The Kingdom of Heaven Is Within: Part I

 

I. Where Can the Kingdom of God Be Found? 

During his ministry, the Savior was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come. 

20 ¶ And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17)

This question was likely asked because Christ's ministry was about proclaiming the coming of the kingdom of God. Although the Jews were living in the ancestral land, they were not free. And they knew this. The Roman government exerted strong control over their lives. This was especially true when it came to taxes, which became a burden for many. And although Rome was tolerant of the Jewish religion, they weren't exclusive to it. For a Jew living around the time of Christ, it would not be uncommon for him to see pagan temples and worship dotted around Palestine. For many practicing Jews, this would have been an offense and desecration of their holy land. The Jews, then, were not free and they sought for deliverance (salvation). 

Christ's response, therefore, is responding to this larger context. In other words, the Jews, had recommitted themselves to God (at least they believed they had) and were eagerly awaiting the coming salvation brought by the future messiah. Christ had claimed to be this messiah. The Pharisees, in asking this question, wanted to know when the kingdom of God. This is because the establishment of the kingdom of God meant deliverance for the Jews. This would have been of central importance. 

Given the oppression and occupation by Rome, the Pharisees were likely anticipating an event -- something visible -- that would bring about the kingdom of God. However, the answer they received from Christ was more subtle. Instead, Christ told them that the kingdom of God "comes not with observation", but the "kingdom of God is within you."

The question then is what does Christ mean that the kingdom of God is within us? Some translators render this statement as the kingdom of heaven is in the midst of you. The problem with this, however, is that Christ in verse 20 tells the Pharisees that the kingdom of God does not come from observation. Thus if the kingdom of God is in the midst of us, then it would be observed. Yet Christ says that it can't be observed. This suggests that in the midst may be an incorrect translation.

II. The Sermon on the Mount 

But while there are varying interpretations, one way to answer this question is to observe what Christ focused on during his ministry. And the essence of his ministry is encapsulated in the Sermon on the Mount. And thanks to the Book of Mormon, we have even greater evidence of this, as Christ taught it to the Nephites also. 

In that sermon, the Lord directs his teachings to the individual. One of these teachings that highlights this contrast is found in verse 41 of Matthew 5. There Christ teaches: 

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

To understand the significance of this verse, we have to understand the context. Earlier in this post I explained that while the Jews were able to inhabit their ancestral land, they were not free. I also explained that the Romans made life difficult for them. According to scholars, it was common for Romans soldiers to select Jewish men (from off the street) to carry their gear and armor for them. Jews would carry the gear to the next town sometimes. This meant that a Jew could be minding his own business in town and a Roman soldier selects him to carry his armor. The Jewish man had no choice -- he was compelled to comply. 

Now that we understand the context, Jesus' statement should be startling. Jesus is telling the people that when a Roman soldier compels any one of them to carry his gear and armor, the Jews should not only comply, but go above and beyond. Thus despite the unjust oppression by Rome against the Jews, Jesus places a high demand and expectation on how the Jews (as individuals) are to respond. 

But this is only one of the many teachings that place responsibility on the individual. The beginning of the Sermon on the Mount directs blessings to the individuals who have changed their character to become more like God's. 

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

It's worthwhile to read the Sermon on the Mount (chapter 5-7) and pay attention to who Christ places the responsibility on. In each case dealing with other people, Christ places the responsibility on the individual. Moreover, he never allows the individual an excuse to fight against his enemy. Moreover, he never speaks about the occupying power. The focus in on what the is expected of the individual. 

III. Themes of the Bible 

But in addition to Christ's teachings on the Sermon on the Mount, we can get a better understanding of his Luke 17 statement by turning to one of the themes of the Bible.  And this is found in Genesis. One of the central messages of Genesis is that humans are created in God's image. At its core, this means that humans have divinity with them. This separates us from the animals and other aspects of creation. But it also means that humans are held to a greater expectation. As holding dominion over the earth, humans are to hold that dominion after the manner of God. In other words, humans bear responsibility for how they hold the dominion God has given them. 

