The Keys of the Kingdom
The Keys of the Kingdom THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
By John H. Banister President Cox, Brethren and Friends:
I deeply appreciate the kind invitation of Brother Cox to appear on this lectureship and the honor of speaking to this splendid audience tonight on the subject, “The Keys of the Kingdom.” I particularly like the general theme of the lectureship, “The Kingdom of God,” since we are intensely interested in the kingdom; are members of it; and are interested in the growth and influence of it in the world. Too, since there has been so much misunderstand-ing of the kingdom; so many errors and harmful theories taught relative to it. I believe a thorough study of this all-important subject is, timely at the present and Brother Cox is to be commended for his wise selection of this subject.
Since my subject tonight is “The Keys of the Kingdom,” everyone knows there is one outstanding text for this theme, (Matthew 16:13-19) and to the reading of this Scripture I now invite your careful attention: “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philip-pi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said unto him, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou s.halt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” This is a very familiar text which has been used on hundreds of occasions by every gospel preacher. In fact, my subject is an old, familiar one, yet like all other Bible subjects, it is ever new and pulsating with life divine. When Jesus told Peter he would give to him the keys of the kingdom, he spoke, in that connection, about building his church, so we would naturally expect the keys of the kingdom to have some sort of relationship to the church of Jesus Christ. There are two definite ideas, presented in this subject: Namely, (1) The kingdom, and (2) The keys. We shall study the kingdom first.
I. The Kingdom
Since the keys given to Peter were “the keys of the kingdom” it is very important to know all We can about the-kingdom as that will help us in ascertaining more about the keys,.
1. What Is the Kingdom?
There has been much controversy in the religious world on this subject. Some teach that the kingdom is a sort of ideal that pertains to the inner man and has no definite connection with the outer man. Others teach that it is to be an earthly affair, making a distinction between the church and kingdom. They teach that the church is in existence now but the kingdom is, not, and will not be until the second coming when Jesus will inaugurate an earthly, millennial reign. Jesus taught in John 18:36 that his kingdom was not of this world. Those who hold to the pre-millennial theory of the kingdom teach that it is of the world (earthly in nature), and that is the difference between the two. The theory that Christ’s, kingdom is nothing more than a future earthly millennial affair, is to my way of thinking, repulsive to the spiritual mind and contrary to reason and Scripture. Jesus was crucified because he would not establish an earthly kingdom and that shows conclusively that he did not then plan to build an earthly kingdom or that he plans one in the future. If the kingdom is earthly, and yet in the future, then we will have the anomaly of Chris.t being converted to the Jews and not the Jews being converted to Christ. The Jews would not accept the kind of kingdom he offered them; so Jesus reverses himself and accepts the kind of kingdom the Jews demanded. In 1 Corinthians 15:23-25, Paul teaches conclusively that Christ is. reigning as king now (therefore, the kingdom must be in existence now) and at his second coming he will cease his reign and deliver up the kingdom to the father. That will be “the end,” not the beginning, of the kingdom so far as its being on earth is concerned. Since the kingdom cannot be earthly in nature, but .spiritual, it must have some connection with the church. In our text Jesus, uses the terms “church” and “kingdom” interchangeably, proving that they are one and the same thing. “I will build my church .... and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom.” In Luke 22:29-30, Jesus places the Lord’s supper in the kingdom and we later And it in the church (1 Corinthians 11:23-28) so it is obvious they are the same. Also, in Hebrews 12:23-28, Paul speaks of the “church of the firstborn” and in the same context he calls it the “kingdom which cannot be moved.” Too, the church is the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18); and we are “baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Also Jesus tells us that we enter the kingdom by being born “of water and the Spirit.” Since “born of water” means baptism, then the same baptism that puts us into the kingdom puts, us in the “one body” (the church) else we are forced to say there are two baptisms in contradiction of Ephesians 4:5 which says there is one. To conclude, then, that the kingdom and the church are one is correct and in harmony with every idea presented in the New Testament of the kingdom. In the New Testament, the church is described by many appropriate figures. When we speak of the church as a kingdom, we think of its governing feature; as a body, we think of its fellowship feature; as a temple, we think of its wor-shipping feature; as a house, we think of its family feature; as a vineyard, we think of its working feature; as, an army, we think of its fighting feature; as a bride, we think of its purity and holiness; and as a flock, we think of its protection for the sheep. So it certainly is in harmony with the Scripture to speak of the church as the kingdom.
