Can you define the “Kingdom of God”? Part 2

Defining the “Kingdom of God”… 

Although I believe in the importance and relevancy of the kingdom, I can tell you there is no definition of the kingdom found in the Gospels.  There are descriptions but no definitions.  I found the reasoning for this in this passage, “Our Lord’s teaching is not clothed in the forms of an abstract presentation of truth. His method is not the philosophical one of framing conceptions, but the parabolic one of illustrating the realities of the spiritual world in their various manifestations and embodiments.  Hence we never find Him defining, but always describing the kingdom. He handles it throughout as a complex reality of which now one side, then another, is turned toward His disciples that the light of revelation may be concentrated upon it. On the other hand, it is easy to perceive that in the midst of the multiformity of concrete statements resulting from this method, a certain order and system are not entirely lacking. Our Lord’s descriptions never lose themselves in the single details, nor do they indiscriminately throw together what is fundamental and what is secondary. Notwithstanding the great variety of illustration, there are certain aspects which constantly recur, which by the prominence they receive force us to recognize in them fundamental aspects of the kingdom, and which for this very reason may be expected to give us the answer to our question, why the complex organism to which they belong is called the kingdom of God.”

Take a look at the closing words of the Lord’s prayer:

“Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” The kingdom is totally centered in and around God Himself and His glory and the Lord indicates that it should be the objective for us to obtain.  As a disciple we are to seek first the kingdom of the heavenly Father and His righteousness.  We are to turn from the pagan frame of mind and not seek after the things of this world.

“One other thought brought out is that our Lord’s teaching shows us that the new order of things is called a kingdom because it is the sphere in which God manifests His supreme, royal power.”[1]  The kingdom of God is a kingdom of conquest.  The kingdom of Satan must be conquered and the kingdom of God must reign supreme.  Involved in this battle between the kingdoms is the fact that humans as created by God have been given the ability to choose and often rebel and refuse to acknowledge God as King, and evil kingdoms rise up to oppose God’s Kingdom.   The king is also the judge and so we as disciples must constantly strive after righteousness.  This is confirmed by Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”  What we see here is that the standard for which we strive is the righteousness of God himself. (Which of course we can never fully attain.)  God alone reigns supreme in His own Holiness.  Another reason for the naming of the kingdom of God is that all blessings come from the kingdom.  The king bestows his blessing and gifts to all his subjects.  All this thought and information around the designation of “The Kingdom of God” rests completely on the concept of the Devine rule exercised and carried out through the work of salvation.

“The hope that Scripture presents from cover to cover is that this disparity between the heavenly throne room and earth will be eliminated one day (1 Chr 16:31). God will judge the wicked and bring redeemed humanity into a new creation (Isa 65; Zech 14). When this transformation takes place, only God’s kingdom will stand and voluntary obedience to him will extend to the ends of the earth as it does in heaven (1 Chr 16:31; Ps 97:1-2).  The New Testament teaches that this final worldwide stage of the kingdom of God began with the incarnation of Christ. He and John the Baptist announced the good news that the Kingdom was at hand (Matt 3:2; 4:17; Mark 1:15). But contrary to common Jewish expectations, Jesus and his apostles explained that the worldwide reign of God on earth would not come immediately in all of its fullness. Instead, Christ inaugurated this final stage of the kingdom in his earthly ministry (Matt 2:2; 4:23; 9:35; 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 16:16; 23:3; John 18:37). It continues today in the church (Matt 24:14; Rom 14:16-17; 1 Cor 4:19-20; Col 4:11), but it will reach its ultimate end when Christ returns in glory (1 Cor 15:50-58; Rev 11:5). When that day finally comes, the will of God will be done throughout the earth just as it is done in heaven.”[2]

In conclusion it brings me to the thoughts of when I came into the kingdom.  I was very young and didn’t know much as I sat during a fire and brimstone sermon one hot August night.  I was made aware of this battle between the evil kingdom and the kingdom of God.  I got the description that was necessary.  I decided then and there I wanted to be in the kingdom of God.  By my faith in Jesus Christ I am saved from the wrath of God and the gates of hell.  I look forward to someday being able to clearly define the “Kingdom of God” and/or the “Kingdom of Heaven”.

God Bless you all and I hope to see you in the kingdom.  The Kingdom of God,

“The Tubthumper”