Kingdom of God & the Church

Abstract This essay attempts to explore the teaching of Jesus on the kingdom of God and discuss how it relates to the church. Due to the diverse nature of the kingdom of God, and the limitation of this essay, I will explore the concept of “the kingdom of God” in light of the church’s role. By defining what the Kingdom of God is not, what it was believed to be, what it is and for what purpose it came the perspectives and concepts of the church will be discussed. The reader will find classic liberalism, Christian Reconstructionism, “social gospel”, liberation theology and post-modern evangelism being touched on – yet land on the defining common thread of the participation in the Kingdom of God. Lastly, the essay will prove the noted distinction between the Kingdom of God and the church. Introduction:  

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 “The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel” Jesus declares in Mark 1:14-15. As the Gospels testify, The Kingdom of God is central to the teachings of Jesus.[1] It is not mentioned once in the Old Testament, and it hardly occurs outside of the Gospels in the New Testament, yet that does not deny the expansion of the concept. Some conceive kingdom of God to be an empire or a political power. Many perceive the kingdom of God to be within the soul of every human being who repents. Others claim the kingdom of God is equivalent to the church. Yet if we consider the purpose of the Kingdom of God to be universal salvation[2], none of these descriptions seems satisfiable.  

Israel & the Jewish Expectation

Before attempting to explore the kingdom of God and how it relates to the church it is important to understand the purpose of Israel in the context of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God was not a New Testament idea, as God elected Israel in Genesis through the covenant of Abraham to live under his rule, have faith in Him alone and be His people. [3]  Israel was chosen to be the means of which God would save the world and the agent of which God would deal with problems in His creation. This vocation of Israel would be completed by God bringing the history of Israel to its climax, saving them by justice and mercy and in honour of the covenant bring healing and restoration through them to the whole world.[4]

This was believed to be accomplished through the sovereignty of God as Israel’s scriptures promise a coming Messiah, a Redeemer who would establish the Kingdom and God would rule over His creation as a vindication at the end of times.[5] The Kingdom of God was therefore believed to be a political and military manifestation of God’s power.[6]
When we reach the New Testament and Jesus came as a bearer of the kingdom of God and fulfilling the Old Testament hope[7], it is safe to say that a Messiah ruling by servanthood and sacrifice was not the ways the Jewish people expected.[8] Yet Jesus, the fullness of Gods character came and declared: “My kingdom is not of this world…”– John 18:36[9]

 

Jesus & the concept of God’s kingdomWhen Jesus declares the Kingdom of God he builds upon the redemptive sovereign rule of God and the plan of salvation for Israel and the world.[10] No longer would God’s presence be mediated through one nation (Israel) or be located in a physical place (tabernacle).[11] The kingdom of God does therefore not point to a particular place nor does it require a political power. [12] Rather it is a dynamic move of God’s activity spreading under the kingship of Jesus, empowered by the spirit of God and requires allegiance more than acceptance.[13]

Jesus’ teachings of the Kingdom of God can be summarized by this: God’s action and our response.[14] Jesus demonstrates this in Matt 12:28 when he says: “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you”. [15] He makes a clear connection to the Spirit of God and therefore demonstrates the closeness of God’s power and rule.[16] This connects to the promise of Israel’s scriptures, particularly Isaiah 61:1-2, where the announcement of the Kingdom included the Spirit of the Lord coming upon Him (Messiah) to proclaim the good news of grace, liberate Gods people, renew lives and forgive.[17] It was from this position that Jesus’ established God’s Kingdom[18]: empowered by the Spirit of God for the purpose of empowering others.[19]
The kingdom of God also requires our response. Jesus says in Mark 1:15 – “The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel”[20]. He is commanding a response that is based on faith and not of proof. By no means did Jesus use His powers for the purpose of convincing people of his claim as Messiah[21]. Another important note to make is that the kingdom does not enter us – we enter the kingdom! We have to respond and become citizens of the reign of God by allegiance through faith and obedience. [22] Therefore, we can conclude the kingdom of God is present with Jesus and his activity, through the empowerment of the Spirit of God for the purpose of demonstrating God’s reign. [23] The response of the people is to believe, repent and align oneself to the kingdom and its nature.[24]