2. When Was the Kingdom Established?
This is an old theme that has, been thrashed out in many debates with representatives of the various de-nominations. Different theories are held by them on the subject, .some hold the kingdom started with Abraham; others,, that it began with John the Baptist; others, that it began with the selection of the twelve apostles. In fact, most denominational churches hold that the kingdom began somewhere during the personal ministry of Christ. The premillennialists, as everyone knows, hold that the kingdom has not yet been established and will not be until the second coming of Christ. If the kingdom is, not in existence now, Paul was wrong for he taught in Colossians 1:13, that we are translated into it; and in Hebrews 12:28, that we have received a kingdom; and in 1 Thessalonians 2:12, that we have been called into it. Also, John said he was in the kingdom (Revelation 1:9), which could not have been if the kingdom was yet in the future. That the kingdom was not established during the personal ministry (although it was, in a state of preparation); that it is not a future affair; but that it was established on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ is a truth, I think, that can be substantiated. The Old Testament prophets confirm this. In Isaiah 2:2-4, we have a distinct prophecy of the kingdom. He presents three ideas:
(1) The kingdom would be established in “the last days.” Peter in Acts 2:17, shows that the last days began on Pentecost. Paul in Hebrews 1:2, teaches that the Christian dispensation was “the last days” so it must have been set up when the “last days (dispensation)” began.
(2) “All nations” would flow into it, showing that it was for all. This proves that it could not have been set up during the personal ministry because the preaching of the kingdom then was to the Jews, alone (Matthew 10:5-7). It also disproves the pre-millennial idea for the kingdom is for “all nations” and the so- called future kingdom is primarily for the Jews.
(3) The law of this kingdom would go forth from Jerusalem. This is in exact harmony with the words of the great commission in Luke 24:46-47, that the preaching of the universal gospel would begin in Je-rusalem. This was fulfilled on Pentecost (Acts 2) for that was the beginning of the “last days”; the beginning of a universal kingdom, or church; and that was when the law of the Lord first went forth. In Daniel 2:44, we have another distinct prophecy of the time of the kingdom’s establishment. After interpreting the king’s dream by showing that the various parts of the image referred to earthly kingdoms, Daniel said, “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”
Since the kingdom was to be established while one of those kingdoms was in existence, it follows that it has already been set up for each of those kingdoms has already passed away. As everyone knows, the church of Jesus Christ had its origin during the reign of the Roman Empire which was one of the kingdoms pictured in this image. Daniel’s prophecy proves then that the kingdom has already been established. Too, he says “it shall never be destroyed” and “it shall stand forever.” This must be the same kingdom of Hebrews 12:28, “which cannot be moved,” and we have already shown that this kingdom is the “church of the firstborn.” Daniel s,ays the kingdom shall never be destroyed and Paul says it cannot be moved so these two are the same, or we have two universal, indestructible kingdoms. During the personal ministry of Jesus the kingdom was preached as, being “at hand” (approaching; soon to come, etc.). In Matthew 3:2, John the Baptist preached that. In Matthew 4:17, Jesus preached it. When he sent out the twelve, he told them to preach the “kingdom is at hand” (Matthew 10:7). The seventy were told to preach, “The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you” (Luke 10:9). Jesus said s.ome of them would be living when the kingdom would be established (Matthew 16:28). He taught his disciples to pray that the kingdom might come (Matthew 6:10). When on the cross, one of the thieves requested, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42). This shows it was not s,et up before the cross. After the death of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea, who buried Jesus, was waiting for the kingdom (Mark 15:43). Just prior to his ascension the apostles asked him if he would then restore the kingdom (Acts 1:6). Though this shows, their misconception of the kingdom, yet it proves conclusively the kingdom was not set up at the time of his ascension. So we are safe in saying the kingdom had no formal existence up to Pentecost. On Pentecost, the gospel, in its fullness, was first preached and people were added to the church (kingdom) (Acts 2:47). This is the first time we read of anyone being added to the Lord’s church. Before Pentecost, the kingdom is always spoken of as future; and after Pentecost it is always spoken of as being in existence, so it must have had its beginning there. In Acts 11:15, Peter declares that was “the beginning.” Philip preached the kingdom (Acts 8:12). Paul declares that some had been translated into the kingdom (Colossians 1:13); and John affirmed he was in it (Revelation 1:9).