Finally, the last scripture which is relevant for us comes from Ezekiel 36. There, Ezekiel explains what the Lord plans to do for Israel to regather them. He explains: 

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 

Here, the Lord, before fighting Israel's enemies, will first transform the inner life of the individual by giving him a new heart and his spirit (the Holy Ghost) Once he does that, then Israel will 

28 ... dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations 

Given these statements, we can now answer the questions I posed earlier. When Christ says that the kingdom of God is within you (or us), he is saying that the kingdom of God is first actualized through the individual. The kingdom of God will only be realized when people transform themselves to be part of the kingdom of God. This is why Christ says that the kingdom of God is not seen through observation. It's because the kingdom is brought by the subtle changes in the individual not discernable to the naked eye.  

Christ directs this statement to the Pharisees for a few reasons. First, they asked about when the kingdom of God would come. But more importantly, the Pharisees (as well as most Jews) believed that they would be part of God's kingdom by simply doing the commands and being God's people. Christ's statement, then, is pointing out that people must transform their inner lives to become part of God's kingdom -- simply doing the commands (outward performances) is not sufficient. Nevertheless, the fact that Christ says that the kingdom of God comes within you to the Pharisees shows that the Pharisees, if they chose, can be part of that kingdom. And because God is no respecter of persons, this applies to us. All of us can be part of God's kingdom. We just have to, as the Lord to Ezekiel, change our selves. We do this by acquiring God's character. 

IV. Acquiring God's Character

One message and purpose of Christ's ministry was to help correct the people's misunderstanding about what God cares about. The Jews, during Christ's day, recognized and acknowledged that their ancestors messed up big time. They acknowledged that Israel was not faithful to God and thus were justly destroyed by God (through the Babylonian and Assyrian forces). 

But the Jews (particularly the Pharisees) made the mistake in what they thought God valued. They believed that by remaining true to the Torah (Law of Moses), which was understood as doing (there is a difference between doing the commandments and obeying them) the commandments they would merit God's favor. However, they failed to realize that God demands a transformation of the person. They failed to realize that the commandments given in the Law of Moses were designed to change the individual. They were not to be obeyed legalistically. 

Joseph Smith taught that salvation was predicated upon acquiring God's character. And as you can likely infer, we obtain God's character through keeping His commandments. 

"If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves. What kind of being is God? Eternal life (is) to know God - if man does not know God, (he) has not eternal life...Every man has a right to be a true prophet...Soon as we begin to understand the character of God He begins to unfold the heavens to us." (Words of Joseph Smith, p.340-341.) 

Knowledge of self is then the knowledge of God's character. God's commands teach us about his character. As we obey (not merely do) the commands, our character will change. Our fallen self will be changed into one that is redeemable by God. Over time our thoughts and actions will mirror that of God. Over time, we will carry God's character with us into situations, acting as if God were present. This is what it means to take upon the name of Christ. 

This was the meaning of my post "The Parable of the High School Student." Although the high school student attended all the classes and participated in the extracurriculars, he never improved himself. When faced with signs that his knowledge was insufficient to get him into college, he ignored them and instead continued doing the same thing he had done, with little to no changes within him. 

This parable also applies to a spiritual level. As we read the parable, we should ask if our treatment of God's commands are like the high school student's. Have we allowed His commandments to change us? Are we a different person from the day before, the week before, or year before? When trials (exams) arise, how do we handle them? Do we excel? Do we seek to learn from them? Or do we just grin and bear it, failing to learn what God wanted to teach us? 

We may have a stellar church attendance record. We may have an important church calling. We may be very popular in our ward (or branch). But if we think that's the measure of our what God wants, we'll unfortunately be like the high school student, who failed to take advantage to improve his understanding. As a result, we'll be kept from entering into the rest of the Lord (see Alma 13). 

V. Becoming a Zion People 

From the days of Enoch, the righteous have sought for Zion to return to earth. One of the commands given by the Lord to the early Saints was to "seek to bring forth and establish my Zion." The Doctrine and Covenants largely contains revelations given by the Lord to the early Saints about how to prepare Zion. Yet despite the instruction and patience by the Lord, the early saints, due to their division and strife within them, failed to establish Zion. 

3 But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them;

4 And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom;

5 And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. (D&C 105)

The burden, then, is upon us to achieve what our forebears failed to do. This is not to condemn and make light of the sacrifices of our ancestors and the early saints. They suffered much. And some of that suffering was due to wicked members within their society. But even though this is true, we still need to bring about Zion. 

