The Kingdom of God is Now Available

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, ESV)

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”” (Mark 1:14–15, ESV)

The gospel (good news) about the kingdom of God is that we can live right now in it. I frequently refer to this “gospel of the kingdom” instead of just saying, “the gospel” because I want to differentiate between the popular gospel of the atonement and this good news that you can live in the kingdom of God right now. This is the heart of why I am using terminology about the “gospel of the kingdom” instead of just saying the “gospel”. 

It’s not just semantics. Neither are there two gospels. There is only one, but it is my position that we have focused so much on the gospel of atonement that we have missed the larger and all encompassing gospel of the kingdom that Jesus preached. The gospel of atonement which has been preached is that Jesus died for your sins and if you confess, repent and believe in Jesus and what He did for you at the cross, you will be saved and go to heaven when you die. Romans 10:9-10 certainly confirm this. But from this kind of preaching and teaching, one could come to believe that Jesus saves us for heaven but the rest of life is up to us. You may have your ticket to heaven but what does that do for you today? 

Not everyone has been taught this narrow gospel of the atonement. I had. In revivals we were admonished to “get right with God and be saved.” Then we were told to live the life that God wants us to live, basically on our own power. Heaven was taken care of, but everyday life was up to us. Bible reading, prayer, church attendance, inviting someone to church, giving and service were the barometric measurements of our Christianity.  

To me, it just seems Jesus had a different view of what the good news of the kingdom was about. His was more the “inside out” focus rather than the “outside in” focus. In my experience with churchianity, the measurements of our faith were about what we did, not about who we were, or who we had now become. The gospel of atonement focuses on getting us into heaven, but the gospel of the kingdom focuses on getting heaven into us. 

When Jesus said in Mark 1:15 that “The time is fulfilled”, he didn’t mean that it was about to be fulfilled or that it would be fulfilled sometime in the future. Jesus said the opportunity was here now. At this moment the waiting is over. Time had reached the culminating point. It has reached its peak. 

You may wonder how I’ve arrived at that conclusion. It is because the verb in the original Greek for “fulfilled” is in the perfect, passive and indicative, third person singular. To put it simply, one might say the egg timer set by God has dinged, and those in the spiritual realm have heard it go off. 

Jesus then goes on to say what the results of this “ding” brings. He says, “God’s kingdom is at hand.” In other words, it has come near, near enough for us to have access to it. When we look at the whole phrase, Jesus is telling us that over time the opportunity for us to have access to be a part of God’s kingdom and to enjoy its blessings has been moving toward us, but today, at this moment, right now this is the peak. Access to God and his blessings for your life will never be greater nor more accessible. 

This brings up three important questions. First, why would God do this? It was because of his great love for us (John 3:16). It was also because of His promise. God took on flesh and came to earth as the man, Jesus the Messiah. He is the promised one from long ago. In the Garden of Eden God made the promise of one who would come and destroy the works of the enemy (Genesis 3:15; 1 John 3:8) and create a people for God and His kingdom “to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:5–7, ESV)

Second, how would He make His kingdom open to us who are so far away? This is best answered by Scripture. I like the way the New Century Version reads: 

Christ himself was like God in everything. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit. But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born as a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross. So God raised him to the highest place. God made his name greater than every other name so that every knee will bow to the name of Jesus— everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and bring glory to God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11, NCV)

Third, why would He do this at this particular moment in history? The Scriptures say, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,” (Galatians 4:4, ESV) We can only speculate why the incarnation of the second person of the triune God came when He did. Perhaps it was the right time due to the Roman Empire’s enforcement of peace, the road system and ability to travel throughout the known world at that time. The Greek civilization had provided a language for Scripture that is most expressive, as well as a common language across the empire for communication. In addition to these things, there are the Jewish synagogues that were scattered around the world, making what we call the Old Testament known in its concepts of God and man. These synagogues became the first preaching points for Paul’s missionary work. 

As a result of this great news, this gospel of the Kingdom, Jesus tells us how to enter into it in the last part of Mark 1:15. There are two things. First, repent. I’ve written on this before, and I will write on it more in the future, because it is one of the essential elements of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. In a nutshell, “repent” is to change one’s mind. For us, it is to change our mind about who we think God is, what he has done for us, who we are, and what we are to do. So in short, repent means a lot of changing!

