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Topic: The Kingdom of God Introduction
The concept of a king with a kingdom is hard for Westerners to identify with. Most of
Westerners have never lived under the reign of a king. We are accustomed to a
democratic form of government. But, the story of Scripture is not about the formation of
democracy; it is about the formation of a Kingdom. The theological theme “Kingdom of
God” is central to understanding the whole of Scripture. Graeme Goldsworthy says,
“The idea of the rule of God over creation, over all creatures, over the kingdoms of the
world, and in a unique and special way, over his chosen and redeemed people, is the
very heart of the message of the Hebrew scriptures.”1
This theological brief provides an overview of the biblical/theological theme Kingdom of
God, examines the theme in both the Old Testament and New Testament, and
introduces some of theological issues related to the concept of the Kingdom of God.
1 Graeme Goldsworthy, “Kingdom of God,” New Dictionary of Biblical Theolgoy, ed. T. D. Alexander, Brian
S. Rosner, D. A. Carson, and Graeme Goldsworthy (Downers Grove: InverVarsity Press, 2000), 618. As seen in Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum, Kingdom through Covenant (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 592.
Historical Context
In Old Testament, theology of kingdom centers primary on the word for king – ֶמֶלְך. The
word carries the idea of a civil magistrate; and therefore, it relates to civil authority. Civil
authority in the Old Testament is different than civil authority in the democratic,
Westerner world. Rulers in the ancient world provided leadership, security, control, and
more for those living within their realm. It was assumed that kingly authority was divinely
given. Before the coronation of Saul, Israel did not have a king or civil position quite like
it. Family or tribal leaders held authority. First and Second Samuel provide us with the
introduction to the monarchy in Israel, but this office remained separate from the office
of the priesthood.2 Sadly, when the monarchy was established, Israel’s king and the
nation rejected God as their sovereign King (1 Sam 8:6-7; 10:17-19). The failures of the
kings would only serve as signs for their need of the one true King.
2 ”ֶמֶלְך“ in The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, on Accordance Bible Software, ed. R. Laird
Harris (Version 1.7), n.p.
Biblical and Theological Summary
Old Testament
In the Old Testament, the kingdom of God begins in Eden. In Genesis 1-2, we learn of
the King of creation, who establishes the fundamental components of his kingdom.3
(1) There is a ruler – God is the Creator and Lord of all (Gen 1:1; Rev 19:6). The
story of the world begins with God. Our story begins with God. Though he is
not given the title of King in the first chapters of Genesis, he is introduced as
God and the LORD God in Genesis (1:1; 2:4). The second name given in
Scripture for God – Yahweh Elohim – tells of his redemptive nature, as later
learn in Exodus (see Ex 3; 6:1-12). Thus, from the beginning, we learn that
God is not only the Creator God but also the Redeemer God.4
(2) There is a realm in which the rule takes place. For God, this rule extends
throughout all creation (Ps 103:9). God establishes the heavens and earth in
Genesis, and he maintains his world as the Sustainer of all things. We also
learn that God is not a monarch who rules from a distance. Instead, he is
actively involved in the life of his kingdom.5
3 The New International Dictionary of the Bible, Edited by J. D. Douglas and Merrill C. Tenney (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 568. Also, William D. Barrick, “The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament,” The Master’s Seminary Journal 23/2 (Fall 2012): 176.
4 Craig C. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, The True Story of the Whole World (Grand Rapids: Faith
Alive, 2009), 17-‐18. 5 Ibid., 23.
(3) There is right to rule. God is indeed the Creator, and he has the authority to
rule over his creation. Only God is qualified to act as the King over creation.
(4) There are those subject to this rule. People, as God’s creation, are subject to
him as our King. This is understood in the fact that man’s authority to rule
over the creation is granted to him by God (Gen 1:28-30). Von Rad says,
“God set man in the world as the sign of his own sovereign authority, in order
that man should up and enforce his – God’s – claims as lord.”6 Man is not
autonomous. Man only has the authority given to him by God, and this
authority is meant to model God’s authority over all creation.
Creation establishes God’s kingdom on the earth. But, in Genesis 3, significant changes
came to the presence of this kingdom. The fall of man is essentially the rejection of
God’s rightful rule as King. This act changed the dynamic of the kingdom of God. Death
entered the world, and man became separated from God with no hope of saving
himself. While God remains the ruler of the heavens and the earth, the Scripture begins
to distinguish “between the sovereignty and rule of God over the entire creation and the
coming of his saving reign in the context of a rebellious creation to make all things
right.”7
6 Gerhard Von Rad, The Theology of Israel’s Historical Traditions, Vol 1 of Old Testament Theology, Trans
by D. M. G. Stalker (New York: Harper and Row, 1962), 146. 7 Gentry and Wellum, Kingdom through Covenant, 593. Their emphasis.
