“THY KINGDOM COME” -
WHAT IS THE ‘KINGDOM OF GOD’
& WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING TO LIVE BY IT?
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
What do you imagine when you hear the term “the Kingdom of God”? I’ve been thinking it through for years, particularly each time I say the Lord’s Prayer personally or in a service [Matt.6:7-13; Lk.11:1-4]. Primarily the Kingdom of God is brought about where God’s will is done ‘on earth as it is in heaven’. But the practical details of how God’s will is done and what scriptures describe as the qualities of the Kingdom are excitingly broad. The Bible, particularly the New Testament, contains much detail about this. The Study Notes attached with this article contain extensive lists of the biblical ideas, which I compiled to lead a Lent Course and a fellowship group’s retreat on the Kingdom of God. As will be seen from the lists, the idea of the Kingdom of God in scripture is an enormous, wide-reaching concept. Most interesting and most challenging is Jesus’ teaching that God’s Kingdom has past, present and future aspects. Christ claimed that with his coming the Kingdom of God had already been established by his presence on earth. This brought an extension and expansion to the whole world of the Covenant relationship and promises between God and the Hebrew peoples. Presumably the gift of the Holy Spirit to live within us continues this present aspect of the Kingdom being here among us now. Jesus came, established and made possible a Kingdom relationship between people and God, sending God’s Spirit to consolidate and continue to empower and guide those who open themselves to God as citizens of the Kingdom. Scripture talks of Christ being given present rule over heaven and earth. Yet the prophecies in scripture assure that in some future time, the more evident, fulfilled Kingdom will be experienced in more eternal, complete ways.
Reading through the lists of qualities and characteristics of God’s Kingdom can be daunting, especially when we recognise that as individuals we fall far short of the qualities expected of citizens of God’s Kingdom, and how distant most churches and Christian institutions are from being true microcosms of God’s Kingdom. In most cases Christians are presenting a very limited and sometimes false image of God’s Kingdom to the world around us. I compiled the lists in an attempt to be as comprehensive as possible in exploring what Christ wanted to achieve in teaching, redeeming humanity and forming us into his Kingdom. He intended the Church to encourage people to learn his ways, live by them and continue his mission to spread abundant, spiritually alive, righteous ways of living. The principles of the Kingdom are intended to help the world flourish in harmony and unity, relating to God authentically and righteously. Christ gave us freedom not legalism, so we should not be burdened by these daunting lists of characteristics of the true Christian and the true Kingdom of God. Rather I hope that they can be incentives to Christians to more truly and holistically follow Christ’s intentions for us.
For brevity I have mostly not put an extensive commentary beside the verses quoted or discussed how the ideas presented in scripture apply in practice today. In many ways the lists just note what the Bible says. Inevitably the lists take the verses and themes out of context, so they need to be interpreted and applied with discernment. Just because a Bible verse states something it may not be intended literally, because much of the writing on the Kingdom of God is given to us in metaphorical imagery. This is particularly the case with descriptions of the future Kingdom, the methods by which it may be established, and whatever existence beyond death will be.
The dimension Christians call ‘heaven’ is presented in earth-like pictures: The ‘thrones’ of God and the saints; ‘wars’ against evil, the ‘triumph of the warrior Christ’ over monstrous spirits and powers of evil, the ‘heavenly Jerusalem’ and the ‘Tree of Life with leaves for the healing of the nations’ are all picture imagery. It is most probable that they should not be imagined as vividly and literally as represented by Albrecht Dürer, Hieronymus Bosch or Luca Signorelli. Edward Hicks’ 19th Century paintings of ‘A Peaceable Kingdom’ interpreted the ion lying down with the lamb literally. They celebrate the idea that the American dream had come about and the settlers in the new country were now establishing and ideal a society in which God’s Kingdom was being built. Dürer’s imaginative apocalyptic woodcuts similarly take the symbols of the Book of Revelation far too literally, particularly in representing the symbols used of Christ. The prints demonstrate how dangerous it is to interpret metaphorical word-imagery over-literally. The Kingdom is a concept that we need to keep in mind and work towards by right ways of life and relating to God in our spiritual and practical lives, but it may not be as earth-bound as some literalists imagine.
Ideas of God’s Kingdom seem very idealistic. They describe life with God in a similar way to Christ’s call to us to “be perfect as our Heavenly Farther is perfect” [Matt.5:48]. When the media regularly denounce hypocrisies in the Church and show the failings in its leaders and members, it is obvious that we have not yet come close to achieving the Kingdom of God in our communal and individual lives. In many ways all Christiana are hypocrites, because we proclaim a gospel that it is so difficult to live up to and we fail to fulfil it. Jesus’ ideas of God’s Kingdom are idealistic but that does not mean that they are untrue. Like Christ himself, Christians should be idealists, working together for high aims. Working towards the Kingdom’s ideals is challenging, but our Christian calling.is to aim to put the principles of God’s Kingdom into practice. A major aim of the Christian’s active life is to find practical ways of establishing God’s Kingdom - “You in your small corner, and I in mine” (to quote the children’s hymn).
It is hard to be sure how much the biblical promises of the Kingdom of God that are made in scripture are intended to become literally true. The ideas of equity, justice, refuge, security, the lion and the lamb resting together, healing of all illness and problems, peace and unity between all are incredibly idealistic. Are we truly being promised that future existence will be like that? Or are we just being assured that we can trust God thoroughly, that we need not fear the future, and that whatever the dimension after life is like, we can be secure and trust God for it? I personally believe that the latter will prove to be the case and that the picture language of the Kingdom provides metaphorical ways of conveying security with God. Others conceive the image of heavenly life to be more literal, imagining heaven as some amazing and perfect, holy holiday camp and a restored millennial Kingdom of God on earth in similar terms. I would like that to be true too, but it seems very far away from any present reality that we may be able to work towards.
The idea of our tears being wiped away and the glories of abundant life being enjoyed in the Kingdom on earth are wonderfully attractive. But it is very possible that Jesus was talking about his followers needing to work under the guidance of his Spirit for social and political justice and equity, for the inclusion of all in God’s blessing and for a sense that there is rest in God after death. We must always be careful to thoughtfully discern how such teachings apply to our situations today. Christians belong to different backgrounds and a variety of cultures, so we need to interpret the promises of God’s present Kingdom in the light of the society in which we live.
The expectations of Kingdom-like life in some cultures may be different. A Christian community living in an Islamic state, for example, may not have freedom in the same way that the present aspects of God’s Kingdom can be expressed in a church in a more liberal culture. Christian women there, for example, may not be as free or considered as equal and able to use and share their gifts, but may still feel free in their relationship with God. Similarly, relationships of spiritual love may not be able to be expressed so freely. Therefore, many of the present Kingdom principles in the attached lists are aspirations to work towards.
However, we must not water down Christ’s ideals by our inadequate cultural norms when we work towards God’s Kingdom in this world. Church leaders and church institutions too often compromise truth when making organisational decisions, as in cover-up support of prominent abusers, unwise stewardship of finances, waste on unnecessary auxiliary staffing and vanity projects, or the Anglican Communion being hampered from advance in its policies by the narrow-minded theology of certain traditionalist, African, Evangelical or American literalist pressure-groups etc. The materialism of ‘prosperity Gospel’ preaching corrupts the ideals of equity in God’s Kingdom by encouraging some Christians to consider that God could support and be blessing them by their excess. Such false Church teaching can occur when people twist selected aspects of biblical teaching and apply them out of context. The true Kingdom entails us being blessed with spiritual gifts, not necessarily material wealth, especially as Christ commended the spirituality among the poor. There is too much self-confident arrogance in some false teaching about the Kingdom. Scripture offers us confidence to approach God in worship, but we should not approach God in any arrogance, as in the story of the Pharisee and the penitent tax-collector. Jesus said “the meek shall inherit the earth” and reminded us how hard it is for those who have wealth or social influence and positions of power to enter the Kingdom of heaven. No Church and no individual Christian should appear to swagger in pride at their relationship with God or consider that their life in a Christian community is a microcosm of God’s Kingdom if it is imperfect. Christians are in a blessed position totally as a result of God’s grace towards the undeserving. Our only excuse for humble dignity should be in recognition that we are loved by God, redeemed by Christ and entrusted with spiritual and physical gifts to use as responsible stewards of God.
All Christians regularly pray “Thy Kingdom Come...” in various translations in the Lord’s Prayer. [Mk.3:24]. Much of Jesus’ teaching encourages all Christ’s followers to work towards building God’s Kingdom authentically in our lives and communities. We are also encouraged to pray in trust that God will work rightly to bring about the Kingdom. However, the ways Christians and churches interpret and are obedient to Christ’s command are often very varied and unfortunately often unsuccessful. Looking at the world-wide Church you wouldn’t think that all who call themselves ‘Christians’ are working towards the same spiritual or physical aim. God’s Kingdom shouldn’t be as divided as the Church is today. If the Church doesn’t reform and work more truly by conforming to the priorities of God’s Kingdom, God’s aims will never be achieved
The Lord’s Prayer emphasises that at the heart of the Kingdom “God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” So the Kingdom exists where God’s will is followed, the ways of God are being obeyed and all that is right is being achieved. Obedience to what is right should be the aim of all Christians and Christian communities. Too often we fail or we are selective in how far we follow God’s will and churches and leaders compromise revealed truth. The extensive covering up of the sexual and spiritual abuses and coercive control in churches is one example. These are highlighted in the film ‘Spotlight’ about the Catholic Church, or the BBC Documentary ‘Exposed: The Church’s Darkest Secret’, revealing the protection of Bishop Peter Ball by those at the top of the Church of England’s hierarchy. Thankfully both ate still available on YouTube as a reminder to us of how some who call themselves ‘Christians’ feel that they have the right to compromise what is right in faith. Some still justify disobeying God’s principles and protecting false leaders with the lame excuse that they are protecting the reputation of the institution. But that is unjustifiable. The true Kingdom of God can have nothing to do with any corruption or falsehood. Even evangelism, if based on false claims, is a wrong foundation on which to build true Christian faith and can create a false church. I resigned from ministry in the Diocese of Guildford after witnessing cover-ups of coercive control and bullying by members of the diocesan hierarchy, but I have also seen it elsewhere.
Admittedly what is right is not necessarily always the same in all times and cultures. We realise now that some of the laws for God’s people in ancient times, with the limitations of ancient culture do not apply in the same ways today. Our health and safety standards are better, so many of the dietary restrictions in the Pentateuch do not need to apply today. The ideas behind such laws, regarding cleanliness and care in what we eat can still apply, though in different ways, as we recognise in contemporary environmental and farming issues. Our understanding of human psychology has also changed, so we recognise that some of the social and sexual restrictions in Leviticus and Deuteronomy may not necessarily apply as rigidly as originally expressed. To find how we should live as contemporary Christians, we need to interpret the Bible’s rules with spiritually inspired discernment and an enlightened understanding of what is right for true and good contemporary human life and best for God’s world. Christ showed that that faith is not idealistic legalism; it needs to be practical and true. He claimed that he would take away no scriptural laws, but his reinterpretation of several showed that we need to carefully find how these truths apply in a very different world. Christianity must be ‘praxis’ – being committed to put our faith into practice. This may not necessarily entail rigidly and literally following the ‘word’ but rather keeping to the ‘spirit’ of scriptural laws.
By living in the way of life associated with God’s Kingdom, we will truly come to know more of what God is like through following God’s intentions and allowing God’s Spirit to guide our lives [Lk.8:10]. Our knowledge of God will always be insufficient and incomplete, and similarly our experience of the Kingdom of God in our present Christian lives and in churches will inevitably be imperfect. Yet that is no excuse for deliberate failure. Nevertheless the information given in scripture is sufficient to develop a true relationship with God. Wonderfully a relationship with God is equally obtainable by children and people with learning difficulties as by intelligent adults [Lk.10:14]. The Kingdom is present even if one’s belief is as small as a grain of mustard seed. Where faith is real and where a relationship with God is real, the Kingdom can grow in strength and influence [Matt.13:31-32].
Jesus taught that God’s Kingdom is something to be sought as most precious. He likened it to “a pearl of great price” [Matt.13:46], “yeast leavening the world” [Matt.13:33], “hidden treasure” [Matt.13:44], “a net embracing many different people” [Matt.13:47]. He left us in no doubt that following God’s ways on earth can develop towards the most special state that any could aim to live in. The Kingdom of God is what Christians should work towards; we should not be content with second-best or poor substitutes, but keep working for right. Politicians may compromise what is right in order to maintain the status quo or may occasionally try to improve the world by lies. Church leaders sometimes compromise what is right for similar reasons. But God’s Kingdom cannot be founded on lies or compromised ideas; it needs to be rooted in and following God’s priorities, which are often very different from human ones. The Church is not God’s Kingdom if it is not trying to “be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” [Matt.5:48]. We have not yet achieved the perfection of the Kingdom, but it should always be our intended goal, and should rule our decisions. Too many Church leaders make decisions by compromising true faith, failing to practise agapé love, humanity and pastoral care. Many Christians who have different lives and characters to themselves have suffered as a result, giving the Church a bad reputation for hypocrisy or exclusion. It amazes me when some churches cannot yet accept that faithful, lovingly committed homosexuals can be part of God’s Kingdom, yet happily accept and even promote church leaders who work by coercive control, bullying and spiritual abuse or lie to cover up leaders’ abuses. True Kingdom principles at work holistically and sensitively applied will make the Church more attractive, inclusive and less hierarchical.
Jesus claimed that with his coming the Kingdom was already present and partially achieved [Mk. 1:15]. But he also promised that the Kingdom is to be more fully achieved in the future [Matt.16:19]. The Kingdom has been established by God through Christ’s action and the work of the Holy Spirit, yet God expects believers to take this further and actively help the Kingdom to keep growing. Following Christ’s example includes continuing Christ’s mission by promoting the Gospel and expanding the application of true Kingdom principles in our lives and in the world. Our Christian lives are meant to help to build God’s Kingdom, and we hope and trust that Christ’s eventual return will fully reveal and fulfil the Kingdom.
There may always be controversies over interpretation of the Kingdom of God. Some Christians think of the Kingdom as a specific place, either in heaven or a renewed place on earth. Others imagine it as a state of being or a state of mind. Some believe that the Kingdom is now, in the present, so we need to live by its principles completely as we cannot know what the future holds. Some believe that the true Kingdom is only an experience that will come in the future. Some fundamentalists claim that the Kingdom can only be established by following the letter of the Biblical law, rooting out all impurities in society and individuals. Many think God’s Kingdom will exclude those who fail to follow prescribed ways and beliefs. Christians with more liberal, inclusive attitudes to faith, claim that such legalism of thinking is exactly what Jesus came to dispel. Will God’s Kingdom be an exclusive home for those who only think of God in one way, or is the Kingdom offered to all who live by trying to follow truth?
Jesus was inclusive; he welcomed all to him and draws all sorts of people to the Kingdom of God [Jn. 3:3-5]. He understood the pressures on human beings. God knows how much any person may have been introduced to truth and to faith. God continues to cleanse and forgive in many varied ways. The ‘Life’ that Christ offered is describes as available to all. The Kingdom is and will be an experience where people are able to live to the full, where they are true to who they truly are and who God has made them; true to their culture and living rightly by what they have been taught to be true. Although some churches try to make their members all believe the same things in the same way, it is clear from human psychology and the variety of spiritual experiences that we are not meant to try to be clones of one type of Christian. Nor do all need to believe in the same way, since there are many paths to finding God. We come to understand and know God through our humanity and in our human experiences as well as through our personal spirituality and through the Church. We come to understand God particularly through Jesus Christ, the Bible and wise teaching that enables us to apply the Bible rightly and sensitively. The Kingdom is where we live in connection with God through finding how biblical principles apply to the realities of life.
If we are to build the Kingdom of God on earth as a preparation for whatever heaven or our future with God proves to be, we need to try to understand what the Bible says about God’s principles for life. But we also need to understand the workings of the human mind and human society, to find what can fulfil and unite the diverse variety of human beings. We need to earnestly seek purity and truth, while recognising that we are all human. A Kingdom of God on earth needs to be practical Christianity that is able to embrace all the sorts of human beings who God has created and loves. We grow to love God as we recognise that despite our unworthiness and failures to achieve perfection, we are forgiven, greatly loved and valued. ‘He who is forgiven much loves much’ [Lk.7:47]. The Kingdom of God is a community of different people from a variety of backgrounds and with different experiences by which we have come to God. We should be able to accept people who are different from us, because we are going to have to share the Christian community with them and share God’s presence with them. I’m sure that some Christians will be surprised by the variety of people in heaven who are not like them.
The risen Jesus told his followers to proclaim the Kingdom and teach his ways through the whole world [Matt.28:19-20], since those are the ways, if they are applied rightly, that can lead all to abundant life and give us confidence in our relationship with God. The task to spread such news effectively and truly in growing the Kingdom is Christ’s call to all of his followers. Christ’s commission doesn’t only expect us to share belief in Jesus and he message of ‘salvation’. If we are to truly begin to build the Kingdom in our society and change the world, the Church needs to expand its vision and help people recognise the breadth of what God’s Kingdom should be. In many ways ‘salvation’ and ‘the Kingdom of God’ are about the same thing. ‘Salvation’ is not just the limited evangelical idea that people are saved from death and the consequences of their sins. It embraces the holistic idea that Christ has made us part of God’s Kingdom.
In the 1980s churches formulated what is meant by Christian Mission into “The Five Marks of Mission”. To be involved in the building of God’s Kingdom, all churches that aim to be truly orientated towards Christ’s mission should be engaging in all five of these activities:
Most churches in the past saw mission and building the Kingdom as having the first three aims, though they may not have achieved them. But the last two are also essential if we are to redeem and improve the earth that God created and work towards God’s Kingdom. Social, political and environmental issues dominate the majority of problems in today’s world. If God’s intention for the whole of Creation is truly to be achieved in the Kingdom, all Christians are called to help God’s will be done in all areas of world affairs, as well as in what we do in our communities, our churches and our individual lives.
The task of building God’s Kingdom is enormous and multi-varied. Thankfully it isn’t all dependent on us. Christians are meant to work together towards the Kingdom, but only God can fully build and establish the Kingdom. God formed us to be involved in the building process, because we are an intrinsic part of that Kingdom. Christ’s teaching helps us to understand how to build and God inspires and strengthens us for building by the Holy Spirit living in us and guiding us. How well have you and I worked together with other believers and with God as Trinity to hone our building skills and to actively build?
The worksheets included here are in note form, not prose, since the qualities and principles of God’s Kingdom are such extensive ideas. I hope that they can help those who use them to think through what God’s Kingdom should be like, and work towards building it practically in our lives, actions, teaching, churches and communities. The notes are not just a list of ideals. They are intended to encourage us to consider how they apply practically to our situations today. Jesus said: “I have come to bring life in full abundance.” [Jn.10:10]. We bring God’s Kingdom when we live according to its truths and apply its principles in all we do and say. Christ’s teaching about God’s Kingdom emphasised that we are intended to live with freedom. All the qualities in the lists attached to this study are part of what God’s Kingdom should be. But they should not restrict us. It is enough for us to live in and build the Kingdom if we try to live active, out-reaching, Christ-like lives.
