The Kingdom of God

[JonC]

According to Jesus (Mark 1, Matthew 24) the gospel (good news) is simply that the Kingdom is at hand.

This was the good news to the Hebrews who long awaited the news.

What we call "the gospel" is not actually the gospel itself but things about the gospel (the work of Christ, how we may enter this kingdom, etc).


We typically focus on how Jesus inaugurated the kingdom, the work through which man can be reconciled in this kingdom (reconciled to God), and how one may enter the kingdom.

What I often see ignored is what it is to be a member of this kingdom (how we, as citizens of the kingdom, interact in this kingdom in the present).


Is one aspect (facts about the gospel, the gospel itself, how we enter the kingdom, how we are citizens of the kingdom) more important than others?

 

[tyndale1946]

According to Jesus (Mark 1, Matthew 24) the gospel (good news) is simply that the Kingdom is at hand.

This was the good news to the Hebrews who long awaited the news.

What we call "the gospel" is not actually the gospel itself but things about the gospel (the work of Christ, how we may enter this kingdom, etc).


We typically focus on how Jesus inaugurated the kingdom, the work through which man can be reconciled in this kingdom (reconciled to God), and how one may enter the kingdom.

What I often see ignored is what it is to be a member of this kingdom (how we, as citizens of the kingdom, interact in this kingdom in the present).


Is one aspect (facts about the gospel, the gospel itself, how we enter the kingdom, how we are citizens of the kingdom) more important than others?

Luke 17: 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Jon there are many aspects to the Kingdom of God!... Brother Glen

 

[JonC]

Luke 17: 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Jon there are many aspects to the Kingdom of God!... Brother Glen

There are many aspects of the kingdom of God.

My question is whether some aspects are more important than others.

As I think about it, I have to answer that it depends on the person. If lost the most important aspect is probably how we can be saved. But if saved then the most important may be how we live as heirs.

 

[kyredneck]

There are many aspects of the kingdom of God.

36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Jn 18

20 And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you. Lu 17

17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Ro 14

18 For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, Heb 12

Besides being 'not of this world' and can't be seen with the eye or touched with hand, what other aspects of the kingdom would you say there are?

If lost the most important aspect is probably how we can be saved.

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, except anyone be born from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God." [SEE]
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Jn 3

 

[percho]

'And whenever the Son of Man may come in his glory, and all the holy messengers with him, then he shall sit upon a throne of his glory; and gathered together before him shall be all the nations, and he shall separate them from one another, as the shepherd doth separate the sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep indeed on his right hand, and the goats on the left. 'Then shall the king say to those on his right hand, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, inherit the reign [kingdom] that hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world; Matt 25:31-34 YLT

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom [reign] of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,1 Cor 15:50,51 KJV

Reconcile the above with all other post. Are both above speaking of the same moment in time? What does it mean, to inherit? Changed? Changed how? When does that change take place? Changed from what, to what?

Is one ever spoken of in the word of God as having inherited the church? Is it the ones who have been baptized into the church who inherit the kingdom? Did that take place at the same time relative to the verses above?

Is the kingdom from Matt 25 above before, the new heavens and new earth with New Jerusalem?

 

[JonC]

36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Jn 18

20 And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you. Lu 17

17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Ro 14

18 For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, Heb 12

Besides being 'not of this world' and can't be seen with the eye or touched with hand, what other aspects of the kingdom would you say there are?



3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, except anyone be born from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God." [SEE]
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Jn 3

Like you point out, the kingdom is here and in us.

Why should that not be explored?

What I see a lot are churches reaching out to the lost, which is essential. I see churches confronting sin (unfortunately most often sin unrelated to the congregation), which is fine. We need to guard against sin creating into our churches.

But what about how we are to live as kingdom people?

Is it just not sinning? I don't think so. We are saved for good works

 

[kyredneck]

Why should that not be explored?

Exactly!

23 And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive to enter in [SEE] by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Lu 13

'Lord, are they few, the saved ones [that are being saved]?' Viewed in connection with Christ's immediately preceding teaching about the Kingdom of God in its wide and deep spread, as the great Mustard-Tree from the tiniest seed, and as the Leaven hid, which
pervaded three measures of meal, we can scarcely doubt that the word 'saved' bore reference, not to the eternal state of the soul, but to admission to the benefits of the Kingdom of God, the Messianic Kingdom, with its privileges and its judgments, such as the Pharisees understood it. The question, whether 'few' were to be saved, could not have been put from the Pharisaic point of view, if understood of personal salvation......" Edersheim, Life & Times, Descent, Book 4, Chap 20

 

[JonC]

Exactly!

23 And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive to enter in [SEE] by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Lu 13

'Lord, are they few, the saved ones [that are being saved]?' Viewed in connection with Christ's immediately preceding teaching about the Kingdom of God in its wide and deep spread, as the great Mustard-Tree from the tiniest seed, and as the Leaven hid, which
pervaded three measures of meal, we can scarcely doubt that the word 'saved' bore reference, not to the eternal state of the soul, but to admission to the benefits of the Kingdom of God, the Messianic Kingdom, with its privileges and its judgments, such as the Pharisees understood it. The question, whether 'few' were to be saved, could not have been put from the Pharisaic point of view, if understood of personal salvation......" Edersheim, Life & Times, Descent, Book 4, Chap 20

I just see churches focusing on salvation and sin (a good focus, btw) but then getting caught in philosophical or political disagreements and never getting to those "good works" we were saved to do.

It is like churches want the benefits of salvation but shy away when kingdom work is brought up.

 

[kyredneck]

those "good works" we were saved to do

5 Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;
6 and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness;
7 and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:
11 for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pe 1

 

[percho]

for so, richly shall be superadded to you the entrance into the age-during reign [kingdom] of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:11

Shall be? About the same moment as, "come ye the blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom," " in a moment in the twinkling of an eye"?


for so, richly shall be superadded to you the entrance into the age-during reign [kingdom] of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:11

Reign [kingdom] of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Is that when the, "shall be," will be?

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 1 Cor 15:50,51

Does the above take place at the time spoken of by Jesus when he said, "Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." ?