Kingdom Exclusion

Well, I also know he will return, so that's not something that I hope for. Although, I might hope that it's soon. But, in your statement above, you are saying that you know he's going to return, but you hope he's going to return. I've heard people preach that "hope" means "assurance", but that is simply someone who is desparate to make a conditional promise fit the mold of everlasting salvation. A hope is not something that's assured. (Although, since he has promised things in exchange for obedience, we are assured that he will carry out his promises if we are faithful, but we hope that we will receive those rewards and we hope that we will receive glory.)

Vol. 4: Analytical lexicon of the Greek New Testament, from Baker's Greek New Testament library, by Friberg, Friberg, and Miller, Louw and Nida’s Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament : Based on semantic domains (Vol. 1, Page 295), from the United Bible societies, Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon, Moulton’s Analytical Greek Lexicon, The Greek and English Lexicon to the New Testament by Greene, and the Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich’s A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (also known as the BDAG for short), all of which are considered standards in the field of Greek Lexicons, define the verb form as “to look forward to something, with implication of confidence about something coming to pass, to hope, or to hope for; to look forward to something in view of the measures one takes to ensure fulfillment; expect”. The noun form is defined as, “the looking forward to something with some reason for confidence respecting fulfillment, hope, expectation, that which is the basis for hoping, foundation of hope, that for which one hopes, something hoped for”. (These definitions are actually from the BDAG, but all the definitions are along these lines.)

Hope means to look forward with confidence to that which is good and beneficial; to hope, to hope for, hope. Some examples can be found in Luke 24:21, which says, “and we had hoped that he would be the one who was going to redeem Israel”; 1 Timothy 4:10, which says, “because we have placed our hope in the living God”; Acts 23:6 in which Paul says, “I am on trial (here) because I hope that the dead will rise to life”; Romans 15:4: “in order that through patience and encouragement given by the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Hope means to expect, with the implication of some benefit; to expect, to hope. In Luke 6:34-35, we find [And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. ]. An example using “that which is hoped for” can be found in Romans 8:24, which says, “when what is hoped for is seen, there is no longer any need to hope”. The word can be used to reference that which constitutes the cause or reason for hoping; the basis for hope, the reason for hope. 1 Thessalonians 2:19 says, “for who is the basis for our hope or joy?” This expression in 1 Thessalonians 2.19 may be rendered as, “for who is the one who causes us to hope and to have joy [to be happy]?”

 

Hope
HOPE, n. [L. cupio.]
1. A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.
The hypocrite's hope shall perish. Job 8.
He wish'ed, but not with hope--
Sweet hope! kind cheat!
He that lives upon hope, will die fasting.
2. Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God's gracious promises; a scriptural sense.
A well founded scriptural hope,is, in our religion, the source of ineffable happiness.
3. That which gives hope; he or that which furnishes ground of expectation, or promises desired good. The hope of Israel is the Messiah.
The Lord will be the hope of his people. Joel 3.
4. An opinion or belief not amounting to certainty, but grounded on substantial evidence. The christian indulges a hope, that his sins are pardoned.
HOPE, v.i.
1. To cherish a desire of food, with some expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable.
Hope for good success.
Be sober and hope to the end. 1 Pet 1.
Hope humbly then, with trembling pinions soar.
2. To place confidence in; to trust in with confident expectation of good.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul,and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God. Psa 43.
HOPE, v.t. To desire with expectation of good, or a belief that it may be obtained. But as a transitive verb, it is seldom used,and the phrases in which it is so used are elliptical, for being understood.
So stands the Thracian herdsman with his spear,
Full in the gap,and hopes the hunted bear.
HOPE, n. A sloping plain between ridges of mountains. [Not in use.]

 

no, inheritance and being an heir are two different things. Being an heir is not a guarantee of inheritance. If an inheritance is conditional, an heir must meet the conditions.

Romans 8:17
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

We as believers are "in Christ". We are grafted to Him. We share in the rights of God's "Firstborn" Son. We cannot lose that.

 

I think we must be careful that we don't pull a verse from somewhere and say that it automatically applies to everyone that is a believer. When we do that we can prove just about anything we want to.

Verses must be taken in context which is immediate, within the book and consistent from the beginning of God's revelation to man to the end of God's revelation to man.

And all believers inheriting the kingdom is not consistent from the beginning to the end.

 

We have met the condition the moment we are in Christ. God's wrath is appeased in Christ...and His blessings for us are also in Christ. I believe the HCSB nails the meaning of verse 17...

Rom 8:17 and if children, also heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ--seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

 

The wealthy ruler was able to "see" Lazarus and Abraham in Heaven. Is the Kingdom not Heaven? Was the wealthy ruler (who was tormented) in the Kingdom?

For those who are KOG / KOH, what do you believe "outer darkness" to be?

 

So you believe all believers are not "sons"?

 

Real threat of what...sinning?

Yes, it's real. I speak from experience (unfortunately). I have yet seen what this has to do with your Kingdom view.

 

Do you believe Esau was grafted to Jacob?

 

...not if we are "in Christ" we can't. The Bible teaches that ALL believers are in Christ. It makes no difference if it's double or triple portions, if anything can be lost while "in Christ", eternal security is moot.

 

Esau was a natural branch.

 

IMO--this "Kingdom Exclusion" doctrine sounds more like a "Protestant Purgatory"