SOME IDEAS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE BIBLE Iain McKillop
A. HEBREW SCRIPTURES:
1. Canonical Hebrew Scriptures do not specifically mention ‘God’s Kingdom’ though more is in later Jewish writings.
2. There are many general references to God's rule and sovereignty:
Past Israelites had demanded a physical human King-figure to lead them - Deut. 17:14-18; I Sam. 8:5-22
God intended a ‘Theocratic’(rule of God) reign in the people’s lives, individually and collectively. Ex. 19:6
Ps.103:19 - "His sovereignty rules over all". The People belong to God: often called “His People”...”you are mine”
Ps.145:11,13 - "Thy Kingdom is an everlasting kingdom"
Isa.11:1-10 – A promise that peace, justice and unity will characterise the Kingdom led by a King of Peace
3. Possible examples of indirect references to the "Kingdom of God"
Covenants with Abraham, Isaiah & Moses recognise God’s sovereignty over the people & their responsibilities.
II Sam. 7:12,13,16 & I Chron. 17:11,14: "I will establish His Kingdom...forever"
Ps. 22:28 - "the Kingdom belongs to the Lord" Isa. 9:7 - "On the throne of David and over His Kingdom..."
Dan. 7:18 - "the saints of the Highest One will receive the Kingdom" Of all prophets, Daniel spoke most about the future Kingdom. Following him later Jewish writings prophesied a Messianic Kingdom, especially: 1Enoch, 2&4Ezra, Baruch, The Sibylline Oracles & the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch. These inspired Jewish expectation:
The Covenant with Abraham was intended to bless all the peoples of the earth, not just Israel Gen 12:3b but many later moved away from feeling their responsibility to share the relationship and blessing of God with the world.
Occasional prophets like Isaiah saw the benefits of the Kingdom extending to the wider world: The 1st C Testament of Moses prophesied that God’s Kingdom would appear throughout the whole creation, brought in by repentance.
The Kingdom that Jesus’ Jewish contemporaries were expecting:
A. God would restore and glorify Israel through a Messianic King foretold by prophets from David’s lineage –
2Sam. 7:12-16; 1Chron. 17:11f; Isa. 9:7; Dan. 7:18 God would reign through the Messiah.
B. Restored Jerusalem would be its centre. Scattered Israelites would be re-gathered.
C. God’s people will triumph over enemies. Gentile rule will end & the Messiah will judge Gentiles & leaders.
D. The ungodly will oppose the Messiah but he will conquer all the enemies of God.
E. The Jews would be the main beneficiaries, of the Kingdom, gaining peace and prosperity. Israelites developed many exclusive, nationalistic, racially pure and religiously exclusive conceptions of a physical, earthly and political Kingdom, with a Messianic leader devoted to them, supporting them in power, judging & destroying evil..
F. There would be a time of tribulation & upheaval in heaven and earth called by the rabbis “the birth-pangs of the Messiah”. Elijah and Moses would return. The Messiah would then rule universally.
G. Jesus’ Jewish contemporaries mostly rejected that he could be the promised Messianic King - Matt. 8:12; 21:43
B. New Testament
1. "Kingdom of God"
Mk. 1:15 [John the Baptist]"The time is fulfilled & the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent & believe in the Gospel"
Mark showed through opening his Gospel with John’s preaching, that Jesus is bringing in the Kingdom.
Lk.17:20,21 "the Kingdom of God is not coming with signs... the Kingdom of God is in your midst/within/among you"
Jn.3:3”unless someone is born again they cannot see the Kingdom of God”. It comes by the work of God’s Spirit in us.
Rom. 14:17 - "the Kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"
2. "Kingdom of heaven" Matthew uses the terms ‘Kingdom of God’ and ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ interchangeably perhaps because his Jewish readers would be uncomfortable with the use of the word for ‘God’.
Matt. 3:2; 4:17 - "the Kingdom of heaven is at hand"
Matt. 5:3,10 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit/persecuted, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven"
Matt. 5:19,20 "Whoever practices and teaches God’s commands will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven but unless your righteousness surpasses the Pharisees & teachers of law you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven"
3 JESUS’ “PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD” (Many concentrated in Mk.4 & Matt.13)
Jesus’ teaching of the Kingdom featured many of the Jewish expectations, but altered their interpretation:
CHRIST’S expectations and demands FOR GOD’S Kingdom
New TESTAMENT understanding of the "Kingdom of God"
The Kingdom isn’t fully described or defined in Scripture. This might be deliberate as it gives us the incentive to find personally what it means to us to follow God & build Christ-like life and a Christ-like community. Instead Scripture reveals many truths & principles by which we can live & act to make God’s ways the priorities of life.
Col.1:13 - The Kingdom is "the Kingdom of His beloved Son"
2Pet.1:11 - "eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ"
Jesus Christ is King - Mk. 15:26, 32; Jn. 18:37; Acts2:36; 1Tim.6:15 We should let his ways rule our ways.
Christ received the Kingdom from the Father Rev.11:15; Lk.22:9 He returns authority to the Father 1Cor.15:24
Jesus’ life, teaching, miracles, death & resurrection were signs that the Kingdom had come Matt.9:35; 12:28.
B. Spiritual aspects of the Kingdom:
1. It is different from a physical Kingdom - "My Kingdom is not of this world/realm" Jn. 18:36,37; Rev. 11:15.
It is described as a reign of God over everything about us more than a specific place.
Christ is King among his people. The Kingdom came close in Christ Lk.17:21. He inaugurated the Kingdom Matt.9:378; 12:28. We will have closer fellowship with him in the Kingdom Matt.26:29; Lk.27:16,18,30.
2. It is a reign of light and truth by contrast to dark oppression, false spirituality or false values:
Matt.12:26,28,29; Lk.10:9; 11:20-26, Col. 1:13; Acts 26:18; Rev. 16:10; Matt.6:19-20
Evil will be excluded from the Kingdom Matt.13:41; 8:12
3. In the Kingdom spiritual realities are evident:
a. People experience spiritual life - Mk. 9:47/Matt. 18:9.
b .The Holy Spirit is active in our lives to build the Kingdom - Matt. 12:28; Acts 2:33; Rom. 14:17
c. Spiritual fellowship is cemented between people - Mk. 14:25; Lk.22:30
d. Salvation is at work assuring people of their future safety with God - Rev. 12:10
e. Righteousness, peace and joy are evident in the way people live - Matt. 5:20; 6:33; Rom.14:17
f. God’s will is done on earth as in heaven. Matt.6:10
g. The Kingdom of God is already within us and among us when Christ and his Spirit are with us, Lk.17:21.
h. We live in expectation of the promises of God being fulfilled. 1Cor. 15:24; Gal. 5:21; Eph.5:5; 2Tim.4:1,18
C. The Kingdom is active and alive;
1. In the Kingdom the dynamic power of Jesus as King is at work as he reigns as Lord in the lives of his people (individually and collectively).
2 Though we help in building the Kingdom, it is not something we can fight for but totally the work of God.
3. The grace-giving power of God causes the Kingdom to function.
4. The Kingdom involves fully allowing Jesus Christ to rule in our lives as he rules in creation as Lord.
5. The Kingdom is sometimes described as a wedding or banquet – a festal gathering where we’ll find fulfilment.
6. The Kingdom is to be preached/proclaimed just as Christ taught the good news to us Lk.9:2; Matt.4:23; 28:18-20
D. Universal aspects of the Kingdom;
1. The reign of Christ is for all peoples. It is inclusive not exclusive, not just for Jews nor one particular group.
2. Christ’s reign is for all places, not just a localized place, realm or sphere, not just in heaven - Matt. 6:10
3. God is working in all things to bring about the divine will for good Eph. 1:11
E. Eternal aspects of the Kingdom;
1. The Kingdom relates to "last things", bringing about God’s will now as well as for the future. It won’t be completed here now, nor do we just look forward to its future consummation; we are to begin realising it now.
2. The Kingdom is an eternal continuum, not just a particular period of time, eg. a millennial reign It will reign forever Heb.1:8-9; 2Pet.1:11 and is ‘unshakeable’ Heb.12:28. :
a. It is Already - Matt.6:33; 11:11; 12:28; 21:31: 23:13; Mk.10:15; 12:34; Lk.17:20, 21; Rom.14:17; Col.1:13
b. It is Not yet fully fulfilled - I Cor. 15:24; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; II Tim. 4:1, 18
F. Responsible participation in the Kingdom involves:
1. Faith – being receptive to the activity of the Trinity in our lives - Matt. 18:3; Mk. 10:15; Jn. 3:3
2. Repentance - a turning around in our way of life to living and acting in the way of God - Matt. 3:2; 4:17
3. Obedience to God - 2Thess. 1:5,8
4. Jesus Christ gives us the power to fulfil his expectations of us through his example, his saving action & his Spirit.
5. Christ expects us, like him, to preach and witness to him to the world Acts1:6-8 and build the Kingdom.
5. Christ’s people partly rule in creation now but in subservience to God - I Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10. “Rule” in this context means “take responsibility”- we are “stewards of God’s truth” and must be “faithful ambassadors for him.
6. We will ‘reign with Christ’ - Rom. 5:10,17; I Cor. 4:8; Eph. 2:6; Rev. 20:4-6
MANY Inadequate theological interpretations of the Kingdom ARE PROMOTED:
Some Christians think of the Kingdom of God in limited perspective. There are elements of truth in most of these ideas, but Biblical revelation implies that the Kingdom is broader & more inclusive than any one of these alone:
A. Kingdom = The Church, either visible on earth or invisible (all believers of all time or those united in heaven)
B. Kingdom = A realm entirely in the future /following the end of world / Heaven or a renewed earth
C. Kingdom = Jewish theocratic leadership in a temporal future realm (taught by some American Fundamentalists)
D. Kingdom = A mystical/ ethereal/ ideal abstract goal or objective (found in some liberal and New Age teaching).
E. Kingdom = A progressive Christianization of the world or Christian revelation within the entire creation, evolving through history and liberating creation.
F. Kingdom = An ethical and moral submission to the dictates of God as King in a perfect Utopian society.
G. Kingdom = Something that exists inside our hearts only based on an individual's decision to follow God’s way
FINDING & BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN OURSELVES & OUR LIVES Iain McKillop
WARNING: It’s easy to mistake Christianity for obeying a set of rules [Gal.3; Rom.8:1-8]. Christ has given freedom! To follow God’s ways & live in God’s Kingdom is not about constricting our life but opening our self to what is holy & will most fulfil & develop us as human beings. Building God’s Kingdom is the work of God’s Spirit; we cannot do it in our own strength; God’s Spirit alive inside us, gives us strength & inspiration to work at developing our discipleship.
Don’t worry if you feel personally unworthy of God’s Kingdom: “Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” Matt.5:3. Christ alone makes us worthy of the Kingdom 1Thess.1:5.
The self-righteous and self-sufficient will have difficulty entering the Kingdom: Matt.7:2b; 19:23-4; 21:43; 23:13
RECOGNISING OUR ETERNAL STATUS NOW AS CITIZENS OF GOD’S KINGDOM
At Baptism we were made part of God’s Kingdom & Church. Confirmation affirms God’s Spirit’s role in us to strengthen and inspire us to take a more mature part in the Body, God’s Church. But our discipleship mustn’t rest on our Baptism or Confirmation: It is our daily walk with Christ that transforms, renews & empowers us to do the work of the Kingdom. “We are not our own, we were bought with the price of Christ’s life” 1Cor.6:20 We belong to God.
Followers of Jesus Christ are adopted as "children of God" Rom. 8:14-17, We are no longer simply God’s servants: Christ calls us ‘friends’, ‘sisters’ & ‘brothers’ “You are my friends if you do what I ask of you.” Jn.5:14-16
God Kingdom is within & among us Lk.17:20-21 In life we’re training for God’s Kingdom. Matt.13:52; 1Cor.9:27
Christ makes us part of his Kingdom now; live for it now, don’t wait till heaven:Lk.6:20; 23:42-43;Matt.5:3;11:11
We’re citizens of heaven already. Later our earthly bodies will be transformed to heavenly ones Phil.3:20-21
Believers can enjoy some of the blessings of Jesus Christ’s Kingdom here Matt.16:19; Dan. 7:22,27; Lk.12:32; 22:29-30; Jas 2:5; Rev 1:5-6,9; 3:21 Christ has renewed us Rom.6:3-11;2Cor.5:17; Rev.21:5.
We’re commissioned with authority from Christ’s & equipped by God’s Spirit to continue his mission on earth. The Holy Spirit lives in us and is greater than all that might oppose or tempt us 1 John 4:4. The Spirit prepares us to minister the gospel, serve the truth fight against evil, strengthen the church and live in righteousness.
Part of our mission is to demonstrate in the cosmos God’s great wisdom Eph.3:10 & recover God's purposes.
Believers are rescued/redeemed from the kingdom of darkness Col 1:12-13 See also Eph.5:5
Freedom - We are given the freedom to become the people God intended us to be not what others want us to be.
“Consider yourselves to be dead to sin & alive to God in Christ. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body” Rom.6:11.
Responsible CITIZENSHIP in GOD’s Kingdom INCLUDES:
1. Developing our relationship with God, letting God deepen our faith by openness; listening for God’s prompting
2. Developing a mature understanding of our faith 1Pet.3:15: Having “a reason for the hope that is within us.”
3. Personal Christian Integrity - Hearing without acting upon it is not enough Matt.7:21, 24ff; James 2:14-26
4. Living in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom & glory”.1Thes.2:12 “Be diligent & certain that He has called & chosen you; for when you practice these things, you will never stumble; in this way the entrance to the eternal kingdom of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.” 2Pet.1:10-11
5. Spiritual Self-Discipline1Cor.9:27 The Kingdom is worth giving up much for: a hand Matt.5:29-30; Treasure Matt.22:1f;
13:44ff; Passions/’becoming eunuchs for the Kingdom’ Matt.19:12; readiness for self-sacrifice & service Matt.10:37
6. Obedience to God - 2Thess. 1:5, 81 Living according to God’s values, not those of the world. Matt.5:1-12
7. Counting the cost of true discipleship Lk.14:28ff. Sacrifice is worth it in the battle against wrong. "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off & cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out & cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."
8. Don’t be deflected. Take the narrow way Matt.7:13-14 Turn your hand to the plough and don’t look back. Lk.9:62
9. Self-discipline in resisting sin. We are engaged in spiritual warfare, not just in persuading people.
The battle within us is between the ‘flesh’ & ‘the Spirit’Gal.5:17-25 ‘the world’ (worldly ways) & ‘God’s Kingdom’
10. Protecting others from sin. Matt.18:8-9 God judges those who cause others to sin, esp. the weak. Matt.18:8-9. .
11. Repentance is not just “sorry” but turning round our way of life to live & act in the way of God. Matt. 3:2; 4:17
12. Faith – being receptive to the activity of the Trinity in our lives - Matt. 18:3; Mk. 10:15; Jn. 3:3
We receive the Kingdom with child-like trust Mk.10:15; Mtt.18:3-4; 19:14; Heb.12:28 but seek mature understanding and practice 1Cor.13:11. If we have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed, it is enough, &can grow strong with God’s Spirit Matt. 13:31-2; Mk. 4:30-32. Faith has an ability to trust even though we might have doubts Matt.9:23-25.
13. Prayer is our main way of communicating with God. Our prayers are our participation with God, asking God to guide & act. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray for the Kingdom to come in our lives, our world & the future Matt.6:9-13. We should be praying fervently, dependently & confidently, seeking God’s guidance for all we do. Phil.4:6
14. True Worship = Worship in Spirit & in truth Jn.4:24 I urge you, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy & pleasing to God; this is your true & proper worship. Rom.12:1 “We are a kingdom of priests to our God” Rev.1:6;5:10; Ex.19:6;1Pet.2:9.
15. An attitude of Praise & thanksgiving “Through Him, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name”. Heb.13:15
16. Witness Christ expects us, like him, to witness to him & to truth & build the Kingdom Matt.28:16-20; Acts1:6-8.
17. Allowing God’s Spirit to move, support and inspire our lives and ministries: Christ gives the power to fulfil his expectations of us, through his saving action and his Spirit.
18. Responsible Stewardship - Christ’s people partly rule, but in subservience to God Gen.1:28; I Pet.2:9; Rev.1:6; 5:10. “Rule” in this context means “responsibility”- We are to be “stewards of God’s truth”1Cor.4:1 and “faithful ambassadors for him 2Cor.5:20. We will ‘reign with Christ’ - Rom. 5:10, 17; 1Cor. 4:8; Eph. 2:6; Rev.20:4-6
19. Allowing God to Transform Us into Christ’s Likeness “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Rom.12:2. “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt.5:48
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit”.2Cor.13:18
20. Discovering, Nurturing & Training our Gifts. Working together to use our gifts as part of the body. Spiritual gifts aren’t for personal advancement or self-agrandisement, but to build up others & do Christ’s work. 2Tim1:6-7.
21. Feeling a Sense of Responsibility for Others. We are stewards of our gifts, of God’s world & of all God has made us responsible for. Some unbelievers’ only encounter with Christ may be through us & our witness 1Tim. 1:5
22. Christian Integrity in Relationships: Our relationships are to be with others as God loves us and forgives us.
Husbands & wives Eph.5:22-33 Children & Parents Col.3:21
Love one another for love is of God. 1Jn.4:7-10; Jn.13:35
Forgive one another as God forgives you Eph.4:32; Col.3:13; Matt.6:4.
Work together as members of Christ’s body, each working & using your gifts1Cor.12:4-31; Rom.12:4-6
Do not considering yourself better than others or inferior to others Phil.2:3-4.
We exercise responsible stewardship by not lording it over others, but by servanthood, humility, thinking of others before ourselves, raising others to be better than ourselves. 1Pet.5:3; Matt.20:25
Healing dislocated relationships in the body of Christ: Rom.1;19-22; 8:20-30
Hospitality & Welcome to ingather others into God’s Kingdom Mk.9:33-37
Protect & support the vulnerable: widows/orphans Ps.82:3;146:9; Isa.1:17; Prov.31:8; strangers Ex.22:21; 12:49
23. “Bear Fruit that will last”Jn.15:16. God expects us to bear spiritual fruit Isa 5:4;Matt.7:12-20; Eph.5:9. “Fruit” is a term used to indicate the produce or outcome of a person’s life; Jn.15:8. The Holy Spirit’s living presence in believers builds Christ-like virtues in them, just as a living tree will bear good fruit. In Gal.5:22-23 ‘fruit’ is singular, emphasising that these qualities are all part of Christian living: Unlike the Spirit’s ‘gifts’ which vary between people, these ‘fruits’ should all be evident in our life. They result from God’s Spirit’s activity, not human effort -1Cor.3:9,16; Gal 2:20. Those who inherit the kingdom of God are to bear its fruit 1Thes. 2:12; Matt.25:34-36; 2Pet.1:10-11
The integrity of our faith will be known by our fruit Matt.7:15-20.
