Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16 speak of violence and taking the kingdom by force, yet human effort to force oneself into the kingdom is inconsistent with the terms of God's calling. Although zeal and fervency are necessary for the sanctification process, humans cannot seize or take anything without the will of God. We can receive, but we cannot take it by force. We must have the composure of an innocent child. The Kingdom of God was in the disciples' midst when Jesus was with them and in the miracle of the transfiguration. When one hears the Gospel, he can expect to also hear scoffing, deriding the message. It takes boldness and perseverance to battle this animosity. Not surprisingly, we find the same hostility today as even nominal Christianity receives persecution. Thankfully, Jesus Christ sets limits upon the violence leveled against the called-out ones.