The Kingdom of God (part 6)
In general, there are three points of view regarding the relationship between the church and the kingdom of God. It is the one that is in tune with biblical revelation and a theology that takes full account of the person and work of Christ, as well as of the Holy Spirit. This is consistent with the comments of George Ladd in his work A Theology of the New Testament. Thomas F. Torrance added some important conclusions in support of this doctrine. Some say the church and the kingdom of God are essentially identical. Others both clearly differ from each other, if not completely incompatible1.
To fully understand the biblical account, it is necessary to examine the full extent of the New Testament, taking into account many biblical passages and subtopics, what Ladd did. Based on this foundation, he proposes a third alternative, which argues that the church and kingdom of God are not identical but inseparable. They overlap. Perhaps the simplest way to describe the relationship is to say that the church is the people of God. The people who surround them are, so to speak, the citizens of the kingdom of God, but they can not be equated with the kingdom itself, which is identical with the perfect government of God through Christ in the Holy Spirit. The kingdom is perfect, but the church is not. The subjects are subjects of the king of the Kingdom of God, Jesus, but they are not the king himself and should not be confused with him.
The church is not the kingdom of God
In the New Testament, the Church (Greek: ekklesia) is referred to as the People of God. It is gathered and united in this present age (the time since Christ's first coming). The members of the Church assemble by appealing to the proclamation of the Gospel as taught by the first Apostles—those who were authorized and sent by Jesus himself. The People of God receive the message of biblical revelation, which has been preserved for us, and, through repentance and faith, follow the reality of who God is according to this revelation. As stated in the Acts of the Apostles, it is the members of the People of God who "continue in the apostles' teaching, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer." (Apg. 2,42)Initially, the church consisted of the remaining faithful believers of Israel from the Old Covenant. They believed that Jesus had fulfilled the promises revealed to them as God's Messiah and Redeemer. Almost simultaneously with the first Pentecost in the New Covenant, the people of God grew, receiving the message of biblical revelation, which is reserved for us, and through repentance and faith, they embraced the reality of who God is according to this revelation. As stated in the Acts of the Apostles, it is the members of the people of God who "continue in the apostles' teaching, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer." (Apg. 2,42)Initially, the church consisted of the remaining, faithful followers of Israel from the Old Covenant. They believed that Jesus had fulfilled the promises revealed to them as God's Messiah and Redeemer. Almost simultaneously with the first Pentecost in the New Covenant, the number of believers grew.
God's people under grace - not perfect
However, the New Testament points out that this people is not perfect, not exemplary. This becomes particularly clear in the parable of the fish caught in the net. (Mt 13,47-49)The church community gathered around Jesus and his word will ultimately undergo a process of separation. A time will come when it becomes clear that some who felt they belonged to this community were not receptive to Christ and the Holy Spirit, but rather reviled and rejected them. That is to say, some who belonged to the church did not submit to the Lordship of Christ, but resisted repentance and withdrew from the grace of God's forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Others received Christ's work in voluntary submission to his word with wavering faith. However, all must face the battle of faith anew each day. Everyone is addressed. All should, gently guided, submit to the work of the Holy Spirit, sharing with us the sanctification that Christ himself, in human form, purchased for us at a great cost. A sanctification that requires daily letting go of our old, false selves. The life of this church community is therefore multifaceted, not perfect and pure. The church sees itself continually sustained by the grace of God. The members of the Church take the first step when it comes to repentance, and in doing so, they are constantly renewed and reformed. Much of the teaching found in the New Testament points to a continuous process of renewal, which involves repentance, faith, gaining knowledge, prayer, resisting temptation, and improvement and restoration—that is, reconciliation with God. None of this would be necessary if the Church were already expected to present an image of perfection. The way this dynamic, ever-evolving life manifests itself beautifully aligns with the idea that the Kingdom of God does not reveal itself in its full perfection in this age. It is the people of God who wait in hope—and the life of each of their members is hidden in Christ. (Kol 3,3)...and currently resembles ordinary earthenware vessels. (2. Kor 4,7)We await our salvation in its fullness.