The Old Testament has two parallel kingdom oriented themes: the sovereign rule of
God and the authority of God in salvation. The whole Bible tells a story of the victorious
King.8 “If there ever was to be a kingdom of God on the earth once more, then it would
have to come; and in order to come, it would have to be God’s work.”9 Though man was
marred by sin, hope remained alive. Victory is promised through the offspring of the
woman. The serpent and death will be defeated, and God will be triumphant.
In the Song of Moses, we find one of the first references of God’s sovereign reign. This
is the theme of the song - God’s victory. The song begins: “I will sing to the Lord, for he
has triumphed gloriously” (1). Moses and the people refer to God as “a man of war,” or
a warrior. He is not just any god - He is the Lord. They recount the victory God has over
his enemies (4-10). They recognize the holiness of God (11-13). The song also
recounts the reaction of the people who do not belong to the people of God (14-16).
They dare not interfere with the work of the Lord as He brings this to his holy mountain
(17). The nation of Israel is his people—a people who he has “purchased.” And, for
these people, He “will reign forever and ever” (18).
This is one of the first passages in the Pentateuch related to the kingdom of God. The
song portrays that “[God] has now demonstrated that he is king, he is now reigning, and
he will go on reigning forever.”10 This song follows the crossing of the Red Sea, a
miracle of God’s preservation of his covenant people. God’s defeat over the Egyptian
gods reminds the reader that “Because [God] is king, other kings (Egyptian or
8 Thomas Schreiner, The King in His Beauty (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013), 427. 9 J. Mark Beach, “The Kingdom of God: A Brief Exposition of Its Meanings and Implications,” Mid-‐America
Journal of Theology 23 (2012): 58. 10 John Durham, Exodus, Word Biblical Commentary (Waco, TX: Word, 1987), 201-‐2. As seen in
Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 78.
Canaanite) tremble.”11 This passage reflects not only the sovereign reign of God but
also the salvific reign of God. It tells of God’s magnificent power in conquering his
enemies. Only the God of Israel has power of creation like what was displayed in the
plagues. God’s saving work is also on display when he rescues Israel from Egypt. This
foreshadows his work for us on the cross, the place where God makes atonement for
our sins and sets us free from sin and death.
As the kingdom of God develops throughout the Old Testament, it points to the offspring
of the woman who is to be victorious over the serpent. Peter Gentry and Stephen
Wellum argue that the development is best developed and understood through
covenants.12 First, man was created in a covenantal relationship to rule the earth on
God’s behalf. Second, in light of man’s failure, God established covenantal relationship
with a particular people to restore and redeem his creation.
A. Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 12:1-3): God elects a particular people to be his
kingdom people, and through them, he blesses the entire earth.
B. Mosaic covenant (Ex. 19-20): God establishes a means for his people to
express that they are kingdom people externally and to tutor them to live as
kingdom people in their heart.
C. Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7): God promises a king for his people who lives
under his rule and reign.
11 Wright, Old Testament Ethics, 190. 12 Gentry and Wellum, Kingdom through Covenant, 594-‐95.
D. New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34): God solidifies his covenantal relationship with
his people and thus, his reign and rule within them.
God sends numerous individuals – prophets, priests, and kings – to point man to God’s
salvation. Prophets announce judgment on mankind and offer the hope of salvation by
pointing them to the true King – the God of Israel. Priests serve as mediators between
God and man, but they can never fully accomplish what God requires. The kings are
meant to serve as models of God’s kingship, but fail to carry this out – even David, who
is a man after God’s own heart. These three groups, especially the prophets, await the
coming Messiah, the God and Lord over all creation. Their failure to accomplish
salvation and the implications of the covenants lead us to the Messiah, who was first
mentioned in Genesis 3:15. He is the one who will save the people from their sin. He is
the one who enacts salvation for his people, his kingdom.
