A very strange interpretation of Scripture deserves some very special attention. Some, judging by their conduct, seem to assume that the display

of Laodicean traits is excused or even commanded by Matthew 11:12.

 

 

This passage of Scripture says "from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force". This has led some ministers and church men to believe that forceful, crude and harsh speech and conduct towards other brethren or outsiders is part of the process of qualifying for God's Kingdom.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

 

The answer to what Christ was talking about is so simple that it takes a

simpleton like myself to explain:

 

In Luke 17:21, Christ said that "the Kingdom of God is within you" which all Church of God people believe really means "the Kingdom of God is in your midst", because Christ, one of the two members of the Kingdom or Family of God, was in their midst. The same explanation applies to Mt 11:12.

 

From the time of the preaching of John the Baptist, Jesus began to openly teach the gospel message. This immediately incurred the wrath of the religious authorities, and, as He Himself repeatedly said, they tried to take Him (the Kingdom) by force and kill Him. In Luke 16:16 it says that "the violent press into it", but a more correct translation is "'the violent press unto it".

 

Lo and behold, after three and a half years, what did happen?

 

The violent succeeded in taking the Kingdom by force, beat Him, tortured Him, falsely tried Him and murdered Him!!!!!

 

Now tell me, is that the sort of behaviour we should be seeking to emulate, should we really also like the Jewish religious leaders seek to "take the Kingdom by force"?

 

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