Preaching of the kingdom of God, not of the church
It is worth noting with Ladd that the early apostles did not focus their preaching on the church but on the kingdom of God. It was then those who accepted their message who came together as a church, as Christi's ekklesia. This means that the Church, the people of God, is not an object of faith or worship. Only the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the triune God is this. The preaching and teaching of the church should not make itself the object of faith, i.e. should not primarily revolve around itself. That is why Paul emphasizes that “[we] do not preach ourselves […], but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants, for Jesus’ sake” (2. Kor 4,5; Zurich Bible). The message and work of the church should not refer to themselves, but to the rule of the triune God, the source of their hope. God will give his rulership to the whole of creation, a rulership that was established by Christ through his earthly work and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but which will only shine in perfection one day. The church, gathering around Christ, looks back to his completed work of redemption and ahead to the perfection of his continuing work. That is their real focus.
The kingdom of God does not come out of the church
The distinction between the kingdom of God and the church can also be seen from the fact that the kingdom, strictly speaking, is spoken of as the work and gift of God. It can not be established or brought about by humans, not even by those who share the new community with God. According to the New Testament, people of the kingdom of God can partake of it, find it in it, inherit it, but they can neither destroy it nor bring it on earth. They can do something for the sake of the Empire, but it will never be subject to human agency. Ladd emphasizes this point emphatically.
The Kingdom of God: on the way, but not yet completed
The kingdom of God is under way, but has not yet fully unfolded. In Ladd's words, "It is already in existence, but it is not yet complete." The kingdom of God on earth is not yet fully realized. All human beings, whether they belong to the community of God's people or not, live in this perfecting age. The church itself, the community of those who gather around Jesus Christ, his gospel and his ministry, does not escape the problems and limitations to remain in bondage to sin and death. It therefore requires constant renewal and revitalization. She must continually maintain fellowship with Christ, placing herself under His word and continually being fed, renewed, and uplifted by His merciful Spirit. Ladd summarized the relationship between church and kingdom in these five statements:2
- The church is not the kingdom of God.
- The kingdom of God produces the church - not the other way round.
- The church bears witness to the kingdom of God.
- The church is the instrument of the Kingdom of God.
- The church is the administrator of the kingdom of God.
In short, we can state that the kingdom of God includes the people of God. But not all who are affiliated to the Church unconditionally submit to the reign of Christ over the Kingdom of God. The people of God are made up of those who have found their way into the kingdom of God and submit to the guidance and reign of Christ. Unfortunately, some of those who have joined the Church at some point may not quite reflect the character of the present and coming kingdoms. They continue to reject God's grace, which Christ has given them through the work of the Church. So we see that the kingdom of God and the church are inseparable, but not identical. When the kingdom of God is revealed in perfection at the Second Coming of Christ, the people of God will invariably submit themselves and without sacrificing their rule, and in the coexistence of all, this truth will be fully reflected.
What is the difference in the simultaneous inseparability of church and kingdom of God?
The distinction between the church and the kingdom of God has many effects. We can only address a few points here.
Beloved witnessing of the coming kingdom
A significant effect of both the diversity and the inseparability of the Church and Kingdom of God is that the Church should be a concretely manifest manifestation of the future Kingdom. Thomas F. Torrance explicitly pointed out in his teaching. Although the kingdom of God has not yet been fully realized, the daily life, in the here and now, of the present-day sin-laden world time is meant to testify in a living way to what is not yet completed. Just because the kingdom of God is not yet fully present does not mean that the church is merely a spiritual reality that can not be grasped or experienced in the here and now. With words and spirits and united with Christ, the people of God, in relation to the observing world, in time and space, as well as with flesh and blood, can bear concrete witness to the nature of the coming kingdom of God.
The Church will not do this exhaustively, completely or permanently. However, by virtue of the Holy Spirit and together with the Lord, the people of God can concretely express the blessing of the future kingdom, since Christ has overcome sin, evil, and death itself, and we can truly hope for the future kingdom. Its most important sign culminates in love - a love that reflects the Father's love for the Son in the Holy Spirit, and the Father's love for us and all of His creation, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. The Church can bear witness to the Lordship of Christ in worship, in daily life, as well as in its commitment to the common good of those who are not members of the Christian community. The unique and most salutary witness that the Church can face in the face of this reality is the presentation of the Eucharist, as it is interpreted in the preaching of God's word in worship. Here, in the circle of the congregation, we see the most concrete, simple, true, immediate, and effective witness to the grace of God in Christ. At the altar we learn, by virtue of the Holy Spirit, the already existing, but not yet perfect, reign of Christ through his person. At the Lord's table we look back on his death on the cross and turn our eyes to his kingdom, while sharing the fellowship with him, he is still present by the power of the Holy Spirit. At his altar we get a taste of his coming kingdom. We come to the Lord's table to share in Himself, as He was promised to us, as our Lord and Savior.
