"The Keys to the 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.” Mathew 16;19.

Peter has just been given an exceedingly great privilege. The authority of Heaven has been placed into his hands by Christ, the King of the kingdom. And the Sovereign King from henceforth will sit upon his throne of glory and majesty observing His subjects from the four corners of the world who are called and given access into the presence of the king by the use of those very keys in the hand of Peter.

What are those key? They are the keys of knowledge.

“Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” Luke 11;52.

The rulers of Israel, the Scribes, Pharisees and Lawyers, under Moses were given keys of knowledge as well. These keys of knowledge would give sinners, men and women an understanding of the true and living God. It would teach them of His will and purpose according to the old testament scriptures called the Torah. By these keys men would know how to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

“And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.” Jeremiah 3;15-17.

But the rulers of Israel were brutish men. They knew not the LORD, neither His ways. Consequently they took away the keys of knowledge from men and shut them out from the kingdom of God. Where as by the keys they should have expounded the scriptures and explained the law of GOD; instead they darkened counsel and made void the commandments of GOD by “teaching for commandments the doctrine and teachings of men”. Mathew 15;6.

Many in Christendom today are doing the very same things. Your average professing Christian is in utter darkness to the eternal trues of GOD. The keys by which men have access to GOD. They have been shut out of the kingdom of GOD. They are as ignorant of the keys and the door into the kingdom as was Nicodemus. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” John 3;10.

Again what are those keys? Are they keys to unlock special revelation, so that we might know when Christ will return? No! Are they keys by which we might know who the 144 thousand really are? No! Are they the keys by which we might know what John was told not to write in the revelation? No! No! No!

The Keys which were given by the Master to Peter, but not to Peter alone, but every chosen servant of Christ, from James, John, Luke, Matthew, and Paul etc, are the keys of the gospel knowledge of Christ's saving Grace. The keys of truth concerning the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Ruined by the fall. Redeemed by the blood. Regenerated by the Spirit. Redemption through the blood atonement of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Justification by the free Grace of GOD in Christ apart from works. Pardon and forgiveness of sins through the merits of Christ's sufferings at Calvary. The powerful operations of the Spirit of God from the hands of Christ. Faith through Grace in the preaching of the gospel of Christ. See Romans 3;23-25  6;23  8;14-17, and Ephesians 1;4-7  2;8-9, and  Colossians 1;14-23 and also 2Corithians 5;19-21.

Christ is the door to the kingdom of GOD. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." John 10;1.  The doctrines of Christ are the keys by which that door is opened and men see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ! "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2corinthians 4;6.

The new testament scribes who draw out things old and new, are those faithful preachers and teachers, able ministers of the Spirit, gifted by Christ to preach the gospel of the person and work of Christ, the doctrines of His Grace, according to the law and the testimony, as of the oracles of GOD and the ability given them, to the salvation and edification of GOD’s elect people.

These are the keys by which heaven is opened up to men. Have you by faith seen the king High and lifted up upon His throne of Glory? See Isaiah 6;1.

If you are able, please hear the sermon on the invincible church in our audio section.