by Dave Root, VividChristianity.com, last modified on 07/16/2024.

As you read this section, keep in mind that the New Testament is not merely a history book, it's meant to change us to become more and more like Jesus. When we read any passages in the New Testament, our goal should be to discern what God wants us to believe and do so that we can be obedient to Him.


Jesus said that some people will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, and some people will be called great in the kingdom of heaven, based on their obedience to Him while they were on earth (Matthew 5:19, below). After you get to heaven, you won't have any more opportunities to be obedient to Him on earth, so if you don't want to find that you're among the least in heaven then it's important to begin obeying Him in all things while you still have the chance.

My article called What Will Happen after the Second Coming? explains in scriptural detail what life and government will be like after Jesus returns and sets up His thousand-year kingdom on earth. Many Christians don't seem to realize it, but we Christians will have different levels of authority in His kingdom (e.g., ruling over cities or regions) that will be directly tied to our level of obedience to Him while we were on the earth.

Therefore, we will not all be equal in Jesus' future kingdom. If we're not trying to be fully obedient to Him in this life, we're jeopardizing our future in heaven.

Relevant passages:

[Jesus is speaking:] Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19)

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! (1 Corinthians 6:1-3)

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us (2 Timothy 2:11-12)

[Jesus is speaking:] To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations - 'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery' - just as I have received authority from my Father. (Revelation 2:26-27)

[Jesus is speaking:] To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation 3:21)

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

The above passages show that Christians will have a certain degree of authority (e.g., ruling over cities or regions) in Jesus' future kingdom on earth after the Second Coming. As my article above explains, our level of authority will be directly tied to our level of obedience to the Lord while we were on the earth. We will not all be equal in Jesus' future kingdom.


In the following parable, the obedient servants are given authority over a certain number of cities in proportion to their level of obedience to their master, but the disobedient servant ends up suffering loss. This is what will happen to obedient and disobedient Christians at the judgment described in my article called Cheat Sheet #12:

While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.' But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.' His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.' Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.' His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?' Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!' He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. (Luke 19:11-26)

Again, our level of authority in Jesus' future kingdom will be directly tied to our level of obedience to Him while we were on the earth. Notice that even the original 12 apostles were not all treated equally by Jesus, just as we will not all be treated equally by Jesus in His future kingdom:

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them...As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves (Mark 9:2-10)

While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James...He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5:35-43)

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. (Mark 14:32-33)

As we've seen, Christians will not all be equal in Jesus' future kingdom. After you get to heaven, you won't have any more opportunities to be obedient to Him on earth, so if you don't want to find that you're among the least in heaven then it's important to begin obeying Him in all things while you still have the chance.

Even after reading this, most Christians will probably assume that they'll be fine at the judgment described in my article called Cheat Sheet #12 because they assume that they're being obedient to God. Yet how many of them are diligent enough to find out what the New Testament actually tells us to do (not just what feels right to them) so that they can be certain they're obeying God's instructions?


Are you reading and obeying God's instruction manual (the New Testament) and listening to the Lord every day (see my article called How to Discern God's Guidance), being diligent to find out what He wants you to believe and do?