By David Rusk
What is the Kingdom of God? What saith the scriptures? The answer is given to us in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” God created the angels for heaven and God created living creatures, including man, His most cherished creation, for the earth. However, the sinless nature of both heaven and earth was lost when iniquity (sin) entered by Lucifer and Adam, respectively. The rest of God’s word tells us how he is going to reclaim both realms.
David Rusk
God then made an unconditional covenant with Abram, an uncircumcised Gentile in Genesis 12:2-3. That covenant known as the “Abrahamic Covenant” is the beginning of God’s plan to reclaim the earth. The great nation promised to Abram in that covenant is the nation Israel. God’s word from Genesis through Mid-Acts concerns the times of obedience and disobedience to God, of the nation Israel. God’s prophesied plan was to use the nation of Israel to bring the nations (Gentiles) to God as explained in Exodus 19:5-6 and Isaiah 49:6. But Israel rejected her Savior, Jesus of Nazareth, and crucified Him. As a result, God placed Israel into a temporary blindness, Romans 11:25.
God then turns His attention to the Gentiles and reveals His “Mystery” plan to reclaim heaven to Saul of Tarsus. Saul of Tarsus becomes the apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, Romans 11:13, chosen by the risen, exalted Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 9:15. Also, Paul’s office of apostleship has been magnified by the risen Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 11:13). This means that in this current age of grace our state and standing with God are written in the epistles of Paul.
Therefore, a wise student of God’s word during this current dispensation of grace will obey 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Those living in this current evil age should not confuse the Gospel of the Kingdom, preached by Jesus of Nazareth and the 12 apostles during the dispensation of the Law to reclaim the earth, with the Gospel of the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was hid in the mind of God and revealed to Paul for this current dispensation of grace to reclaim the heavenly realm, Romans 16:25. Studying God’s word with an understanding of 2 Timothy 2:15 also dispels any confusion, for God is not the author of confusion, I Corinthians 14:33. Additionally, studying God’s word “rightly divided” eliminates perceived contradictions.
David Rusk teaches God’s word “rightly divided” in non-denominational home church services on Saturdays from 10-11:30am. If interested, please email: davidbrusk@yahoo.com.