Another important concept of the kingdom of God in the Old Testament relates to Israel
and the land. The people of Israel were God’s covenant people, and living in the land
was a sign of participation in the covenant relationship. The land was life; it was a gift
from God that was used for sustaining his people. The land is also a lifestyle, as it
meant there were certain requirements and responsibilities for those participating in the
covenant relationship. “The land, in short, for an Israelite meant security, inclusion,
blessing, sharing and practical responsibility.”13 Being a part of this kingdom centered
on fellowship with God, which involved social and economic components. However, this
13 Christopher J. H. Wright, Old Testament Ethics for the People of God (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,
2004), 190.
would transform by the coming of Christ – the focus would shift to being united in
Christ.14
New Testament
The kingdom of God as a theme in Scripture develops further in the New Testament,
especially the Gospels. Some of the most important passages related to the kingdom of
God are found in Matthew’s gospel. The kingdom of God is first referred to in Matthew
3:2; in preparing the way for the Messiah, John the Baptist says, “‘Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Some have argued that the kingdom of heaven is not
equivalent or synonymous with the kingdom of God, other scholars have shown that
except for a few occasions, Matthew uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” to refer to
“kingdom of God.” 15 D. A. Carson points out that Matthew’s diction may reflect a desire
to avoid offending Jews “who often used circumlocutions like ‘heaven’ to refer to God.”16
Thus, “kingdom of heaven” should be considered as synonymous to be a reference to
the kingdom of God in most instances.17
14 Wright, Old Testament Ethics, 189-‐97. 15 Ibid., 595-‐6. See footnote 6. Cf. D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol 8
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984), 100. 16 Carson, “Matthew,” 100. Cf. Morris, The Gospel according to Matthew, 53.
17 Also, compare Mt 19:23-‐24 with Mk 10:23-‐25. Cf. Schreiner, The King in His Beauty, 441. One should also recognize that John regularly uses “life” in place of “kingdom” in his gospel. See Andreas Köstenberger, A Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009), 286. See also, Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” is synonymous with the “kingdom of God”—“heaven” being a Jewish circumlocution for “God” (see Stein, “Kingdom of God,” 451; and C.C. Caragounis, “Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven,” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, ed. by Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, and I. Howard Marshall [Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1992], 417).
The phrase “at hand” in 3:2 implies that the kingdom is near or making an arrival. In
essence, Matthew is telling his audience that the kingdom of heaven, which comes from
above, is entering the earthly realm in a unique way. A similar verb occurs in Matthew
12:28, where Jesus unambiguously shows that the kingdom of God “has come.” So,
Carson concludes, “The kingdom came with Jesus and his preaching and miracles, it
came with his death and resurrection, and it will come at the end of the age.”18 In
recognizing that the kingdom comes with Jesus the Messiah, the Scripture also teaches
that the kingdom of God is future. “The kingdom is inaugurated without being
consummated.”19 The future kingdom will involve Christ coming again for his people to
bring them into the place prepared for them (Mt 25:31, 34; cf. 26:29).
In fact, Leon Morris says, “‘the kingdom’ is the most important topic in Jesus’
teaching.”20 At the beginning, we must recognize the teachings on the kingdom of God
are based upon and coincide with the teachings of the Old Testament. Therefore, the
New Testament meaning of the kingdom of God involves both God’s sovereign rule and
reign and God’s salvific reign.21 In reading the Gospels, the authors proclaim that the
kingdom of God has come in Christ. Matthew starts his gospel by showing that Jesus is
of the line of David, the line from which the Messiah would come (Matt 1:1; Isa 11:1).
Jesus’ name alone reveals that he has kingly authority, for the Scripture says, “he will
save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21). In a similar way, Luke begins his gospel
with showing the Jesus’ kingdom is rooted in the Davidic Covenant, that Jesus is the
18 Ibid., 101. 19 Schreiner, The King in His Beauty, 443.
20 Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1992), 52-‐53. 21 Gentry and Wellum, Kingdom through Covenant, 595.
Son of God, that Jesus is the Christ, and that Jesus’ mission relates to Jerusalem, that
Jesus’ mission relates to the temple, that Jesus restores the twelve tribes of Israel and
the kingdom of David, that Jesus’ rules over all, and that Jesus reign is unending.22
Jesus’ message consisted of a declaration that the time had been fulfilled and the
kingdom of God had come near (Matt 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; Mark 1:15). He called for his
listeners to respond by repenting and believing.
Jesus is presented in the Gospels as the Messiah—the anointed Davidic King. When he
arrives, the kingdom come with him. This reality is proclaimed when he is anointed by
the Spirit (as Messianic King) at his baptism and declared by God as his beloved Son
(Matt 3:16-17; cf. 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7). He affirms it when he tells his enemies that they
will see him sitting at the right hand of God and coming with the clouds of heaven (Mark
14:62; cf. Dan 7:13).
Jesus himself is equated with the kingdom of God. He tells his followers they will inherit
eternal life for sacrificing “for the sake of the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:29). In
Matthew’s account, the sacrifice of the disciples is made in Jesus’ name (Matt 19:29). In
another occasion, Jesus answer the question about when the kingdom would come by
saying the kingdom was standing before them (Luke 17:21).
The power of the kingdom is demonstrated in the ministry of Jesus. He proclaims the
kingdom by his miraculous works: healings and exorcisms (Matt 4:23; 9:35; Luke 10:9).
