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This article is part of a series.

In the last article in this series, I discussed how religion was linked to the nation in Old Covenant Israel. The true religion was tied to Israel, and it was disadvantageous to be a Gentile. In the New Covenant, however, the true religion is decoupled from the state. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) Paul is saying here that now the people of God no longer have a national identity; rather, they are distributed throughout the nations of the world. Their identity is in Christ instead of their country. “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:35)

It’s in the New Testament that the Kingdom of God can come to light, because in the Old Testament the nation of Israel represented God’s kingdom on earth, and so the body of those who were truly devoted to God was somewhat obscured. In fact, neither “kingdom of God” nor “kingdom of heaven” occur in the Old Testament. These are the New Testament replacement for the Israelite earthly kingdom. Unlike the earthly kingdom, where people could be part of the kingdom without any effort, just because of their nationality, the New Covenant kingdom has only those who are devoted to God. “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

Unlike the earthly kingdom, where men had more than one loyalty, the new kingdom requires that one surrender his entire life to God—his thoughts, motives, and actions—and live for God alone (for more on this, read The Cost of Revival).

The New Covenant kingdom has no physical presence. “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21) It is a body that is composed of those who have surrendered to God, those who are living for Him. This means that the part of the Law that deals with the nation as a whole has been fulfilled. Now God deals with individuals (He also deals with the church, but, usually if not always, as composed of individuals). Individuals will need to make their own choice to follow God, and, for many sins, if they choose to reject God’s way, they will not meet the consequences in this life.

Since there is no longer an earthly nation to deal with, the physical blessings and curses of the Law are no longer active, since they dealt with the nation, not with individuals (even in the Old Testament, individual servants of God met with suffering, and this is continued in the New Testament). “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)

While there was a nation, heaven received little attention, but now, with the New Covenant, heaven is actually an important feature  even in this life, because of the way the kingdom works, as I discussed in the first article of this series. When we submit to God and are pardoned from our sins, we enter the Kingdom of God, and start a new life in that kingdom, serving and knowing God. When we die, our physical bodies certainly change, but our spirits go on serving and knowing God. Thus, when we enter the kingdom, we enter into eternal life. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) When we know God, we are already partaking of eternal life. Heaven is a continuation of eternal life, of knowing God. It is a continuation of God’s kingdom. “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 shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19)