The Spirit leads believers to develop Christ-like characteristics. This development is a lifelong process 2Cor.3:18
Christ-like qualities are different from sinful ones: Gal.5:16-17; 6:8; Rom.8:5-14; 1Cor.12:7; Eph.5:8-16; Col.3:1-17
24. Examples of the fruit of Spirit-filled living: Gal.5:22-23 & these additional references:
Love Rom.5:5; 1Cor.13:1-13
Joy Phil.1:18-19; 1Thes.1:6
Peace Rom.8:6; 14:17
Patience Heb.6:12; Jas.5:7-11
Kindness 2Cor.6:6; Col.3:12; 2Pet.1:7
Goodness Rom.15:14; 2Pet.1:5
Self-control 2Tim.:3; 2Pet.1:6
Righteousness Rom.14:17
Hope Rom.15:13; Gal.5:5
Wisdom Eph.1:17;
Gentleness Matt.11:29-30 as Christ is gentle 1Thes.2:7
Faithfulness 1Cor.10:13 God’s faithfulness to us is the reason for our faithfulness to God; 3Jn.3 Faith and belief must be displayed in all we do, not just in words. James 2:14-26
Temperance Eph5:18‘God’s kingdom is not eating & drinking but righteousness, peace & joy in the Holy Spirit ’Rom.4:17
Humility Status should be unimportant in the Church. The disciples, who’d been arguing among themselves about status asked Jesus: “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus set a child among them: "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.. And whoever receives one such child in my name receives me” Matt.18:1-5. Mk.9:33-37 This probably disappointed the disciples. Children were considered of low importance in the culture, subject to elders’ authority, not taken seriously - to be looked after, not looked up to. Jesus claimed we must ‘convert’) to be like little children. i.e. change our mind-set, not become naïve. It isn't in most natures to take the low place & humble ourselves but that is Christ’s example: “Be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil.2:5-11
WHAT IS TRUE CHRISTIANITY AS CHRIST TAUGHT IT?
Christ set an example but not a blueprint; he made us different & doesn’t expect us to be ‘clones’ of one type of Christian. In our life-journey with him, guided by God’s Spirit, Scripture & Christian practices, we find the sort of people & ways of believing & living that he intends for us, & what he intends like in the Kingdom of God to be like. Too often we are tempted to modify Christ’s teaching by human-centred ideas, traditions or cultural expectations about what Christian behaviour or beliefs should be. This can be dangerous if we fall into the trap of believing our human principles & wants to be the same as those of God. Christianity is not a sanctified form of our own culture; Jesus’ principles, priorities & teachings are often different from those of human society or past & present cultures.
Christianity that is true to Christ’s teachings will include ALL of the following:
If we live like this & display these qualities the fruit of God’s Spirit will develop in us.
WHAT The Church IS or should be:
OUR WORSHIP AND ACTIONS
Christ is present with all who meet in his name: “Where two or three are gathered: in my name I am there in the midst of them” Matt.18:20: A church doesn’t need large numbers, a particular meeting place, special times or forms of meeting or leaders of status. Where we meet in truth God is here and we should find God in our corporate living.
‘Gathering together in Jesus name’ includes God recognising us as authentic followers & identifying with all God is.
We gather around Jesus & with Jesus. We can worship God through God’s Spirit, live & worship according to Jesus’ character, in a manner that Jesus would endorse. God, as revealed through Christ, is at the forefront of all we do.
We are to serve others: We are gifted by God for service of others: "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity of faith, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ," Eph. 4:12-13.
We are to teach sound doctrine & refute error Titus 1:9; 1Tim. 3:2. The Church need to train leaders to support this.
The purpose of the Church is:
RELATIONSHIPS IN THE BODY:
RESPONSIBILITEIS IN THE BODY:
What IS CHRIST’s TRUE Church & How should IT Be an Image of God’s kindom?
BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN OUR COMMUNITY Iain McKillop
‘Love Your Neighbour As Yourself” Mk.12:31; Matt.22:39; Lev.9:9-18
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world” Anne Frank
We can’t impose faith on people but we can be influential by our witness, character, our example & lifestyle.
We are responsible for spiritual, physical & pastoral care of ALL in our community not just church-attenders. This is in the Church of England constitution as the Established Church. We are “our brother’s keeper”, Gen.4:9. Whether we like people or not, they are our spiritual & physical responsibility; we are meant to live corporately.
The message of the Kingdom is meant to be spread by God’s people to those among whom they live. God’s Covenant with Abraham emphasised how others beyond his family & nation should find God’s blessing through him: “and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me” Gen.20:18
We are all called, not to live apart from the world but to live rooted in our community & witness to it. ” I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jn.17:14-21. We share God’s message and love most usefully when we are embedded in society, not when Christians remain separate. We should not be corrupted by false things in society, but Christians who ‘separate’ themselves from the world are often disobedient, not taking their outward-reaching responsibilities seriously.
We are to be lights, salt & peacemakers to society, not hide Christ’s light & gospel under a bushel. Matt.5:5. If we neglect our responsibilities what right have we to criticise non-believers for following different ways & priorities?
We have the ‘Great Commission’ from Christ: -“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go & make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt.28:18-20. So we have the authority, responsibility, message & challenge to witness to others.
We are Christ’s active members in society: “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” [Teresa of Ávila]. If we don’t work in society to bring Christ and his ways to our neighbours perhaps no-one else has our particular contacts & opportunities!
Faith isn’t just “caught” it also needs to be taught & witnessed to, just as an apprentice or child needs teaching.
We are not on our own as we witness. Christ has authority over all creation & can triumph over opposition in the present & future realm.Matt.6:12; 18:21-35; Lk.17:3-4; 11:4. God’s Spirit will guide our witness “Do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” Matt.10:19-20, Lk.12:11-12 “Even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation and do not be troubled. but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defence to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in any thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ will be put to shame” 1Pet.3:14-16
We work for justice especially for those who can’t stand up for themselves & support them. Support of all the needy was part of God’s commands through the prophets & the Levitical laws: "Then the King will say… 'Come, you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, &you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty & you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.' Matt.25:34-36.
In God’s Kingdom we learn to forgive & love the fellow members of our community. ”Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 “Forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.' Lk.11:4 "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; & if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day & returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him." Lk.17:3-4 Then Peter came & said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. .When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife, children & all that he had, & repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground &prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me & I will repay you everything.' The slave’s lord felt compassion, released him & forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; & he seized him & began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' So his fellow slave fell to the ground & began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me & I will repay you.' But he was unwilling & went &threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved, came &reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?' "His lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." Matt.18:21-35
God gave Israel responsibility for justice &social support. Many of God’s social laws can apply to secular society today.
Our Church responsibility is especially for the spiritual & physical wellbeing of all in our parishes. Christians mustn’t just pursue individualistic self-fulfilment or even personal spiritual fulfilment. We need to contribute to the Kingdom, according to our gifts calling, & abilities. We shouldn’t abandon our public responsibility as we can contribute salt & light to society.
Christ’s model is to be ambitious to serve others, not maintain one’s personal freedom to do as one pleases. Phil.2:6.
Faith teaches us to seek “a better country, that is, a heavenly one” Heb.11.16. Our social responsibility isn’t to try to establish God’s kingdom on earth, or work for the renewal of the whole temporal order Only God can bring justice and peace throughout the world. But we can each do what we can to influence & promote “the kingdom, which is not of this world” & pray for God’s grace, intervention & guidance to influence decision-making powers leading society.
Christ’s ways are righteous alternatives to worldly ambition & false priorities. His aims are true; they can work in practice & bring fulfilment, contentment & joy. If we’re to reflect God’s mercy, justice & grace, our righteousness needs to “exceeded that of the Pharisees” and lawmakers. Matt.5:20
Christ’s way urges us not to make moral compromises. Bear witness to the truth, even if we might suffer personally. Justice & truth should always be advocated even when others argue that it is impractical. Politics is based on what seems possible; some citizens remain inevitably neglected & suffer. That is not the case with the Kingdom, where all should find support. In being true to Christ’s teaching & bearing witness to the truth, whatever is right, even if it seems humanly impossible, is worth pursuing & is possible to God. We stand for Christ’s radical standards. The only universally better world & way to true unity is God’s Kingdom. The only realistic plan for a perfect world is God’s plan for the Kingdom, which is “not of this world “. Secular ways to try to create utopias can’t match this, though can learn from it. We should aim for the best possible society & participate in morally upright ways, acting for social justice.
“Give to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar”. Respect and pray for secular powers even if we don’t always agree with them. Seek God’s Kingdom rather than worldly priorities. The whole Sermon on the Mount & particularly the Beatitudes prevent us from worshipping earthly standards. We recognise that here we will never experience a perfect world. Some who are not of good will, always remain in society: ‘weeds grow with wheat until harvest’ Matt.13.36–43.
Not all in the world is wrong: people often share common moralities & values, though may not share beliefs/lifestyles.
All Christians have the potential character & gifts to advance & promote social wellbeing & justice. Some may have gifts for leadership in society. Not all are called to be activists, some contribute by prayer, wise advice & support.
In promoting the Mark of Mission we struggle & work against unjust structures & social evils:
Like John the Baptist we “prepare the way for the gospel & the Kingdom” Be prepared to make sacrifices & endure sufferings to build God’s Kingdom and spread God’s truth. Sharing true Christian faith can promote justice & truth.
Christ had solidarity with the poor & oppressed. Don’t show favouritism; work for all, yet prioritise the needy James 2:1-2.
Do what can practically be done; it may seem a ‘drop-in-the-bucket’ but if all work together we can make a difference.
Adopt a style of life suited to social responsibility. People living in comparative comfort in an affluent society can be tempted to quiet their consciences by tokenism. “Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action” 1Jn.3.18
Do not waste the reserves of the earth’s resources, which are meant to serve the whole of humanity. Restrain our impulses for merely sensory gratification, freedom or power. Some might try to limit our consumption to what is truly necessary to maintain oneself & fulfil one’s responsibilities. Some Christians advocate simplicity of life but this is not by itself a Christian virtue. Solomon & the e compiler of Ecclesiastes indulged but saw all that God had given them in perspective of their God-given responsibilities. “God loves a cheerful, generous giver” 2Cor.9:6-7
Try to remedy the spiritual poverty of our age & of many leaders. Pray for community leaders in all institutions & all with influence in society, especially those who perpetrate social ills, including ills that survive within the Church.
Strategies to change society that cause enmity, even though we might be trying to prevent injustice & misuse of power are often wrong; they can intensify social division. Act in Christian ways to promote justice; help bring peace & unity while trusting the power of God’s grace to make truth & love effective. Desmond Tutu’s strategies were to reconcile by truth.
Don’t despair at apparent fruitfulness if one’s best efforts appear to have meet with little or no success, or accomplished only temporary results. We should trust God if we have been faithful to God & worked wisely for the Kingdom. We are not responsible for the establishment of God’s Kingdom; God is: The Kingdom is built over generations, not in a day.
Building the Kingdom of god in our world Iain McKillop
God sent Christ to bring hope and healing to this broken world. We continue his work.
Everything created belongs to God, who has entrusted us with stewardship of it Gen.1:28. Christians should therefore be at the forefront in protecting the natural world, the environment, the resources of earth as well as human society.
The risen Jesus told his followers to proclaim the Kingdom through the whole world, Matt.28:19-20. That task is ours. Christ’s commission doesn’t just expect us to preach Jesus & salvation. If we’re to truly build the Kingdom in society & change the world, the Church needs to expand its vision & see how salvation includes all areas of life.
The task of building God’s Kingdom is enormous. Thankfully it isn’t dependent on us. Only God can truly build God’s Kingdom. But God formed us to be involved in the building process. Christ’s teaching shows us how to build & God inspires & strengthens us for building by the Holy Spirit in us. How well have you & I honed our building skills?
The poverty & weak health care in the world, physical, psychological & spiritual abuse, war, murder, injustice, inequity, self-gratification & waste of the world’s resources show how far we are from God’s Kingdom on earth.
Christians show love by actions as much as words: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jn.13:34-35.
Scripture claims that Jesus Christ is given rule over every authority on earth 1Pet.3:22; Col.2:10; Heb.12:2; Rev.12:10; 19:16. God has placed Jesus Christ over all things Phil. 2:9-11. Jesus is now seated in heaven at the right hand of the Father, far above all evil, principalities, powers, might, dominion & every name Eph. 1:20-23.
Jesus’ rule aids humanity through his Spirit Heb. 2:16 & as interceding high priest, advocate & example Heb. 3:1-2
The world as it is today is not eternal: “for the form of this world is passing away’ 1Cor 7.31.”
The Kingdom of God does not conform to this world’s standards, nor is it ‘of’ this world: Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over; but as it is, my kingdom is not of this realm." Jn.18:36; Rom 14:17,Rev 5:6; Rev 7:10; 21:1,3
The Kingdom of God is & will be a kingdom of peace:
Peace between people Isa.2:2-4; Mic.4:1-4; 5:4-5; Jas.3:18; Isa. 9:5; 19:24-25; Matt.5:9.
The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1-7:29) describes the priorities and qualities of life in the kingdom.
The peace and prosperity of all creation Isa.11:6-9 ; 35:1-2,9; 41:17-19; Ezek. 47:9,12; Hos.2:21-22
Destruction of the instruments of warfare: “Every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, & cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire”. Isa. 9:5 “They will hammer their swords into plough-shares & their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation & never again will they learn war” Isa.2:2-4
Aggressors & the weak will live at peace together: In metaphorical picture language “The wolf will dwell with the lamb & the leopard will lie down with the young goat & calf; the young lion & the fatling together. A little child will lead them. The cow & the bear will graze. Their young will lie down together & the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the cobra’s hole & the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea”. Isa.11:6-9
Mission I remember when young that churches often supported missionaries round the world. Missionaries from Africa, Thailand & Nepal visited us on furlough & encouraged prayer & financial support. We had a world mission board at the back of church & regularly prayed for churches, mission & difficulties for Christians round the world. In many churches over the last 35 years I’ve not noticed less of this. Is our global vision wide enough; do we feel part of the world-wide fellowship of all believers? They are our equals; mission must not patronise.
Understandably many contemporary Christians are uncomfortable with the way some past mission patronised other cultures or imported Western culture to tribal worlds. That’s less the case with mission organisations today. Usually they work within the culture: Churches train indigenous leaders & scripture is translated & interpreted in cultural terms.
Most churches in the past saw mission as involving the first three Marks of Mission:
Social, political, financial & environmental issues dominate the problems in today’s world. If God’s intention for the whole of Creation is truly to be achieved, Christians are called to help God’s will be done in all areas of world affairs, equality & the environment as well in what we do in our churches and our individual lives.
Christ showed solidarity with the poor, oppressed & needy in ALL cultures, as did most of the Hebrew social laws: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for captives & release from darkness for prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour & the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn & provide for those who grieve…, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,& a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.” Isa.61
The world is often dominated by pride hatred & greed. As well as restoring righteous priorities, Christ can salve & heal wounds & damage, & bring protection through his strength & through us. Jesus suffered injustice & identifies with those in pain. Most often intends to continue healing work through us - his people’s practical work in the world.
No governments will ever bring sufficient justice to the poor, needy, orphaned or refugees who suffer evil. Many who are comfortable in their personal lives & culture aren’t proactive in relieving others’ suffering. God doesn’t often seem to intervene & stop evil. I don’t believe God is heartless; we are intended to be involved in doing this.
Jesus stepped into space & time, experienced suffering, & started a work of binding up the broken-hearted, exchanging ashes for beauty, mourning for joy. He’ll complete this work when he comes again, but meanwhile he entrusts us with continuing his work of restoration. God & truth can be experienced when we work to bring light & healing to dark places & to those who are in fear or pain. We work there with God’s Spirit, following Christ’s example & calling.
Choosing to be disciples & usher in the Kingdom may take us into dark places, but we choose to engage rather than hide, for the sake of Love & of redeeming something lost. When we do, we taste a little more of the Gospel ourselves.
All who love God have a duty to help the less fortunate; it is not an option. Hebrew law & the prophets commanded the protection of the poor, the stranger, the weak & those who could not represent themselves. Jesus loved & cared for the poor & sick. He praised those who helped the needy &condemned those who showed no compassion towards them. The Parable of the Good Samaritan taught: ‘love your neighbour’ &care for any in need, not just those you know. Don’t ‘pass by on the other side’, Christ fed the hungry: “Don't send them away. You give them something to eat.” Matt.14:16. Jesus said we should help the poor & show charity & love because this is what God asks of us, not for praise or status among our contemporaries: “When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth; they have already received their reward in full.” Matt. 6:1-4
Christ implies that we’ll be judged on how helpful & compassionate we’ve been towards others, including whether our intentions & motivations were genuine. Matt.25:35-40
Because of huge advances in technology & communication, we are aware of world events & needs as well as those in our local community. We have as strong responsibilities to international needs as to our closer neighbours “Who is my neighbour?” Everyone is equal in God’s eyes, though the world rarely works in this way: “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality.” 2Cor.8:13-14.
We have great Christian examples to follow: Desmond Tutu; Martin Luther King & many Christian charities as well as secular or non-Christian examples like Gandhi. Though Christians have many responsibilities towards the world, there are many ways to fulfil these obligations & responsibilities, based on our abilities, calling, gifts & situation.
We are equal with others and should not be patronising when we look after or support those less fortunate, show compassion to the poor, do charity work or donate to charities, help through local churches, or raise money etc..
Christians may support charities with Christian foundations, such as CAFOD, Christian Aid or Tearfund, but there are also many influential organisations with a wider ethos, which stand for secular principles yet are still Kingdom values. “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with their income, saving it up…” 1Cor.16:2 Jesus taught that it is not important how big the gift is, if that is all we can afford, but the spirit of generous giving is what counts: “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth: but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
However Christians decide to fulfil their responsibilities towards the world, the gifts of time energy and/or money are significant if they are sacrificial and generous.
The problems of the third world communities can be caused by many factors. Some dismiss the problems of the needy as their own fault. Some argue that it is each person’s or nations’ responsibility to build up education & work to support themselves. Other critics blame individual attitudes, cultures, politics or inadequate religions for causing world poverty, financial problems & hostilities. Some say that if people can’t bear living in such conditions they should improve their situations themselves. No arguments absolve us of our responsibilities to support people in changing the world for good. We won’t solve world problems by exporting our own culture or just by hand-outs. We help best when we help others help themselves, give them dignity to deal with problems by refining or reforming issues that have caused the problems.
THE FUTURE Kingdom: How is God’s Kingdom now related to heaven? Iain McKillop
It may be uncomfortable to think about, but we are all going to die at some time. This shouldn’t frighten us; God can be trusted. Not much has been revealed about what life after death is like. Bible passages show that ideas about afterlife changed through Jewish history. Christian theology has continued to modify these thoughts. Scripture talks of God’s Kingdom as stretching beyond present life, though life & this world as we know it will eventually end. We cannot be sure how much of this is metaphorical picture language to give us confidence to trust for the future.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE COMING KINGDOM
God’s Kingdom is and will be Everlasting Heb.1:8; Lk.1:33; Isa.9:7
God’s Kingdom is unshakeable Heb.12:28. No power at all can stop or destroy it.
Christ inaugurated & inherits the kingdom promised to David Lk.1:32; Rom.15:12; Isa.11:10; Rev.2:27; Ps.2:9
The Kingdom is Christ’s by right Col.1:15-16 also Heb.1:8; Ps.45:6; Rev.22:13
The Kingdom will be fully established at Jesus Christ’s return.
Jesus will wait until his enemies are made subject to him Heb. 10:12.