The events of the end times are nearer than I realized. This is not to say, however, that all that has been prophesied by the ancients will happen in the next year, but it does mean that many living today may have the opportunity to see it many of the events unfold. This means that trials and tribulations lay ahead. But it also means that the Lord will again establish Zion on the earth. This is a blessing that has only be achieved by a few. The establishment of Zion will bring about the millennial reign of Christ. Christ will dwell in Zion and peace, love, and prosperity will abound. But those who live in Zion will consists of a certain type of people: 

18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them. (Moses 6)

To be Zion people, then, requires that the people act a certain way and have put on a certain character -- one of love and unity. If we want to be part of Zion, we need to put on this character. And we do so by making the changes in our personal life. 

Modern science has shown that each and every day we are choosing who we will be. This is because science has revealed that our new genes in our central nervous system are activated when an organism (such as humans) places itself in a new situation. When we are placed in a new situation, the genes that are activated code for new proteins. Like legos, that serve as a building block for a structure, proteins serve as building blocks for new structures in the brain. Each protein accumulated by the genes contribute to shaping our brains circuitry. What this means is that the decisions we make today, shapes who we are and who we become. 

Ultimately then, if we choose and seek out opportunities to adapt Christ's character into our lives, our brains will develop around that behavior. If we choose to be merciful when wronged by someone, instead of seeking revenge, our brains will adapt and adjust, causing us to BE merciful people.  Conversely, if we choose to find fault and judge others, we will become judgmental people. When it comes to establishing Zion, this is important to consider. 

Those who will inhabit Zion will be those who are united with each other. And this will only happen by people seeking that change within themselves -- a change to be a loving people. There is no magically pixie dust that will automatically turn us into Zion people. If God could change our character by merely snapping his fingers, then he would violate our liberty, as he would be changing us into people that we don't want to be. We can say that we want to be in Zion, but if we don't become a Zion people, then it's just window dressing. What we desire is manifested by who we become. If we say we desire something, but don't live up to it, then we are merely wishing. God does not grant one's wishes. 

But why does the Lord demand such a high standard from Zion? It's because Zion is a model of heavenly archetype. In order for the Lord to dwell in Zion, Zion must be modeled from a heavenly society. 

The idea that Zion can be established on earth rests on the premise that there is a celestial prototype—a heavenly society composed of exalted beings who live in unity in God’s literal presence. Zion on earth is to be patterned after that celestial society. Thus, God’s desire for the ultimate destiny of a Zion community is that it be taken into His presence, for “Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself” (D&C 105:5; emphasis added). 

(see: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2000/11/from-zion-to-destruction-lessons-of-4-nephi?lang=eng)

But as we learned from Jesus' statement in Luke 17, the kingdom of God is within. In order to be part of the kingdom of God (Zion), we must have adopted the kind of character to be PART OF the kingdom of God. 

VI. Desiring Zion 

The first step we can take in desiring Zion is to look at what it means to be a Zion people. Once we've identified what that looks like, we then have a conception of what we are aiming for. 

Earlier, we read Moses 7 description of Zion -- a people of one heart and one mind. But this, too, seems a bit abstract. Given that it's not clear what it means to be of one heart and one, where else can we turn? Our answer: the Sermon on the Mount. 

There is a reason why the Lord repeated the Sermon on the Mount to the Nephites and Lamanites. It's because it contains the building block of a Zion people. In remarking about the purpose of Christ's ministry, Joseph Smith taught: 

This covenant [The New and Everlasting Covenant] has never been established with the house of Israel, nor with the house of Judah, for it requires two parties to make a covenant, and those two parties must be agreed, or no covenant can be made. Christ, in the days of His flesh, proposed to make a covenant with them, but they rejected Him and His proposals, and in consequence thereof, they were broken off, and no covenant was made with them at that time. (TPSJ, 14)

According to Joseph Smith, Christ's ministry was designed to bring about the kingdom of God (Zion). Given that it was, then it would follow that Christ's teachings would be focused on building God's kingdom. The central teaching Christ gave the Sermon on the Mount. There, Christ outlines what is required of those who seek for God's kingdom. We should read the Sermon on the Mount to identify what commands we are obeying and which ones we are not, and start obeying them. 

It is only then can we expect to be part of Zion.