“If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God,” Jesus says, “then the kingdom of God has
come upon you” (Matt 12:28).
22 Scott W. Hahn, Kinship by Covenant: A Canonical Approach to the Fulfillment of God’s Saving Promises
(New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009), 218-‐19. As seen in Schreiner, The King in His Beauty, 474-‐75.
However, Jesus never declares the final form of the kingdom has arrived. He teaches
his disciples to pray for the coming of the kingdom (Matt 6:10). And, entering the
kingdom is often referred to as a future event (e.g., Matt 8:11; Luke 13:28-29; 22:29-30).
A final day in history awaits in which the righteous will be welcomed and the wicked will
be shut out of the kingdom (Matt 7:21-23; 25:31ff.).23
The New Testament makes this clear for us in a number of passages. To begin, we
know that the members of the kingdom have been saved from their sin, as that is why
Jesus came (Mt 1:21). Many will call on the Lord, but not all will enter the kingdom, for
not all will truly believe (Mt 7:21). In addition to this, the Gospels tells us that those in
this kingdom will endure to the end (Mt 10:22), will acknowledge him before men (Mt
10:32), will carry their cross and follow him (Mk 8:34-36), and will come to him (Jn 6:37;
7:37). While this is not an exhaustive list, all of these examples describe characteristics
of those who have been adopted into the family of God; they are subjects in his
kingdom.
23 The demons, responding to Jesus’ activity during his ministry and knowing that a time of judgment for
them looms in the future, shout to him, “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matt 8:29). This consummation of the kingdom lies “on that day” (Matt 7:21), at “the end of the age” (Matt 13:49), and in “the age to come” (Mark 10:30).
Theological Frame
Eschatology and the Kingdom of God Among many biblical scholars in the nineteenth century, the hope of Jesus’ imminent
return had died out. In Germany, scholars like Albrecht Ritschl (1822-1889) and Adolf
Harnack (1851-1930) developed what is not called “realized eschatology.” This term
referred to the belief that the kingdom of God has already come fully. Jesus’ teaching
was interpreted and applied in terms of what one can do to further the kingdom of God
on earth. This view gave way to the development of the Social Gospel. Its development
is largely attributed to Walter Raushenbusch (1861-1918).
These views did not go untested or opposed. Johannes Weiss (1863-1914) challenged
his father-in-law (Ritschl), and argued that Jesus preached apocalyptic and
eschatological kingdom of God. Weiss argued that God’s kingdom would not be built by
human hands but by an act of God to overturn present order of the world and defeat the
kingdom of Satan. Weiss was followed by Albert Schweitzer, who argued that Jesus
believed that kingdom of God was so near that he was willing to face death.
Schweitzer’s deficient Christology led him to affirm that Jesus was wrong, and therefore,
his disciples had to rescue his movement. Weiss and Schweitzer took the futuristic
perspective of the kingdom too far.
George E. Ladd represents the move towards a mediating position. He helps develop a
both/and approach to understanding the kingdom. The kingdom is essentially realized in
the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but the full realization of kingdom has a future
dimension. Its realization will not be complete until Jesus returns at his second coming.
That God’s reign has both an “already” and “not yet” aspect is not contradictory. His
reign is revealed among all men through the person and work of Christ, and is
experienced by people as they respond to his call to turn from their sin and live under
the reign and rule of his Son.24 The reign of God in Christ over all things will not be
finally accomplished until Jesus returns. This reality is pictured in a number of Jesus’
parables. The parables of the sower, the weeds and wheat, the mustard seed, and the
leaven picture the kingdom supernaturally coming and bringing people under its rule.
Beginning in a small and insignificant way through the preaching and hearing of “the
word of the kingdom,” the kingdom’s presence grows, gathering more and more of
humanity. But the sons of the kingdom are in the world alongside the sons of the evil
one. The people of God’s kingdom will have to wait until the end of the age for the two
groups be separated. The separation comes through eschatological judgment (Matt
13:1- 43).
