev. 21:1-5, Hebrews 9:28, 1Peter 1:5. The full manifestation of the Kingdom could have been accomplished, spiritual and physical, if Israel had had faith in Jesus.

QUESTION: 7. In Acts 1:6, the Apostles evidently did not understand why the literal Kingdom had not been restored. Jesus makes it clear in verse 7 that it was not the time or the season, but that a Holy Ghost anointing was to come first (verse 8). How do you explain this?

ANSWER: Beginning from the last year of His ministry, the Kingdom was no longer a potential at that time. Matt. 16:21 "from that time" He began to preach about His death and return at a later time in history. The disciple had such an immediate hope for the literal Kingdom because it had been a potential that Jesus spoke to and taught about in the first two years of His ministry. Acts 1:6, then, is not on contradiction with this view.

QUESTION: 8. What is the meaning of the 144,000 who will participate in the first resurrection?

ANSWER: It is a symbol for the world foundation of Christianity, which expands from the 120 gathered in the upper room, 120 X 120 = 144,000.

QUESTION: 9. Concerning the phrase "before the foundation of the world" what is your interpretation of Eph. 1:4 concerning this?

ANSWER: It means in the beginning God predestined that all people would be the object of His predestined will for the Kingdom. Therefore, when the first human ancestors fell away from that will, God determined to save all mankind and thus, God sent Christ for the whole world (John 3:16) not willing that anyone should perish but that all should come to everlasting life (2Peter 3:9). The term "from the foundation of the world" in Rev. 13:8 is meant (according to more correct exegesis) to define "the names not appearing in the book of life" and not "the lamb who was slain" (see Rev. 17:8). The way of the cross became predestined from the last year of Jesus' ministry (see Matt. 16:21) as a result of the irrevocable fact of Israel's unfaithfulness and the subsequent invocation of the curse of the law.

QUESTION: 10. The teaching concerning the Kingdom of God throughout the scripture is referring about a spiritual Kingdom, not a physical Kingdom. this is why Jesus said, in John 18:36, that my Kingdom is not of this world.

ANSWER: But Jesus does not mean that at no time will the Kingdom have and earthly manifestation, for He goes on to say, but now my Kingdom is not from hence (this world). His Kingdom was to be of this world and would have been if they had had faith in Him, but beginning in the last year of His ministry (Matt. 16:21), His Kingdom would not be of this world and only have a spiritual manifestation. He must therefore return to bring the substantial Kingdom on earth. Thus we see Acts 3:21, Hebrews 9:28 and 1Peter 1:5, Rev. 21:1.

QUESTION: 11. Where did Jesus say the Kingdom of God is located?

ANSWER: In the midst of you. The Kingdom begins in each of us, but then the Kingdom should have an external social manifestation which is evidence that truly the Kingdom had come. It is the role of the Second Coming to usher in the Kingdom of God on Earth and in the Spirit.

QUESTION: 12. Did Jesus, early in ministry, determine that all prophesies concerning the establishing of the Kingdom were not going to be fulfilled at that time in John 18:36?

ANSWER: Jesus said that His Kingdom was not now of this world in John 18:36 which was just before His crucifixion and thus was uttered in the latter part of His ministry. In the early part of His ministry He said "Now the time has come" the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand...(Mark 1:15).