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Featured Can someone define the gospel of the kingdom?

Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by Bob Hope, Feb 28, 2016.

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  1. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    In Matthew it says that Christ taught the gospel of the kingdom, can you define it?
     
    #1 Bob Hope, Feb 28, 2016
  2. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul all preached "the gospel of the Kingdom of God."

    Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven are interchangeable terms. Matthew, writing primarily to 1st century Jews, recognizes the Jewish custom of having such a reverence for the Name of God that they will not say or write that name. Hence the amalgamation of the word "Jehovah." The Jews would not pronounce "Yahway" so they took the consonants YHWH and added to them the vowels from the other Hebrew word for Lord, Adonai. Thus we have YaHoWaH, or Jehovah. In the same manner they would substitute the word "heaven" for the word "God" and thus we have Matthew using the term "Kingdom of Heaven" when the other gospel accounts use the term "Kingdom of God" in referring to the same event.

    The term kingdom of heaven is introduced to us by John the Baptist without any explanation. But it was not a new concept for the Jews. Daniel declared that the God of heaven would set up a Kingdom that would never be destroyed and that it would be that of the Son of man who would come with clouds of heaven and would exercise an "everlasting dominion."

    Through the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom, Jesus of Nazareth was introduced as the Lord of heaven. One cannot be faithful to a kingdom without acknowledging its rightful king. The clear requirement is that those who claim the promise of the Kingdom must do so in the name of Jesus.

    Because the doctrine of the Kingdom of God is an extension of the sovereignty of God, it is necessarily tied to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Lord means master or ruler; it is a common title for nobles and royalty. A sovereign is necessarily a king, a lord.

    The blessing of the Kingdom of God is not one channeled through any political entity, Jewish or otherwise, as was the Old Covenant. The Kingdom belongs to God, not to any group of men, or earthly nation. Citizenship belongs to a new entity, the body of Christ, all those who are united to Him in faith in His conquest of sin and death and who look to His lordship over heaven and earth. The Kingdom of God is about God and His Son to whom has been given "all power ... in heaven and in earth."

    There is no denying that many references to the Kingdom are in the future. It is described as existing at the end of the world and after the final judgment. The angelic messenger told Mary it would have "no end" and the Epistles refer to it as "an everlasting kingdom" that is "for ever and ever."

    So it is important to be discerning regarding the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Millennial Kingdom, with Christ on the Throne of David, ruling the world with a scepter of Iron, is a yet future Kingdom. But the earnest of that yet future Kingdom is already here as Christ rules and reigns in the hearts of His people. The Kingdom is present in the Person of the King ruling and reigning in our hearts.

    So the Gospel we believe and trust in for our Salvation is both a Kingdom now, in the person of the King ruling in our hearts, and yet future, with the establishment of His Kingdom here on Earth when "thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." We get, literally, the best of both worlds. :)
     
    #2 TCassidy, Feb 28, 2016
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  3. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    Christ did not say much about His crucifixion until it got much closer. Most people today say the gospel is the story of the death and resurrection of Christ. If Christ and John were teaching this gospel of the kingdom, what was the message?
     
    #3 Bob Hope, Feb 28, 2016
  4. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    I just took several paragraphs to tell you!
     
    #4 TCassidy, Feb 28, 2016
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  5. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    Can you understand the parables?

    10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
    11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
    24 Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto....
    31 Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto...
    33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto....
    44     The kingdom of heaven is like unto...
    45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto...
    47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto ...
    52 And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto... Mt 13
    23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto.... Mt 18
    2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto.... Mt 22
    1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto.... Mt 25
     
    #5 kyredneck, Feb 28, 2016
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  6. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    The parables are easy to understand.
     
    #6 Bob Hope, Feb 28, 2016
  7. Darrell C

    Darrell C Well-Known Member
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    To put it simply, the Gospel of the Kingdom refers primarily to the Promised Kingdom spoken of in the Old Testament. This Gospel was not taught to all men in Christ's Earthly Ministry, but to the Lost Sheep of Israel, because it had a central focus on them. And when we read the Parables with this in mind, we can make more sense of the teachings.

    That doesn't mean that we cannot see application to the Work of Christ in a broader sense, but, I think we confuse some fairly simple teaching by first neglecting the historical context of the teachings, then, imposing what was still mystery at that time into the teachings.