Chris Cowan summarizes this nicely. He says,
As the foregoing discussion has shown, the Gospels testify that the kingdom’s coming is directly tied to Christology. In his person, ministry, death, and resurrection, Jesus has brought the long promised eschatological rule of God (and all the promises that go with it) into the present. But, the ultimate fulfillment awaits his return. In that day, the reign of God will coincide with the realm of the kingdom. The entire created order will be redeemed and subdued to Christ. The remainder of the NT continues and furthers this ‘already/not yet’ perspective.25
24 “This inauguration of the kingdom is intimately tied to God’s once and for all dealing with man’s sin and providing salvation through Christ. In order for people to enter the kingdom, they must be born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:5). While the term ‘kingdom of God’ is not found often in John’s Gospel, the concept is present there in Jesus’ repeated references to ‘eternal life.’ To ‘enter life’ and ‘inherit eternal life’ are used as synonyms for entering the kingdom in the Synoptics (see Mark 9:43, 47; Mark 10:17, 23).” Quoted from Chris Cowan, http://cdn1.russellmoore.com/documents/russellmoore/kingdom-‐of-‐god.pdf, pg. 8—9. See also, Bertold Klappert, “King/Kingdom,” in The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, ed. and trans. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978), 387-‐88.
25 Cowan, http://cdn1.russellmoore.com/documents/russellmoore/kingdom-‐of-‐god.pdf, pg. 9.
The church is a part of the kingdom of God. She is the bride of Christ. The church
provides us with a picture of the diversity and unity within God’s kingdom. Allison says
that the church “is the community of citizens of the kingdom of God.”26 This community
is also responsible for leading people to join of the kingdom of God (Mayt 16:19; 28:19-
20). The church has the responsibility to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. The
long expected King has come. He lived the life we should have lived and died the death
we should have died. He has risen, conquering death to give life to those who repent
and believe in him. It must be remembered that Jesus came with the anointing of the
Spirit, only then to send the Spirit when he departed (Luke 3:21-22; Acts 1:6-8). Thus,
the coming of the Spirit in Acts enables the disciples to carry out the mission of the
church. Calvin wrote, “It therefore remains for us to understand that the way to the
Kingdom of God is open to him whose mind has been made new by the illumination of
the Holy Spirit.”27 The kingdom expands through the Spirit.
Gregg Allison summarizes the kingdom of God with five themes:
(1) The universal rule and complete reign of the sovereign king over everything,
(2) The people of Israel that God chose to be his chosen people,
(3) An anticipated future kingdom of the Davidic king and the Son of Man,
(4) An inaugurated reality, fulfilled “already” in Jesus Christ’s life, death, and
resurrection, and
(5) A hope for the “not yet” aspects of the kingdom reality to be completed at the
second coming of Jesus.
26 Gregg Allison, “The Kingdom and the Church,” in The Kingdom of God, ed Christopher W. Morgan and
Robert A. Peterson (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 188. 27 John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Vol 1, ed by John T. McNeill, trans by Ford Lewis
Battles (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), 2.2.20.
One’s understanding of the kingdom and how they related to it is shaped by these five
themes. What one discovers at the heart of these themes is that the kingdom relates to
God’s unfolding plan in redemptive history. There are two aspects of God’s kingdom:
reign and sphere. The reign is absolute, but after the Fall of humanity, the sphere of
God’s reign must be redeemed. While the kingdom proclaims God’s rule over all things
(creation, kingdoms of man, etc.), because of the need of redemption, there’s
eschatological aspect of the kingdom: inauguration and consummation. See below how
G. Ladd and Charles Van Engen say it:
[I]f the kingdom of God is primarily God’s kingly rule, and secondarily the spiritual sphere of his rule, there can be no objection to the recognition that the church is the organ of the Kingdom as it works in the world. (Ladd, Presence of the Future, 269).
[M]issionary congregation are called to spread throughout the world the knowledge of the rule of the King. (Charles Van Engen, God’s Missionary People, 111)
The Church and the Kingdom of God Two Kingdoms: For the Two Kingdoms position, the distinction between the two ages points to a
distinction between institutions in current age—between the church and civil institutions.
The Two Kingdoms positions argues that Christ governs and expands his kingdom
through the ministry of the word by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the creational
institution of government is governed by natural law.
