Therefore this promise of the coming Spirit points to the future

"However, this salvation of humankind through rebirth can only take place after His death and exaltation (cf 3:14.) Therefore this promise of the coming Spirit points to the future: "Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given [or, Spirit was not yet], because Jesus was not yet glorified" (7:39.) The discourses following Last Supper hold the key to the narration of the Spirit. It is referred to as the "paraclete" (Counselor) or "advocate", "intercessor" or more appropriately the Spirit of paraclesis i.e. the declaration of the comfort and encouragement of the gospel in the coming age that would fulfill this promise." - Dictionary of the Bible

"It states that the Fourth Gospel does not narrate Jesus' baptism but explains its significance. Since the Holy Spirit descended and remained on Him, He is singled out as the Son of God who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34.) His teachings direct to rebirth through the Spirit where a new state of being is attained by the grace of the Spirit — this is the only way of entering the Kingdom of the Spirit. Water is associated with the Spirit (John 3:5-8; cf 1:13.) However, this salvation of humankind through rebirth can only take place after His death and exaltation (cf 3:14.) Therefore this promise of the coming Spirit points to the future: "Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given [or, Spirit was not yet], because Jesus was not yet glorified" (7:39.) The discourses following Last Supper hold the key to the narration of the Spirit. It is referred to as the "paraclete" (Counselor) or "advocate", "intercessor" or more appropriately the Spirit of paraclesis i.e. the declaration of the comfort and encouragement of the gospel in the coming age that would fulfill this promise."

Dictionary of the Bible, C. S. Sons, 1963, p. 393.

"Christ didn't say that, "I am the Destination." He said, "I'll send you the Holy Ghost; I'll send you a Comforter; I'll send you a Redeemer; I'll send you a Counselor." He talked about the future."

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

What is the Kingdom of God? - David Kroll

The key to understanding the scriptures, as is true of anything we read, is to read the statements of its writers in context. Who is being addressed and what meaning would it have for those being addressed. In most cases when Christ and the apostles addressed the people of their time, it was with the intention of conveying meaning to them. That is the purpose of communication.

When John the Baptist appeared in the Judean desert and began his ministry, what did John preach? "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near." (Matt. 3:2) After John was put in prison and Christ began His ministry, what did Christ preach? "The time has come, He said. The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news." (Mark 1:15)...

Both John and Christ said that the Kingdom of God was near. Christ said that the time had come. Both John and Christ admonished those who they were addressing to repent in relation to the Kingdom being near. If the Kingdom was only to be something to appear thousands of years into the future, the admonition to repent because the Kingdom was imminent would have made no sense at all. They were being asked to repent in relation to the Kingdom being near.

In Matthew 10:5-7, Christ instructs His disciples to go to the lost sheep of Israel and preach this message: "The Kingdom of heaven is near." If you would have been living 2000 years ago as one of the lost sheep of Israel, and someone comes to your town and begins telling you about the kingdom of heaven being at hand, you would not have concluded that this Kingdom was not really at hand but way off in the future.

It's interesting to note at this point that the Jews of Christ's time were looking for a physical kingdom to appear in their time and deliver them from their Roman oppressors. They were familiar with the writings of Daniel and other of the prophets and according to their calculations the Kingdom of God was right around the corner. There understanding of the Kingdom was not, however, what Christ was bringing to the table. Just like many Christians today, the Jews were looking for a physical Kingdom to bring order, peace and justice to an oppressed world. Yet when Christ appeared before Pilate, what did He say?

John 18:36:36: Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

The Greek for world is kosmos. Kosmos has broad application in the Greek language with the common thread being that the word refers to the physical realm. Christ was essentially saying that His Kingdom was not of this physical realm. Was Christ saying that His Kingdom does not apply to the physical realm? Is Christ here possibly speaking of the Kingdom as a spiritual dynamic?

We must realize that the good news of the Kingdom was a focal point of Christ's message. Christ gave more than a dozen parables explaining the nature of the Kingdom. Apostle Paul was constantly teaching about the Kingdom. A variety of writings from the first century that did not become Biblical scripture, also attest to this fact. It is therefore imperative that we understand what the Kingdom is. If the Kingdom is not part of the physical realm, what realm is it part of. Was Christ looking at the Kingdom as being part of a future physical realm when he made His statement to Pilate? Was Christ saying that the Kingdom is non physical?

Let's look at a profound statement make by Christ in answer to a question presented to him about the Kingdom.

Luke 17:20-21: Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."...

Scripture identifies the Kingdom as the way of righteousness.

Romans 14:17: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"

Matthew 6:33: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

We see the way of righteousness and entering the Kingdom as synonymous. Being in the Kingdom is all about how we behave. It is all about our conduct, our attitude, our way of living. It is all about being born again.

John 3:1-10: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

What is the Kingdom of God? - David Kroll

"You have to rise into that new realm which is the realm of God Almighty, what you call the Kingdom of God. And He said it very clearly to Nicodemus that "You have to be born again," and when he asked "'Am I to enter back into my mother's womb to be born again?" And He said it so clearly! It's so clear. Those who don't want to see can remain blind, but he said it very very clearly; that "No,-that is, whatever is born of the flesh is the flesh, but whatever is born of the Spirit is the Spirit."

I mean nothing could be more clear than that, that it has to be born 'of the Spirit'. Of course, human beings have a special capacity to twist everything around. For them Spirit could be a book, could be some words, could be an organisation, a church, or some sort of a thing like that which they have made. But whatever is man-made is not the Spirit; this is the clear statement of Christ, which people wanted to avoid and start their own organisations, their own ideas and created a very mythical thing in His name. And now the time has come for it to be blasted. It has been going on and on now for thousands of years, captured so many innocent people, and people are into it.

But when you are resurrected, and you become realised souls, one has to understand that now your movement is inward; you are moving towards your roots and not outside. So whatever was the endeavour before realisation has to be changed; the direction has to be changed. And that point mostly we miss. This is the thing today I am trying to explain to you that so far to a human mind entertainment was important; entertaining to the mind, not to the Spirit. Entertainment to the Spirit is absolutely opposite to the entertainment to the mind."

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

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