A kingdom is a sphere of authority exercised by one king at a time. It must not necessarily be geographical. In the kingdom of God Jesus Christ is the only King and His mission on earth was to bring His leadership to earth thus bringing Heaven and earth under one leadership, God’s. As a member of the Kingdom of God, understanding the Kingdom is a very vital aspect of the believer’s knowledge of God’s family. This will help him not to live in constant expectation, that is expecting to be in/receive the Kingdom someday like the Jews who believe the Kingdom to be an age to come and think it has not yet come. The latter in the days of Jesus were interested in knowing when the Kingdom will come Luke 17:20. They thought the coming of the Kingdom was going to be in a very long time unlike what Jesus taught in Matthew 25:13-34. Many Christians still live with the mindset of Heaven at last; and make statements like when Jesus comes will you be part of His Kingdom? All these are misinformed schools of thought which are products of wrong Bible interpretation. What thus is the Kingdom of God or what is the Kingdom of God about?
In Luke 12:32, Jesus speaking says fear not. His statement here is very important. Jesus in saying fear not knew that an understanding of the Kingdom of God will be so overwhelming that men may wonder if it is real. Let’s have a look at what was said about the Kingdom of God from the Old Testament through the Gospels and then the Epistles.
In the Old Testament, Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 30:14 that the Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart… Moses who was living by faith in the coming of Christ already had an understanding of the “location” of the Kingdom. He said the Kingdom is within not external. In Luke 17:20-21 Jesus said the Kingdom is within you. Thus the Kingdom dwells in a person and is not to be observed from outside/somewhere external. Again He says in Luke 11:20, the Kingdom is come upon them. They did not need to be looking and expecting the Kingdom to come from a particular physical location, for He (the Kingdom) had come already. In Mark 1:14-15, He explained the time is fulfilled meaning the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God has begun with His arrival. Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the prophets Luke 4:16-21, Micah 5:2. Thus with the coming and resurrection of Christ, the age to come which is the rule of the Holy Spirit has been fully set in and is only revealed by the spirit. This remains a mystery to the natural man. This subject cannot be over emphasized as we see Jesus preached about the kingdom of God, sent his disciples to preach the same in Luke 9:2and upon his resurrection in Acts 1:3-6 He continued to speak of the things pertaining to the kingdom for 40 days.
Peter, Philip and Paul also spoke about the Kingdom of God. Peter taught in the synagogue for 90 days, the things concerning the kingdom of God. In Acts2:14-40 Peter explaining to the Jews, put together facts, showing them that the promise of God (His Kingdom)is about Christ whom they crucified but who rose. Implying Christ is the promise of the Father fulfilled. Philip also preached about the Kingdom and got men saved, Acts8:12.Paul referred to the Kingdom as the testimony of God in 1 Corinthians 2:1.In Romans 14:17, Paul makes it known that the Kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. All of these are aspects within the believer who has the indwelling Holy Ghost upon believing the Gospel. It can therefore be seen that the Kingdom of God is not a physical location but a spiritual Kingdom, the rule/reign of the Holy Ghost. The writer of Hebrews in 2:9-14 explains we who have been sanctified by Christ are now one with Him the sanctifier. Being made one with Christ is the Kingdom of God that has been given to us. Colossians1:13, we are already in the Kingdom of God. This is unlike what the Jews believe to be the age to come as the Kingdom which has not yet come. 1 Timothy 4:1 such a belief is a departure from the faith.
What is Part and Not Part of the Kingdom of God
Jesus used parables to symbolize the Kingdom of God. In John 3:5-6, He spoke about the Kingdom. The word and in this verse is explanatory and not a conjunction, following the kai rule of Bible interpretation. Thus this verse goes thus ….. water which is the Spirit. Water here symbolizes the Word of God. So Jesus is saying here that a man can only be a member of the Kingdom by being born of the Spirit. The Word was also symbolized using water in Ephesians 5:26. Paul in writing to Titus in chapter 3:5 also talked about the Word of God. The Kingdom of God is not about cleansing or washing with physical water but cleansing by the Word. Paul again spoke about what Jesus said in John 3:5-6 in 1 Corinthians 15:50, only those born of the Spirit can be part of the Kingdom, flesh and blood cannot. Flesh here connotes fleshly life governed by the carnal mind/mindset (which include pride, greed, etc.) while blood refers to natural appetite which is hormonal (includes food, drug abuse, etc.). Before entry into the Kingdom, flesh and blood are taken off carnal men and they are given the Spirit of God and are thus made just men. Hebrews 12:23 therefore, the Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of Spirits (not flesh), of just men made perfect.
This Kingdom is completely contrary to the Kingdoms of the world which entail material things. Romans 14:1-7, the Kingdom is not about food and drink, talking about eating and drinking.
Jesus likened the Kingdom to leaven in Luke 13:20-21. Leaven here symbolizes the rapid unseen and effectual working of the Kingdom of God. This is not about material leaven because again it is not in physical things. It is therefore very important to note that anytime we see parables or descriptions of the Kingdom using the seen, it is sound Bible study to rightly divide to get the correct interpretation of what the physical things signify.
Another thing which is not part of the Kingdom is the law of Moses and traditions of men Romans 8:2, Colossians 2:8. These lead to death which Christ has rather saved us from. The Kingdom functions one hundred percent on the bases of Christ/Holy Spirit. Is about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
1 Corinthians 4:20 shows that the Kingdom is not/does not work by empty words. That is words not backed by conviction, but by power. Power which is the miraculous power of Christ that birthed the church, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the influence of the Spirit in convicting even the most hard-hearted men. Power by which even uneducated men by the world’s standards are causing great change and impact around the world.
The Ethics of the Kingdom of God
The ethics of the Kingdom show us what we take up when we lay down our self-rule and accept that of God. They are not laws by which we live by to qualify as members of the Kingdom but are rather our default response to the Kingdom in us. They are the new attitudes that spring up in us when we have the Holy Spirit. Christ laid down the ethics/precepts of the Kingdom.
Matthew 18:3-4 we find Jesus here forbidding His disciples from sending the children away from Him, referring them to the way children function as ideal of the Kingdom. Children take words at first value, they believe whatever is said to them. They do not have their own territories or boundaries that must not be crossed unlike adults. Therefore as a child of God, the believer should take what God says at first value, trust Him without any reservations and not set any boundaries for himself. He should not in any way doubt God’s Word.
Another ethic of the Kingdom which Jesus taught in Mark 8:34-35 is denying oneself. That is, letting go of self-interest. The same is talked about in John 12:25. If the focus is on keeping things for self, then they will all be lost. However when we lose our lives to Christ by submitting to His leadership we gain it. Therefore even in the pursuit of our secular activities here on earth people should see/notice the presence of God in us.
In Matthew 20:25-28 Jesus teaches on servanthood. As members of the Kingdom, we serve others irrespective of our positions. The leader should lead by serving the brethren as we learn from the life of Christ on earth.
-by ELEANOR FON