To assert areas for open question asking to elicit unexpected information, rather than being “induced” to “assume” that we have to “assume” assumptions. A most urgent area for this currently is, what is the Kingdom of God.
Hi @michael,
Thank you for raising this excellent question. I’ve started it as a new Topic for the sake of clarity and to enable a fuller discussion.
To get us going, here are a few places that The Cape Town Commitment, which is one of our foundational documents, speaks about the Kingdom of God (emphasis added):
We love the story the gospel tells. The gospel announces as good news the historical events of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. As the son of David, the promised Messiah King, Jesus is the one through whom alone God established his kingdom and acted for the salvation of the world, enabling all nations on earth to be blessed, as he promised Abraham. Paul defines the gospel in stating that ‘Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day, according the scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve.’ The gospel declares that, on the cross of Christ, God took upon himself, in the person of his Son and in our place, the judgment our sin deserves. In the same great saving act, completed, vindicated and declared through the resurrection, God won the decisive victory over Satan, death and all evil powers, liberated us from their power and fear, and ensured their eventual destruction. God accomplished the reconciliation of believers with himself and with one another across all boundaries and enmities. God also accomplished his purpose of the ultimate reconciliation of all creation, and in the bodily resurrection of Jesus has given us the first fruits of the new creation. ‘God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.’ How we love the gospel story!
Jesus calls all his disciples together to be one family among the nations, a reconciled fellowship in which all sinful barriers are broken down through his reconciling grace. This Church is a community of grace, obedience and love in the communion of the Holy Spirit, in which the glorious attributes of God and gracious characteristics of Christ are reflected and God’s multi-coloured wisdom is displayed. As the most vivid present expression of the kingdom of God, the Church is the community of the reconciled who no longer live for themselves, but for the Saviour who loved them and gave himself for them.
We are committed to world mission, because it is central to our understanding of God, the Bible, the Church, human history and the ultimate future. The whole Bible reveals the mission of God to bring all things in heaven and earth into unity under Christ, reconciling them through the blood of his cross. In fulfilling his mission, God will transform the creation broken by sin and evil into the new creation in which there is no more sin or curse. God will fulfil his promise to Abraham to bless all nations on the earth, through the gospel of Jesus, the Messiah, the seed of Abraham. God will transform the fractured world of nations that are scattered under the judgment of God into the new humanity that will be redeemed by the blood of Christ from every tribe, nation, people and language, and will be gathered to worship our God and Saviour. God will destroy the reign of death, corruption and violence when Christ returns to establish his eternal reign of life, justice and peace. Then God, Immanuel, will dwell with us, and the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever.*
For God’s kingdom to come, that God’s will may be done on earth as in heaven, in the establishment of justice, the stewardship and care of creation, and the blessing of God’s peace in our communities.
I’m curious: how do you understand the Kingdom of God? I look forward to reading everyone’s answers!
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Hi @michael thank you for asking this question. It’s terminology we use and hear regularly in a church context, so to have to focus in on what this means is actually a really exciting task.
I really like the definition that @Carson has referred to, and I couldn’t do any better than this. I just wanted to add that my understanding of the Kingdom of God is explicitly where everything is under His rule, where God is the acknowledged Lord and King over all. Currently, we don’t live in a world where this is the case. Too many prefer not to acknowledge God’s sovereignty, power, and right to rule. I look forward to the day where every nation, tribe and tongue will worship God in one accord. To me, this is the idea of God’s kingdom, that we are looking forward to, yet are already part of.
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@michael, thanks for asking this important question. I too think that kingdom of God in the present age is about submitting to God’s will in our lives so that the righteousness, peace and joy of the Lord can shine through our lives to others (Matt. 6:33, Rom. 14:17). We are transferred into the kingdom of God, the moment we place our faith in Jesus (Col. 1:13). Though there is sin in the world, Jesus is the King and he reigns above all authority and power even in the present age ( Eph. 1:20-21, Ps. 2: 2-6). But there will be a day at the end of this age when Jesus destroys all enemies, with the last enemy being death, and then will hand over the kingdom to God the Father that God may be all in all ( 1 Cor. 15:24-28, Heb. 10: 12-13, Acts 3:21, Rom. 8:21 ). From Matt. 13: 41-43, it seems both God’s children and those who deny Him will co-exist until the time of judgement and resurrection of believers. I think the ultimate hope of the kingdom of God is a heavenly one for there is no lasting city here on earth ( Heb. 11:10). One other point I want to make that has helped me discern whether a ministry is truly seeking God’s kingdom is that the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace ( Jam. 3:18). I have met people who try to differentiate between the gospel of grace and the gospel of kingdom by separating salvation message from the stories about signs and wonders in the gospels, which I think is erroneous. My understanding is that there is only one gospel, and one ultimate kingdom in the Bible through faith in Jesus.
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- and from providential guidance / discernment for our perseverance; which will count toward crown / talents traded / works of mercy -
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@michael, thanks for your input. I agree that we cannot separate the gospel from good works and spiritual guidance. Can you give some examples of how you have seen that happen in Christian community? It might help us all with discerning misapplication of the idea of Kingdom of God. Thanks!
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Profitable gifts bearing fruits is a provident “economy” that makes me think of a “kingdom”. Prov 31: 10-31 depict such. I think there is indeed a whole continuum that includes the many things you have mentioned - signs, preaching, alertness. I don’t believe in superstition, and I’ve seen some prayerful people with hunches that might be good ones, get surrounded by dispute not of their own making, which reduces the impact of any good fruit (all foreseen by Our Lord). Thus Christ’s Kingdom isn’t static or fatalistic. Christians’ chief work is prayer. Ian Paul deplores the absence of teaching on sanctification.
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Hi @michael, thanks for clarifying further. In relation to your comment above, both Matt. 6:9-10 and 1 Pet. 2:9-12 seem to be saying something similar. Trusting Christ brings us into a covenant with God and that comes with responsibility of representing God well to all around us as we are now part of God’s royal priesthood, a people of his own possession. How we live here on earth as His people matters! We can either bring glory to Him by our actions and cause others to see Him as holy, set apart from all else in heaven and earth, or we can bring Him disrepute. None of what we are called to do for His kingdom could even begin without prayer. Kingdom of God begins in the heart and it shines in darkness. So, yes its not static and we have an active part to play. There is no place however for falsehood, coercion, performance, manipulation, boasting when someone is truly serving God’s kingdom. In my experience, these kind of selfish tendencies are not always easy to recognize and we need the wisdom of God. Thankfully, God provides this wisdom generously to all who ask Him in faith.
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