We should pray for that return. Matt.6:10; Rev.22:17, 20
The reign of peace will come when Jesus Christ returns “He will arise and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will remain, because at that time he will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace” Micah 5:4
Jesus Christ reveals & will finally fully reveal God’s Kingdom on earth
Jesus brought in God’s Kingdom Matt.4:17 also Matt. 3:2; 10:7; 12:28; Lk.11:20; 17:20-21; Mk.1:15;
Jesus will reign over the earth and heaven until all sin & enemies have been put under his feet Heb. 10:12-13.
Jesus will crush evil completely 1Cor.15:24-26. The book of Revelation describes this final victory & establishment of God's everlasting kingdom. Revelation is a book to assure, not frighten us– concentrate on its image of Christ!
Jesus will finally hand over the Kingdom to God the Father 1 Cor.15:24-25
His Kingdom will come in time with power Matt. 25:31; 24:30-31; Zech.9:10; Mk.13:26-27 Lk.21:27; 2Tim.4:1
His Kingdom will replace all earthly authority Rev.11:15; 1Cor.15:24-25,50-52; Phil.3:20-21
All creation will see and acknowledge Jesus Christ’s kingship: Phil.2:10-11; Ps.2:6-8; Rev.5:13
Christ will bring renewed life to the earth: "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river (of Life) goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.” Ezek. 47:9. Creation waits in longing for this []
WHAT WILL OUR LIFE BE LIKE?
Creation will be renewed, though we don’t know what such renewal means. Rev.21:1; Isa. 65:17; Rom.8:19
God will be at the centre of all; He will be our light Rev.20 especially v22
We will have some sort of form, but it will be unlike our present nature. “Flesh and blood will not inherit the Kingdom of God” I Cor.15:50. “What we will be is not yet known but we will be like him where he is”. 1Jn.3:2-3
What we will be and what the Kingdom life will be in reality has yet to be revealed 1Jn.3.2.
There will be no need for continued marriage relationships etc. -our relationship with God and with each other will be totally fulfilling enough. Matt.22:30; Mk.12:25 9 ‘Jesus replied “You do not know scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac & the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”. Matt.22:29-33
Centrality of God’s order, God’s rule & peace: “Now it will come about that in the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains & will be raised above the hills & all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us concerning his ways & that we may walk in his paths." For the law will go forth from Zion & the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. & he will judge between the nations, & will arbitrate for many peoples; & they will hammer their swords into ploughshares & their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, & never again will they learn war”. Isaiah 2:2-4
“And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills and the peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, "Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD and to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may teach us about his ways and that we may walk in his paths " For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. and he will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations Then they will hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war. Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken”. Mic.4:1-4
What seems fruitless will become fruitful: “The wilderness & the desert will be glad, and the Arabah will rejoice & blossom. Like the crocus it will blossom profusely & rejoice with shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the majesty of Carmel & Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Isa.35:1-2
BIBLICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF HEAVEN
Heaven is not cherubs playing harps on clouds! Critics sometimes joke that ideas of ‘eternal worship’ sound boring but scripture describes our life beyond death & all we are & do in it as exciting, stimulation & more stimulating than this life..
We won’t be disembodied spirits but have new forms- ‘Resurrection bodies’ unlike our present existence 1Cor.15:35-54
Such life beyond death is to be prepared for, not to be frightened about:” Yes, we are of good courage & we would rather be away from the body & at home with the Lord.” 2Cor.5:8 “For to me to live is Christ & to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart & be with Christ, for that is far better.” Phil.:21-23
Heaven exists today, though humans on earth don’t yet see it & our imaginations are limited. Some biblical stories speak of people witnessing heaven: Elijah caught up to heaven in a whirlwind 2Ki.2:1-12 & Enoch Heb.11:5. In John’s vision heaven opened: Rev. 4:1. Paul’s on the Damascus road Acts 9:3-4 & caught up in ecstasy 2Cor.12:2.
The Bible uses the word ‘heaven’ in 3 different ways: 1. The firmament/sky 2. Space, stars, sun & moon. 3. The residence of God & heavenly beings where the dead in faith live & where those who are redeemed will join them.
Scripture sees heaven as indescribable; biblical images are probably only metaphors for a greater existence. “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Cor.2:9 “
In some way we will be like Christ: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! … Dear friends, now we are children of God, & what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” 1Jn.3:2-3
We will join the praise of heavenly beings before God’s enthroned glory, among those who have died before us & as-yet unknown mysterious spirits: ‘cherubim’ & ‘seraphim’, ‘angels’, ‘principalities’ ‘powers’ etc.: Rev. 4:8-11.
A new ‘Jerusalem’ [‘place of God’s peace’] descended from heaven to earth: “Then I saw a new heaven & a new earth, for the first heaven & first earth had passed away, & there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Rev.21:1-2
The ‘tabernacle of God’ will be with humans Rev.21:3 “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” Heaven shines with the glory of God’s presence: Rev.21:11, 23
We will see the reality of God as if “face to face” 1Cor.13: 3 “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face & his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever & ever. The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” Rev.22:3-7 “…in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” Matt.18:10
All pain, suffering, & tears will be absent: Rev.21:4. Isa.25:8-12 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this: I will be their God & they will be my children.” Rev.21:4-7
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life”, those who are cleansed and made worthy -by God. Rev.21:7-8, 27
God’s Kingdom will contain those of many nations & cultures: Many different sorts of people from many nations will walk in God’s light & bring their splendour into it. Rev.21:24,26; Lk.13:29 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? Jn.14:2.: “After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, & to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne & around the elders & the four living creatures, & they fell on their faces before the throne & worshipped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing & glory & wisdom & thanksgiving & honour & power & might be to our God forever & ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of great ordeal; they have washed their robes & made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, & worship him day & night within his temple,& the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, & thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, & he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” Rev.7:9-17
Worship in heaven focuses on God through Christ. Jesus is described as seated at the right hand of the Father on a throne in splendour, glory, beauty & majesty. “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll & to open its seals, for you were slain, & by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe & language & people & nation, & you have made them a kingdom & priests to our God, & they shall reign on the earth. Then I looked, & I heard around the throne & the living creatures & the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads & thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power & wealth & wisdom & might & honour & glory & blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven & on earth & under the earth & in the sea, & all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne & to the Lamb be blessing & honour & glory & might forever & ever!” Rev.5:9-13
Life & healing are there “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God & of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also on either side of the river the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed but the throne of God & of the Lamb will be in it, & his servants will worship him. They will see his face, & his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, & they will reign forever and ever. Rev.22:1-5
Will Heaven contain only Christians?
I expect more there than traditional Christianity suspects. In truth no-one knows: we’ll have to wait till heaven; it is God’s gift. I’m sure heaven will contain many surprises! Nevertheless we retain responsibility to share faith in Christ with all. A few Bible verses suggest that ‘Jesus is the only way: Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jn.14:6 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 “ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” Jn.3:36 “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jn.3:16 “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, & Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Jn.17:3
Yet all we know of God suggests that God is universally just & would not condemn outright any who have not had opportunity to hear the truth. A few Bible verses suggest God might judge others by how they respond to the amount they know or how they act according to conscience:-“Gentiles show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of all through Christ Jesus.” Rom.12:15. God wills that “all kings bow down before him, all nations serve him” Psalm 72: 8-11. The Ethiopian Eunuch discovered some truth on his own but did not know how to interpret it Acts 8:30-31. Cornelius, like the Gentile Job “feared God with all his household” and “gave many alms.. & prayed to God continually” Acts 10:2. Matt.7:7-8/ Lk.11:10 imply that any who sincerely “seek will find”. Many non-believers live ‘better lives’ than Christians & sincerely seek to know truth without blinded minds - Jesus said: “You shall know the truth, & the truth shall make you free” Jn. 8:32. Some non-believers seek to be obedient to their conscience more than some professing Christians - Jesus said :“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father who is in heaven” Matt.7:21. Some may be saved by what Calvin called ‘common revelation’ & ‘grace’. God’s existence & his “everlasting power & divinity” may be gleaned from the general revelation found in in nature & human minds Rom.1:19-20, Ps.19:1, Acts14:17; Heb.3:4 but that revelation is limited & cannot explain all that Christ taught about salvation. We trust that God is totally just, wants the best for all & cannot act unholily.
How DO WE PREPARE FOR Heaven?
We prepare by living the Christian life now as though we live in the Kingdom. There is nothing else we can do to ‘win’ access to heaven. Paul disciplined himself: “Run in such a way that you may win the prize. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air but I pummel my body & enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified” 1 Cor.9:24-27. Hebrews says “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight & the sin that clings so closely & let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer & perfecter of our faith.” Heb.12:1-3
Jesus Christ is our access to Heaven. Jn.6:44, Acts 4:12, 16:30-31. He prepares a place for us: “ if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jn.14:2-4 Christ promised to never forsake us even when we die: Jn.6:37, 10:28-29
God’s grace is our trusted assurance of heaven: We admit sin, don’t deserve redemption & can’t be saved by our own works/efforts: Acts 16:31. We need a ‘saviour’ Rom 6:23. Christ did all the Father required to gain forgiveness for us:Jn.3:16. We rely on & follow him as Lord, Saviour & guarantor of our place in his Kingdom: Acts 4:12
“Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died & your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires & greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.“ Col.3:1-7
A PRINTOUTABEL a$ VERSION OF THESE NOTES IS AVAILABLE BELOW:
WHAT IS THE ‘KINGDOM OF GOD’
& WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING TO LIVE BY IT?
CONTENTS
- Introduction
- PDF Study Notes:
- Some Ideas Of The Kingdom Of God In The Bible.
- Hebrew Scriptures.
- The Kingdom That Jesus’ Jewish Contemporaries Were Expecting
- New Testament
- Jesus’ Teaching On The Kingdom
- Christ’s Expectations & Demands For God’s Kingdom
- New Testament Understanding Of The Kingdom Of God
- Some Inadequate Theological Interpretations Of The Kingdom
- Finding And Building The Kingdom Of God Within Ourselves & Our Lives
- Recognising Our Eternal Status Now As Citizens Of God’s Kingdom
- Responsible Citizens Of God’s Kingdom Includes...
- Examples Of The Fruit Of Spirit-Filled Living
- What Is True Christianity As Jesus Taught It?
- Building The Kingdom Of God In The Church
- What The Church Is Or Should Be
- Our Worship And Actions
- Relationships In The Body Of Christ
- Responsibilities In The Body Of Christ
- What Is Christ’s True Church & How Should It Be An Image Of God’s Kingdom?
- Building The Kingdom Of God In Our Community
- Building The Kingdom Of God In The Wider World
- The Future Kingdom: How Is God’s Kingdom Now Related To Heaven?
- What Will Our Life Be Like?
- Biblical Descriptions Of Heaven
- Will Heaven Contain Only Christians?
- How We Prepare For Heaven
INTRODUCTION
What do you imagine when you hear the term “the Kingdom of God”? I’ve been thinking it through for years, particularly each time I say the Lord’s Prayer personally or in a service [Matt.6:7-13; Lk.11:1-4]. Primarily the Kingdom of God is brought about where God’s will is done ‘on earth as it is in heaven’. But the practical details of how God’s will is done and what scriptures describe as the qualities of the Kingdom are excitingly broad. The Bible, particularly the New Testament, contains much detail about this. The Study Notes attached with this article contain extensive lists of the biblical ideas, which I compiled to lead a Lent Course and a fellowship group’s retreat on the Kingdom of God. As will be seen from the lists, the idea of the Kingdom of God in scripture is an enormous, wide-reaching concept. Most interesting and most challenging is Jesus’ teaching that God’s Kingdom has past, present and future aspects. Christ claimed that with his coming the Kingdom of God had already been established by his presence on earth. This brought an extension and expansion to the whole world of the Covenant relationship and promises between God and the Hebrew peoples. Presumably the gift of the Holy Spirit to live within us continues this present aspect of the Kingdom being here among us now. Jesus came, established and made possible a Kingdom relationship between people and God, sending God’s Spirit to consolidate and continue to empower and guide those who open themselves to God as citizens of the Kingdom. Scripture talks of Christ being given present rule over heaven and earth. Yet the prophecies in scripture assure that in some future time, the more evident, fulfilled Kingdom will be experienced in more eternal, complete ways.
Reading through the lists of qualities and characteristics of God’s Kingdom can be daunting, especially when we recognise that as individuals we fall far short of the qualities expected of citizens of God’s Kingdom, and how distant most churches and Christian institutions are from being true microcosms of God’s Kingdom. In most cases Christians are presenting a very limited and sometimes false image of God’s Kingdom to the world around us. I compiled the lists in an attempt to be as comprehensive as possible in exploring what Christ wanted to achieve in teaching, redeeming humanity and forming us into his Kingdom. He intended the Church to encourage people to learn his ways, live by them and continue his mission to spread abundant, spiritually alive, righteous ways of living. The principles of the Kingdom are intended to help the world flourish in harmony and unity, relating to God authentically and righteously. Christ gave us freedom not legalism, so we should not be burdened by these daunting lists of characteristics of the true Christian and the true Kingdom of God. Rather I hope that they can be incentives to Christians to more truly and holistically follow Christ’s intentions for us.
For brevity I have mostly not put an extensive commentary beside the verses quoted or discussed how the ideas presented in scripture apply in practice today. In many ways the lists just note what the Bible says. Inevitably the lists take the verses and themes out of context, so they need to be interpreted and applied with discernment. Just because a Bible verse states something it may not be intended literally, because much of the writing on the Kingdom of God is given to us in metaphorical imagery. This is particularly the case with descriptions of the future Kingdom, the methods by which it may be established, and whatever existence beyond death will be.
The dimension Christians call ‘heaven’ is presented in earth-like pictures: The ‘thrones’ of God and the saints; ‘wars’ against evil, the ‘triumph of the warrior Christ’ over monstrous spirits and powers of evil, the ‘heavenly Jerusalem’ and the ‘Tree of Life with leaves for the healing of the nations’ are all picture imagery. It is most probable that they should not be imagined as vividly and literally as represented by Albrecht Dürer, Hieronymus Bosch or Luca Signorelli. Edward Hicks’ 19th Century paintings of ‘A Peaceable Kingdom’ interpreted the ion lying down with the lamb literally. They celebrate the idea that the American dream had come about and the settlers in the new country were now establishing and ideal a society in which God’s Kingdom was being built. Dürer’s imaginative apocalyptic woodcuts similarly take the symbols of the Book of Revelation far too literally, particularly in representing the symbols used of Christ. The prints demonstrate how dangerous it is to interpret metaphorical word-imagery over-literally. The Kingdom is a concept that we need to keep in mind and work towards by right ways of life and relating to God in our spiritual and practical lives, but it may not be as earth-bound as some literalists imagine.
Ideas of God’s Kingdom seem very idealistic. They describe life with God in a similar way to Christ’s call to us to “be perfect as our Heavenly Farther is perfect” [Matt.5:48]. When the media regularly denounce hypocrisies in the Church and show the failings in its leaders and members, it is obvious that we have not yet come close to achieving the Kingdom of God in our communal and individual lives. In many ways all Christiana are hypocrites, because we proclaim a gospel that it is so difficult to live up to and we fail to fulfil it. Jesus’ ideas of God’s Kingdom are idealistic but that does not mean that they are untrue. Like Christ himself, Christians should be idealists, working together for high aims. Working towards the Kingdom’s ideals is challenging, but our Christian calling.is to aim to put the principles of God’s Kingdom into practice. A major aim of the Christian’s active life is to find practical ways of establishing God’s Kingdom - “You in your small corner, and I in mine” (to quote the children’s hymn).
It is hard to be sure how much the biblical promises of the Kingdom of God that are made in scripture are intended to become literally true. The ideas of equity, justice, refuge, security, the lion and the lamb resting together, healing of all illness and problems, peace and unity between all are incredibly idealistic. Are we truly being promised that future existence will be like that? Or are we just being assured that we can trust God thoroughly, that we need not fear the future, and that whatever the dimension after life is like, we can be secure and trust God for it? I personally believe that the latter will prove to be the case and that the picture language of the Kingdom provides metaphorical ways of conveying security with God. Others conceive the image of heavenly life to be more literal, imagining heaven as some amazing and perfect, holy holiday camp and a restored millennial Kingdom of God on earth in similar terms. I would like that to be true too, but it seems very far away from any present reality that we may be able to work towards.
The idea of our tears being wiped away and the glories of abundant life being enjoyed in the Kingdom on earth are wonderfully attractive. But it is very possible that Jesus was talking about his followers needing to work under the guidance of his Spirit for social and political justice and equity, for the inclusion of all in God’s blessing and for a sense that there is rest in God after death. We must always be careful to thoughtfully discern how such teachings apply to our situations today. Christians belong to different backgrounds and a variety of cultures, so we need to interpret the promises of God’s present Kingdom in the light of the society in which we live.
The expectations of Kingdom-like life in some cultures may be different. A Christian community living in an Islamic state, for example, may not have freedom in the same way that the present aspects of God’s Kingdom can be expressed in a church in a more liberal culture. Christian women there, for example, may not be as free or considered as equal and able to use and share their gifts, but may still feel free in their relationship with God. Similarly, relationships of spiritual love may not be able to be expressed so freely. Therefore, many of the present Kingdom principles in the attached lists are aspirations to work towards.
However, we must not water down Christ’s ideals by our inadequate cultural norms when we work towards God’s Kingdom in this world. Church leaders and church institutions too often compromise truth when making organisational decisions, as in cover-up support of prominent abusers, unwise stewardship of finances, waste on unnecessary auxiliary staffing and vanity projects, or the Anglican Communion being hampered from advance in its policies by the narrow-minded theology of certain traditionalist, African, Evangelical or American literalist pressure-groups etc. The materialism of ‘prosperity Gospel’ preaching corrupts the ideals of equity in God’s Kingdom by encouraging some Christians to consider that God could support and be blessing them by their excess. Such false Church teaching can occur when people twist selected aspects of biblical teaching and apply them out of context. The true Kingdom entails us being blessed with spiritual gifts, not necessarily material wealth, especially as Christ commended the spirituality among the poor. There is too much self-confident arrogance in some false teaching about the Kingdom. Scripture offers us confidence to approach God in worship, but we should not approach God in any arrogance, as in the story of the Pharisee and the penitent tax-collector. Jesus said “the meek shall inherit the earth” and reminded us how hard it is for those who have wealth or social influence and positions of power to enter the Kingdom of heaven. No Church and no individual Christian should appear to swagger in pride at their relationship with God or consider that their life in a Christian community is a microcosm of God’s Kingdom if it is imperfect. Christians are in a blessed position totally as a result of God’s grace towards the undeserving. Our only excuse for humble dignity should be in recognition that we are loved by God, redeemed by Christ and entrusted with spiritual and physical gifts to use as responsible stewards of God.
