Originally posted by J. Jump:
Now we are finally getting somewhere. The kingdom view that you have developed or been taught is so far from what Scripture presents that there is no way that I can share enough with you on a message board.
If you are truly serious about wanting to learn and would like to take this discussion off the message board feel free to email me and we can correspond via email.
I absolutely agree that Christ is the head of the church, but you are equating the kingdom with the church and that is an equation that the Bible doesn't make. That is a man-made line that is being drawn between an apple and an orange. The verses that you have put forth from Ephesians have absolutely nothing to do with the kingdom. The word kingdom isn't even used or alluded to in anyway in what you have posted.
Email me if you would like to discuss the kingdom further.
The Church is equated to the kingdom. Jesus did it in Matt 16.
Matt 16:18-19 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I
will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Mark 9:1 says some of them would see the kingdom come with power
Luke 24:49 They were told to stay in Jerusalem until they received power.
Acts 1:8 Jesus said they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them
Acts 2:4 - The receive the Holy Spirit (or power)
Acts 2:15 - In those days
Peter stood up among the brothers
Therefore, Peter, speaking by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, i.e., with POWER, preached the first gospel message and opened the kingdom with the keys Jesus gave to him. The church was established and Mark 9:1 was fulfilled.
When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he affirmed that God “delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love . . .” (1:13). That is a done deal, not a future event!
When John wrote to “the seven churches that are in Asia,” (Rev. 1:4), he stated that Christ had loosed them from their sins by his blood and made them “to be a kingdom” (1:6). Further, he was a with them in that kingdom (1:9).
If the kingdom were some future event, this would have been a lie.