The nature of the Kingdom: Different perspectivesInevitably, over the centuries many different views have been developed theologically about how the nature of the Kingdom of God should be expressed. This is mainly because of the many symbolic, prophetic and apocalyptic explanations of Jesus.[25]
The classic liberal theologian would say the kingdom of God is the rule of God through every individual heart.[26] The social gospel view takes its interest in the ethical problem and means the kingdom of God can only be established through righteous life and action.[27] Liberation theology would claim the kingdom of God is justice being re-established on the earth through the eradication of poverty. The Christian reconstructionist claims the kingdom of God is extended through the supernatural power of Christ’s church and that the duty of the modern state is to submit and not hinder.[28] Lastly the evangelical post-modernistic perspective states the kingdom of God is heaven invading earth through a collection of people who lives according to the way of Jesus and his message which will transform, save and heal the earth.[29]

No matter what perspective one finds more compelling they all have one thing in common: the kingdom of God requires the participation of people. The question now becomes, what does this mean for the people of God, the church? 

The role of the ChurchThe role of the Church has been widely discussed yet no one has ever denied its commanded participation. Scot McKnight, an American New Testament scholar, argues in his book ‘Kingdom Conspiracy’ that there is no Kingdom outside the church.[30] He basis his argument on the realities of an earthly kingdom contrasted to the Kingdom of God, a king and his people, yet fails to recognize the true distinction of the kingdom of God – Jesus and His activity.[31]

The question here becomes if we truly believe the words of Jesus. In Matt 28:18 we read: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”[32] After stating this, Jesus commands his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations” in verse 19. The inclusion and participation of his disciples came as an effect of the already established reign and authority of Jesus. In other words, the divine activity of God creates a social reality and community of that activity.[33]

Another important thing to remember is that Jesus came and declared the Kingdom of God when the church did not exist. The church was birthed on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 when God poured out his Spirit for the Kingdom-purpose of fulfilling the Old Testament promise that all nations would be saved. [34] The role of the church is, therefore, to be empowered by the Spirit and just like Jesus – heal the sick, restore the lost to a relationship with God and help to transform the society.[35] It is not the church’s role to save or initiate salvation, as the Spirit of God stretches beyond the limitations of the church.[36] It is undeniable that the church is called to embody the Kingdom of God in the universal redemptive plan, yet it is the Kingdom of God does not embody the church.[37]

Conclusion:The purpose of the Kingdom of God is universal salvation, from the covenant in Abraham where God chose Israel to be the agent of which he will save to world, to Jesus Messiah coming and demonstrating God’s reign, to the Spirit being poured out in Acts for the empowerment of His people. It all ties together in one beautiful story of God’s redemptive plan. Yet the kingdom of God stretches beyond the limits of a conceptual kingdom, its greater than a personal relationship with Jesus, it goes further than accomplished through the church. It is wider, more dynamic and more inclusive than ever understood. It is the Kingdom of God, Jesus’ reign, heaven on earth – where the church exists because of the Kingdom, the Kingdom does not exist because of the church. 

Bibliography:

Beasley-Murray, George Raymond. 1987. Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans. P 340

Bright, John. The Kingdom of God in Bible and Church. London: Lutterworth Pr, 1955.

Cray, Graham, and Ian Mobsby. 2012. Fresh Expressions and the Kingdom of God. Norwich: Canterbury. P.14

Grenz, Stanley J. 2000. Theology for the Community of God. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans.

Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.

Kraybill, Donald B. 2003. The Upside-down Kingdom. 25th anniversary ed. Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press.

Marshall, Christopher D. 1993. Kingdom Come: The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus. Auckland, N.Z.: Impetus Publications.

McGrath, Alister E. 2017. Theology: The Basics. 4th edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Son.