    God bless.
     
    #7 Darrell C, Feb 29, 2016
  8. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    Interesting since 99% of Israel did not live in Israel when Christ walked the earth. Ever read the great commission really close? Christ told them to teach exactly what He had taught them.
     
    #8 Bob Hope, Feb 29, 2016
  9. Darrell C

    Darrell C Well-Known Member
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    All I can say, Bob, is that Christ stated...


    Matthew 10:5-7

    King James Version (KJV)

    5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

    6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

    7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.


    Matthew 15:23-24

    King James Version (KJV)

    23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

    24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.


    ...which makes what one wants to believe about Israel, where she was, and who she was...irrelevant to a Biblical view.

    What you imply is that Christ didn't know who He was sent to, and who He ministered to.

    Secondly, that we are to teach all that Christ taught can start with the above point. You are not doing that if you deny such a basic point. You are teaching something not taught by Christ, as well as failing to teach what He did teach.

    See the problem there?


    God bless.
     
    #9 Darrell C, Feb 29, 2016
  10. Darrell C

    Darrell C Well-Known Member
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    And I would point out that even while in captivity, those captive still had communication with the land. So we wouldn't make being outside of Israel grounds to dismiss them as Israel. We see this same principle in Acts 2, where Jews from 17 different communities have come to participate.


    God bless.
     
    #10 Darrell C, Feb 29, 2016
  11. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    No, I don't see your point. The OT is clear that Israel had left Israel hundreds of years before Christ came. The fact that a few thousand came back to facilitate Christ's birth does not constitute the whole house of Israel. James says, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. He knew they where all in other countries.

    Secondly. The gospel message does not change in the great commission as many here claim.

    Stop denying what is so obvious. Don't give up your faith either. Your faith should be in Christ, not your bibles perfection or lack thereof.
     
    #11 Bob Hope, Feb 29, 2016
  12. Darrell C

    Darrell C Well-Known Member
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    So Christ was not sent unto the Lost Sheep of Israel?

    He was speaking to people who were not Israel?

    And I am out of time, so check back in at a later point in time, Bob.


    God bless.
     
    #12 Darrell C, Feb 29, 2016
  13. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    ????? Then there should be much agreement on the meaning of them, right?

    Why did His disciples ask Him to explain the parables if they were easy to understand?

    Why did He speak in parables?:

    10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
    11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

    He spoke in parables so that the multitude WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND.

    What are parables?:

    2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; Ezek 17

    2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, Ps 78:2
    4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp. Ps 49

    25 These things have I spoken unto you in dark sayings: the hour cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in dark sayings, but shall tell you plainly of the Father.
    29 His disciples say, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no dark saying. Jn 16

    Parables are riddles or dark sayings and are exactly the opposite of plain speech.
     
    #13 kyredneck, Feb 29, 2016
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  14. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    Because they did not have the luxury of knowing what was about to happen.
     
    #14 Bob Hope, Feb 29, 2016
  15. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    Lol, concerning the parables I guarantee there's enormous disagreement among Christians today that KNOW what was about to happen.
     
    #15 kyredneck, Feb 29, 2016
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  16. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    Yes, but who are they? Can you say for 100% certainty that you can know who they are? And how does God redeem them? Are not the twelve apostles all physical Israelites? Weren't they part of the N.T. church? Christ made the great commission directive very clear. It was to everyone who would listen. And it was to be the exact message He had taught. There is no need for anything further.
     
    #16 Bob Hope, Feb 29, 2016
  17. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    Only because of what Paul had said. They are very straight forward in and of themselves.
     
    #17 Bob Hope, Feb 29, 2016
  18. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    You asked:

    "In Matthew it says that Christ taught the gospel of the kingdom, can you define it?"

    Did you notice all those passages from Matthew I included in post #5? In every passage Christ is teaching the kingdom. If these passages are so easily and univerisally understood why are you asking the question to begin with?
     
    #18 kyredneck, Feb 29, 2016
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  19. Bob Hope

    Bob Hope Member

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    Because the answer is not what people here want to admit.
     
    #19 Bob Hope, Feb 29, 2016
  20. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    without a perfect bible there is no faith.
     
    #20 Revmitchell, Feb 29, 2016
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