{"id":7022,"date":"2016-06-29T04:00:02","date_gmt":"2016-06-29T04:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/equipmagazine.org\/?p=2364"},"modified":"2023-08-29T11:19:29","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T17:19:29","slug":"kingdom-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baonline.cog7engage.net\/kingdom-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"What Everyday Christians Need to Understand About the Kingdom of God"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Kingdom of God.\u00a0<\/em>It’s a Jesus-phrase that gets a lot of air time in Christian circles, and yet the depth of it often means that we don’t realize the profundity of what we are talking about when these words pass through\u00a0our lips.<\/p>\n

However, as Christians who want to actively influence<\/a> our homes, church, workplaces, and communities for the honor and glory of Christ, understanding what Jesus meant by the Kingdom of God has the power to bring remarkable clarity to how we interact with both other people and our environment.<\/p>\n

Here’s what we need to understand about the Kingdom of God:<\/p>\n

1. We enter the Kingdom when we accept Christ as our King.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As leaders, our ultimate goal is to lead people into the Kingdom<\/em>. But what does that mean?<\/p>\n

The Kingdom of God refers to both the rule<\/em> of God and the realm<\/em> of God.[ref]Pentecost, Thy Kingdom Come (<\/em>Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal Publications, 1995),pp. 12-13[\/ref] Realm refers to the ownership of the world. The world is God\u2019s<\/em> realm. Psalm 89:11 proclaims, \u201cThe heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it\u201d (NIV). It is not<\/em> Satan\u2019s realm. Satan does not own<\/em> creation. God does. This is God\u2019s world.<\/p>\n

The battle between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan occurs in the area of ruling<\/em>. While Satan does not own the realm, he does have the power to rule \u201cin the hearts of the people and in the life of the world\u201d through those whom he rules.[ref]Webber, Ancient-Future Faith (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing, 1999)<\/em>, p. 54[\/ref] When Jesus proclaimed His Kingdom, He was calling people to turn the rule of every area of their lives over to God. He was saying, \u201cThe ruler of the universe has come to rule in your life. Turn away from other demands for ownership of your life. Enter into my reign. Let me rule in the life of the world through my rule in you\u201d.[ref]Ibid[\/ref]<\/p>\n

We enter the Kingdom of God when we renounce the right to rule our own lives and place ourselves under the rule of Jesus instead<\/strong><\/em>, accepting His sacrificial righteousness for a prideful self-righteousness that leads to our own destruction.<\/p>\n

Therefore, to lead someone to the Kingdom is to influence them to the point in which they make the decision to live under Christ’s leadership as a recipient of His sacrifice and righteousness.<\/p>\n

2. The Kingdom is\u00a0a Direct Reflection of the King.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Kingdom is not just a hypothetical dream-world, it is a current reality that we enter into as soon as Christ becomes our King. We aren’t called to just lead people to the gates of the Kingdom but to continue to act as tour guides as we explore the Kingdom together.<\/p>\n

We know that God\u2019s Kingdom is timeless – it predates the creation of the earth and will exist into eternity. We also know that it is universal – that there is no realm outside of God’s authority.[ref]Pentecost, pp. 16-20[\/ref]<\/p>\n

It is important to note that while some of these passages of Scripture refer to God\u2019s present realm and reign, other passages refer to the realm of reign of God\u2019s future<\/em> kingdom. However, regardless of how the word “kingdom” is used, there are 3 underlying themes regarding the Kingdom of God:[ref]Webber, pp. 53-54[\/ref]<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The rule of God in Christ over all areas of life<\/li>\n
  2. The Kingdom is a gift<\/li>\n
  3. Jesus Himself as the embodiment of the Kingdom<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Because God is unchanging, the principles by which He rules \u00a0– and has always ruled and always will rule – are unchanging.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    We can point to how God’s principles\u00a0manifest themselves differently within the context of covenant, but the underlying principles never change. He has universal laws written into His very nature that we can identify\u00a0as theological principles embedded in the story of His interactions with creation.<\/p>\n

    Think about the atmosphere of your bedroom or home. Everything in your little kingdom\u00a0is a reflection of you and your values. The pictures on the wall. The music in the air. The moving pictures that you choose to grace the screen. It all reflects how you choose to rule that space.<\/p>\n

    The same is true for the atmosphere of God’s Kingdom.\u00a0A realm completely under His rule will be marked by characteristics that reflect the laws of His nature and how He has chosen to rule that space.\u00a0The most vivid picture of this is found in the Old Testament\u00a0prophets’ description\u00a0of a future manifestation of the Kingdom in which the influence of Satan is completely bound, including:[ref]Pentecost,\u00a0pp. 335-336[\/ref]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n
      \n
    • Joy<\/li>\n
    • Peace<\/li>\n
    • Glory<\/li>\n
    • Holiness<\/li>\n
    • Comfort<\/li>\n
    • No sorrow<\/li>\n
    • Justice<\/li>\n
    • Knowledge<\/li>\n
    • Instruction<\/li>\n
    • The Holy Spirit poured out<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
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