Weekly insights from Chuck Colson and great saints of the past and present

The Kingdom of God is more than a mental construct or a future prospect. It is here.

“Sometimes I think Jesus’ humble announcement of the liberation of the people and the coming of the Kingdom of God is as badly misunderstood in churches today as it was by the Jews of His time. He was bringing in the reign of God on earth – first through His own ministry and then by establishing a peaceful occupying force, His Church, which would carry on God’s redemption until Christ’s return in power and glory at the Kingdom’s final triumph. In the cosmic struggle of good and evil, Jesus’ inauguration of the Kingdom was more decisive than D-day or any other invasion in human history.”
-Chuck Colson, The Faith

“We give the name of the city of God unto that society whereof the scripture bears witness, which has gained the most exalted authority and pre-eminence over all other works whatsoever, by the disposing of divine providence, not the chance decisions of men’s judgments.”
-Augustine, City of God

“Then Jesus says, ‘Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.’ In this sentence he clearly shows the difference between a good that ought to be sought as an end and a value that ought to be seen as a means. Our final good is therefore the kingdom of God and his justice. We ought to seek this good and fix our aim upon it. Let us perform all our actions for the sake of it. Yet, since we are waging war in this life in order to be able to reach that kingdom and since this life cannot be maintained unless those necessities are supplied, he says, ‘These things shall be given you besides, but seek you first the kingdom of God and his justice.’”
-Augustine, Sermon on the Mount

“The soldier who had been moved by divine intuition to refuse to slay God’s confessor was beheaded at the same time as Alban. And although he had not received the purification of Baptism, there was no doubt that he was cleansed by the shedding of his own blood, and rendered fit to enter the kingdom of heaven. Astonished by these many strange miracles, the judge called a halt to the persecution, and whereas he had formerly fought to crush devotion to Christ, he now began to honour the death of his saints. Saint Alban suffered on the twenty-second day of June near the city of Verulamium…”
-The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People

“Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fail. For in this way there will be richly provided for you and entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
-2 Peter 1:10, 11

For more insight to this subject, get the book, The Insider: Bringing the Kingdom of God Into Your Everyday World, by Jim Petersen and Mike Shamy, from our online store.

Or read the article, “ Kerygma of the Church,” by Andrew Sandlin.