All Christians regularly pray “Thy Kingdom Come...” in various translations in the Lord’s Prayer. [Mk.3:24]. Much of Jesus’ teaching encourages all Christ’s followers to work towards building God’s Kingdom authentically in our lives and communities. We are also encouraged to pray in trust that God will work rightly to bring about the Kingdom. However, the ways Christians and churches interpret and are obedient to Christ’s command are often very varied and unfortunately often unsuccessful. Looking at the world-wide Church you wouldn’t think that all who call themselves ‘Christians’ are working towards the same spiritual or physical aim. God’s Kingdom shouldn’t be as divided as the Church is today. If the Church doesn’t reform and work more truly by conforming to the priorities of God’s Kingdom, God’s aims will never be achieved
The Lord’s Prayer emphasises that at the heart of the Kingdom “God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” So the Kingdom exists where God’s will is followed, the ways of God are being obeyed and all that is right is being achieved. Obedience to what is right should be the aim of all Christians and Christian communities. Too often we fail or we are selective in how far we follow God’s will and churches and leaders compromise revealed truth. The extensive covering up of the sexual and spiritual abuses and coercive control in churches is one example. These are highlighted in the film ‘Spotlight’ about the Catholic Church, or the BBC Documentary ‘Exposed: The Church’s Darkest Secret’, revealing the protection of Bishop Peter Ball by those at the top of the Church of England’s hierarchy. Thankfully both ate still available on YouTube as a reminder to us of how some who call themselves ‘Christians’ feel that they have the right to compromise what is right in faith. Some still justify disobeying God’s principles and protecting false leaders with the lame excuse that they are protecting the reputation of the institution. But that is unjustifiable. The true Kingdom of God can have nothing to do with any corruption or falsehood. Even evangelism, if based on false claims, is a wrong foundation on which to build true Christian faith and can create a false church. I resigned from ministry in the Diocese of Guildford after witnessing cover-ups of coercive control and bullying by members of the diocesan hierarchy, but I have also seen it elsewhere.
Admittedly what is right is not necessarily always the same in all times and cultures. We realise now that some of the laws for God’s people in ancient times, with the limitations of ancient culture do not apply in the same ways today. Our health and safety standards are better, so many of the dietary restrictions in the Pentateuch do not need to apply today. The ideas behind such laws, regarding cleanliness and care in what we eat can still apply, though in different ways, as we recognise in contemporary environmental and farming issues. Our understanding of human psychology has also changed, so we recognise that some of the social and sexual restrictions in Leviticus and Deuteronomy may not necessarily apply as rigidly as originally expressed. To find how we should live as contemporary Christians, we need to interpret the Bible’s rules with spiritually inspired discernment and an enlightened understanding of what is right for true and good contemporary human life and best for God’s world. Christ showed that that faith is not idealistic legalism; it needs to be practical and true. He claimed that he would take away no scriptural laws, but his reinterpretation of several showed that we need to carefully find how these truths apply in a very different world. Christianity must be ‘praxis’ – being committed to put our faith into practice. This may not necessarily entail rigidly and literally following the ‘word’ but rather keeping to the ‘spirit’ of scriptural laws.
By living in the way of life associated with God’s Kingdom, we will truly come to know more of what God is like through following God’s intentions and allowing God’s Spirit to guide our lives [Lk.8:10]. Our knowledge of God will always be insufficient and incomplete, and similarly our experience of the Kingdom of God in our present Christian lives and in churches will inevitably be imperfect. Yet that is no excuse for deliberate failure. Nevertheless the information given in scripture is sufficient to develop a true relationship with God. Wonderfully a relationship with God is equally obtainable by children and people with learning difficulties as by intelligent adults [Lk.10:14]. The Kingdom is present even if one’s belief is as small as a grain of mustard seed. Where faith is real and where a relationship with God is real, the Kingdom can grow in strength and influence [Matt.13:31-32].
Jesus taught that God’s Kingdom is something to be sought as most precious. He likened it to “a pearl of great price” [Matt.13:46], “yeast leavening the world” [Matt.13:33], “hidden treasure” [Matt.13:44], “a net embracing many different people” [Matt.13:47]. He left us in no doubt that following God’s ways on earth can develop towards the most special state that any could aim to live in. The Kingdom of God is what Christians should work towards; we should not be content with second-best or poor substitutes, but keep working for right. Politicians may compromise what is right in order to maintain the status quo or may occasionally try to improve the world by lies. Church leaders sometimes compromise what is right for similar reasons. But God’s Kingdom cannot be founded on lies or compromised ideas; it needs to be rooted in and following God’s priorities, which are often very different from human ones. The Church is not God’s Kingdom if it is not trying to “be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” [Matt.5:48]. We have not yet achieved the perfection of the Kingdom, but it should always be our intended goal, and should rule our decisions. Too many Church leaders make decisions by compromising true faith, failing to practise agapé love, humanity and pastoral care. Many Christians who have different lives and characters to themselves have suffered as a result, giving the Church a bad reputation for hypocrisy or exclusion. It amazes me when some churches cannot yet accept that faithful, lovingly committed homosexuals can be part of God’s Kingdom, yet happily accept and even promote church leaders who work by coercive control, bullying and spiritual abuse or lie to cover up leaders’ abuses. True Kingdom principles at work holistically and sensitively applied will make the Church more attractive, inclusive and less hierarchical.
Jesus claimed that with his coming the Kingdom was already present and partially achieved [Mk. 1:15]. But he also promised that the Kingdom is to be more fully achieved in the future [Matt.16:19]. The Kingdom has been established by God through Christ’s action and the work of the Holy Spirit, yet God expects believers to take this further and actively help the Kingdom to keep growing. Following Christ’s example includes continuing Christ’s mission by promoting the Gospel and expanding the application of true Kingdom principles in our lives and in the world. Our Christian lives are meant to help to build God’s Kingdom, and we hope and trust that Christ’s eventual return will fully reveal and fulfil the Kingdom.
There may always be controversies over interpretation of the Kingdom of God. Some Christians think of the Kingdom as a specific place, either in heaven or a renewed place on earth. Others imagine it as a state of being or a state of mind. Some believe that the Kingdom is now, in the present, so we need to live by its principles completely as we cannot know what the future holds. Some believe that the true Kingdom is only an experience that will come in the future. Some fundamentalists claim that the Kingdom can only be established by following the letter of the Biblical law, rooting out all impurities in society and individuals. Many think God’s Kingdom will exclude those who fail to follow prescribed ways and beliefs. Christians with more liberal, inclusive attitudes to faith, claim that such legalism of thinking is exactly what Jesus came to dispel. Will God’s Kingdom be an exclusive home for those who only think of God in one way, or is the Kingdom offered to all who live by trying to follow truth?
Jesus was inclusive; he welcomed all to him and draws all sorts of people to the Kingdom of God [Jn. 3:3-5]. He understood the pressures on human beings. God knows how much any person may have been introduced to truth and to faith. God continues to cleanse and forgive in many varied ways. The ‘Life’ that Christ offered is describes as available to all. The Kingdom is and will be an experience where people are able to live to the full, where they are true to who they truly are and who God has made them; true to their culture and living rightly by what they have been taught to be true. Although some churches try to make their members all believe the same things in the same way, it is clear from human psychology and the variety of spiritual experiences that we are not meant to try to be clones of one type of Christian. Nor do all need to believe in the same way, since there are many paths to finding God. We come to understand and know God through our humanity and in our human experiences as well as through our personal spirituality and through the Church. We come to understand God particularly through Jesus Christ, the Bible and wise teaching that enables us to apply the Bible rightly and sensitively. The Kingdom is where we live in connection with God through finding how biblical principles apply to the realities of life.
If we are to build the Kingdom of God on earth as a preparation for whatever heaven or our future with God proves to be, we need to try to understand what the Bible says about God’s principles for life. But we also need to understand the workings of the human mind and human society, to find what can fulfil and unite the diverse variety of human beings. We need to earnestly seek purity and truth, while recognising that we are all human. A Kingdom of God on earth needs to be practical Christianity that is able to embrace all the sorts of human beings who God has created and loves. We grow to love God as we recognise that despite our unworthiness and failures to achieve perfection, we are forgiven, greatly loved and valued. ‘He who is forgiven much loves much’ [Lk.7:47]. The Kingdom of God is a community of different people from a variety of backgrounds and with different experiences by which we have come to God. We should be able to accept people who are different from us, because we are going to have to share the Christian community with them and share God’s presence with them. I’m sure that some Christians will be surprised by the variety of people in heaven who are not like them.
The risen Jesus told his followers to proclaim the Kingdom and teach his ways through the whole world [Matt.28:19-20], since those are the ways, if they are applied rightly, that can lead all to abundant life and give us confidence in our relationship with God. The task to spread such news effectively and truly in growing the Kingdom is Christ’s call to all of his followers. Christ’s commission doesn’t only expect us to share belief in Jesus and he message of ‘salvation’. If we are to truly begin to build the Kingdom in our society and change the world, the Church needs to expand its vision and help people recognise the breadth of what God’s Kingdom should be. In many ways ‘salvation’ and ‘the Kingdom of God’ are about the same thing. ‘Salvation’ is not just the limited evangelical idea that people are saved from death and the consequences of their sins. It embraces the holistic idea that Christ has made us part of God’s Kingdom.
In the 1980s churches formulated what is meant by Christian Mission into “The Five Marks of Mission”. To be involved in the building of God’s Kingdom, all churches that aim to be truly orientated towards Christ’s mission should be engaging in all five of these activities:
- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
- To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
- To respond to human need by loving service
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society
- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth
Most churches in the past saw mission and building the Kingdom as having the first three aims, though they may not have achieved them. But the last two are also essential if we are to redeem and improve the earth that God created and work towards God’s Kingdom. Social, political and environmental issues dominate the majority of problems in today’s world. If God’s intention for the whole of Creation is truly to be achieved in the Kingdom, all Christians are called to help God’s will be done in all areas of world affairs, as well as in what we do in our communities, our churches and our individual lives.
The task of building God’s Kingdom is enormous and multi-varied. Thankfully it isn’t all dependent on us. Christians are meant to work together towards the Kingdom, but only God can fully build and establish the Kingdom. God formed us to be involved in the building process, because we are an intrinsic part of that Kingdom. Christ’s teaching helps us to understand how to build and God inspires and strengthens us for building by the Holy Spirit living in us and guiding us. How well have you and I worked together with other believers and with God as Trinity to hone our building skills and to actively build?
The worksheets included here are in note form, not prose, since the qualities and principles of God’s Kingdom are such extensive ideas. I hope that they can help those who use them to think through what God’s Kingdom should be like, and work towards building it practically in our lives, actions, teaching, churches and communities. The notes are not just a list of ideals. They are intended to encourage us to consider how they apply practically to our situations today. Jesus said: “I have come to bring life in full abundance.” [Jn.10:10]. We bring God’s Kingdom when we live according to its truths and apply its principles in all we do and say. Christ’s teaching about God’s Kingdom emphasised that we are intended to live with freedom. All the qualities in the lists attached to this study are part of what God’s Kingdom should be. But they should not restrict us. It is enough for us to live in and build the Kingdom if we try to live active, out-reaching, Christ-like lives.
SOME IDEAS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE BIBLE Iain McKillop
A. HEBREW SCRIPTURES:
1. Canonical Hebrew Scriptures do not specifically mention ‘God’s Kingdom’ though more is in later Jewish writings.
2. There are many general references to God's rule and sovereignty:
Past Israelites had demanded a physical human King-figure to lead them - Deut. 17:14-18; I Sam. 8:5-22
God intended a ‘Theocratic’(rule of God) reign in the people’s lives, individually and collectively. Ex. 19:6
Ps.103:19 - "His sovereignty rules over all". The People belong to God: often called “His People”...”you are mine”
Ps.145:11,13 - "Thy Kingdom is an everlasting kingdom"
Isa.11:1-10 – A promise that peace, justice and unity will characterise the Kingdom led by a King of Peace
3. Possible examples of indirect references to the "Kingdom of God"
Covenants with Abraham, Isaiah & Moses recognise God’s sovereignty over the people & their responsibilities.
II Sam. 7:12,13,16 & I Chron. 17:11,14: "I will establish His Kingdom...forever"
Ps. 22:28 - "the Kingdom belongs to the Lord" Isa. 9:7 - "On the throne of David and over His Kingdom..."
Dan. 7:18 - "the saints of the Highest One will receive the Kingdom" Of all prophets, Daniel spoke most about the future Kingdom. Following him later Jewish writings prophesied a Messianic Kingdom, especially: 1Enoch, 2&4Ezra, Baruch, The Sibylline Oracles & the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch. These inspired Jewish expectation:
The Covenant with Abraham was intended to bless all the peoples of the earth, not just Israel Gen 12:3b but many later moved away from feeling their responsibility to share the relationship and blessing of God with the world.
Occasional prophets like Isaiah saw the benefits of the Kingdom extending to the wider world: The 1st C Testament of Moses prophesied that God’s Kingdom would appear throughout the whole creation, brought in by repentance.
The Kingdom that Jesus’ Jewish contemporaries were expecting:
A. God would restore and glorify Israel through a Messianic King foretold by prophets from David’s lineage –
2Sam. 7:12-16; 1Chron. 17:11f; Isa. 9:7; Dan. 7:18 God would reign through the Messiah.
B. Restored Jerusalem would be its centre. Scattered Israelites would be re-gathered.
C. God’s people will triumph over enemies. Gentile rule will end & the Messiah will judge Gentiles & leaders.
D. The ungodly will oppose the Messiah but he will conquer all the enemies of God.
E. The Jews would be the main beneficiaries, of the Kingdom, gaining peace and prosperity. Israelites developed many exclusive, nationalistic, racially pure and religiously exclusive conceptions of a physical, earthly and political Kingdom, with a Messianic leader devoted to them, supporting them in power, judging & destroying evil..
F. There would be a time of tribulation & upheaval in heaven and earth called by the rabbis “the birth-pangs of the Messiah”. Elijah and Moses would return. The Messiah would then rule universally.
G. Jesus’ Jewish contemporaries mostly rejected that he could be the promised Messianic King - Matt. 8:12; 21:43
B. New Testament
1. "Kingdom of God"
Mk. 1:15 [John the Baptist]"The time is fulfilled & the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent & believe in the Gospel"
Mark showed through opening his Gospel with John’s preaching, that Jesus is bringing in the Kingdom.
Lk.17:20,21 "the Kingdom of God is not coming with signs... the Kingdom of God is in your midst/within/among you"
Jn.3:3”unless someone is born again they cannot see the Kingdom of God”. It comes by the work of God’s Spirit in us.
Rom. 14:17 - "the Kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"
2. "Kingdom of heaven" Matthew uses the terms ‘Kingdom of God’ and ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ interchangeably perhaps because his Jewish readers would be uncomfortable with the use of the word for ‘God’.
Matt. 3:2; 4:17 - "the Kingdom of heaven is at hand"
Matt. 5:3,10 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit/persecuted, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven"
Matt. 5:19,20 "Whoever practices and teaches God’s commands will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven but unless your righteousness surpasses the Pharisees & teachers of law you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven"
3 JESUS’ “PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD” (Many concentrated in Mk.4 & Matt.13)
- Parable of the Sower - Matt.13:3-23; Mk.4:3-20; Lk.8:5-15 (People differ in their responses to the Kingdom)
- Parable of the Lamp - Mk. 4:21-25; Lk. 8:16-18 (Don’t hide truth, proclaim the Kingdom & let it disclose)
- Parable of the Growing Seed - Mk. 4:26-29 (The Kingdom grows unobtrusively, often unobserved in us)
- Parable of the Weeds - Matt.13:24-30; 36-43 (The present Kingdom is mixed in membership; some will be weeded out)
- Parable of the Mustard Seed - Matt. 13:31,32; Mk. 4:30-32 (God’s true Kingdom’s immense growth &size
- Parable of the Leaven - Matt. 13:33-35; Mk. 4:33,34 from seemingly insignificant unpromising beginnings)
- Parable of the Treasure in the Field - Matt. 13:44 (We must be prepared to give up everything & expend
- Parable of the Pearl of Great Price - Matt. 13:45,46 all to achieve the Kingdom, but it is worth it!)
- Parable of the Net - Matt. 13:47-50 (God calls all sorts of different people into the Kingdom.)
- Parable of the Householder - Matt. 13:51-53 (The truths of God’s Kingdom include old & new teaching.)
Jesus’ teaching of the Kingdom featured many of the Jewish expectations, but altered their interpretation:
- The Kingdom is not at present a geographical place; it develops within and among us. Lk.17: 21
- The Kingdom was bound up with his destiny as Son of Man. (In Daniel the Son of Man was the one who brings
- God’s promised Kingdom isn’t confined to Jews: all can be embraced by God’s call & love. Mk.2:7;7:28;Lk.5:32
- It is a future hope but also imminent & present in Jesus, so requires immediate response & righteousness Mk.1:15.
- Humans can’t achieve it by their own work; it is brought by acts of God.
- It is brought in in a gentle, humble manner, working inside us, more than by apocalyptic catastrophes Mk. 4:26-9.
- It may cause divisions between his followers and their families Matt.19:12. Many would have to give up much for the sake of the Kingdom Mk.10:21-7. But it will repay ‘an hundredfold’ Mk.10:29-31.
- It is not just about God’s rule, but God’s Fatherhood of us & our responsibility to God out of love Jn17:3.21-23.
- All people should regard themselves as brothers and sisters in God. Jn.15:15; 17:21; Eph.4;3
- Jesus’ miracles were signs of his Kingdom in action especially the healings, spiritual power & casting out evil.
- He has come to fight evil on the earth & purify God’s people, making them ready for their place in heaven.
- Jesus inaugurated the coming of the Kingdom; it is in the process of development but it is not yet completed.
- It will be fulfilled when he comes again. Jn.14:3, Matt.24:30-36; 26:29
- When he left earth he sent his Spirit to continue the work of bringing in the Kingdom. Jn14:15-31;15:26-27
- The Kingdom is something to work towards by disciplined righteousness and Spirit-transformed lives.
- We are to continue Christ’s mission to spread his message, proclaiming the Kingdom. Matt.4:43; 10:7; 24:14
- The fulfilment of the Kingdom will come in future; we are to hope, work and pray for it. Matt.5&6
- The coming of the Kingdom will defeat the forces of Evil as Christ has started already. Jn.12:31; 16:11
- The Kingdom doesn’t come by our looking out for it Lk.17:20-21 (Jesus was discouraging apocalyptic speculations.) It develops within us and among us. It’s potential and development are here already.
- Christ’s death and Resurrection transformed our relationship with the Kingdom and made it a promise to us.
- He is preparing a place for us with him in his eternal Kingdom. Jn.14:1-3
CHRIST’S expectations and demands FOR GOD’S Kingdom
- Our priority is to live as in God’s Kingdom - "seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness." Matt. 6:33
- Jesus’ teaching on God’s Kingdom in Matt, Mark & Luke is similar to what John’s Gospel terms “eternal life”.
- Repent and believe the Gospel Mtt.1:15; Mk.4:17
- We need a childlike faith and trust in God to enter the Kingdom Mt. 18:3; Mk.10:14ff
- Regard God as sovereign & obey God’s commands. Jesus didn’t change but reinterpreted God’s law Matt.5:17-20
- The Kingdom demands an ethical life: ‘Sermon on the Mount’ - Matt. chapters 5–7.
- Love is the chief fulfilling of all the commandments and the chief characteristic of God’s Kingdom Matt.22:40.
- There is no room for sin in the Kingdom of God. Eph.5:5
- God wants our undivided hearts Mk.12:29-30; he doesn’t want lip-service but his followers’ true faith Mk.7:21-3.
- Nothing must be allowed to stand in the Kingdom’s way: Jesus is the Way the Truth & the Life. Mk.9:47; Jn.14:6
- We mustn’t look back once we start on Christ’s path Lk.9:62. The Kingdom should be preferred to everything.
