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THE KINGDOM

    Being in the kingdom does not guarantee eternal salvation.  There are some in the kingdom who will be cast out.  Some only enter the kingdom, while others receive it with Christ; as the following verses reveal.

WHO RECEIVES THE KINGDOM?
    (Being in it and receiving it are not the same thing.  These receive the kingdom with Christ.)

Mt 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
    (Poor here means like a beggar, cringing.  There is also an element of fear in this word.
    This reveals that there is a lack in their spirit and also some fear.  This is how we are to
    stand before the Lord.  We are to fear Him and know that we can do nothing without
    Him.)

Mt 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the
    kingdom of heaven

Mt 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
    (That nation is the Christian nation, but they do not receive it until the end.  Until that time
    they are to occupy as servant in that kingdom.)

Lk 19:12 A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to
    return.
    (It is understood that Jesus is the nobleman who goes into heaven and receives a kingdom,
    though this is only partially right.  'Nobleman' is not in the Luke's original text and the word
    certain means some person or any person.  'Some person' would be Jesus, but the 'any
    person' would be those who are the joint heirs with Him.  This is further strengthened by
    the fact that the joint heirs are also His body.)

WHO ENTERS THE KINGDOM?
    There are two ways to enter into a kingdom.  One is as a foreigner being in the kingdom,
while the other is actually becoming part of that kingdom.  If, for instance, a foreigner came
to the United States; he would be in the kingdom of the U.S.  If that person became a
citizen, he would be in the kingdom of the U.S. (a U.S. citizen) no matter where he was physically located.  Hence, we are in the world; but we are not of it.

Mt 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
        (The Father is in heaven, but the kingdom of heaven is on earth.  The king of England is in England, but the kingdom of England includes its territories.)
Mt 18:3 Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the
    kingdom of heaven.

Jn 3:5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
    God.

WHO IS IN THE KINGDOM?

Mt 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach
    men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven
        Whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of
     heaven
    (Some in the kingdom are breaking the commandments and teaching that it is OK to break
    them.  Others are keeping them and teaching that one should keep them.  Being in the
    kingdom is not dependent upon keeping the commandments.)

WHO IS CAST OUT OF THE KINGDOM?

Those without faith
Mt 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be
    weeping and gnashing of teeth.
    (They are cast out for a lack of faith.  Without faith, Heb 11:6, it is not possible to please
    God.  The centurion had faith but wasn't even Jewish.)

Those without proper garments
Mt 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and
    cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
    (The proper garments are required even to attend the marriage of the Lamb.  It does not
    matter that one is not the bride, the proper attire is still necessary.)

Those who live a life for what they can get
Mt 24:48-51 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his
    coming;  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the
    drunken;  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and
    in an hour that he is not aware of,  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion
    with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Those who do not produce fruit
Mt 25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
Mt 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping
     and gnashing of teeth.
    (It is not works that save one, but works/fruit are an evidence of salvation.  Without works, Ja 2:20, faith is dead.  You will know them, Mt 7:16, by their fruit.)

Those who work iniquity--injustice or wrongfulness
Lk 13:27-29 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all
    ye workers of iniquity.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see
    Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you
    yourselves thrust out.  And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from
    the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
    (Iniquity means injustice or wrongfulness.  This is not to say that one can't slip up and
    commit sin by a moment of weakness, it speaks of one who lives a lifestyle of this sort. 
    John said in 1Jn 2:1 if any man sin that we have an advocate.)