A Christian Guidebook: What Is the Kingdom of God? (1)
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6.33
The Kingdom defined
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God is Good News, as we have seen. It’s not just the Gospel of salvation, although salvation—in Kingdom terms—is what Jesus has accomplished for all who believe in Him and are His disciples. And it’s not just the Gospel of going to heaven when we die—spiritual “fire insurance”, as many have put it.
The Gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Good News about a new reality, a new realm, a new economy, and a new way of life, presided over by a King Who cannot be defeated, Who is making all things new, and Who will soon return to complete His Kingdom work.
We may offer a succinct definition of the Kingdom of God: The Kingdom of God is the rule of God over all things, by our Lord Jesus Christ, for and through His people, in the power of His Word and Spirit, unto righteousness, peace, and joy. The Kingdom of God was the focus of every aspect of Jesus’ ministry, because He came to bring near the eternal Kingdom of God and light and to supplant, replace, and destroy the bankrupt kingdom of darkness and the devil. And He unloosed that Kingdom on earth on the first Christian Pentecost by the powerful gift of His own Holy Spirit.
The Kingdom of God is real. And it is real now. Let’s unpack the specifics of it a bit more.
The Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God is the rule of God over all things. Before the Kingdom came the world was ruled by the father of lies. His house of lies, deceit, destruction, and sin pervaded the earth, until Jesus came, bound him, and began the work of plundering his domain. Upon His being exalted to glory, the heavenly Father gave Jesus an eternal Kingdom, which He, in turn, is giving to His saints—all true Christians—to replace and overthrow the domain of darkness and lies (Matt. 12.22-29; Dan. 7.13-18; Ps. 110.1, 2; 1 Jn. 2.8).
Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, and He upholds the cosmos and everything in it by His Word of power (Rev. 17.14; Heb. 1.3). He is the anointed King by God and rules according to the Law and covenant of His Father (Ps. 2.1-12).
The Kingdom of God comes to the saints in the Person of the Holy Spirit, Who begins working in the disciples of Jesus according to the power of the Kingdom, to transform them, soul and body, individually and as congregations, into the likeness of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3.12-18; Eph. 4.11-16). The work He does in them, bringing the rule of God into all their lives, overflows from them to spread the making-all-things-new grace of Jesus to more and more people (Jn. 7.37-39; 2 Cor. 4.15). Wherever the disciples of Jesus manifest the glory of God (1 Cor. 10.31), there the Kingdom of God has come on earth as it is in heaven. Seeking the Kingdom is the believer’s proper response to God having called us to His Kingdom and glory (Matt. 6.33; 1 Thess. 2.12).
The progress of the Kingdom on earth as it is heaven is seen by the increase of righteousness, peace, and joy, according to the Word of God and by the working of His powerful Holy Spirit (Rom. 14.17, 18; Jn. 17.17; Phil. 2.12). Realizing more of the Kingdom’s presence, promise, and power is thus the proper vocation and pursuit of every true Christian.
Christians are called to the Kingdom of God, to pray for its coming and seek its advance for the praise and honor of Him Who has called us, that the knowledge of His glory should cover all the earth (Hab. 2.14).
Now, and not yet
The Kingdom of God is here. Now. Deposited in the souls of every true Christian. We must make sure that the Kingdom is the defining priority of our lives, lest we be like those benighted believers of old who never truly entered the Kingdom and, by their teaching and lives, barred others from entering as well (Matt. 23.13).
The prophet Daniel envisioned the coming of the Kingdom as a stone, cut without hands, that advanced over all the earth, breaking in pieces and consuming all other kingdoms and being established forever (Dan. 2.44). Isaiah declared that the Kingdom of the Prince of Peace would increase on earth without end, bringing judgment and justice to the world (Is. 9.6, 7). Jesus likened the Kingdom to leaven that transforms, light that illuminates, seeds that grow and bear fruit, and trees that fill up the space of the earth. That Kingdom is here, now, and the only thing that keeps it from realizing more presence and power is the unbelief and disobedience of those to whom it has been entrusted.
The Kingdom will continue coming on earth because God has declared that it should. But the full realization of the rule of God in Christ Jesus is beyond our present frame of time and space. Only in the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells, will the Kingdom realize its full promise and all sorrow, sadness, and sin will be done away. Then the perfect peace and infinite joy of the righteous Prince of Peace will pervade the new cosmos, and we will realize more of it with each passing moment.
Christians are called to the Kingdom and glory of God, to pray for it, seek it, proclaim it, embody it, and advance it into every aspect of human life and interest. Our oath of citizenship in this Kingdom must be recited every day: All that the Lord has spoken, we will do. The progress of the Kingdom of God is the defining calling and work of every true Christian.
Let us be sure to be about the work that is appointed to us in everything we do.
Search the Scriptures
1. Meditate on 1 Thessalonians 2.12. What does it mean to be “called” to the Kingdom and glory of God?
2. Meditate on 1 Corinthians 4.20. In which aspects of your life do you most consistently experience the power of the Kingdom of God?
3. Meditate on 1 John 2.8. As the Kingdom of God advances on earth, what should we expect?
Next steps—Preparation: Knowing you are called to the Kingdom, to seek and advance in all your ways, how should you prepare for each day’s work?
T. M. Moore
If this study has been helpful or encouraging to you, please take a moment to give thanks to God for His grace and truth.
Additional Resources
A Christian is one who has responded to the Gospel. But what is the Gospel? To brush-up on your understanding of the Gospel and improve your witness, order a copy of our book, The Gospel of the Kingdom, by clicking here. Order two copies and invite a friend to read it with you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
