Based on Acts 26:12-32 (New King James Version)
“‘While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ ‘Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.’ Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!’ But he said, ‘I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.’ Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’ And Paul said, ‘I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.’ When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, ‘This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.’ Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.’”
The majority of people will only come close to the kingdom of God, but just that. Unfortunately, not everyone will understand the Gospel of salvation. And what is most ironic in all of this is that those that are precisely so close to it are the ones that will be the greatest enemies to the Gospel. Like we saw today, what keeps a person from coming to have a true encounter with God is not a lack of learning or understanding. Quite simply, it is not a problem of comprehension. The Lord Himself said that if we did not receive the kingdom of God like a child, that we would not be able to enter the kingdom of God. So then, God’s affairs do not require great intellect nor is a grand education required. What should happen then?
According to the Lord, to be able to not only see the kingdom of God, but also to enter and be a part of the kingdom of God, it is necessary to have a new beginning, to be born of the water and the Spirit. This is what we read in His Word: “There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:1-7. In summary, if God Himself is the One that says that this is what is necessary, then quite simply, it is necessary. There is no other way.
So, if it is supposedly something so simple, that we should even make ourselves like children, what is it then that makes so many come so close, but at the same time be so far away from God’s kingdom? Sin. But even more precisely within sin, it is the sin of pride. This is the greatest evil that exists. All sin is bad, and to come to Christ, a person must repent and convert from absolutely all of them, but the sin of pride is what finally keeps many from getting to what is necessary. How do I know that? Let’s start by seeing Paul’s true enemies. Those that wanted to directly kill Paul were the Jews, the religious, not necessarily the Romans. The Jews were no strangers to the truth, but quite the contrary, they knew even the smallest details of the Word of God. We can also see this evil in the prime example, that the Jews finally killed Christ Himself because of envy, which is the culmination of pride. We read this: “Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” Matthew 27:17-18. Pride does not have direction in general. Envy is when pride manifests its direction, an enemy is clearly defined. This problem has been with mankind since the beginning, because it was the same reason for why man gave in to the Devil’s temptation, as we see here: “Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:4-6. Man wanted to be like God. They envied God. And well, who is the father of all evil? Satan. When a human being manifests this sin of pride and envy against God, they are following the same steps of the worst one. Satan himself envied God, because this was in his heart before falling: “…I will be like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:14b.
Not much has changed today. Mankind in general today wants now more than ever to be like God, to be able to do whatever they want without any kind of consequence. And many supposed believers not only desire that, but also, to make matters worse, they want to make God their servant. So close, but also, completely contrary to what should be. That is why the religious, the ones that know the things of God, but try to use them for their convenience is the Lord’s worst enemy. This is what the Lord Himself taught: “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Mateo 6:9-10. God is the One that must command our lives, Christ in us being our Lord. So then, are you just close to God’s kingdom, or are you part of God’s kingdom by being completed submitted to Jesus’ Lordship? Lord bless! John