McKnight, Scot. 2014. Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church. Grand Rapid, Michigan: Brazos Press.

Morgan, Christopher W., and Robert A. Peterson, eds. 2012. The Kingdom of God. Theology in Community. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway.

Van Gelder, Craig. 2000. The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books.

Wright, N. T. 1999. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.

Wright, N. T. 1992. Christian Origins and the Question of God. 1st North American ed. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.  

[1] Grenz, Stanley J. 2000. Theology for the Community of God. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans. P. 333

[2] Fuellenbach, John. 2002. Church: Community for the Kingdom. American Society of Missiology Series, no. 33. Maryknoll, N.Y: Orbis Books. P. 2

[3] Bright, John. The Kingdom of God in Bible and Church. London: Lutterworth Pr, 1955. P 24

[4] Wright, N. T. 1999. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press. P 37

[5] Bright, John. The Kingdom of God in Bible and Church. London: Lutterworth Pr, 1955. P 19

[6] Morgan, Christopher W., and Robert A. Peterson, eds. 2012. The Kingdom of God. Theology in Community. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway. p. 85

[7] Grenz, Stanley J. 2000. Theology for the Community of God. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans. P. 333

[8] McGrath, Alister E. 2017. Theology: The Basics. 4th edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Son. P 63

[9] Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. P. 720

[10] Bright, John. The Kingdom of God in Bible and Church. London: Lutterworth Pr, 1955. P 222

[11] Van Gelder, Craig. 2000. The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books. P. 103

[12] Kraybill, Donald B. 2003. The Upside-down Kingdom. 25th anniversary ed. Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press. P. 18

[13] Wright, N. T. 1992. Christian Origins and the Question of God. 1st North American ed. Minneapolis: Fortress Press. P 472

[14] Morgan, Christopher W., and Robert A. Peterson, eds. 2012. The Kingdom of God. Theology in Community. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway. P. 22

[15]Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. P. 649

[16] Grenz, Stanley J. 2000. Theology for the Community of God. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans.  P. 333

[17] Beasley-Murray, George Raymond. 1987. Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans. P. 81

[18] Morgan, Christopher W., and Robert A. Peterson, eds. 2012. The Kingdom of God. Theology in Community. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway. p. 200

[19] Kraybill, Donald B. 2003. The Upside-down Kingdom. 25th anniversary ed. Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press. P 236

[20] Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. P. 665

[21] Bright, John. The Kingdom of God in Bible and Church. London: Lutterworth Pr, 1955. P 221

[22] Kraybill, Donald B. 2003. The Upside-down Kingdom. 25th anniversary ed. Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press. P 18

[23] Morgan, Christopher W., and Robert A. Peterson, eds. 2012. The Kingdom of God. Theology in Community. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway. p. 201

[24] Kraybill, Donald B. 2003. The Upside-down Kingdom. 25th anniversary ed. Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press. P 32

[25] Beasley-Murray, George Raymond. 1987. Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans. P 340

[26] Morgan, Christopher W., and Robert A. Peterson, eds. 2012. The Kingdom of God. Theology in Community. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway. p. 223

[27] Ibid p. 223 

[28] Ibid p. 224

[29] Ibid p. 225

[30] McKnight, Scot. 2014. Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church. Grand Rapid, Michigan: Brazos Press.

[31] Wright, N. T. 1999. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press. P 21

[32] Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. P. 664

[33] Marshall, Christopher D. 1993. Kingdom Come: The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus. Auckland, N.Z.: Impetus Publications. P. 76

[34] Van Gelder, Craig. 2000. The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books. P. 104

[35] Marshall, Christopher D. 1993. Kingdom Come: The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus. Auckland, N.Z.: Impetus Publications. P. 93

[36] Fuellenbach, John. 2002. Church: Community for the Kingdom. American Society of Missiology Series, no. 33. Maryknoll, N.Y: Orbis Books. P. 3

[37] Cray, Graham, and Ian Mobsby. 2012. Fresh Expressions and the Kingdom of God. Norwich: Canterbury. P.14