The Keys of the Kingdom

Makestraightpaths.com examines the teachings of the religious group variously known as “the Family,” “The Family International,” the “Children of God,” or the “Family of Love,” and evaluates these teachings from a Christian perspective.

This page is one of a series looking at the unique Family doctrine of the Keys of the Kingdom.

The Keys of the Kingdom

Matthew 16:19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. NKJV

This verse, spoken by Jesus to the apostle Peter, refers metaphorically to the 'keys of the kingdom.' Most Bible commentators see this phrase as a metaphor referring either to the spiritual authority that all Christians have when they preach the Gospel or to Peter's specific role in bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles. That is, the verse means that Christians are permitted to proclaim the salvation that is available in Jesus Christ, or that Jesus was predicting Peter's key role in opening the door of faith to the Gentiles. For a compilation of various commentaries on this verse, click here.

However, the Family has a unique teaching regarding the ‘Keys of the Kingdom.’ Alone among Christian and pseudo-Christian groups, they believe these keys to be a mighty spiritual force available to those with enough faith. Or rather, available to Family members with enough faith, as other Christians haven’t heard of this force, and therefore do not believe.

The ‘Keys of the Kingdom’ are said by the Family to be a spiritual entity created by God by which great spiritual power is made available to Family members. Family members have been given hundreds of pages of material published on the keys. Some of this material consists of 'promises' that Family members are told they may claim in order to get their prayers answered. Other 'keys' publications borders on the ludicrous, reading like a low quality science fiction story, with descriptions of flying saucers, called 'key craft.' Some material published on the 'keys' is almost blasphemous, claiming that the 'keys' are 'one with Jesus' and 'one with the Word.'

Family members are encouraged to memorise hundreds of specific ‘key promises,’ to visualise the keys, to call on the keys in prayer, and to use them in any and every situation to obtain great spiritual power, supernatural strength and miraculous answers to prayer. The keys are, according to Family publications, one of the biggest revelations God has imparted to mankind in recent years. The Family is told that these keys contain far more power than anything previously imaginable. The keys are divine, they are ‘one with Jesus and the Word’, they are ‘magical’. The keys have become a core Family doctrine changing the way members pray, praise and see themselves.

Because of the immense power attributed to the keys, due to the crucial role imputed to them, and as they have been assigned such a pivotal position in Family members’ lives it is necessary to examine how they fit into God’s plan as revealed in the Bible. It is a biblical principle to test everything with Scripture: Jesus told the Pharisees that if they searched the Scriptures they would discover that the Old Testament spoke of Him. When Paul brought the Gospel to the Bereans, they searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so. After diligent study brought realisation that Paul's message was indeed the truth, the Bereans believed and became Christians. 'Searching the Scriptures' is especially important when it comes to new revelations, new doctrines that somebody claims comes from God. The Bible repeatedly warns believers to be on guard against the Devil’s deceit.

The purpose of this web site is to examine Family doctrines from a biblical perspective, not a ‘Family’ standpoint. Therefore, this page will contain no quotes from GNs about the keys, no excerpts from Family publications. Make Straight Paths is written from the viewpoint that the Bible is the ultimate standard of measurement, and must be used to pass judgement on all other writings. The Bible is the foundation of Christian faith, not Martin Luther’s writings, not the Pope’s encyclicals, and not Family-produced material. Family members who are true Christians are saved only because they believe John 3:16, not Family material. Conversely, any Family members who do not have faith in the Bible cannot be called Christian no matter how strongly they believe Family writings.

Unless otherwise stated, the Family doctrine of the ‘Keys of the Kingdom’ will be referred to on this page as ‘the keys’. So, when there is a reference to ‘the keys,’ in general it will refer to the Family doctrine of mighty spiritual power specially bestowed to the Family through ‘calling on the keys’. So when there is a statement like, ‘the keys are not in the Bible’ it should be understood that the reference is to the Family interpretation of the phrase mentioned in Matthew 16:19.

The keys and the Bible

When attempting to discuss this topic from a biblical standpoint there is an immediate, significant problem. It is impossible to make a Bible study on ‘calling on the keys’ or ‘keycraft’ or ‘using key promises’ because the keys are not in the Bible. Matthew 16:19 uses the phrase ‘the keys of the kingdom of heaven’, and there are a few other passages in the Bible where the word ‘keys’ is used in a metaphorical sense. However, there is no argument about this point, even in official Family publications. The ‘keys of the kingdom’ as used by the Family, as a great and mighty spiritual force, as the end-time prayer-facilitator, as a vehicle for unlimited spiritual power unleashed in the last days, is not in the Bible. The ‘keys of the kingdom’ as used in the Family are strictly an extra-biblical ‘revelation’ given specifically to the Family. The doctrine of ‘Calling on the Keys’ is not in the Bible, and Family publications do not attempt to say that it is. The ‘keys’ are a new revelation.

Although the Family does not attempt to claim that the keys are in the Bible, they did publish a GN claiming to give biblical support for the principles behind the keys. For a discussion of that GN, click here.

So how does one conduct a Bible study on a topic that is absent? How may Christians search the Scriptures when the object of their search cannot be found? What conclusions can be drawn from the fact that the keys are absent from the Bible?

The key’s absence

The Bible is the living Word of God. It is the manifestation in paper and ink of what Jesus manifested in flesh and blood. Jesus is the Word made flesh, God incarnate and the Bible is the written expression of the truth of God. Therefore, the first conclusion that can be drawn from the fact that the keys are not in the Bible is that they are inessential. Essential doctrines are in the Bible. Everything else is either optional or incorrect.