- Sometimes it seems a hard way, but it is a path we should follow to achieve truth. [The narrow-gate Matt.7:13-14]
- We need to actively work at achieving the Kingdom. Matt.11:12. Acts 20:25 – The early disciples "went about preaching the Kingdom” Lk.9:2. We are to go and “be his witnesses to the ends of the world”. Matt.28:18-20
- The Last Supper & Eucharist are signs that we’ll share fellowship with Christ in his Kingdom. Mk.14:25, Matt.26:29
- Our unity as his people, family and body is a sign of the Kingdom Jn.17:22; Eph.4:3.
New TESTAMENT understanding of the "Kingdom of God"
The Kingdom isn’t fully described or defined in Scripture. This might be deliberate as it gives us the incentive to find personally what it means to us to follow God & build Christ-like life and a Christ-like community. Instead Scripture reveals many truths & principles by which we can live & act to make God’s ways the priorities of life.
- Christ reigning as King, is an inseparable part of the idea of the Kingdom of God:
Col.1:13 - The Kingdom is "the Kingdom of His beloved Son"
2Pet.1:11 - "eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ"
Jesus Christ is King - Mk. 15:26, 32; Jn. 18:37; Acts2:36; 1Tim.6:15 We should let his ways rule our ways.
Christ received the Kingdom from the Father Rev.11:15; Lk.22:9 He returns authority to the Father 1Cor.15:24
Jesus’ life, teaching, miracles, death & resurrection were signs that the Kingdom had come Matt.9:35; 12:28.
B. Spiritual aspects of the Kingdom:
1. It is different from a physical Kingdom - "My Kingdom is not of this world/realm" Jn. 18:36,37; Rev. 11:15.
It is described as a reign of God over everything about us more than a specific place.
Christ is King among his people. The Kingdom came close in Christ Lk.17:21. He inaugurated the Kingdom Matt.9:378; 12:28. We will have closer fellowship with him in the Kingdom Matt.26:29; Lk.27:16,18,30.
2. It is a reign of light and truth by contrast to dark oppression, false spirituality or false values:
Matt.12:26,28,29; Lk.10:9; 11:20-26, Col. 1:13; Acts 26:18; Rev. 16:10; Matt.6:19-20
Evil will be excluded from the Kingdom Matt.13:41; 8:12
3. In the Kingdom spiritual realities are evident:
a. People experience spiritual life - Mk. 9:47/Matt. 18:9.
b .The Holy Spirit is active in our lives to build the Kingdom - Matt. 12:28; Acts 2:33; Rom. 14:17
c. Spiritual fellowship is cemented between people - Mk. 14:25; Lk.22:30
d. Salvation is at work assuring people of their future safety with God - Rev. 12:10
e. Righteousness, peace and joy are evident in the way people live - Matt. 5:20; 6:33; Rom.14:17
f. God’s will is done on earth as in heaven. Matt.6:10
g. The Kingdom of God is already within us and among us when Christ and his Spirit are with us, Lk.17:21.
h. We live in expectation of the promises of God being fulfilled. 1Cor. 15:24; Gal. 5:21; Eph.5:5; 2Tim.4:1,18
C. The Kingdom is active and alive;
1. In the Kingdom the dynamic power of Jesus as King is at work as he reigns as Lord in the lives of his people (individually and collectively).
2 Though we help in building the Kingdom, it is not something we can fight for but totally the work of God.
3. The grace-giving power of God causes the Kingdom to function.
4. The Kingdom involves fully allowing Jesus Christ to rule in our lives as he rules in creation as Lord.
5. The Kingdom is sometimes described as a wedding or banquet – a festal gathering where we’ll find fulfilment.
6. The Kingdom is to be preached/proclaimed just as Christ taught the good news to us Lk.9:2; Matt.4:23; 28:18-20
D. Universal aspects of the Kingdom;
1. The reign of Christ is for all peoples. It is inclusive not exclusive, not just for Jews nor one particular group.
2. Christ’s reign is for all places, not just a localized place, realm or sphere, not just in heaven - Matt. 6:10
3. God is working in all things to bring about the divine will for good Eph. 1:11
E. Eternal aspects of the Kingdom;
1. The Kingdom relates to "last things", bringing about God’s will now as well as for the future. It won’t be completed here now, nor do we just look forward to its future consummation; we are to begin realising it now.
2. The Kingdom is an eternal continuum, not just a particular period of time, eg. a millennial reign It will reign forever Heb.1:8-9; 2Pet.1:11 and is ‘unshakeable’ Heb.12:28. :
a. It is Already - Matt.6:33; 11:11; 12:28; 21:31: 23:13; Mk.10:15; 12:34; Lk.17:20, 21; Rom.14:17; Col.1:13
b. It is Not yet fully fulfilled - I Cor. 15:24; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; II Tim. 4:1, 18
F. Responsible participation in the Kingdom involves:
1. Faith – being receptive to the activity of the Trinity in our lives - Matt. 18:3; Mk. 10:15; Jn. 3:3
2. Repentance - a turning around in our way of life to living and acting in the way of God - Matt. 3:2; 4:17
3. Obedience to God - 2Thess. 1:5,8
4. Jesus Christ gives us the power to fulfil his expectations of us through his example, his saving action & his Spirit.
5. Christ expects us, like him, to preach and witness to him to the world Acts1:6-8 and build the Kingdom.
5. Christ’s people partly rule in creation now but in subservience to God - I Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10. “Rule” in this context means “take responsibility”- we are “stewards of God’s truth” and must be “faithful ambassadors for him.
6. We will ‘reign with Christ’ - Rom. 5:10,17; I Cor. 4:8; Eph. 2:6; Rev. 20:4-6
MANY Inadequate theological interpretations of the Kingdom ARE PROMOTED:
Some Christians think of the Kingdom of God in limited perspective. There are elements of truth in most of these ideas, but Biblical revelation implies that the Kingdom is broader & more inclusive than any one of these alone:
A. Kingdom = The Church, either visible on earth or invisible (all believers of all time or those united in heaven)
B. Kingdom = A realm entirely in the future /following the end of world / Heaven or a renewed earth
C. Kingdom = Jewish theocratic leadership in a temporal future realm (taught by some American Fundamentalists)
D. Kingdom = A mystical/ ethereal/ ideal abstract goal or objective (found in some liberal and New Age teaching).
E. Kingdom = A progressive Christianization of the world or Christian revelation within the entire creation, evolving through history and liberating creation.
F. Kingdom = An ethical and moral submission to the dictates of God as King in a perfect Utopian society.
G. Kingdom = Something that exists inside our hearts only based on an individual's decision to follow God’s way
FINDING & BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN OURSELVES & OUR LIVES Iain McKillop
WARNING: It’s easy to mistake Christianity for obeying a set of rules [Gal.3; Rom.8:1-8]. Christ has given freedom! To follow God’s ways & live in God’s Kingdom is not about constricting our life but opening our self to what is holy & will most fulfil & develop us as human beings. Building God’s Kingdom is the work of God’s Spirit; we cannot do it in our own strength; God’s Spirit alive inside us, gives us strength & inspiration to work at developing our discipleship.
Don’t worry if you feel personally unworthy of God’s Kingdom: “Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” Matt.5:3. Christ alone makes us worthy of the Kingdom 1Thess.1:5.
The self-righteous and self-sufficient will have difficulty entering the Kingdom: Matt.7:2b; 19:23-4; 21:43; 23:13
RECOGNISING OUR ETERNAL STATUS NOW AS CITIZENS OF GOD’S KINGDOM
At Baptism we were made part of God’s Kingdom & Church. Confirmation affirms God’s Spirit’s role in us to strengthen and inspire us to take a more mature part in the Body, God’s Church. But our discipleship mustn’t rest on our Baptism or Confirmation: It is our daily walk with Christ that transforms, renews & empowers us to do the work of the Kingdom. “We are not our own, we were bought with the price of Christ’s life” 1Cor.6:20 We belong to God.
Followers of Jesus Christ are adopted as "children of God" Rom. 8:14-17, We are no longer simply God’s servants: Christ calls us ‘friends’, ‘sisters’ & ‘brothers’ “You are my friends if you do what I ask of you.” Jn.5:14-16
God Kingdom is within & among us Lk.17:20-21 In life we’re training for God’s Kingdom. Matt.13:52; 1Cor.9:27
Christ makes us part of his Kingdom now; live for it now, don’t wait till heaven:Lk.6:20; 23:42-43;Matt.5:3;11:11
We’re citizens of heaven already. Later our earthly bodies will be transformed to heavenly ones Phil.3:20-21
Believers can enjoy some of the blessings of Jesus Christ’s Kingdom here Matt.16:19; Dan. 7:22,27; Lk.12:32; 22:29-30; Jas 2:5; Rev 1:5-6,9; 3:21 Christ has renewed us Rom.6:3-11;2Cor.5:17; Rev.21:5.
We’re commissioned with authority from Christ’s & equipped by God’s Spirit to continue his mission on earth. The Holy Spirit lives in us and is greater than all that might oppose or tempt us 1 John 4:4. The Spirit prepares us to minister the gospel, serve the truth fight against evil, strengthen the church and live in righteousness.
Part of our mission is to demonstrate in the cosmos God’s great wisdom Eph.3:10 & recover God's purposes.
Believers are rescued/redeemed from the kingdom of darkness Col 1:12-13 See also Eph.5:5
Freedom - We are given the freedom to become the people God intended us to be not what others want us to be.
“Consider yourselves to be dead to sin & alive to God in Christ. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body” Rom.6:11.
Responsible CITIZENSHIP in GOD’s Kingdom INCLUDES:
1. Developing our relationship with God, letting God deepen our faith by openness; listening for God’s prompting
2. Developing a mature understanding of our faith 1Pet.3:15: Having “a reason for the hope that is within us.”
3. Personal Christian Integrity - Hearing without acting upon it is not enough Matt.7:21, 24ff; James 2:14-26
4. Living in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom & glory”.1Thes.2:12 “Be diligent & certain that He has called & chosen you; for when you practice these things, you will never stumble; in this way the entrance to the eternal kingdom of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.” 2Pet.1:10-11
5. Spiritual Self-Discipline1Cor.9:27 The Kingdom is worth giving up much for: a hand Matt.5:29-30; Treasure Matt.22:1f;
13:44ff; Passions/’becoming eunuchs for the Kingdom’ Matt.19:12; readiness for self-sacrifice & service Matt.10:37
6. Obedience to God - 2Thess. 1:5, 81 Living according to God’s values, not those of the world. Matt.5:1-12
7. Counting the cost of true discipleship Lk.14:28ff. Sacrifice is worth it in the battle against wrong. "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off & cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out & cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."
8. Don’t be deflected. Take the narrow way Matt.7:13-14 Turn your hand to the plough and don’t look back. Lk.9:62
9. Self-discipline in resisting sin. We are engaged in spiritual warfare, not just in persuading people.
The battle within us is between the ‘flesh’ & ‘the Spirit’Gal.5:17-25 ‘the world’ (worldly ways) & ‘God’s Kingdom’
10. Protecting others from sin. Matt.18:8-9 God judges those who cause others to sin, esp. the weak. Matt.18:8-9. .
11. Repentance is not just “sorry” but turning round our way of life to live & act in the way of God. Matt. 3:2; 4:17
12. Faith – being receptive to the activity of the Trinity in our lives - Matt. 18:3; Mk. 10:15; Jn. 3:3
We receive the Kingdom with child-like trust Mk.10:15; Mtt.18:3-4; 19:14; Heb.12:28 but seek mature understanding and practice 1Cor.13:11. If we have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed, it is enough, &can grow strong with God’s Spirit Matt. 13:31-2; Mk. 4:30-32. Faith has an ability to trust even though we might have doubts Matt.9:23-25.
13. Prayer is our main way of communicating with God. Our prayers are our participation with God, asking God to guide & act. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray for the Kingdom to come in our lives, our world & the future Matt.6:9-13. We should be praying fervently, dependently & confidently, seeking God’s guidance for all we do. Phil.4:6
14. True Worship = Worship in Spirit & in truth Jn.4:24 I urge you, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy & pleasing to God; this is your true & proper worship. Rom.12:1 “We are a kingdom of priests to our God” Rev.1:6;5:10; Ex.19:6;1Pet.2:9.
15. An attitude of Praise & thanksgiving “Through Him, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name”. Heb.13:15
16. Witness Christ expects us, like him, to witness to him & to truth & build the Kingdom Matt.28:16-20; Acts1:6-8.
17. Allowing God’s Spirit to move, support and inspire our lives and ministries: Christ gives the power to fulfil his expectations of us, through his saving action and his Spirit.
18. Responsible Stewardship - Christ’s people partly rule, but in subservience to God Gen.1:28; I Pet.2:9; Rev.1:6; 5:10. “Rule” in this context means “responsibility”- We are to be “stewards of God’s truth”1Cor.4:1 and “faithful ambassadors for him 2Cor.5:20. We will ‘reign with Christ’ - Rom. 5:10, 17; 1Cor. 4:8; Eph. 2:6; Rev.20:4-6
19. Allowing God to Transform Us into Christ’s Likeness “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Rom.12:2. “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt.5:48
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit”.2Cor.13:18
20. Discovering, Nurturing & Training our Gifts. Working together to use our gifts as part of the body. Spiritual gifts aren’t for personal advancement or self-agrandisement, but to build up others & do Christ’s work. 2Tim1:6-7.
21. Feeling a Sense of Responsibility for Others. We are stewards of our gifts, of God’s world & of all God has made us responsible for. Some unbelievers’ only encounter with Christ may be through us & our witness 1Tim. 1:5
22. Christian Integrity in Relationships: Our relationships are to be with others as God loves us and forgives us.
Husbands & wives Eph.5:22-33 Children & Parents Col.3:21
Love one another for love is of God. 1Jn.4:7-10; Jn.13:35
Forgive one another as God forgives you Eph.4:32; Col.3:13; Matt.6:4.
Work together as members of Christ’s body, each working & using your gifts1Cor.12:4-31; Rom.12:4-6
Do not considering yourself better than others or inferior to others Phil.2:3-4.
We exercise responsible stewardship by not lording it over others, but by servanthood, humility, thinking of others before ourselves, raising others to be better than ourselves. 1Pet.5:3; Matt.20:25
Healing dislocated relationships in the body of Christ: Rom.1;19-22; 8:20-30
Hospitality & Welcome to ingather others into God’s Kingdom Mk.9:33-37
Protect & support the vulnerable: widows/orphans Ps.82:3;146:9; Isa.1:17; Prov.31:8; strangers Ex.22:21; 12:49
23. “Bear Fruit that will last”Jn.15:16. God expects us to bear spiritual fruit Isa 5:4;Matt.7:12-20; Eph.5:9. “Fruit” is a term used to indicate the produce or outcome of a person’s life; Jn.15:8. The Holy Spirit’s living presence in believers builds Christ-like virtues in them, just as a living tree will bear good fruit. In Gal.5:22-23 ‘fruit’ is singular, emphasising that these qualities are all part of Christian living: Unlike the Spirit’s ‘gifts’ which vary between people, these ‘fruits’ should all be evident in our life. They result from God’s Spirit’s activity, not human effort -1Cor.3:9,16; Gal 2:20. Those who inherit the kingdom of God are to bear its fruit 1Thes. 2:12; Matt.25:34-36; 2Pet.1:10-11
The integrity of our faith will be known by our fruit Matt.7:15-20.
The Spirit leads believers to develop Christ-like characteristics. This development is a lifelong process 2Cor.3:18
Christ-like qualities are different from sinful ones: Gal.5:16-17; 6:8; Rom.8:5-14; 1Cor.12:7; Eph.5:8-16; Col.3:1-17
24. Examples of the fruit of Spirit-filled living: Gal.5:22-23 & these additional references:
Love Rom.5:5; 1Cor.13:1-13
Joy Phil.1:18-19; 1Thes.1:6
Peace Rom.8:6; 14:17
Patience Heb.6:12; Jas.5:7-11
Kindness 2Cor.6:6; Col.3:12; 2Pet.1:7
Goodness Rom.15:14; 2Pet.1:5
Self-control 2Tim.:3; 2Pet.1:6
Righteousness Rom.14:17
Hope Rom.15:13; Gal.5:5
Wisdom Eph.1:17;
Gentleness Matt.11:29-30 as Christ is gentle 1Thes.2:7
Faithfulness 1Cor.10:13 God’s faithfulness to us is the reason for our faithfulness to God; 3Jn.3 Faith and belief must be displayed in all we do, not just in words. James 2:14-26
Temperance Eph5:18‘God’s kingdom is not eating & drinking but righteousness, peace & joy in the Holy Spirit ’Rom.4:17
Humility Status should be unimportant in the Church. The disciples, who’d been arguing among themselves about status asked Jesus: “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus set a child among them: "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.. And whoever receives one such child in my name receives me” Matt.18:1-5. Mk.9:33-37 This probably disappointed the disciples. Children were considered of low importance in the culture, subject to elders’ authority, not taken seriously - to be looked after, not looked up to. Jesus claimed we must ‘convert’) to be like little children. i.e. change our mind-set, not become naïve. It isn't in most natures to take the low place & humble ourselves but that is Christ’s example: “Be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil.2:5-11
WHAT IS TRUE CHRISTIANITY AS CHRIST TAUGHT IT?
Christ set an example but not a blueprint; he made us different & doesn’t expect us to be ‘clones’ of one type of Christian. In our life-journey with him, guided by God’s Spirit, Scripture & Christian practices, we find the sort of people & ways of believing & living that he intends for us, & what he intends like in the Kingdom of God to be like. Too often we are tempted to modify Christ’s teaching by human-centred ideas, traditions or cultural expectations about what Christian behaviour or beliefs should be. This can be dangerous if we fall into the trap of believing our human principles & wants to be the same as those of God. Christianity is not a sanctified form of our own culture; Jesus’ principles, priorities & teachings are often different from those of human society or past & present cultures.
Christianity that is true to Christ’s teachings will include ALL of the following:
If we live like this & display these qualities the fruit of God’s Spirit will develop in us.
- Letting God’s ways rule as King of our lives - Relating to God & allowing God into all aspects of our daily life in an attitude of obedience, love, awe, gratitude, praise, worship & freely submitting to God’s will for right life.
- Living the life that God formed us to follow. This is revealed by our God-given abilities & gifts, thoroughly applying Scripture to our lives, discerning spiritual guidance & accepting God-made opportunities, etc.
- Following the example and teachings of Christ as truly as possible and living them out.
- Seeking and relying upon the Holy Spirit’s inspiration to guide and strengthen our lives and actions, not just relying on our own strength or intuition. Being open to God and asking God’s Spirit to inspire and direct us.
- Being motivated by Christ’s principles and desires for human life, not dominated by the ambitions of the world.
- Living righteous lives, pure and undivided in our loyalties. “Hungering and thirsting for righteousness”.
- Seeking to “be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect”. Regret, admit & confess failures & accept forgiveness.
- Resisting temptations and unhelpful paths that direct us away from God and right ways.
- We need to have true humility that recognises our true value as loved by God, not valuing ourselves by false values. Neither overvaluing nor undervaluing ourselves, because all are formed and loved by God.
- Building up our spiritual and physical life through prayer, activity/action, corporate worship, encouragement, spiritual reading, knowing our Scriptures, mission and personal devotion.
- Giving generously from all our resources and abilities, (not just money) to support and raise the needy, to promote Christ’s Good News and to build the Kingdom of God.
