Lovers of God

The kingdom of God belongs to those who practice God’s will, and not to those who practice evil

Those who are born again love God and fear Him and therefore they have a longing to do God’s will. When tempted, they try to run away from sin.

Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter."

It is not enough to talk about doing God’s will to enter the kingdom of heaven. You have to do (and not just talk about doing) God’s will to enter the kingdom of heaven. The Pharisees talked a lot about doing God’s will, but they didn’t end up actually doing God’s will. That is why Jesus said that our righteousness has to surpass that of the Pharisees if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Mt 5:20 "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

If we practice what is wrong (that is, if we have no desire to stop doing wrong) then we will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

1 Cor 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19-21 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Eph 5:5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Lk 13:27-30 27 "and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. 29 And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last."

This is a serious word, and we should take it very seriously.