Therefore, Christians who live a Bible-centred life do not need to worry about the keys. If they follow the Bible, they will have God’s power manifested through them, they will bear much fruit, they will show the fruits of the Holy Spirit, they will be given gifts of the Holy Spirit. They can live a spirit-filled, fruit-bearing life without the 'keys.' They won’t miss out on anything; they will never be lacking in God’s power; His strength will be always available to them. They won’t need ‘more power’ because they have God’s power. They will never be unprotected because they will have His angels watching over them. They have Jesus Himself in them helping them to grow and learn and make decisions. There is absolutely nothing that they would miss out on: the keys are inessential. That is, the unique Family doctrine of the keys being a powerful spiritual entity is inessential. It is unnecessary.

There are two other possibilities that must be considered when discussing any extra-biblical doctrine. There is the possibility that either the keys do not exist or that they do exist, but they are of demonic origin. The Family 'prophets' may have been mistaken or deceived when they recorded messages about this doctrine.

Allowing these possibilities permits the Bible to be the standard for all truth and error. It is a personal declaration that God's Word in the Bible may judge whether all teachings are true or false.

The power of God

The book of Colossians has a relevant passage about the source of spiritual power.

Col 2:6-10

6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority

NASU

Jesus Christ is the foundation for Christian faith. Christians are rooted in Him that they may grow and bear fruit (vs.6-7).

Verse 8 contains a warning to be on guard not to be deceived.

Verse 9 says that all God’s power, all His majesty, all His might dwells in Jesus.

Verse 10 triumphantly proclaims that Christians are 'complete' in Him. The ASV says ‘in Him ye are made full’; the NIV says ‘you have been given fullness in Christ’. As believers walk in Jesus and let Him live in them, He manifests all of His fullness.

All authority has been given to Jesus (Matt 28:18). Everything that exists is in submission to Him.

1 Peter 3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand — with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. NIV

Jesus' power is above all else.

Eph 1:19-23
19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
NASU

The Bible says that Jesus has all power. He fills all in all (Eph 1:23 NASU). He is the Author and Giver of everything everywhere (TLB). He fills everything in every way (NIV). Therefore, any attempt to access power through the 'keys' implies another source of spiritual power. Such a source can only be in opposition to God. In other words, biblically speaking, there are now only two possible conclusions regarding the 'keys': either they do not exist at all, or they do exist in deceptive, demonic opposition to Jesus Christ.

Jesus and the keys

The Family teaches that Jesus operates through the keys. They teach that He uses the keys as a kind of agent to transmit His power. Family members 'call on the keys' believing that they are accessing Jesus’ power.

This theory, of course, is not in the Bible. The Bible talks at length about miraculous answers to prayer and about the power of the Holy Spirit manifested through God’s children, but it does not say that Jesus sends His power through 'keys.' Therefore, this theory must be disregarded.

However, Family teaching about the keys goes beyond a mere conduit of Jesus' power. The Family has taught that the keys have a life of their own, almost like a fourth member of the holy Trinity. This blatantly unbiblical teaching borders on the blasphemous.

Symbolic keys mentioned in the Bible

‘Keys’ are used figuratively or symbolically several times in the Bible apart from Matthew 16:19.

Luke 11:52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering. NASU
Rev 1:18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. NASU
Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: NASU
Rev 9:1 Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. NASU

While there is a lot of debate about the interpretation of some of these passages (particularly the passage written to the church in Philadelphia), there is one very clear fact: there is no suggestion that these references to 'keys' are in any way connected with each other or with the passage in Matthew 16. None of these Scriptures indicate great power given to believers, none signify an extra means of Christians appropriating power, none testify to a mysterious entity ‘one with Jesus and the Word’. It would be a gross misuse of Scriptures to link them together in support of the Family’s doctrine.

Conclusion

The most significant fact about the Family doctrine of the keys is one that instantly consigns it to the ‘unimportant’ bin: this doctrine is extra-Biblical. It is wholly unsupported and utterly without Biblical foundation. It just isn’t there. The only reason it needs to be considered is that the Family has insisted on holding it aloft, loudly trumpeting that it is an important new Christian doctrine. However, as this doctrine is not supported by the Bible, it may be disregarded as insignificant.

Actually, the fact that the Family elevates this doctrine to such magnitude is a reason to abandon it as potentially dangerous. Magnifying an insignificant or false teaching out of proportion causes a loss of perspective on the teachings that are true. Placing an exaggerated worth on an obscure doctrine causes a neglect of the major doctrines. There is great danger in neglecting the Bible in favour of an unbiblical theory that should have no bearing on Christian life.

Further, there is the distinct possibility that the Family doctrine of the 'keys' is actually a deceptive, demonic teaching, designed to lead people away from the Lord.

The Bible is the core and foundation of Christian belief. If it does not occupy that place, we may no longer refer to ourselves as Christians. Christians are defined as those who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible. If Family members are to consider themselves Christians, they must believe the Bible first and foremost. It is the Bible that is the inalterable eternal Word of God, upon which we depend for salvation, for the plan of God, for the mind of Christ. It is the Bible alone that teaches about the true spiritual foundation of our life.

The Family's teaching about the 'keys' is unbiblical and therefore, there are three possibilities about it: The keys are insignificant, they do not exist, or they are of demonic origin.