SCOFIELD'S DISTINCTIONS of the KINGDOM of HEAVEN and KINGDOM of GOD
We were posted Scofield's notes regarding Matt 6:33 to establish the idea of a radical difference between the KOH and KOG. Scofield’s theory with his references and my answers with my referencesare as follows:
Scofield’s Comment #1
“The kingdom of God is to be distinguished from the kingdom of heaven [Mat.3:2 note] in five respects:” (CIS)
“The kingdom of God is universal, including all moral intelligence willingly subject to the will of God whether angels, the Church, or saints of past or future dispensations;” (CIS)
‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all thesethings shall be added unto you. -- Matt. 6:33 (CIS)
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham,and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and youyourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west,and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. -- Luke 13:28-29 (CIS)
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all,and to the spirits of just men made perfect . . . -- Heb. 12:22, 23 (CIS)
Herb Evans’ Answer to Scofield #1
And he said unto them . . . That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. -- Mark 9:1
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. – Luke 13:28, 29
What we see in Luke 13:28-29 and Mark 9:1 is a physical kingdom of God with the patriarchs admitted and the Pharisees excluded. Hebrews 12:22-23 says absolutely nothing about a kingdom of any kind. Scofield is pontificating without scripture here to build the following case. Imagine a spiritualized kingdom coming with power. Mark 9:1 refers to the visible KOG transfiguration.
Scofield’s Comment #2
“While the kingdom of heaven is Messianic, mediatorial, and Davidic, and has foritsobject the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth ‘And saying, Repent ye:for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” -- Matt. 3:2 (CIS)
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” -- 1 Cor. 15:24, 25 (C.I.S.)
Herb Evans’ Answer to Scofield #2
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:15
Although we believe that the Kingdom of heaven is used in a millennial way, so is the Kingdom of God above, we also believe it like the KOG and KOH are used in a spiritual way. All Matt 3:2 says is that the KOH is at hand just like the KOG is said to be at hand in Mark 1:15. First Cor. 15:24,25 says that some kind of a kingdom is delivered up to God. It is a safe interpolation to see it as the millennial kingdom due to the context, but proves nothing in Scofield's theory. It is merely a half truth for the Kingdom of God,which also shares these things, although Scofield neatly asserts that the two kingdoms are merged without an exact proof text to clearly show such a merging.
Scofield’s Comment #3
The kingdom of God is entered by the new birth, "Jesus answered and said untohim,Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see thekingdom of God . . . Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man beborn of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”-- John 3:3, 5-7(C. I. S.)
Herb Evans’ Answer to Scofield #3
We must agree with Scofield here but this in itself shows no distinction between the KOG and KOH, for the KOH is also entered by conversion:
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. -- Matt. 18:1-4
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. -- Matt. 19:14
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. -- Matt. 23:13
Obviously, the kingdom of heaven was being entered by conversion in the Gospels to say nothing of its then spiritual existence per Matt. 5:28, 7:21, and 11:11,12 to say nothing that Peter was to have the keys to it (Matt. 16:19).
Scofield’s Comment #4
"The kingdom of heaven, DURING THIS AGE [?], is the sphere of profession which may be real or false.” – C.I. Scofield
"And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower wentforth to sow. . .” -- Matt. 13:3 (CIS)
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took theirlamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom . . . Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say untoyou, I know you not.” --Matt. 25:1, 11, 12 (C. I. S.)
Herb Evans’ Answer to Scofield #4
Did you hear that? According to Scofield, there is a kingdom of heaven in this age and a kingdom of heaven in the age to come. The one during this age is not material. The one in the age to come is material. The one in this age is composed of saved and lost. The one in the age to come has the Pharisees rejected. The sphere of Christian profession, eh? I would call it the sphere of false profession. The counterfeit kingdom of heaven, for the words in these type of parable are as such, "the kingdom of heaven is LIKENED UNTO. . ." Curiously, Scofield's first example proof-text is NOT during this age (Matt. 25:1, 11, 12) but occurs after the pre-tribulation saints are raptured. -- Herb Evans
Snowfield’s Comment #5
“Since the kingdom of heaven is the earthy sphere of the universal Kingdom of God,THE TWO MUST HAVE ALMOST ALL THINGS IN COMMON[how convenientfor obscuring those similarities - Herb Evans] For this reason many parables and other teachings are spoken of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew, and of thekingdom of God in Mark and Luke. IT IS THE OMISSIONS WHICH ARESIGNIFICANT[Aha, argument from silence -- Herb Evans].The parables of thewheat and tares, and of the net [Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50] are not spoken of thekingdom of God. In that kingdom there are neither tares nor bad fish. [Now, watchthe swicheroo shell game -- Herb Evans]But the parable of the leaven is spoken ofthe kingdom of God also.” -- C. I. Scofield[which Scofield does not list the reference, BUT WE DID -- Herb Evans] . . .
“Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven,which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole wasleavened.” -- Matt. 13:33(CIS)
“And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven,which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole wasleavened.” --Luke 13:20,21 (CIS)
. . . for alas, even the true [Did you get that? -- Herb Evans]doctrines of the kingdomare leavened with errors of which the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Herodians werethe representatives—See Matt. 13:33 note." (C. I. S.)
Herb Evans’ Answer to Scofield #5
So, there you have it. The parables of the mystery form of the KOH are the sphere of Christian profession, the false and the true until you come upon the leaven of the KOG, which the lost are representative. Even the true doctrines of the kingdom are leavened. Hmmmm? Makes you wonder what the false doctrines of the kingdom are. Well, we hate to upset Dr. Scofield's fanciful scheme, but the KOG has not only leaven in it but false professors as well(LIKENED UNTO]. Obviously, there is a problem is with the fowls of the air lodging in the mustard tree kingdom of God as well as the kingdom of heaven.The false professors in Matthew's kingdom of heaven end up in Mark's kingdom of God. What have we here in the kingdom of God? The false professors of Scofield's kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13:3? Now, if you think Scofield has proved his so called distinctions, I have a bridge that I want to sell you in New York.
THE KOH VERSUS THE KOG
From Time to time, we encounter Scofieldites, ultra disps, and fellow travelers, who have the notion that the KOH and KOG are radically different kingdoms, which requires them to exercise extreme stretching and straining and manipulating their non applicable proof texts to prove their contentions. Jesus uses these terms synonymously in the same context in Matthew, and Luke substantiates His synonymous usage of Matthew as the same parallel event. See my KOH/KOG Compared.The ultra-dispensational false contentions are:
1. The KOH is only for the Jew
2. The KOG is only for the Gentile or church
3. The KOH is only physical
4. The KOG is only spiritual
5. The KOG is present but not future.
6. The KOH is future but not present
Obviously, Scofieldites and Ultradisps are ignoring Jesus Christ’s synonymous use of words and other scriptures on these six things. Attention, dispensationalists; things that arethe same are not different.See my article on the “KOH and KOG Compared.”
-–by Herb Evans