If the kingdom is yet future, as pre-millennialists affirm, the Old Testament prophets were wrong; the Scriptures cited above are wrong; Paul was wrong; John was wrong; and we have no king now (1 Timothy 6:15) unless, like Judge Rutherford, one holds that Jesus was crowned king but had no kingdom. Too, the new birth is not in effect if the kingdom is not now in existence and we cannot be “born of water and of the Spirit” (John 3:4). And, to reach the height of absurdity, if the kingdom is not now in existence, Peter has never used the “keys of the kingdom” and that shows that Peter, not Christ, will play the leading role at the second coming when the kingdom (according to some) will be established. Since we have now found out what the kingdom is and when it was established, it is in order to study the subject of:
II. The Keys
1. What Are the Keys?
As all will acknowledge, “keys” are here used figura-tively and not literally. “Keys” arc “a symbol of authority”; “power”; “the authority to lay down rules”; “to grant admission” etc. Let us notice some places where the word occurs in the Bible. In Isaiah 22:22, Isaiah says, “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open and none shall shut; and he shall .shut and none shall open.” This prophecy finds its fulfillment in Revelation 3:7 when it is applied to Jesus, “These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth.” It is evident from the above that “key” refers to power, authority, etc. In Luke 11:52, Jesus says, “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken aw^ay the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” Taking away the key of knowledge was their way of restraining others from learning. In Revelation 1:18 Jesus says he has, “the keys of death and of hades” meaning he has the power to unlock the graves and bring forth the dead. In Revelation 9:1-2 we see a star falling into the earth “and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit . . .” In Revelation 20:1, John “saw an angel come dowrn from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit . . . .” Obviously “key” is used figuratively. One would need a fertile imagination indeed to think they are to be taken literally. Thus it is apparent, I believe, that Peter was to receive authority to open the door of the kingdom to the world. That Peter, and none other, did open the door of the kingdom to the world is presumptive proof of the above meaning of “Keys.”
2. To Whom Were the Keys Given?
The keys were given to Peter and to none other. Christ selected him from among the twelve for this responsibility. Why Peter was selected we know not, unless it was his peculiar fitness for this task, which Jesus recognized in him. The fact that Peter was chosen for this, work would seem to indicate that he was more capable than the others. Since the “keys” committed to him meant the opening of the door of the kingdom (or church) to the entire world, it is no accident, therefore, that the first sermon, under the great commission, to either Jew or Gentile was preached by Peter. In Acts 2:14 we find that “Peter lifted up his voice and said unto them . . . .” While the other apostles were present, yet it was Peter who took the lead and did the preaching on this occasion, In Acts 10 when the door of the kingdom (salvation) was to be opened to the Gentiles for the first time, the angel of the Lord directed Cornelius to “send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter .... he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.” Lest Cornelius might call the wrong Simon (which was a common name then) he gave his surname in order that Peter, and, none other, might be brought. Later, in the council at Jerusalem, Peter says, “Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe” (Acts 15:7). Peter was given the authority to do the firs): preaching under the gospel law and he did it. The keys being committed to Peter bring two important thoughts up for consideration at this time:
A. The Preeminence of Peter.
Was Peter elevated in rank above the other apostles? Did he have more authority than the others? Was he the first Pope? Did he alone have power to bind and loose? Our friends of the Catholic Church believe in the primacy of Peter, and their entire system is built around that idea. If we can show that Peter was not above the other apostles, then we have demolished the foundation of Catholicism. The power to bind and loose, though spoken to Peter in Matthew 18:19, was given to all the apostles. In Matthew 18:18 and in John 20:2223, we find that Jesus “breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.”
Thus we see all the apostles had this power vested in them by virtue of their inspiration. The only way in which Peter was different from the apostles was in the matters of the keys and, having used the keys once and for all, he had no more authority than any of the other apos.tles. Peter was not the first Pope for the Bible says nothing about the church having such. “The Rock” in Matthew 16:18, refers, not to Peter, but to the Messiahship of Jesus in Matthew 16:16. At a later time Paul rebuked Peter to the face, and publicly, which he would not have done had Peter been preeminent (Galatians 2:11-14). In the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:13; Acts 15:19) James presided, which he would not have done had Peter been above him in anostolic lank. There is nothing whatever in the New Testament to show the preeminence of Peter. On the contrary, the evidence shows that the apostles were on an equal footing and had equal authority. “Peter was given duty, not power; responsibility, not privilege.”