For Martin Luther, the Two Kingdoms doctrine confronted the practice of the Catholic
church that grants to the papacy power both spiritual and temporal realms. The Catholic
"two swords" doctrine taught that the pope delegates the "temporal sword" to the
magistrate on the condition that the magistrate exercises it obediently to the pope. This
practiced caused many problems. One problem that arose is that the magistrates
asserted power to over the gospel since they served under the pope. And the Church
wrongly used the sword in ecclesial conflicts. Matthew Tuininga describes the
development of this doctrine among the reformers. He says,
Although the two kingdoms doctrine is often associated with Lutheranism, it actually played a crucial role in Calvin's thought as well. In addition to the basic Lutheran two kingdoms doctrine, which Calvin articulated in the 1536 edition of the Institutes, Calvin gradually articulated an understanding of the spiritual government of the church in distinction from the political government of this world. For Calvin, in contrast to both Luther and the Zwinglian branch of the Reformation, the church was to have its own pastors and elders who practiced church discipline ministerially and organized the basic elements of worship according to the word of Christ. In addition to the pastors and elders, Calvin argued for deacons who, in a spiritual manner distinct from that of civil government, cared for the needs of the poor. Calvin, like Luther before him, tended to use the two kingdoms doctrine to demonstrate why the Anabaptists were wrong in their insistence that Christians should never bear the sword. He also tried to show that those who thought Christianity overthrows the economic,
social, or political structures of this age were misguided.28
Highlight the distinction between the civil kingdom and Christ's kingdom:29
A. Definitions:
Christ’s Kingdom: a spiritual kingdom and is ruled by Christ in his mediatorial office, in and through the historical manifestation of the covenant of grace (the church)
Civil Kingdom: human government (the state) and Christ's rule over the earth and its creatures (the kingdom of power), according to God’s divine purpose for humanity (his eternal decree)
B. Characteristics of each kingdom:
Christ's Kingdom:
(1) The charter of Christ’s kingdom is the “Great Commission” (cf. Matthew 28:16-20)
(2) The church is given the keys of the kingdom (Matthew 16:19). The kingdom is closed to the unrepentant and heretics through church discipline
(3) Requires “spiritual discernment” (1 Corinthians 1:13 ff; 2:14) (4) Christ’s kingdom is manifest on earth through the ordinary means of
grace and through those biblically mandated activities of the church (i.e., evangelism, discipleship, and diaconal ministries)
(5) The focus is upon our heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:20-21)–which is realized in our membership in Christ’s church. The church is the assembly of Christian believers
(6) Entrance is granted into this kingdom only by virtue of regeneration. The focus is upon redemptive grace–God saving his people from the guilt and power of sin
(7) As citizens of Christ’s kingdom, we live under the authority of Christ as
28 See http://www.reformation21.org/articles/the-‐two-‐kingdoms-‐doctrine-‐whats-‐the-‐fuss-‐all-‐about-‐part-‐
one.php. 29 This information is adapted from http://kimriddlebarger.squarespace.com/the-‐latest-‐post/2010/9/2/a-‐
two-‐kingdoms-‐primer.html
revealed in Scripture (special revelation)
The Civil Kingdom:
(1) The foundation of the civil kingdom is the “Cultural Mandate” (Genesis 1:28; Genesis 9:6-7)
(2) The state is given the sword (Romans 13:4). Those who break the law are subject to civil and criminal justice
(3) Requires the light of nature (i.e., general revelation-- Romans 2:14-15) (4) The civil kingdom is manifest in all human cultural endeavors and
governing institutions. In the civil kingdom, Christian citizens seek to be salt and light as they fulfill their callings and vocations along with their non-Christian neighbors
(5) The focus is upon our national citizenship (i.e., the country of our birth, or of which we are presently citizens). As such, this kingdom includes all people (Christians and non-Christians alike) who are citizens of a given nation/society
(6) Entrance into the civil kingdom is granted by virtue of birth (or naturalization). The focus here is upon common grace–God providing for all of his creatures
(7) In the civil kingdom, we live under the authority of the laws of the land (i.e., general revelation and natural law)
The Two Kingdoms position argues that there significant consequences with confusing
the Kingdom of Christ and the Civil Kingdom. First, conflating the two leads to “social
gospel,” American civil religion, and aspiration for Christendom. Second, when
Christian’s citizenship to the state is denied, it leads to asceticism, pietism, and radical
pacifism. Kim Riddlebarger concludes:
Therefore, a Christian is free to work with non-Christians in the civil kingdom to promote the common good and preserve a just society. But the kingdom of Christ is tied to word and sacrament and the church (and its officers and members) must speak to the pressing moral issues of the day in terms of law and gospel, not in terms of the political activism found in the civil kingdom. Yes, the church must address moral issues as they are found and framed in Scripture (through the preaching and catechetical function of the church), but the church is not to
engage in partisan politics, nor endorse any political party or candidate.30
Church as a kingdom outpost:
In this view, the kingdom is not viewed spatially not institutionally. It viewed as the
dynamic, active rule of God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Herman Bavinck
argues that the kingdom cannot be defined only by the presence of kingdom people. It
is rather a whole composite of spiritual goods and blessings.31
The gospel in this approach is the good news of the kingdom. The church is the central
locus of the rule of the King. Charles Van Engen says, “The community of the King,
then, is to model before the world all for which the kingdom of God stands.”32 (113)
Oscar Cullmann illustrated the rule of Christ with two concentric circles. The inner circle
(R1) represents the church, while the outer circle (R2) represents Christ’s rule over all
things—thing seen and not seen.
