"The Kingdom is the rule of God, and the realm of his blessings; the Church is the people of the Kingdom, who have received it, who witness it, and who will inherit it" --George Eldon Ladd in his book, The Kingdom of God.
Preachers in the Churches of Christ have frequently identified the church with the kingdom. Although the church cannot exist with the kingdom of God, the two are not the same as many passage will attest.
I think - from the lack of comments / answers this excellent question is getting - that everyone else must be as clueless as I am how to answer. (Thank goodness Frank knows his Ladd book!)
It's really hard for me to fathom living in a monarchy. I've always lived in a democracy; grew up being taught that - really, admit it - a democracy is superior to a monarchy.
Of course, that presumes that an ordinary human would be the monarch, and we know what losers they are. Only when we get a bunch of us together to agree on something do we govern well. (At least, that's the theory.)
I wrassled with this five years ago in a series of blog posts (Kingdom Christianity), and I'm still pretty sure that I'm missing "the big picture."
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A short explanation of my understanding of the kingdom of God!
There are two kingdoms; the first is that of Jesus Christ our Lord, the other that of Satan, which is called the kingdom of darkness. Both are spiritual kingdoms (in the realm of the spirit) and manifested on this earth. Every person in this world belongs to one of those kingdoms, and their deeds and whom they worship will determine to which kingdom they belong to.
God's kingdom is the kingdom of Jesus Christ and He alone is their King, the sovereign ruler, head, Lord and Father over His children.
From the beginning; God's children had been held in captivity in the kingdom of darkness (Satan's kingdom) to do his will (2 Tim. 2:26), that is because of the sin of Eve. Jesus therefore had to redeem His children from the power and the control of Satan back to Himself into His kingdom by a new birth (born again). They were born again not by their will, or the will of man (John 1:12-13), or their choice and doing etc. but by His doing alone (1 Cor. 1:29-30).
In contrast; Satan is the king and god of his kingdom (2 Cor.4:4), and all his children worship him and practice unrighteousness of which they learn from their father the devil (John 8:44). He has deceived the whole world to worship another identity other than Jesus Christ and holds the whole world under his power (1 John 1:19). Paul
Interesting; The kingdom of God is unlike an earthly kingdom. It's possible for us to join or become a member of an earthly kingdom if we meet its condition. But the kingdom of God no one can join or become a member of it by his own will, in fact he cannot see it (John 3:3) or enter into His kingdom unless he is born again (John 3:5).
Everyone who is born again is a new creation and is born into the kingdom of God, old things have passed away and all things are new (2 Cor. 5:7). In other words a person must have died with Christ (2 Tim. 2:11) to live with Him in the kingdom of God by the new birth, not by the will of man or the will of the flesh but the will of God (John 1:13). It is not theoretical but experiential; it is the work of God. Salvation by grace and not by works lest any man should boast. Paul
Why is it impossible for a Jehovah Witness or a Muslim to enter into the kingdom of God? And why is it impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God?
I believe the Kingdom of God on earth, believers, should be about social justice. Jesus was about taking care of the poor, sick, dying, feeding the hungry, meeting physical needs before he met spiritual needs. See Luke 4:14-21; Luk 11:1-13; Matt 25:34-46...The kingdom took care of each other see Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:23-37. Are we as the Kingdom practicing true Kingdom work on earth? Caring for the poor, sick, oppressed? Is the church and christians meeting the needs of those who are in need?
If the kingdom of God would be social justice and good works, then everybody would be able to see the kingdom of God even those who are not in the kingdom contrary to (John 3:3).
And everyone who practices social justice and does good works would be automatically in God's kingdom. Imagine; the Buddhists, Mormons, JWs, Muslims and Catholics, all would be like a happy family in the kingdom of God.:-)
I am not saying that good works and social justice is not practiced in the kingdom, but that does not signify the Kingdom. Again there must be a distinction between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God.
In my understanding, the only distinction is the KING! Whosoever has not received KING JESUS and does not worship HIM alone, does not belong to His kingdom, he is an outsider regardless of his good works etc. and he is in desperate need of salvation. "But as many as received Him (King Jesus), to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13). Regards Paul
It is my belief that the kingdom of God is a past, present and future reality. I base my thoughts on the gospels and what Jesus said about the kingdom. THe patriarchs are or will be in the kingdom (Luke 13:24-30). The kingdom of God is here (Luke 17:20-21), yet in the model prayer of Matthew 6, we are still instructed to ask for the kingdom to come. How is this possible? Well, in my opinion, the key comes in that model prayer. The phrase that follows "your kingdom come" tells us what that kingdom consists of. It is the realm where God's will is done. When God's will is done on earth, his kingdom is there. It explains how it can be a past present and future reality. WE can still ask for his kingdom to come because God's will is still not done perfectly on earth like it is in heaven.
"The Kingdom is the rule of God, and the realm of his blessings; the Church is the people of the Kingdom, who have received it, who witness it, and who will inherit it" --George Eldon Ladd in his book, The Kingdom of God.