B. The Authority of the Apostles.
That the apostles had authority is admitted by all. It was delegated to them by Christ through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. l)o we have successors to the apostles in the church today as the Mormons claim? Are the apostles still in the church now? Are they exercising authority now? If so, how? That we do not have successors to the apostles is evident by the absence of the miraculous, powers vested in the original ones. That the Popes of Rome are not the successors of the anostle Peter, has been proven by history and Scripture. That the apostles are in the church now is admitted by all, I think. How are they in the church? Not in the flesh as we are. How are they exercising authority in the church today ? Through their teaching influence. Paul expresses ic in 1 Corinthians 11:23, when he says, “For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you . . .” In Acts 2:42, we find that the early Christians continued in “the apostles,’ doctrine.” We are to continue in the apostles’ doctrine today and that is done by doing as the apostles have taught us, in the New Testament. Paul ,says in Galatians 1:8-9, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed . . . . If any man preach any gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” That gospel referred to was that which was not preached “after man,” but which had been received by revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12). Therefore, the apostles have the same authority today they had while on earth. To reject their teachings, as given in the New Testament, in favor of the decrees of Popes, human creeds, councils, etc., is to reject the authority of the apostles. Since the apostles had the power of binding and loosing, then whatever they bound on us we must observe; whatever they did not bind on us, we must not observe. If men seek to bind on us those things the apostles did not bind we may be assured that they are not the successors or representatives of the apostles and are not recognizing the authority given to the twelve.
3. How and When Were the Keys Used?
Since the keys gave Peter the authority to open the door of salvation to the world, then the keys were used when that door was opened to the world. He used the keys to open the door to the Jews on Pentecost and to the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius. He exercised the authority of the keys by preaching the gospel. In Acts 2, we find Peter declaring the gospel to the Jews for the first time. In his sermon (Acts 2:22-36) he declared facts the world had never heard or known before, namely the death, burial, resurrection, and exaltation of Christ. Upon thes,e facts Christianity rests and they are the essence of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). After preaching in such a forceful way, and proving that Jesus was the Chris,t, he told those convicted hearers what they could do to be saved and thus opened the door of the kingdom to them. He pointed the way into the kingdom by pointing them to the way of salvation. After they had asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” he told them to “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” That was the door of salvation then and it is the door of salvation now. Those who would enter the kingdom now must do as they did. They “gladly received his word and were baptized” (Acts 2:41) and the Lord added them to the church (Acts 2:47) or kingdom. When sent to the house of Cornelius (Acts 10) to open the door of the kingdom to the Gentiles, we find Peter preaching the same gospel and telling the people to do, substantially, the same thing. Peter preached Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36); his life and works (Acts 10:37-39); his death, burial, and resurrection (Acts 10:39-41); the great commission (thus laying down the terms of pardon) (Acts 10:42); he commanded them to believe (Acts 10:43); they repented (Acts 11:18); and were commanded to be baptized (Acts 10:47-48). Thus the Gentiles had to believe and obey the same gospel as did the Jews.
4. Are the Keys Still In Use?
The keys are not in use today. Peter, having opened the door to both Jew and Gentile, by showing them the plan of salvation, needed the keys, no longer. The door once opened can never be shut (Revelation 3:7) and hence, the keys are no longer needed. We need not expect the keys to be used again. What we need to do is to teach the same plan of salvation which Peter taught and thus show sinners the opened door of salvation. We sometimes hear a preacher announce, “I am going to open the doors, of the church tonight.” This is not language of Scripture and you never hear gospel preachers using it. It is wrong for two reasons:
(1) The New Testament church does not have a plurality of doors. That would imply a number of different ways to get into it.
(2) No preacher can open the door of the church because that power was given to Peter and he alone exercised it. When you hear the above expression you may safely conclude that the preacher is not a true gospel preacher and that the church he represents is not the New Testament church. When Peter used the keys he forever opened the door into the church of Jesus Christ. By that act he opened the door of Love, Compassion, Grace, Mercy, Blood, Redemption, Forgiveness, Atonement and one can enter this door any time he is willing to believe and obey the glorious gospel of Christ. One, thank God, does not have to wait for mortal man to open unto him the door into eternal life. That has already been done. Man need not wait for the door to be opened but to enter the opened door without delay.
Although the door of mercy is forever open, our hearts are often closed to him. We do not need to persuade God to open that door unto us, we need to open the door of our hearts unto him. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). My sinner friend, is your heart still closed unto him? He has opened the way unto you. How many times he has knocked at your heart! How much he loves you! How anxious is he to come in! Will you hear his tearful pleading and open the door of your heart and let him come in? He will forgive you, bless you, sustain you, comfort you, be with you through all the changing scenes of life, and, after awhile, he will stand by your side in death and go through the dark valley with you, and as you near the “happy golden shore” the opened gates of that heavenly city will burst in splendor upon your enraptured vision and you will be permitted to enter in there to remain forever with God, Christ, the angels, the redeemed of all ages and be reunited with your precious loved ones that are not dead, but just gone on before. Will you come while we stand and sing?