by Doy Moyer<\/p>\n
There is only one kingdom that is eternal. Only one that stretches across time, physical boundaries, nations, tongues, and earthly rulers. Only one that is not dependent in any way upon kingdoms of the world. Only one that does not advance through the shedding of blood or carnal warfare. Nor is its defense found in taking up swords and arms.<\/p>\n
This is the kingdom of heavenly citizens, the New Jerusalem, those whose names are enrolled in heaven. Its citizens are strangers and pilgrims in Babylon, exiled, and longing for the return of their King whereupon the resurrection of life is theirs as they finally realize the new heavens and new earth, dwelling with God eternally.<\/p>\n
This kingdom is the stone that crushes all others, not by military might or the power of worldly princes, but by the resilient spreading of God’s word and living lives committed even to death. The power of this kingdom is in the cross, the blood of the Lamb, the King who wields the two-edged sword from His mouth.<\/p>\n
As soldiers of this kingdom, be careful about the entanglements of the world, for “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him<\/em>” (II Timothy 2:4).<\/p>\n The world is not ours to love (I John 2:15-17). Therefore, we do not put our trust in princes or the kingdoms whose powers are derived from the serpent of old. Every earthly power becomes our Babylon, and one day the call will be to return home.<\/p>\n “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come<\/em>” (Hebrews 13:14).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Doy Moyer There is only one kingdom that is eternal. Only one that stretches across time, physical boundaries, nations, tongues, and earthly rulers. Only one that is not dependent in any way upon kingdoms of the world. Only one that does not advance through the shedding of blood or carnal warfare. Nor is its…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[693,345],"class_list":["post-30602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-eternal","tag-kingdom"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":63611,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/three-kingdoms\/","url_meta":{"origin":30602,"position":0},"title":"Three Kingdoms","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 27, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0John 3:1-21 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In this teaching to Nicodemus, Jesus alludes to three different kingdoms. One directly and two indirectly \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The kingdom of the flesh, or the world. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The kingdom of God, or the Spirit \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The kingdom in heaven \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0One preacher, Alexander Campbell referred to these three kingdoms\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33324,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-church-is-the-kingdom\/","url_meta":{"origin":30602,"position":1},"title":"The Church Is the Kingdom","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"by James R. Cope via\u00a0The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 11, Sept. 1952. Within the past twenty years, much has been written and spoken about the \"church phase of the kingdom\" in connection with premillennialism. For the most part, the influence of those who would deny the \"eternal purpose\" of God\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":92635,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-nature-of-the-kingdom-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":30602,"position":2},"title":"The Nature of the Kingdom of God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. via\u00a0Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 \"And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there!\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25940,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-kingdom-past-present-and-future\/","url_meta":{"origin":30602,"position":3},"title":"The Kingdom: Past, Present, and Future","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 11, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Hebrews 11:8-16 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God had foretold the coming of a kingdom like no other \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It was a kingdom that would not end - Daniel 2:44 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Every kingdom of the world has ended at some point \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mighty kingdoms, such as Assyria \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ancient kingdoms, such as Egypt \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a04.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The world has never\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47414,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/preterism-the-eternal-kingdom\/","url_meta":{"origin":30602,"position":4},"title":"Preterism: The Eternal Kingdom","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Warfel","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":85055,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-narrow-way\/","url_meta":{"origin":30602,"position":5},"title":"The Narrow Way","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Chadwick Brewer \"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/narrow-cave-300x225.avif","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30602\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}