ReplyDeletePreachers in the Churches of Christ have frequently identified the church with the kingdom. Although the church cannot exist with the kingdom of God, the two are not the same as many passage will attest.
Oops. Should read: "Although the church cannot exist without the kingdom . . . "
ReplyDeleteA Freudian slip there? Hmmm.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI think - from the lack of comments / answers this excellent question is getting - that everyone else must be as clueless as I am how to answer. (Thank goodness Frank knows his Ladd book!)
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard for me to fathom living in a monarchy. I've always lived in a democracy; grew up being taught that - really, admit it - a democracy is superior to a monarchy.
Of course, that presumes that an ordinary human would be the monarch, and we know what losers they are. Only when we get a bunch of us together to agree on something do we govern well. (At least, that's the theory.)
I wrassled with this five years ago in a series of blog posts (Kingdom Christianity), and I'm still pretty sure that I'm missing "the big picture."
Good web site!
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A short explanation of my understanding of the kingdom of God!
ReplyDeleteThere are two kingdoms; the first is that of Jesus Christ our Lord, the other that of Satan, which is called the kingdom of darkness.
Both are spiritual kingdoms (in the realm of the spirit) and manifested on this earth.
Every person in this world belongs to one of those kingdoms, and their deeds and whom they worship will determine to which kingdom they belong to.
God's kingdom is the kingdom of Jesus Christ and He alone is their King, the sovereign ruler, head, Lord and Father over His children.
From the beginning; God's children had been held in captivity in the kingdom of darkness (Satan's kingdom) to do his will (2 Tim. 2:26), that is because of the sin of Eve.
Jesus therefore had to redeem His children from the power and the control of Satan back to Himself into His kingdom by a new birth (born again).
They were born again not by their will, or the will of man (John 1:12-13), or their choice and doing etc. but by His doing alone (1 Cor. 1:29-30).
In contrast;
Satan is the king and god of his kingdom (2 Cor.4:4), and all his children worship him and practice unrighteousness of which they learn from their father the devil (John 8:44). He has deceived the whole world to worship another identity other than Jesus Christ and holds the whole world under his power (1 John 1:19).
Paul
Interesting;
ReplyDeleteThe kingdom of God is unlike an earthly kingdom.
It's possible for us to join or become a member of an earthly kingdom if we meet its condition.
But the kingdom of God no one can join or become a member of it by his own will, in fact he cannot see it (John 3:3) or enter into His kingdom unless he is born again (John 3:5).
Everyone who is born again is a new creation and is born into the kingdom of God, old things have passed away and all things are new (2 Cor. 5:7).
In other words a person must have died with Christ (2 Tim. 2:11) to live with Him in the kingdom of God by the new birth, not by the will of man or the will of the flesh but the will of God (John 1:13). It is not theoretical but experiential; it is the work of God.
Salvation by grace and not by works lest any man should boast.
Paul
Yes we have missed the point. One of the best reads in a long time has been Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Smay.
ReplyDeleteOk; I have a question for everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it impossible for a Jehovah Witness or a Muslim to enter into the kingdom of God?
And why is it impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God?
I believe the Kingdom of God on earth, believers, should be about social justice. Jesus was about taking care of the poor, sick, dying, feeding the hungry, meeting physical needs before he met spiritual needs. See Luke 4:14-21; Luk 11:1-13; Matt 25:34-46...The kingdom took care of each other see Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:23-37. Are we as the Kingdom practicing true Kingdom work on earth? Caring for the poor, sick, oppressed? Is the church and christians meeting the needs of those who are in need?
ReplyDeleteIf the kingdom of God would be social justice and good works, then everybody would be able to see the kingdom of God even those who are not in the kingdom contrary to (John 3:3).
ReplyDeleteAnd everyone who practices social justice and does good works would be automatically in God's kingdom.
Imagine; the Buddhists, Mormons, JWs, Muslims and Catholics, all would be like a happy family in the kingdom of God.:-)
I am not saying that good works and social justice is not practiced in the kingdom, but that does not signify the Kingdom.
Again there must be a distinction between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God.
In my understanding, the only distinction is the KING!
Whosoever has not received KING JESUS and does not worship HIM alone, does not belong to His kingdom, he is an outsider regardless of his good works etc. and he is in desperate need of salvation.
"But as many as received Him (King Jesus), to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13).
Regards
Paul
It is my belief that the kingdom of God is a past, present and future reality. I base my thoughts on the gospels and what Jesus said about the kingdom. THe patriarchs are or will be in the kingdom (Luke 13:24-30). The kingdom of God is here (Luke 17:20-21), yet in the model prayer of Matthew 6, we are still instructed to ask for the kingdom to come. How is this possible? Well, in my opinion, the key comes in that model prayer. The phrase that follows "your kingdom come" tells us what that kingdom consists of. It is the realm where God's will is done. When God's will is done on earth, his kingdom is there. It explains how it can be a past present and future reality. WE can still ask for his kingdom to come because God's will is still not done perfectly on earth like it is in heaven.
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