God is not finished with any of us
To live in the time between Christ's first coming and his second coming means something else as well. It means that everyone is on a spiritual pilgrimage - in an ever evolving relationship with God. The Almighty is not done with any person when it comes to drawing him to himself and to move him to steadily growing trust in him, as well as to accept his grace and the new life he has given him, in every moment, every day. It is the task of the church to proclaim the truth in the best possible way about who God is in Christ and how he reveals himself in the life of every person. The Church is called upon to bear constant testimony in word and deed about the nature and nature of Christ and his future kingdom. However, we cannot know in advance who (to use Jesus' figurative language) will count as weeds or bad fish. It will be up to God Himself to make the ultimate separation of good from bad in due course. It is not up to us to move the process forward (or to delay it). We are not the ultimate judges in the here and now. Rather, full of hope that God will work in everyone by virtue of his Word and Holy Spirit, we should remain faithful in faith and patient in differentiation. Staying alert and prioritizing what is most important, putting what is essential first and giving less importance to what is less important is crucial in this time between times. Of course, we have to differentiate between what is important and what is less important.
Furthermore, the Church fosters a community of love. Its primary task is not to guarantee a seemingly ideal or absolutely perfect Church by making it its main goal to exclude from the community those who, although they have joined the people of God, are not yet firm in their faith or whose lives do not yet truly reflect the life of Christ. It is impossible to fully achieve this in this present age. As Jesus taught, the attempt to weed out the tares... (Mt 13,29-30)...or to separate the good fish from the bad (v. 48), will not bring about perfect fellowship in this age, but rather harm the body of Christ and its witness. It will always result in a condescending attitude towards others in the church. It will lead to massive, condemnatory legalism—that is, legalism—which reflects neither Christ's own ministry nor faith and hope in his future kingdom.
After all, the inconsistent character of the communion does not mean that everyone can participate in their leadership. The church is not intrinsically democratic in nature, though some practical consultations are conducted in this way. The church leadership has to meet clear criteria, which are listed in numerous biblical passages in the New Testament and in the early Christian community, as documented for example in the Acts of the Apostles, were also applied. Church leadership is an expression of spiritual maturity and wisdom. It needs armor and must, based on Scripture, radiate maturity in its relationship to God through Christ. Its practical implementation is sustained by a sincere, joyful and free desire, primarily Jesus Christ, through participation in His continuing ministry of mission, based on faith, hope and love, to serve.
Finally, and most important of all, the church leadership is based on a vocation emanating from Christ above the Holy Spirit and their confirmation by others to follow this call or appointment into a special ministry. Why some are called and others are not, can not always be said exactly. Thus, some who have received gracious spiritual maturity by grace may not have been called to hold a formal, ordained ministry within the church leadership. This or not made call by God has nothing to do with its divine acceptance. Rather, it is about the often hidden wisdom of God. However, the confirmation of her vocation, based on the criteria set forth in the New Testament, depends, inter alia, on her character, reputation, and appreciation of her willingness and her fortune, on the local church members in their trust in Christ and their everlasting, best possible participation in his mission to equip and to encourage.