- Being a peacemaker. Not letting our passions or anger flare unrighteously; helping society live in justice peace, love and harmony.
- Joining with others in a Christian community which encourages all to grow in faith and Christian action. Growth & effectiveness in mission aren’t easy on your own; we need to live out our faith in community.
- Jesus never taught that faith is just about individuals seeking spiritual experiences from God for themselves. Our individual experience, spiritual gifts and walk with God are meant to be the resources from which we draw strength and inspiration to go, live and minister in Christian ways in the world, spreading Christ’s message.
- Involvement in Christ’s mission is an inseparable part of following Christ for every Christian.
- Our lives, actions & speech are to be salt and light to the world. We shouldn’t ‘hide our light under a bushel’
- We are to reveal Christ, speak & act for Christ through our love for all, our witness and our behaviour.
- While keeping true to all God’s laws and all Christ’s teachings, we need Christ’s freedom: knowing and living by the freedom given by God’s Spirit, not dominated by oppressive man-made legalism or man-made religion.
- Being truthful in our speech & in our lives, so that people see Christ’s integrity, likeness and message in us.
- Modelling Christ to others and nurturing and helping others on their way to follow Christ themselves. Being outward looking with our faith and witness, not over-preoccupied with ourselves.
WHAT The Church IS or should be:
- The ‘Church’/’Ecclesia’ means God’s “gathered people” who come together to participate in fellowship with one another as they worship God, hear God’s Word revealed to them and witness to his truth.
- We are the ‘Body of Christ’ ‘Christ’s Body’ is figurative language for ‘those who live for Christ in our world’. The true Christian is indwelt by the God through the Holy Spirit and united to all who belong to Christ Jn.14:23.
- As part of Christ we are also part of each other: "So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Rom. 12:5
- The Christian Church was Founded by Christ. Christ is our Head & Saviour Col. 1:18, Eph. 5:23.
- Christians in the Church are Subject to Christ’s Lordship Eph.5:24. We follow his rule by obeying God’s Word.
- God equips the Church with people given different Spiritual Gifts for the growth of Christ’s work Rom.12:5-8.
- Our Church should be a picture/microcosm of the Kingdom of God for all to see.
- The Church is a witness to the fact that Christ & God are real, active and alive in this world.
- We are a ‘Kingdom of Priests to our God.” “A royal priesthood, holy nation, a people belonging to God” 1Pet.2:9; Rev.1:6;5:10; Ex.19:6
- We are meant to be a truly worshipping community. Jn.4:24
- We are part of the visible and invisible Body of Christ The ‘Church Militant’ involves those active today. The ‘Church Triumphant’ comprises those beyond life, gathered for the future Kingdom. The ‘Visible Church’ may contain both true Christ-followers & some who do not truly follow. The ‘Invisible Church’ is the body of true believers & followers, the truly regenerate who trust & follow Jesus Christ as Lord & Saviour by faith.
- The Christian Church has liberty through Christ; we aren’t to be slaves to rules or any power other than God.
OUR WORSHIP AND ACTIONS
Christ is present with all who meet in his name: “Where two or three are gathered: in my name I am there in the midst of them” Matt.18:20: A church doesn’t need large numbers, a particular meeting place, special times or forms of meeting or leaders of status. Where we meet in truth God is here and we should find God in our corporate living.
‘Gathering together in Jesus name’ includes God recognising us as authentic followers & identifying with all God is.
We gather around Jesus & with Jesus. We can worship God through God’s Spirit, live & worship according to Jesus’ character, in a manner that Jesus would endorse. God, as revealed through Christ, is at the forefront of all we do.
We are to serve others: We are gifted by God for service of others: "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity of faith, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ," Eph. 4:12-13.
We are to teach sound doctrine & refute error Titus 1:9; 1Tim. 3:2. The Church need to train leaders to support this.
The purpose of the Church is:
- to worship truly: Our worship should be ‘in spirit and in truth” Jn.4:24
- to serve God
- to glorify God
- to serve others
- to make Jesus known,
- to develop godly people,
- to spread God’s message to others “to make disciples of all nations, baptising them… and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” Matt.28:19-20.
- to reveal the truth of God to the world & help to restore the world.
- to enable Christ’s followers to fulfil his purpose in their lives.
- to enable those who believe in Christ to become “conformed to the image of Christ” Rom.8:29.
- to strip away, under the Holy Spirit’s influence, everything in us that doesn’t reflect Christ & holiness.
RELATIONSHIPS IN THE BODY:
- Love is to characterise our relationships: “Love one another for love is of God” 1Jn.4:7-10; Jn.13:35. Live by love. If we don’t love one another God is not truly present among us 1Jn.3:11-22. Tertullian recognised “See how these Christians love one another” (I hope he wasn’t speaking ironically, but we don’t yet see such unity in love!)
- Being reconciled to each other "If you are presenting your offering at the altar & there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar & go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.” Matt.5:23-4
- If we live unworthily/behave unworthily to one another our worship is unworthy. 1Cor.11:26-29. Heb10:29
- We should live at peace and unity with all: “The seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace”. James 3:18 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Eph.4:3-6
- There is no room for gossip or undermining one another: James3:5-10
- There is equity among believers. Do not give greater honour to the rich or influential Lk.14:7-10; James2:3
- There should be no worldly status in God’s kingdom; status is all in God’s gift, reward for faithful service: Matt.18:1-5; 20:25-28; 5:19; 11:11; 19:30; Mk.9:33-37; 10: 31; 42-45; Lk.9:46-48; 22:25-27; 7:28;
- The Church should be governed by responsible ‘leaders/elders’ who can be trusted as God-followers to lead the Church with integrity & truth. They are appointed by the respect of all & laying on hands 1Tim. 4:14, 2Tim. 1:6.
RESPONSIBILITEIS IN THE BODY:
- Discovering, Nurturing & Training our various gifts. Work together to use all our gifts in harmony as part of the body for the work the Church has to do. Spiritual gifts aren’t for personal advancement or pride but to build up others & advance Christ’s work 2Tim1:6-7; 1Cor.12:12-31; Rom.12:6-8. No gifts are of less worth than others: each of value and they interrelate to work effectively 1Cor.12. Our responsibility is to nurture & stir up the gifts within us and discern and nurture the gifts of others so that the body is fully equipped and enabled to work fully 2Tim.1:6.
- Feeling a Sense of Responsibility for Others. We are stewards of our gifts, of all God has given to us to be responsible for, & of God’s earth. We are to support one another in growing as Christians and support our world.
- We should build up, nurture, teach & develop the young in faith. They are the Church’s present and future.
- Christ’s followers should protect the innocent & vulnerable Ps.82:3;146:9; Isa.1:17; Prov.31:8; Ex.22:21; 12:49,
- Physically, spiritually & financially support God’s work Acts 4:32-35; 1Cor.16:1-2; 2Cor.8:1-15; 9:6-7
- We have a responsibility to guard God's little ones. "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." Matt.18:10
- We should keep God’s rules ourselves & train others in them, so they too can keep to God’s ways: Ps.51:13
- Disciples share Jesus' heart and care for the salvation of others: "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." Matt.18:11f
- In God’s community & Kingdom, worldly priorities are often reversed: "Many who are first will be last & the last, first. Matt.19:30; Mk. 10:31. "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen any greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matt.11:11; Lk.7:28
- In God’s Kingdom humility, trust & service of one another are more important than status: “An argument started among them as to which of them might be greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child, stood him by his side & said to them "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me & whoever receives me receives him who sent me; the one who is least among all of you is the one who is great." Lk.9:46-48
- Leaders or those with positions in the Church are servants; none should lord it over another: “Calling them to himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Mk.10:42-45; Matt. 20:25-28 “He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'benefactors.' But it is not this way with you; the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, &the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” Lk.22:25-27
- We are to teach truth & sound doctrine & challenge unsound or inadequate beliefs & actions. Tit.1:9; 1Tim.3:2
- Sin in the Kingdom Community is to be challenged with gentleness & understanding but not allowed to contaminate the fellowship. Gal.6 “If you are sinned against, gently confront & restore the guilty party Gal.6:1. "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother." Matt.18:15-18. If anyone among the church is adamantly resistant & sins against others, they should not to be allowed to contaminate the fellowship. The goal must be to restore relationships not to prove oneself right. "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matt.18:16-18
- Miracles were signs of the presence of the kingdom. But are we to expect them in the Church’s life now as in Christ’s time or the emerging early Church? Jn. 6:14-15; Matt.8:26-27; Mk.4:39-41; Lk.8:24-25 authority over the created world; Matt.11:2-5; Lk.7:19-22 authority to heal; authority over life & death: Lk.7:11-15; Rev.1:17-18.
- Being catalysts of Christ’s healing love, truth and peace to the world.
What IS CHRIST’s TRUE Church & How should IT Be an Image of God’s kindom?
- A community belonging to God, where God is valued, praised &obeyed and where God meets us.
- A meeting of God’s people. A microcosm / picture for all to see of the what God’s Kingdom should be like.
- A community of people sharing being saved by Christ’s activity & indwelt by God’s Spirit. Jn.14:23.
- A community whose head is Christ, which lives & works together under God’s leadership, through God’s Spirit.
- A community which is unified in Christ and united in following God’s will.
- A community of prayer, seeking to align our wills with those of God.
- A community where we continue Christ & the apostles’ teaching, learning faith from Scripture & each other.
- A training school for Christ’s followers and a nurturing place for new believers, all becoming true disciples.
- A community which worships God in spirit and in truth. Jn.4:23-24.
- A community where we declare our faith together and encourage one another in Christian faith and practice.
- A community where we can be transformed and grow more Christ-like, individually and corporately.
- A community where we are able to repent, confess our sins to one another in a safe, supportive environment & find God’s forgiveness, and where we encourage one another to move forward in faith & Christian practice.
- A support system for believers to develop confident, growing relationships with God that are Holy Spirit-led, life-changing, world-transforming &renewing, in loving, obedient, holy relationship with God through Christ.
- A community of people with similar, not always identical beliefs & the courage & aim to follow Christ’s teaching.
- A community which is corporately being transformed into Christ’s image in character, lifestyle & worship.
- A community of believers developing together, supporting one another in seeking to follow God’s will & purpose, transforming as they recognise what it means to be saved. Lk.9:23-24; 1Cor.1:18; Phil.2:12-13; Heb.3:14; 1Pet.2:2-3.
- A community where people find out what Christ’s salvation and call mean in practice for their lives. “Work out your salvation with awe and responsibility.” Phil.2:12
- A community that is unafraid to suffer in encouraging one another to work hard to do God’s will. 1Pet.4:12-19
- A community that is learning to experience ‘the true reality’[Gk. ‘aletheia’] of Jesus and God: “Rejecting totally everything that is false, let us all show forth this true reality to those who are of a like-mind with us, for we are all members of the same body." Eph.4:25.
- A community being restored in God’s image, as intended for us, reflecting God’s righteousness & holiness
- A community where people share their spiritual experiences with one another to encourage, teach, nurture and support each other in their individual and corporate walk with God.
- A community of believers standing together, drawing strength from each other, determined to live with God & be like a contemporary Christ, with the foundation of their lives established on what Christ’s Spirit is teaching them.
- A community that is thankful for God’s participation in their lives and expresses it in praise & witness. Col.2:5-7
- ‘God’s household’: a reflection on earth of God’s Kingdom “I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth," 1Tim.3:15.
- A community that is the living ‘Body of Christ’ comprised of those who are redeemed by Christ & living for him.
- A community that reflects Jesus' love, words, and deeds.
- A community of believers, who live out & practically pass on to others the saving, life-giving teachings of Christ.
- A community of people who live the truth as Jesus lived the truth & learn truth through committed spiritual life.
- The Church is not supposed to be a building or a governing institution that acts in God’s place or dictates truth.
- Our celebrations, rituals, buildings, aims, liturgy, hymns, music etc. give faith form & reflect the invisible reality of what it means to be redeemed. Our ‘trappings’ are not the Church; WE are the ones who are to most reflect Christ.
- A community equipped by God with teachers, pastors, etc. developing spiritual gifts for growth & witness. 1Cor.12:28
- A community where all grow in their relationship with God through prayer, the study of God's Word, fellowship and actively seeking to expand God's Kingdom through preaching, teaching, sharing and living Christ’s Gospel.
- A community that is light & salt to the world, showing the light of love, peace, wisdom, truth, bringing glory to God.
- A community that is equipping Christians for the work of the Great Commission to make & build up new disciples.
- A holy people, demonstrating godliness & holiness: “a royal priesthood, a holy nation” 1Pet.2:9
- A community that works against wickedness, oppression, poverty, rebellion, injustice & all forms & influences of sin. We are not to sit idle, watching the world’s mistakes, but be active, giving an example of right-living, standing against sin, resisting ungodliness winsomely, restoring gently, with, love, patience, kindness, & wisdom. "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of every opportunity," Col. 4:5. 1Cor.9:19-23
- We should not neglect, reject or misuse God’s Spirit’s charismatic gifts & guidance.
- To all eyes we should be above reproach so that the name of Christ is not defamed. In Jesus’ image we should be characterised by propriety, decency, self-sacrifice, humility, servanthood, & love, without greed, sin or hypocrisy.
- Churches & all Christians in public positions should consider how their actions & witness appear to non-believers & be careful not to hinder them. 1Cor.14:23-5; Rom.14:13-21 warn against Christians’ freedom stumbling others.
- All truly mission-orientated churches reflect ‘The Five Marks of Mission’:
- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
- To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
- To respond to human need by loving service
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society
- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth
BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN OUR COMMUNITY Iain McKillop
‘Love Your Neighbour As Yourself” Mk.12:31; Matt.22:39; Lev.9:9-18
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world” Anne Frank
We can’t impose faith on people but we can be influential by our witness, character, our example & lifestyle.
We are responsible for spiritual, physical & pastoral care of ALL in our community not just church-attenders. This is in the Church of England constitution as the Established Church. We are “our brother’s keeper”, Gen.4:9. Whether we like people or not, they are our spiritual & physical responsibility; we are meant to live corporately.
The message of the Kingdom is meant to be spread by God’s people to those among whom they live. God’s Covenant with Abraham emphasised how others beyond his family & nation should find God’s blessing through him: “and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me” Gen.20:18
We are all called, not to live apart from the world but to live rooted in our community & witness to it. ” I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jn.17:14-21. We share God’s message and love most usefully when we are embedded in society, not when Christians remain separate. We should not be corrupted by false things in society, but Christians who ‘separate’ themselves from the world are often disobedient, not taking their outward-reaching responsibilities seriously.
We are to be lights, salt & peacemakers to society, not hide Christ’s light & gospel under a bushel. Matt.5:5. If we neglect our responsibilities what right have we to criticise non-believers for following different ways & priorities?
We have the ‘Great Commission’ from Christ: -“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go & make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt.28:18-20. So we have the authority, responsibility, message & challenge to witness to others.
We are Christ’s active members in society: “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” [Teresa of Ávila]. If we don’t work in society to bring Christ and his ways to our neighbours perhaps no-one else has our particular contacts & opportunities!
Faith isn’t just “caught” it also needs to be taught & witnessed to, just as an apprentice or child needs teaching.
We are not on our own as we witness. Christ has authority over all creation & can triumph over opposition in the present & future realm.Matt.6:12; 18:21-35; Lk.17:3-4; 11:4. God’s Spirit will guide our witness “Do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” Matt.10:19-20, Lk.12:11-12 “Even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation and do not be troubled. but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defence to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in any thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ will be put to shame” 1Pet.3:14-16
We work for justice especially for those who can’t stand up for themselves & support them. Support of all the needy was part of God’s commands through the prophets & the Levitical laws: "Then the King will say… 'Come, you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, &you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty & you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.' Matt.25:34-36.
In God’s Kingdom we learn to forgive & love the fellow members of our community. ”Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 “Forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.' Lk.11:4 "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; & if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day & returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him." Lk.17:3-4 Then Peter came & said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. .When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife, children & all that he had, & repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground &prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me & I will repay you everything.' The slave’s lord felt compassion, released him & forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; & he seized him & began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' So his fellow slave fell to the ground & began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me & I will repay you.' But he was unwilling & went &threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved, came &reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?' "His lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." Matt.18:21-35
God gave Israel responsibility for justice &social support. Many of God’s social laws can apply to secular society today.
Our Church responsibility is especially for the spiritual & physical wellbeing of all in our parishes. Christians mustn’t just pursue individualistic self-fulfilment or even personal spiritual fulfilment. We need to contribute to the Kingdom, according to our gifts calling, & abilities. We shouldn’t abandon our public responsibility as we can contribute salt & light to society.
Christ’s model is to be ambitious to serve others, not maintain one’s personal freedom to do as one pleases. Phil.2:6.
Faith teaches us to seek “a better country, that is, a heavenly one” Heb.11.16. Our social responsibility isn’t to try to establish God’s kingdom on earth, or work for the renewal of the whole temporal order Only God can bring justice and peace throughout the world. But we can each do what we can to influence & promote “the kingdom, which is not of this world” & pray for God’s grace, intervention & guidance to influence decision-making powers leading society.
Christ’s ways are righteous alternatives to worldly ambition & false priorities. His aims are true; they can work in practice & bring fulfilment, contentment & joy. If we’re to reflect God’s mercy, justice & grace, our righteousness needs to “exceeded that of the Pharisees” and lawmakers. Matt.5:20
Christ’s way urges us not to make moral compromises. Bear witness to the truth, even if we might suffer personally. Justice & truth should always be advocated even when others argue that it is impractical. Politics is based on what seems possible; some citizens remain inevitably neglected & suffer. That is not the case with the Kingdom, where all should find support. In being true to Christ’s teaching & bearing witness to the truth, whatever is right, even if it seems humanly impossible, is worth pursuing & is possible to God. We stand for Christ’s radical standards. The only universally better world & way to true unity is God’s Kingdom. The only realistic plan for a perfect world is God’s plan for the Kingdom, which is “not of this world “. Secular ways to try to create utopias can’t match this, though can learn from it. We should aim for the best possible society & participate in morally upright ways, acting for social justice.
“Give to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar”. Respect and pray for secular powers even if we don’t always agree with them. Seek God’s Kingdom rather than worldly priorities. The whole Sermon on the Mount & particularly the Beatitudes prevent us from worshipping earthly standards. We recognise that here we will never experience a perfect world. Some who are not of good will, always remain in society: ‘weeds grow with wheat until harvest’ Matt.13.36–43.
Not all in the world is wrong: people often share common moralities & values, though may not share beliefs/lifestyles.
All Christians have the potential character & gifts to advance & promote social wellbeing & justice. Some may have gifts for leadership in society. Not all are called to be activists, some contribute by prayer, wise advice & support.
In promoting the Mark of Mission we struggle & work against unjust structures & social evils:
- To respond to human need by loving service.
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society
- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
Like John the Baptist we “prepare the way for the gospel & the Kingdom” Be prepared to make sacrifices & endure sufferings to build God’s Kingdom and spread God’s truth. Sharing true Christian faith can promote justice & truth.
Christ had solidarity with the poor & oppressed. Don’t show favouritism; work for all, yet prioritise the needy James 2:1-2.
Do what can practically be done; it may seem a ‘drop-in-the-bucket’ but if all work together we can make a difference.
