Kingdom Language

Matthew 13:11-13

"You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.” NLT

Jesus said in the above portion of Scripture that those of us who are born again into His kingdom “have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven.” The key word here is permitted. As born again believers we have been given the privilege and opportunity to understand these secrets that those of the world cannot understand. Jesus goes on to say that there is going to be a growing dichotomy, or difference, between us and those in the world. As we pursue His teachings we are going to come into an abundance of knowledge, while the little bit of understanding and knowledge the world has will be taken away from them.

So, we see this increasing separation between us and the world. That is why the world is becoming more and more foolish in what it promotes and does. Paul describes it this way in Romans 1:21, “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” If we do not guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, we too can become caught up in this futility, foolishness, and deception of the world. Jesus warns in Matthew 24 that even many Christians will be deceived.

One of the main keys to avoiding the deception of these last days is learning the language of the Kingdom in order to hear, understand, and practice the principles of the Kingdom. When you learn a language, you have to invest time and resources to learn that language. You have to quit speaking your native language, and begin spending time with the people whose language you are learning, listening, memorizing, and beginning to speak. Book learning is not enough. No matter what your level of proficiency, you have to get out there and practice what you have learned.

If we are going to understand the secrets of the Kingdom, we have to stop watching, meditating, thinking like and imitating the world. We have to quit speaking the world’s language. Jesus, the Word, became flesh in order that we could think, talk and act like kingdom people. We have to spend time with Him, invest time in His Word, allowing it to become a part of us. Jesus said, “As we are open to His teaching, more understanding will be given, and we will have an abundance of knowledge.” They say you are really getting to know a language when you begin to dream in that language. In the same way, you will know you are beginning to master Kingdom language when you begin to have more dreams of the Kingdom than dreams of earthly things.

Andy Clark