Hopeful church discipline and judgment
Life between the two comings of Christ does not preclude the need for appropriate church discipline, but it must be a discerning, patient, compassionate, and, moreover, long-suffering discipline (loving, firm, and educational), sustained by God's love for all people and also by hope for all. However, it will not permit church members to harass their fellow believers. (Hes 34)but rather strive to protect them. The church will extend hospitality, fellowship, time, and space to its members so that they may seek God and strive for the nature of his kingdom, find time for repentance, receive Christ into themselves, and draw ever closer to him in faith. But there will be limits to what is permissible, including when it comes to investigating and curbing injustices directed against other members of the congregation. We see this dynamic at work in early church life, as recorded in the New Testament. The Acts of the Apostles and the New Testament letters testify to this international practice of church discipline. It requires wise and empathetic leadership. However, it will not be possible to achieve perfection in this. Nevertheless, it must be striven for because the alternatives—lack of discipline or mercilessly condemning, self-righteous idealism—are dead ends and do not do justice to Christ. Christ accepted all who came to him, but he never left them as they were. Rather, he commanded them to follow him. Some responded, others did not. Christ accepts us wherever we may stand, but he does so to draw us to follow him. The Church's work involves receiving and welcoming, but also guiding and disciplining those who remain, so that they may repent, trust in Christ, and follow him in his very being. Although excommunication (exclusion from the Church) may be necessary as a last resort, it should be sustained by the hope of future readmission to the Church, as examples from the New Testament show us.(1. Kor 5,5; 2. Kor 2,5-7; Gal 6,1). prove.
The Church's message of hope in Christ's continuing work
Another consequence of the distinction and connection between the Church and the Kingdom of God is that the message of the Church must also address the continuing work of Christ, and not just his perfect Worker Cross. That is to say, our message should point out that everything that Christ has done with his work of salvation has not yet unfolded its full effect in history. His earthly ministry has not and has not yet produced a perfect world in the here and now. The Church does not represent the realization of God's ideal. The gospel we preach should not lead people to believe that the church is the kingdom of God , his ideal. Our message and example should include a word of hope for the future kingdom of Christ. It should be clear that the church is made up of diverse people. People who are on their way, who repent and renew their lives, and who are strengthened to faith, hope and love. The Church is thereby the proclaimer of that future kingdom - that fruit which is assured of Christ, the Crucified and the Risen Himself. The Church consists of the people who live in the present kingdom of God, thanks to the grace of the Almighty, every day in the hope of the future completion of Christ's rule.
In the hope of the future kingdom of God, repent of idealism
All too many believe that Jesus came to bring about a perfect people of God or a perfect world in the here and now. The Church herself may have created this impression believing that this is what Jesus intended. It is possible that large sections of the unbelieving world reject the gospel because the church was unable to realize the perfect community or world. Many seem to believe that Christianity stands for a particular form of idealism, only to find that such idealism is not realized. As a result, some reject Christ and his gospel because they are looking for an ideal that already exists or at least will soon be implemented and find that the church cannot offer this ideal. Some want this now or not at all. Others may reject Christ and his gospel because they have utterly given up and have already lost hope in everything and everyone, including the Church. Some may have left the denomination because the church failed to realize an ideal that they believed God would help his people to achieve. Those who accept this - which is tantamount to equating the church with the kingdom of God - will therefore conclude that either God failed (because he may not have helped his people enough) or his people (because they may not try hard enough). Be that as it may, the ideal has not been achieved in either case, and so there does not seem to be any reason for many to continue to belong to this community.
But Christianity is not about becoming a perfect people of God who, with the help of the Almighty, realize a perfect community or world. This Christianized form of idealism insists that if only we were truthful, sincere, committed, radical, or wise enough in the pursuit of our goals, we could achieve the ideal that God desires for His people. Since this has never been the case in the entire history of the church, the idealists also know exactly who is to blame - other, "so-called Christians". Ultimately, however, the blame often falls back on the idealists themselves, who find that they too cannot achieve the ideal. When that happens, idealism sinks into hopelessness and self-recrimination. Evangelical truth promises that, by the grace of the Almighty, the blessings of God's coming kingdom are already coming into this present wicked age. Because of this, we can benefit now from what Christ has done for us and receive and enjoy the blessings before His kingdom is fully realized. The chief testimony of the certainty of the coming kingdom is the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of the living Lord. He promised the coming of his kingdom to come, and taught us to expect only a foretaste, an advance, the firstfruits, an inheritance, of that coming kingdom now in this present wicked age. We must preach hope in Christ and His work finished and continuing, not Christian idealism. We do this by emphasizing the difference between church and kingdom of God, while recognizing their relation to one another in Christ through the Holy Spirit and our participation as witnesses—living signs and parables of his coming kingdom.
