The Kingdom of Smith

The Kingdom of Smith

Mr. Smith was born into the Kingdom of Smith. He did not do anything to become a Smith. His father was a Smith, as was his father and his father’s father before him, and thus he was a Smith from conception. His citizenship in the Kingdom of Smith was passively conferred upon him apart from anything he ever did. It is the result of his father's actions, not his own. He can never lose this genetic aspect of the Kingdom.

However, being born a Smith brings with it certain familial obligations and responsibilities. His father taught, “We Smiths are honest and hardworking people whose word is their bond.” It will require effort to enter into this aspect of the Kingdom of Smith – namely the effort of being truthful, working hard, and keeping his commitments. This aspect of the Kingdom is entered by acting in a manner consistent with the King’s design for proper citizenship in the Kingdom. Those who act accordingly are considered "Smiths indeed” (literally "in deed” or “as demonstrated by what they do”). They are not merely Smiths by birth, but also by the evidenced of their actions. On the other hand, if some Smith chooses to be lazy or to deal dishonestly with others in a fashion that is inconsistent with the precepts of the Kingdom, one might say, “Well, he’s a Smith, but he doesn’t act like a Smith!”

The Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God works precisely the same way. There are aspects of the Kingdom that are conferred upon us via covenant by the new birth through no actions of our own (Titus 3:5), and aspects that we must press into to demonstrate our standing as citizens of the Kingdom “in deed" to our fellow citizens (John 8:31). The former is eternal salvation by monergistic grace; the latter, temporal salvation from this untoward generation, the benefits of which we experience to the extent that we are obedient to the commands of God and avail ourselves of his ever-present promise of enabling strength to those who seek it (I Corinthians 10:13).

May all of God's people press into the Kingdom of God in the coming year.

- Elder Daniel Samons