However, the kingdom as used in relationship to the Church which is Christ's Body is

in the spiritual realm entirely. This church has a homeland which exists not on earth, but

in heaven (Phil. 3: 20). It is urged not to set its mind on earthly things (Phil. 3: 19), but

on those things above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God (Col. 3: 1, 2) and

where, in Christ Jesus, they are potentially seated (Eph. 2: 5, 6). All such have already

been "translated into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Col. 1: 13). The apostle Paul

speaks of the future hope of this church as at the Lord's appearing and His kingdom, and

looks to being preserved unto His heavenly kingdom (II Tim. 4: 1, 18). There is a

present realization, and because of this and its heavenly sphere of blessing, it must not be

confused with the earthly sphere of the kingdom that we have been considering, which is

yet to come to pass when the Son of Man comes in His kingdom (Matt. 16: 28). There is

a heavenly aspect of the kingdom of God (Col. 4: 11) relating to the out-calling and

building up of the Body of Christ, and an earthly aspect of this kingdom where the nation

of Israel largely figure and these must be distinguished, although both find their centre in

the Lord Jesus Christ. The subjects of the earthly kingdom are spoken of as "inheriting"

or being "heirs of the kingdom", "receiving the kingdom" and "sons of the kingdom", but

we never read in the New Testament of receiving the church, or being heirs or sons of the

church. We must remember, too, that the kingdom of heaven, when the will of God will

be done on earth as it is in heaven, is the subject of Old Testament prophecy, whereas

the Body of Christ was a secret "hid in God" from past ages and generations of people

(Eph. 3: 9; Col. 1: 24-27), and therefore unknown till God chose to reveal it.

There are some who, seeing this, and realizing the need of not confusing these two

aspects of God's redemptive purpose, speak of distinguishing between the Kingdom and

the Church, as though the word Kingdom is kept in the New Testament to Israel and the

earth, and never used concerning the Church the Body of Christ. This is not so, and such

language is not accurate and precise enough. We should distinguish, most certainly,

between the earthly phase of the kingdom and its subjects and the heavenly phase of the

Body of Christ with its citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3: 20), always remembering that

finally these will be linked under the Headship of Christ in the dispensation of the

fullness of the seasons, when all things in heaven and earth will be gathered under Him

(Eph. 1: 9, 10) by reason of His mighty redemptive work on the cross.

From what we have seen therefore, the interpretation of the parables of the kingdom of

heaven relates to the earthly aspect of God's kingdom, of which the redeemed people of

Israel are the Divine channel. To try and force the heavenly people in here, the Body of

Christ as an interpretation, is to confuse "the things that differ", and mix up God's earthly

plan with the heavenly aspect of it. There are no parables, or hiding of the truth in the

Pauline letters which relate to the Body of Christ, but the very reverse. In Col. 1: 24-27,

the apostle links his special ministry given to him by the ascended Christ with the

Church, the Lord's Body, likening it to a dispensation or stewardship which God had

given him, to unfold the great Secret concerning this church, which up till now had been

hidden in God (Eph. 3: 9; Col. 1: 26) but now is made manifest to His saints. To whom

God wishes to make known what is the riches of the glory of this secret, which is Christ

among you (Gentiles), the hope of glory (Col. 1: 27).