Each circle represents the dynamic, active rule of the King. But, the circles represent
and manifest the kingdom in different ways. The outer circle represents Jesus’ reign
over all things. The inner circle (the church) functions as a sign of Christ’s reign. The
church as a sign is more than a mere sign; the church is also an instrument of kingdom
advancement. The church’s mission is to spread the knowledge of Jesus’ reign of to
outer circle.33 Charles Van Engen explains,
30 http://kimriddlebarger.squarespace.com/the-‐latest-‐post/2010/9/2/a-‐two-‐kingdoms-‐primer.html
31 Herman Bavinck, Our Reasonable Faith (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1986), 527. 32 Charles Van Engen, God’s Missionary People (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991), 113.
There is a sense, therefore, in which all we have written thus far to describe the church does not point to a reality in the church as such, but rather to the kingdom of God. The church stands for something more fundamental, more perfect, and more pervasive than itself. . . . Because the kingdom is more inclusive, more extensive, more perfect, and more comprehensive than the church, the Church must be understood as the servant of the kingdom.34
33 Van Engen, God’s Missionary People, 111-‐112. 34 Ibid., 113.
Practical Application
From this brief study, we have seen that the kingdom of God is both his
sovereign rule and reign over all creation and his salvific rule. The kingdom was
established in creation. Though sin entered the world, God continued to rule his
kingdom, and he introduced a way to bring people under his rule – salvation. God’s
promise of salvation was met in the God-man Jesus Christ, who ushered in the
kingdom. To participate in this kingdom, you must repent and believe the good news
about Jesus Christ. Both those in the Old and New Testaments participated in this
through faith. While the kingdom is present among us, the kingdom is also future. It will
be consummated at the return of the King for his bride. With this in mind, there are a
number of questions that are helpful in applying the kingdom of God to our lives. First,
have you surrendered to Jesus as your King and Lord? This question is more important
than any question that you can ever answer. All of us will stand before God and will give
an account for what we have done or for what Christ has done on our behalf. Second,
are you inviting others to be a part of God’s kingdom? Jesus’ mission while on earth and
the mission he left his followers was to make know that sinners can be forgiven of their
sins and be reconciled to God through him. Third, are you living in light of the kingdom
already having arrived? Jesus has come, has died, and has risen again. This should fill
us with great joy, knowing that our enemies are already defeated! Fourth, are you
anticipating the return of the King and the consummation of his kingdom? This world is
not our home, so we should live with eager expectation of being reunited with our King.
All of creation will be restored and made new, and we will dwell in the brightness of the
glory of God in the new heavens and the new earth.
Illustration
A. In attempt to help you with further understand the kingdom of God, you will find a list
of parables from Matthew’s gospel. With each of these, you will find a brief description
of how each of these relates to the kingdom of God.
- The parable of the sower (Mt 13:1-23) – Knowing and seeing the secrets of
the kingdom of heaven are gifts.
- The parable of the weeds (Mt 13:24-30, 36-43) – The good news of the
kingdom of God will spread.
- The parable of the mustard seed (Mt 13:31-32) – While the kingdom may start
small, it will grow to unimaginable heights.
- The parable of the leaven (Mt 13:33) – The kingdom of heaven may spread
slowly, but it will be effective.
- The parable of the hidden treasure (Mt 13:44) – The kingdom and its benefits
are worth giving up everything to have it
- The parable of the pearl (Mt 13:45-46) – There is nothing of greater value
than the kingdom of God.
- The parable of the net (Mt 13:47-50) – While many may appear to be a part of
the kingdom of God, only those truly in the kingdom will be saved.
- The parable of the master of the house (Mt 13:51-52) – The kingdom of
heaven will involve new and old converts
- The parable of the unforgiving servant (Mt 18:23-35) – The kingdom requires
that you forgive others as God has forgiven you.
- The parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Mt 20: 1-16) – In the kingdom of
God, God extends grace and rewards as he so chooses.
-
- The parable of the two sons (Mt 21:28-32) – To return to the kingdom of God,
one must repent and believe the good news of Jesus.
- The parable of the wicked tenants (Mt 21:33-45) – The kingdom of God will
extend to those outside of ethnic Israel.
- The parable of the wedding feast (Mt 22:1-14) – People are warned for not
responding to the invitation to God’s kingdom.
- The parable of the ten virgins (Mt 25:1-13) – There are numerous ways in
which we can fail to respond to God’s kingdom, and we do not know the day
or the hour when the King will return.