Adopt a style of life suited to social responsibility. People living in comparative comfort in an affluent society can be tempted to quiet their consciences by tokenism. “Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action” 1Jn.3.18
Do not waste the reserves of the earth’s resources, which are meant to serve the whole of humanity. Restrain our impulses for merely sensory gratification, freedom or power. Some might try to limit our consumption to what is truly necessary to maintain oneself & fulfil one’s responsibilities. Some Christians advocate simplicity of life but this is not by itself a Christian virtue. Solomon & the e compiler of Ecclesiastes indulged but saw all that God had given them in perspective of their God-given responsibilities. “God loves a cheerful, generous giver” 2Cor.9:6-7
Try to remedy the spiritual poverty of our age & of many leaders. Pray for community leaders in all institutions & all with influence in society, especially those who perpetrate social ills, including ills that survive within the Church.
Strategies to change society that cause enmity, even though we might be trying to prevent injustice & misuse of power are often wrong; they can intensify social division. Act in Christian ways to promote justice; help bring peace & unity while trusting the power of God’s grace to make truth & love effective. Desmond Tutu’s strategies were to reconcile by truth.
Don’t despair at apparent fruitfulness if one’s best efforts appear to have meet with little or no success, or accomplished only temporary results. We should trust God if we have been faithful to God & worked wisely for the Kingdom. We are not responsible for the establishment of God’s Kingdom; God is: The Kingdom is built over generations, not in a day.
Building the Kingdom of god in our world Iain McKillop
God sent Christ to bring hope and healing to this broken world. We continue his work.
Everything created belongs to God, who has entrusted us with stewardship of it Gen.1:28. Christians should therefore be at the forefront in protecting the natural world, the environment, the resources of earth as well as human society.
The risen Jesus told his followers to proclaim the Kingdom through the whole world, Matt.28:19-20. That task is ours. Christ’s commission doesn’t just expect us to preach Jesus & salvation. If we’re to truly build the Kingdom in society & change the world, the Church needs to expand its vision & see how salvation includes all areas of life.
The task of building God’s Kingdom is enormous. Thankfully it isn’t dependent on us. Only God can truly build God’s Kingdom. But God formed us to be involved in the building process. Christ’s teaching shows us how to build & God inspires & strengthens us for building by the Holy Spirit in us. How well have you & I honed our building skills?
The poverty & weak health care in the world, physical, psychological & spiritual abuse, war, murder, injustice, inequity, self-gratification & waste of the world’s resources show how far we are from God’s Kingdom on earth.
Christians show love by actions as much as words: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jn.13:34-35.
Scripture claims that Jesus Christ is given rule over every authority on earth 1Pet.3:22; Col.2:10; Heb.12:2; Rev.12:10; 19:16. God has placed Jesus Christ over all things Phil. 2:9-11. Jesus is now seated in heaven at the right hand of the Father, far above all evil, principalities, powers, might, dominion & every name Eph. 1:20-23.
Jesus’ rule aids humanity through his Spirit Heb. 2:16 & as interceding high priest, advocate & example Heb. 3:1-2
The world as it is today is not eternal: “for the form of this world is passing away’ 1Cor 7.31.”
The Kingdom of God does not conform to this world’s standards, nor is it ‘of’ this world: Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over; but as it is, my kingdom is not of this realm." Jn.18:36; Rom 14:17,Rev 5:6; Rev 7:10; 21:1,3
The Kingdom of God is & will be a kingdom of peace:
Peace between people Isa.2:2-4; Mic.4:1-4; 5:4-5; Jas.3:18; Isa. 9:5; 19:24-25; Matt.5:9.
The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1-7:29) describes the priorities and qualities of life in the kingdom.
The peace and prosperity of all creation Isa.11:6-9 ; 35:1-2,9; 41:17-19; Ezek. 47:9,12; Hos.2:21-22
Destruction of the instruments of warfare: “Every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, & cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire”. Isa. 9:5 “They will hammer their swords into plough-shares & their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation & never again will they learn war” Isa.2:2-4
Aggressors & the weak will live at peace together: In metaphorical picture language “The wolf will dwell with the lamb & the leopard will lie down with the young goat & calf; the young lion & the fatling together. A little child will lead them. The cow & the bear will graze. Their young will lie down together & the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the cobra’s hole & the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea”. Isa.11:6-9
Mission I remember when young that churches often supported missionaries round the world. Missionaries from Africa, Thailand & Nepal visited us on furlough & encouraged prayer & financial support. We had a world mission board at the back of church & regularly prayed for churches, mission & difficulties for Christians round the world. In many churches over the last 35 years I’ve not noticed less of this. Is our global vision wide enough; do we feel part of the world-wide fellowship of all believers? They are our equals; mission must not patronise.
Understandably many contemporary Christians are uncomfortable with the way some past mission patronised other cultures or imported Western culture to tribal worlds. That’s less the case with mission organisations today. Usually they work within the culture: Churches train indigenous leaders & scripture is translated & interpreted in cultural terms.
Most churches in the past saw mission as involving the first three Marks of Mission:
- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
- To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
- To respond to human need by loving service
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society
- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
Social, political, financial & environmental issues dominate the problems in today’s world. If God’s intention for the whole of Creation is truly to be achieved, Christians are called to help God’s will be done in all areas of world affairs, equality & the environment as well in what we do in our churches and our individual lives.
Christ showed solidarity with the poor, oppressed & needy in ALL cultures, as did most of the Hebrew social laws: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for captives & release from darkness for prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour & the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn & provide for those who grieve…, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,& a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.” Isa.61
The world is often dominated by pride hatred & greed. As well as restoring righteous priorities, Christ can salve & heal wounds & damage, & bring protection through his strength & through us. Jesus suffered injustice & identifies with those in pain. Most often intends to continue healing work through us - his people’s practical work in the world.
No governments will ever bring sufficient justice to the poor, needy, orphaned or refugees who suffer evil. Many who are comfortable in their personal lives & culture aren’t proactive in relieving others’ suffering. God doesn’t often seem to intervene & stop evil. I don’t believe God is heartless; we are intended to be involved in doing this.
Jesus stepped into space & time, experienced suffering, & started a work of binding up the broken-hearted, exchanging ashes for beauty, mourning for joy. He’ll complete this work when he comes again, but meanwhile he entrusts us with continuing his work of restoration. God & truth can be experienced when we work to bring light & healing to dark places & to those who are in fear or pain. We work there with God’s Spirit, following Christ’s example & calling.
Choosing to be disciples & usher in the Kingdom may take us into dark places, but we choose to engage rather than hide, for the sake of Love & of redeeming something lost. When we do, we taste a little more of the Gospel ourselves.
All who love God have a duty to help the less fortunate; it is not an option. Hebrew law & the prophets commanded the protection of the poor, the stranger, the weak & those who could not represent themselves. Jesus loved & cared for the poor & sick. He praised those who helped the needy &condemned those who showed no compassion towards them. The Parable of the Good Samaritan taught: ‘love your neighbour’ &care for any in need, not just those you know. Don’t ‘pass by on the other side’, Christ fed the hungry: “Don't send them away. You give them something to eat.” Matt.14:16. Jesus said we should help the poor & show charity & love because this is what God asks of us, not for praise or status among our contemporaries: “When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth; they have already received their reward in full.” Matt. 6:1-4
Christ implies that we’ll be judged on how helpful & compassionate we’ve been towards others, including whether our intentions & motivations were genuine. Matt.25:35-40
Because of huge advances in technology & communication, we are aware of world events & needs as well as those in our local community. We have as strong responsibilities to international needs as to our closer neighbours “Who is my neighbour?” Everyone is equal in God’s eyes, though the world rarely works in this way: “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality.” 2Cor.8:13-14.
We have great Christian examples to follow: Desmond Tutu; Martin Luther King & many Christian charities as well as secular or non-Christian examples like Gandhi. Though Christians have many responsibilities towards the world, there are many ways to fulfil these obligations & responsibilities, based on our abilities, calling, gifts & situation.
We are equal with others and should not be patronising when we look after or support those less fortunate, show compassion to the poor, do charity work or donate to charities, help through local churches, or raise money etc..
Christians may support charities with Christian foundations, such as CAFOD, Christian Aid or Tearfund, but there are also many influential organisations with a wider ethos, which stand for secular principles yet are still Kingdom values. “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with their income, saving it up…” 1Cor.16:2 Jesus taught that it is not important how big the gift is, if that is all we can afford, but the spirit of generous giving is what counts: “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth: but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
However Christians decide to fulfil their responsibilities towards the world, the gifts of time energy and/or money are significant if they are sacrificial and generous.
The problems of the third world communities can be caused by many factors. Some dismiss the problems of the needy as their own fault. Some argue that it is each person’s or nations’ responsibility to build up education & work to support themselves. Other critics blame individual attitudes, cultures, politics or inadequate religions for causing world poverty, financial problems & hostilities. Some say that if people can’t bear living in such conditions they should improve their situations themselves. No arguments absolve us of our responsibilities to support people in changing the world for good. We won’t solve world problems by exporting our own culture or just by hand-outs. We help best when we help others help themselves, give them dignity to deal with problems by refining or reforming issues that have caused the problems.
THE FUTURE Kingdom: How is God’s Kingdom now related to heaven? Iain McKillop
It may be uncomfortable to think about, but we are all going to die at some time. This shouldn’t frighten us; God can be trusted. Not much has been revealed about what life after death is like. Bible passages show that ideas about afterlife changed through Jewish history. Christian theology has continued to modify these thoughts. Scripture talks of God’s Kingdom as stretching beyond present life, though life & this world as we know it will eventually end. We cannot be sure how much of this is metaphorical picture language to give us confidence to trust for the future.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE COMING KINGDOM
God’s Kingdom is and will be Everlasting Heb.1:8; Lk.1:33; Isa.9:7
God’s Kingdom is unshakeable Heb.12:28. No power at all can stop or destroy it.
Christ inaugurated & inherits the kingdom promised to David Lk.1:32; Rom.15:12; Isa.11:10; Rev.2:27; Ps.2:9
The Kingdom is Christ’s by right Col.1:15-16 also Heb.1:8; Ps.45:6; Rev.22:13
The Kingdom will be fully established at Jesus Christ’s return.
Jesus will wait until his enemies are made subject to him Heb. 10:12.
We should pray for that return. Matt.6:10; Rev.22:17, 20
The reign of peace will come when Jesus Christ returns “He will arise and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will remain, because at that time he will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace” Micah 5:4
Jesus Christ reveals & will finally fully reveal God’s Kingdom on earth
Jesus brought in God’s Kingdom Matt.4:17 also Matt. 3:2; 10:7; 12:28; Lk.11:20; 17:20-21; Mk.1:15;
Jesus will reign over the earth and heaven until all sin & enemies have been put under his feet Heb. 10:12-13.
Jesus will crush evil completely 1Cor.15:24-26. The book of Revelation describes this final victory & establishment of God's everlasting kingdom. Revelation is a book to assure, not frighten us– concentrate on its image of Christ!
Jesus will finally hand over the Kingdom to God the Father 1 Cor.15:24-25
His Kingdom will come in time with power Matt. 25:31; 24:30-31; Zech.9:10; Mk.13:26-27 Lk.21:27; 2Tim.4:1
His Kingdom will replace all earthly authority Rev.11:15; 1Cor.15:24-25,50-52; Phil.3:20-21
All creation will see and acknowledge Jesus Christ’s kingship: Phil.2:10-11; Ps.2:6-8; Rev.5:13
Christ will bring renewed life to the earth: "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river (of Life) goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.” Ezek. 47:9. Creation waits in longing for this []
WHAT WILL OUR LIFE BE LIKE?
Creation will be renewed, though we don’t know what such renewal means. Rev.21:1; Isa. 65:17; Rom.8:19
God will be at the centre of all; He will be our light Rev.20 especially v22
We will have some sort of form, but it will be unlike our present nature. “Flesh and blood will not inherit the Kingdom of God” I Cor.15:50. “What we will be is not yet known but we will be like him where he is”. 1Jn.3:2-3
What we will be and what the Kingdom life will be in reality has yet to be revealed 1Jn.3.2.
There will be no need for continued marriage relationships etc. -our relationship with God and with each other will be totally fulfilling enough. Matt.22:30; Mk.12:25 9 ‘Jesus replied “You do not know scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac & the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”. Matt.22:29-33
Centrality of God’s order, God’s rule & peace: “Now it will come about that in the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains & will be raised above the hills & all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us concerning his ways & that we may walk in his paths." For the law will go forth from Zion & the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. & he will judge between the nations, & will arbitrate for many peoples; & they will hammer their swords into ploughshares & their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, & never again will they learn war”. Isaiah 2:2-4
“And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills and the peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, "Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD and to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may teach us about his ways and that we may walk in his paths " For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. and he will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations Then they will hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war. Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken”. Mic.4:1-4
What seems fruitless will become fruitful: “The wilderness & the desert will be glad, and the Arabah will rejoice & blossom. Like the crocus it will blossom profusely & rejoice with shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the majesty of Carmel & Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Isa.35:1-2
BIBLICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF HEAVEN
Heaven is not cherubs playing harps on clouds! Critics sometimes joke that ideas of ‘eternal worship’ sound boring but scripture describes our life beyond death & all we are & do in it as exciting, stimulation & more stimulating than this life..
We won’t be disembodied spirits but have new forms- ‘Resurrection bodies’ unlike our present existence 1Cor.15:35-54
Such life beyond death is to be prepared for, not to be frightened about:” Yes, we are of good courage & we would rather be away from the body & at home with the Lord.” 2Cor.5:8 “For to me to live is Christ & to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart & be with Christ, for that is far better.” Phil.:21-23
Heaven exists today, though humans on earth don’t yet see it & our imaginations are limited. Some biblical stories speak of people witnessing heaven: Elijah caught up to heaven in a whirlwind 2Ki.2:1-12 & Enoch Heb.11:5. In John’s vision heaven opened: Rev. 4:1. Paul’s on the Damascus road Acts 9:3-4 & caught up in ecstasy 2Cor.12:2.
The Bible uses the word ‘heaven’ in 3 different ways: 1. The firmament/sky 2. Space, stars, sun & moon. 3. The residence of God & heavenly beings where the dead in faith live & where those who are redeemed will join them.
Scripture sees heaven as indescribable; biblical images are probably only metaphors for a greater existence. “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Cor.2:9 “
In some way we will be like Christ: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! … Dear friends, now we are children of God, & what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” 1Jn.3:2-3
We will join the praise of heavenly beings before God’s enthroned glory, among those who have died before us & as-yet unknown mysterious spirits: ‘cherubim’ & ‘seraphim’, ‘angels’, ‘principalities’ ‘powers’ etc.: Rev. 4:8-11.
A new ‘Jerusalem’ [‘place of God’s peace’] descended from heaven to earth: “Then I saw a new heaven & a new earth, for the first heaven & first earth had passed away, & there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Rev.21:1-2
The ‘tabernacle of God’ will be with humans Rev.21:3 “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” Heaven shines with the glory of God’s presence: Rev.21:11, 23
We will see the reality of God as if “face to face” 1Cor.13: 3 “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face & his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever & ever. The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” Rev.22:3-7 “…in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” Matt.18:10
All pain, suffering, & tears will be absent: Rev.21:4. Isa.25:8-12 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this: I will be their God & they will be my children.” Rev.21:4-7
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life”, those who are cleansed and made worthy -by God. Rev.21:7-8, 27
God’s Kingdom will contain those of many nations & cultures: Many different sorts of people from many nations will walk in God’s light & bring their splendour into it. Rev.21:24,26; Lk.13:29 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? Jn.14:2.: “After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, & to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne & around the elders & the four living creatures, & they fell on their faces before the throne & worshipped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing & glory & wisdom & thanksgiving & honour & power & might be to our God forever & ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of great ordeal; they have washed their robes & made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, & worship him day & night within his temple,& the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, & thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, & he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” Rev.7:9-17
Worship in heaven focuses on God through Christ. Jesus is described as seated at the right hand of the Father on a throne in splendour, glory, beauty & majesty. “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll & to open its seals, for you were slain, & by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe & language & people & nation, & you have made them a kingdom & priests to our God, & they shall reign on the earth. Then I looked, & I heard around the throne & the living creatures & the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads & thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power & wealth & wisdom & might & honour & glory & blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven & on earth & under the earth & in the sea, & all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne & to the Lamb be blessing & honour & glory & might forever & ever!” Rev.5:9-13
Life & healing are there “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God & of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also on either side of the river the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed but the throne of God & of the Lamb will be in it, & his servants will worship him. They will see his face, & his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, & they will reign forever and ever. Rev.22:1-5
Will Heaven contain only Christians?
I expect more there than traditional Christianity suspects. In truth no-one knows: we’ll have to wait till heaven; it is God’s gift. I’m sure heaven will contain many surprises! Nevertheless we retain responsibility to share faith in Christ with all. A few Bible verses suggest that ‘Jesus is the only way: Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jn.14:6 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 “ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” Jn.3:36 “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jn.3:16 “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, & Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Jn.17:3
Yet all we know of God suggests that God is universally just & would not condemn outright any who have not had opportunity to hear the truth. A few Bible verses suggest God might judge others by how they respond to the amount they know or how they act according to conscience:-“Gentiles show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of all through Christ Jesus.” Rom.12:15. God wills that “all kings bow down before him, all nations serve him” Psalm 72: 8-11. The Ethiopian Eunuch discovered some truth on his own but did not know how to interpret it Acts 8:30-31. Cornelius, like the Gentile Job “feared God with all his household” and “gave many alms.. & prayed to God continually” Acts 10:2. Matt.7:7-8/ Lk.11:10 imply that any who sincerely “seek will find”. Many non-believers live ‘better lives’ than Christians & sincerely seek to know truth without blinded minds - Jesus said: “You shall know the truth, & the truth shall make you free” Jn. 8:32. Some non-believers seek to be obedient to their conscience more than some professing Christians - Jesus said :“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father who is in heaven” Matt.7:21. Some may be saved by what Calvin called ‘common revelation’ & ‘grace’. God’s existence & his “everlasting power & divinity” may be gleaned from the general revelation found in in nature & human minds Rom.1:19-20, Ps.19:1, Acts14:17; Heb.3:4 but that revelation is limited & cannot explain all that Christ taught about salvation. We trust that God is totally just, wants the best for all & cannot act unholily.
How DO WE PREPARE FOR Heaven?
We prepare by living the Christian life now as though we live in the Kingdom. There is nothing else we can do to ‘win’ access to heaven. Paul disciplined himself: “Run in such a way that you may win the prize. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air but I pummel my body & enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified” 1 Cor.9:24-27. Hebrews says “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight & the sin that clings so closely & let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer & perfecter of our faith.” Heb.12:1-3
Jesus Christ is our access to Heaven. Jn.6:44, Acts 4:12, 16:30-31. He prepares a place for us: “ if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jn.14:2-4 Christ promised to never forsake us even when we die: Jn.6:37, 10:28-29
God’s grace is our trusted assurance of heaven: We admit sin, don’t deserve redemption & can’t be saved by our own works/efforts: Acts 16:31. We need a ‘saviour’ Rom 6:23. Christ did all the Father required to gain forgiveness for us:Jn.3:16. We rely on & follow him as Lord, Saviour & guarantor of our place in his Kingdom: Acts 4:12
“Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died & your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires & greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.“ Col.3:1-7
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