In summary, the difference between the church and the kingdom of God, as well as their nevertheless existing link can be interpreted as meaning that the church should not be an object of worship or of faith, because that would be idolatry. Rather, she points away from herself to Christ and his missionary work. It is part of that mission: by word and deed, pointing to Christ, who guides us in our ministry and makes us new creatures, hoping for a new heaven and a new earth that only becomes reality when Christ Himself, Lord and Savior of our Universe, returns.
Ascension and Second Coming
A final element that helps us to understand the kingdom of God and our relationship to Christ's dominion is the ascension of our Lord. Jesus' earthly activity did not end with his resurrection, but with his heavenly journey. He left the earthly guilds and the present world time to affect us in another way - the Holy Spirit. He is not far away thanks to the Holy Spirit. He is in some ways present, but in some ways not.
John Calvin used to say that Christ is "in a way present and in a way not."3 Jesus alludes to his absence, which in a certain way separates him from us, by telling his disciples that he is going away to prepare a place to which they cannot yet follow him. He will be with the Father in a way that he was not able to be during his time on earth.Joh 8,21(14:28). He knows that his disciples may perceive this as a setback, but instructs them to view it as progress and therefore beneficial to them, even if it does not yet bring about future, ultimate, and perfect well-being. The Holy Spirit, who was present with them, will continue to be with them and dwell within them. (Joh 14,17)However, Jesus also promises that he will return in the same way as he left the world – in human form, physically, visibly. (Apg 1,11)His present absence is like the not-yet-completed Kingdom of God, which is therefore also not yet fully present. The present, evil age is in a stage of decay, of ceasing to exist. (1. Kor7,31; 1. Joh 2,8; 1. Joh 2,1)Everything is currently subject to the process of surrendering power to the reigning king. When Jesus concludes this phase of his ongoing spiritual ministry, he will return and his world rule will be complete. Everything he is and everything he has done will then be openly revealed to everyone. Everything will bow before him, and everyone will acknowledge the truth and the reality of who he is. (Phil 2,10)Only then will his work be fully revealed. Thus, his rapture points to something important that is consistent with the rest of the doctrine. While he is not on earth, the kingdom of God will not be universally recognized. Nor will Christ's rule be fully revealed, but will remain largely hidden. Many aspects of the present sinful age will continue to prevail, even to the detriment of those who identify themselves as his, who belong to Christ and acknowledge his kingdom and kingship. Suffering, persecution, and evil—both moral (perpetrated by human hands) and natural (resulting from the sinfulness of all existence itself)—will persist. Evil will remain so prevalent that it may appear to many that Christ has not triumphed and his kingdom is not supreme.
Jesus' own parables about the kingdom of God indicate that in the here and now we react differently to the word lived, written, and preached. The seeds of the word sometimes fail, while elsewhere they fall on fertile ground. The field of the world bears both wheat and weeds. There are good and bad fish in the nets. The church is persecuted and the blessed in its midst crave justice and peace, as well as a clear vision of God. After his departure, Jesus does not face the manifestation of a perfect world. Rather, he takes measures to prepare those who follow him so that his victory and work of redemption will only one day be fully revealed in the future, which means that an essential characteristic of church life is a life of hope. But not in the misguided hope (actually idealism) that with just a little more (or much) effort by a few (or many) we can bring about the ideal of making the kingdom of God valid or gradually allowing it to come into being. Rather, the good news is that in due time - at precisely the right time - Christ will return in all glory and power. Then our hope will come true. Jesus Christ will raise heaven and earth anew, yes he will make everything new. Finally, Ascension reminds us not to expect that he and his rulership will be fully revealed, but rather remain hidden at some distance. His ascension reminds us of the need to continue to hope in Christ and the future implementation of what he brought about in his ministry on earth. It reminds us to wait and feel confident to look forward to Christ's return, which will go hand in hand with the revelation of the fullness of his redemptive work as Lord of all lords and King of all kings, as Redeemer of all creation.
from dr. Gary Deddo
1 We largely owe the following remarks to Ladd's discussion of the theme in A Theology of the New Testament, p. 105-119.
2 Ladd S.111-119.
3 Calvin's commentary on 2 Corinthians 2:5.
