Christ The King
November 2006
What is the Law of God?
The law of God is:
'Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.
Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from someone who takes it.
Treat others as you would like people to treat you.
Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you.'(Lk. 6.)
This is pretty heady stuff.
So the Kingdom of God is any person or group of people striving to live in this way - striving to 'be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.'
I say striving because the Law of God is an ideal towards which we will always be striving, even in Eternal Life.
By my very nature (because, literally speaking, I am not God) I will always fall short of this ideal. This should in no way discourage me but help me to understand and be tolerant of the shortcomings of my fellow human beings.
Being very aware of my own failings and of my constant need for forgiveness are essential ingredients in my being part of the Kingdom of God.