- The parable of the talents (Mt 25:14-30) – We should live obediently until the
return of the King.35
B. Oscar Cullmann in his classic book, Christ and Time, shows us that this structure is
not optional for understanding and retaining the biblical message. Illustrating the
meaning of Jesus' coming, Cullmann uses his classic example of the World War II
distinction between “D-Day” and “V-Day.” When the allies established the Normandy
beachhead on “D-Day,” the war in Europe was really won. Yet, “V-Day” remained in the
future and the battle went on. Likewise, when Jesus came as God's Messiah
(Deliverer), it was “D-Day,” the beachhead of God's kingdom was secured. It literally
broke in upon us as the future became present. Nevertheless, we await its final
consummation. When Jesus returns it will be “V-Day.” The Christian life is then lived in
this tension between the kingdom come and coming.
35 This list is taken and summarized from Robert W. Yarborough, “The Kingdom of God in the New
Testament: Matthew and Revelation,” in The Kingdom of God, ed Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 115-‐19.
C. Ed Stetzer illustrates the church’s role as an outpost of the kingdom with the story of
east Tennesseans role in the Civil War. While middle and west Tennessee sided with
the confederacy, east Tennessee did not. Surrounded by confederate territories, east
Tennessee sided with the Union army. Right after middle and west Tennessee seceded
from the Union, east Tennessee seceded from Tennessee. West and middle
Tennessee were part of a rebellion, and the eastern side of the state effectively became
rebels against the rebels. That is the church. While the rest of the world has rebelled
against God’s reign and rule, the church rebels against the world as they embrace his
reign and rule.
Quotes
Augustine:
“These we also mystically call the two cities, or the two communities of men, of which
one is predestined to reign eternally with God, and the other to suffer eternal
punishment with the devil.”36
Luther :
Here we must divide the children of Adam and all mankind into two classes, the first
belonging to the kingdom of God, the second to the kingdom of the world. Those who
belong to the kingdom of God are all true believers who are in Christ and under Christ,
for Christ is King and Lords in the kingdom of God, as Psalm 2[:6] and all of Scripture
says. For this reason he came into the world, that he might begin God's kingdom and
establish it in the world. Therefore, he says before Pilate, "My kingdom is not of the
world, but every one who is of the truth hears my voice" [John 18:36-37]. In the gospel
he continually refers to the kingdom of God, and says, "Amend your ways, the kingdom
of God and his righteousness" [Matt. 4:17, 10:7]; again, “Seek first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness” [Matt. 6:33]. He also calls the gospel a gospel of the kingdom of
God; because it teaches, governs, and upholds God's kingdom.37
John Wesley:
And this ‘kingdom of God,’ or of heaven, ‘is at hand.’ As these words were originally
spoken, they implied that ‘the time’ was then fulfilled, God being ‘made manifest in the
36 Augustine, The City of God, trans. Marcus Dods (New York: Modern Library, 1993), 473 (bk. 15, ch.1). As
seen in Stephen J. Nichols, “The Kingdoms of God: The Kingdom in Historical and Contemporary Perspectives,” in The Kingdom of God, ed Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 35.
37 Martin Luther, “Temporal Authority: To What Extent It Should Be Obeyed (1523)” in Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings, 3rd ed, ed by Timothy F. Lull and William R. Russell (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2012), 432.
flesh,’ when he would set up his kingdom among men, and reign in the hearts of his
people. And is not the time now fulfilled? For, ‘Lo! (saith he,) I am with you always,’ you
who preach remission of sins in my name, ‘even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.
28:20.) Wheresoever, therefore, the gospel of Christ is preached, this his ‘kingdom is
nigh at hand.’ It is not far from every one of you. Ye may this hour enter thereinto, if so
be ye hearken to his voice, ‘Repent ye, and believe the gospel.’38
Jonathan Edwards:
The week before last, on Thursday, David died; whom you knew and used to play with,
and who used to live at our house. His soul is gone into the eternal world. Whether he
was prepared for death, we don't know. This is a loud call of God to you to prepare for
death. You see that they that are young die, as well as those that are old: David was not
very much older than you. Remember what Christ has said, that you must be born
again, or you never can see the kingdom of God. Never give yourself any rest, unless
you have good evidence that you are converted and become a new creature. We hope
that God will preserve your life and health, and return you to Stockbridge again in
safety; but always remember that life is uncertain: you know not how soon you must die,
and therefore had need to be always ready.39
38 John Wesley, “The Way to the Kingdom,” n.p. [cited 3 January 2014]. Online:
http://www.umcmission.org/Find-‐Resources/John-‐Wesley-‐Sermons/Sermon-‐7-‐The-‐Way-‐to-‐the-‐Kingdom. 39 Jonathan Edwards, “204. To Jonathan Edwards, Jr,” Letters and Personal Writings, in The Works of
Jonathan Edwards, Vol 16 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998), 667.
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