Featured Entering the Kingdom

I don't think so!. All the personal references in chapter 9 is an application of the typology that had been established in the OT people and events to illustrate the spiritual truths that were unfolding in 58 AD when this epistle was written. This chapter is about the need of the children of Abraham to experience a new birth because their being born into the earthly family of God by the flesh does not make them sons of God no matter their other advantages like having the covenant promises. How one is to be brought into that kindred relationship with God was thoroughly explained in all of chapter 8. It would be by the Spirit that dwelt in Christ, the firstborn Son of God, dwelling in the mortal bodies of those who believe the gospel of Christ. In chapter 9 the application of the types are brought into view to illustrate this. Who was born first, Ishmael or Isaac? Esau or Jacob? Israel or Judah? There are advantages at times for the firstborn but he must have a second birth to be a son of God.

Israel refused the gift of God, the Spirit of God and of Christ that could have and would have given them the new birth making them the children of God. Only a remnant and a small one received the gift and were saved. The following passage I will now quote will help you see that these earthly people of God, Israel, rejected the Spirit of God and rather held on the the law of Moses for their righteousness. this was an effort of flesh to save themselves. This is the reason God judicially blinded this nation and began selecting the citizens of his kingdom individually and spiritually birthing them into his family when they believed the gospel. They would die but he would raise them from the dead in a body like his glorified body that cannot die and can populate his kingdom.

Ac 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

He was not talking to an individual but to a nation through her rulers who have an immutable and eternal land grant through the Abrahamic Covenant. This sermon by Stephan was in AD 37/38 before the door of faith was opened to gentiles and they began receiving the gift of the Spirit individually one by one in Acts 10 as they heard and believed the gospel of God and were being born again of God. This took place in 40 AD. Romans was written 18 years later in AD 58.The manner in which God is responding to their unbelief is not a matter of OT prophecy. The actions of God in this age are "mysteries" and yet for one to have confidence in the faithfulness of the promises of God to those whom he makes the promises, he must have a working knowledge of the OT interaction between God and Israel. In Ro 7:1 through Ro 11:12 Paul gives crucial explanation of his intention of building his church by the inclusion of the gentiles who will believe the gospel during the time Israel was nationally blinded and making us "partaker" with the believing Jews of the spiritual privileges of the New Covenant. These privileges were forgiveness of sins through Christ and the gift of the Spirit who birthed us as Sons of God, putting us into the church, the body of Christ. The very mysteries of the New Testament that are said to be "hidden in God" are hidden in the OT types and are revealed as they are fulfilled in and by the anti-types.

Jesus Christ is not going to establish his earthly and eternal kingdom physically until all his subjects willingly submit in their hearts to his Lordship over them. He says so here:

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

A man can be born again and not yet be in the physical earthly kingdom of God but he cannot enter into the kingdom of God unless he is born again. It is the last Adam, the second man who is a life giving Spirit. God has taught this over and over and over in the OT. It is the second man born that God uses.

Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

In this capacity Jesus could do a lot of things but he could not save anybody.

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

In this capacity he could save sinners and then raise them from the dead.


Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Jesus was born of the flesh, the only begotten Son of God and he was born of the Spirit at his resurrection from the dead, the first of many brethren to follow.

Ro 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Ro 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

When the Spirit enters into a man, his body is quickened by the presence of the Spirit.

Ponder these things. The words of God have power to open eyes and give light and understanding. Praise God.

 

WRONG!

5 Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;
6 and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness;
7 and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:
11 for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pe 1

 

This promise making sure of being in said kingdom without merit. 2 Peter 1:4-11.

 

What part of ... adding on your part all diligence,... give the more diligence... if ye do these things,....do you not understand? 'Entering the Kingdom' is not the same as the 'free gift' of eternal life.

In the Exodus Motif the Hebrews had to conquer The Promised Land, i.e., the land of milk and honey, the kingdom of God [Romans 14:17]

 

Wrong.
John 3:3, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Matthew 18:3, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

Nothing I've posted contradicts those passages. I suppose you're conflating the kingdom of heaven here on earth with heaven above. Not the same.

 

So do you have a two kingdom of God view?

John 18:36, Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

 

No. Do you?

20 And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you. Lu 17

17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Ro 14

18 For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, Heb 12

 

Not.

3 Jesus answered and said to him, `Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born from above, he is not able to see the reign of God;` Jn 3 YLT

Did you choose of your own free will to be born here below?

Did you choose of your own free will to be born from above?

 

I noticed you omitted Matthew 18:3, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
There is also Mark 10:15, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
And Luke 18:17, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

John 3:3 Jesus' explanation wasn't given in Scripture until 90 something A.D.
James 1:18, Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

 

Egad. Please, please, point out to me where I have contradicted any of those passages. You throw out scripture references all the time and no on sees your point.

I'm saying we have NOTHING to do with our heavenly birth.

I'm saying we have everything to do with entering the kingdom.

 

An interesting thought.

Did Jesus promise the thief on the cross, entering the kingdom or eternal life?

I ask in the context of: Thou shall be with me in paradise. What is in the paradise? Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Is that after the New Jerusalem comes out of heaven? Rev 21 and 22

 

First prerequisite reference.
Matthew 18:3, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Second reference to this.
James 1:18, Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Second prerequisite reference.
Mark 10:15, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Third prerequisite reference.
Luke 18:17, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

It's explanation is later written,
John 3:3-4, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Notice Nicodemus' question also fits Matthew, Mark and Luke quotations.

Now do you not understand?

 

Make me understand how...:

.....contradicts any of those.

 

Ask the Holy Spirit. 1 John 2:27.
James 1:18.

 

Free will faith lead to salvation by the grace of God
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Eph 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Joh 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 

In the Jewish apocalyptic literature Paradise,..., came to be conceived of as one of the abodes of the righteous after death. It was in the third heaven, where God’s throne was situated.

NT.-Thus we find the background of the conceptions which appear in the three passages in which the word occurs in the NT-
(1) In Luk_23:43, as in the Books of Adam and Eve, Paradise is conceived of as a place of intermediate abode, though whether in heaven or in Sheol is not clear.
(2) In 2Co_12:4 we have a combination of the Rabbinical conception of Paradise as denoting mystic contemplation and the trance-state, with the conception of Paradise as in the third heaven and the abode of God.
(3) In Rev_2:7 as in 4 Ezra Paradise is presented as a reward in the future age for the righteous.
S. H. Hooke.
DICTIONARY OF CHRIST AND THE GOSPELS
JAMES HASTINGS

 

Monergism as stated in James 1:18, Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, . . .
We believe. We do not begat ourselves.

 

Monergism: the theological doctrine that regeneration is exclusively the work of the Holy Spirit {Irresistible grace}

As you said in your post "We believe" God does not do that for us and God save us because we believe.

Monergism is not a biblical doctrine but rather a calvinist construct to support their theology.