Since we arrived at the Kingdom of God as the conclusion in our Post on 'The Foundation of Perfect Happiness', it is our duty to explain the connection. If the Kingdom of God is something attainable only in the next world and after our death, how can it be the foundation of happiness that we would like to start experiencing here and now in this world? Our contention is that the Kingdom of God already starts here and now in our present life to be completed in its perfection in the next world.
This is why Jesus indicated that the Kingdom of God is within us (Luke, 17:21). It is like a seed planted in our hearts and in due course is expected to grow into a plant producing fruits. It is also like a treasure hidden or a pearl of great value discovered by a trained eye upsetting the whole life of its discoverer. All those who are gripped by the truth of the Kingdom of God are transformed into loving, joyous and peaceful people already in this life! St. Paul specified it thus: "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans, 14:17). It is not something far away in space and time as the Kingdom of God transcends both space and time and the limitations of this material world. However, it does not deny the value of the material world and our life in space and time as all of them have to be transformed and upgraded into a new kind of life called eternal life. Eternal life is meant to start here and now with our self-transformation leading to the transformation of the entire Universe.
Jesus Christ laid the foundation for this kind of momentous transformation of everything beginning with his own resurrection from the dead. He very intimately connected the Kingdom of God, which is also his kingdom, with his own person transformed into a new life-giving Spirit (1 Cor., 15:45) along with a transformed body through resurrection. We are invited to join this new life through our own self-transformation and new kind of life (Rom., 6:5). Jesus announced his own resurrection from the dead, prefigured in his transfiguration on a high mountain before his disciples (Matthew, 17:1-5), thus: "Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom (Matthew, 16:28). Jesus unhesitatingly announced before Pilate that his kingdom did not belong to this world (John, 18:36) indicating thereby that it originated from heaven and will be culminated in heaven. The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are one and the same spiritual reality whereby God becomes all in all manifesting His supreme sovereignty over everything and everyone.
How does this spiritual reality of the Kingdom of God invade our life so as to become the foundation of our perfect happiness? It is similar to the function of the real Self as against the false self in the Vedas of Indian Thought. As soon as we come to the realization that our real Self is the same as the Supreme Self, the false identification of ourselves with any other is exposed. This realization and consequent manner of life put an end to the source of all our sorrows and griefs opening the door to eternal bliss. The same is the case with the Kingdom of God that is allowed to govern our lives regulating our false notions and movements and leading us into perfect joy and bliss.
The Kingdom of God governs our life when we are under the sway of divine love, joy and peace. According to St. Paul, these three fruits of the Holy Spirit are followed by goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, long-suffering and self-control (Gal., 5:22-23). Paul adds there that against such things there is no law. It means that a person who lives enjoying those 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit is released from the laws of this world being governed by the laws of a transformed world. This does not, however, preclude the need of taking care of our body and whatever is required for its upkeep and well-being as long as we live in this world. In the new transformed world of the Kingdom of God, all the values of this world too are subsumed and transformed into the new reality. In order to enjoy these fruits of the Spirit we may start with the last one, i.e., self-control that will lead to the gradual emergence of all other fruits. Self-control opens the door to our real Self as images of God Himself and as His children called to share in the bliss of His Kingdom.
This is why Jesus indicated that the Kingdom of God is within us (Luke, 17:21). It is like a seed planted in our hearts and in due course is expected to grow into a plant producing fruits. It is also like a treasure hidden or a pearl of great value discovered by a trained eye upsetting the whole life of its discoverer. All those who are gripped by the truth of the Kingdom of God are transformed into loving, joyous and peaceful people already in this life! St. Paul specified it thus: "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans, 14:17). It is not something far away in space and time as the Kingdom of God transcends both space and time and the limitations of this material world. However, it does not deny the value of the material world and our life in space and time as all of them have to be transformed and upgraded into a new kind of life called eternal life. Eternal life is meant to start here and now with our self-transformation leading to the transformation of the entire Universe.
Jesus Christ laid the foundation for this kind of momentous transformation of everything beginning with his own resurrection from the dead. He very intimately connected the Kingdom of God, which is also his kingdom, with his own person transformed into a new life-giving Spirit (1 Cor., 15:45) along with a transformed body through resurrection. We are invited to join this new life through our own self-transformation and new kind of life (Rom., 6:5). Jesus announced his own resurrection from the dead, prefigured in his transfiguration on a high mountain before his disciples (Matthew, 17:1-5), thus: "Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom (Matthew, 16:28). Jesus unhesitatingly announced before Pilate that his kingdom did not belong to this world (John, 18:36) indicating thereby that it originated from heaven and will be culminated in heaven. The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are one and the same spiritual reality whereby God becomes all in all manifesting His supreme sovereignty over everything and everyone.
How does this spiritual reality of the Kingdom of God invade our life so as to become the foundation of our perfect happiness? It is similar to the function of the real Self as against the false self in the Vedas of Indian Thought. As soon as we come to the realization that our real Self is the same as the Supreme Self, the false identification of ourselves with any other is exposed. This realization and consequent manner of life put an end to the source of all our sorrows and griefs opening the door to eternal bliss. The same is the case with the Kingdom of God that is allowed to govern our lives regulating our false notions and movements and leading us into perfect joy and bliss.
The Kingdom of God governs our life when we are under the sway of divine love, joy and peace. According to St. Paul, these three fruits of the Holy Spirit are followed by goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, long-suffering and self-control (Gal., 5:22-23). Paul adds there that against such things there is no law. It means that a person who lives enjoying those 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit is released from the laws of this world being governed by the laws of a transformed world. This does not, however, preclude the need of taking care of our body and whatever is required for its upkeep and well-being as long as we live in this world. In the new transformed world of the Kingdom of God, all the values of this world too are subsumed and transformed into the new reality. In order to enjoy these fruits of the Spirit we may start with the last one, i.e., self-control that will lead to the gradual emergence of all other fruits. Self-control opens the door to our real Self as images of God Himself and as His children called to share in the bliss of His Kingdom.
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