Second, Jesus tells us to “believe in the gospel.” This is to actually place your faith in what Jesus is saying about the Kingdom of God. In short, he is calling us to place our trust for life here and now and the hereafter in Jesus. To place our faith in Him means that we adjust our lives to this new reality. When we do, God meets us. 

Jesus even tells us to pray that the reality of God’s kingdom will be felt more and more in this earth. I’m beginning to understand when I pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” means that I am praying for God’s kingdom rule and reign to be in me first. 

Perhaps you have entered into God’s Kingdom through the new birth (John 3:3), but you still find yourself by the kingdom of this world. Praying that part of the Lord’s prayer could be a very effective way to make living in the Kingdom of God now a reality. 

Today's Problems Come From Yesterday's Solutions: It's the Problem with Rebellion

“As it is said: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses? With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”

(Hebrews 3:15–19, CSB)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

(Matthew 6:33, CSB)

The second essential element of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is the understanding and acceptance that our problem is the choice we have made to rebel against God. The problems we have today were created by us or by some other person(s) choices in the past. It’s like what Peter M. Senge wrote, “Today’s problems come from yesterday's solutions.”

We do what we do because we want to be happy. I want to be happy. In general I believe that most of the human race would like to be happy. The problem we find in our search for happiness is what we believe will make us happy. Motivation is a powerful thing. Motivation that is directed by a true and good belief is one of the most positive ways to live and to have a happy and successful life. Motivation that is directed by a false and wicked belief can be the most destructive and lead to a miserable life. The motivation to want to be happy is natural. How we go about seeking this happiness is governed by our beliefs. 

Our problem is that we believe the wrong things. We believe the wrong things because we trust the wrong source. 

The first two human parents did this. The Lord God had created them, made the perfect environment for them to thrive, and loved them. He spent time with them. The Lord God laid down the rules for a healthy and happy life. They should have trusted Him. There was no reason to not trust Him. 

Then along came the crafty serpent. He questioned God’s motivation and outcome for the rules He had given Adam and Eve. Our ancestors then listened to the serpent and believed him. He appealed to their desire to be happy. Actually they should have been happy until the serpent’s lie convinced them that they would be happy-er if they were like God. They believed that God was holding back something that was good for them. 

Adam and Eve broke the moral law that all of creation was founded upon. They rebelled against God. The whole cosmos has suffered ever since. 

In short, the problems we have in our world today are the result of the rebellion of yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that and so on. We are all rebels against God and we suffer for it. 

That was the problem of Israel as they were delivered by God through Moses out of Egyptian slavery. You would think they would be eternally grateful. They lived under the foot of a people who used and abused them. They and their ancestors before them cried out to God in misery, asking God to remember the covenant He had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

God answered. He delivered them by His mighty hand through ten plagues and a trip through the Red Sea on dry ground. In the wilderness God gave them victory over enemies, guidance and protection with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and fed them. Yet when it came time to enter into the Promised Land, they rebelled. Ten times God said they had disobeyed and for that, none of that generation would enter into God’s rest, save Joshua and Caleb. 

Rebelling against God is not good for us. Why can’t we learn that? I think it is because I believe I know what will make me happier than God does. I also think that perhaps God is holding back on me. I need to figure it out on my own. As Dr. Phil would say, “How’s that workin’ for ya?” 

There is also another problem with rebellion. It makes us stupid. Now, it's not wise to rebel against God in the first place, but after that, rebellion increases our stupor when it comes to God, His will and His ways. The more we rebel, the more we want to rebel. The more we sin, the more we sin. Our judgment gets cloudy and our understanding of the moral and even physical order of things becomes confused. 

Rebellion or sin in general is like quicksand. The more we wallow in it, the deeper we go. This is why we think we can change the reality of things by using different words. We call sin a “mistake.” A man who thinks he can be a woman, or a cat just because that is what he wants to be called, is not just mistaken, he is delusional. Things that are clearly spelled out as sins in the Scriptures are touted in our day as freedoms or rights. 

“And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right. They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.” (Romans 1:28–32, CSB)

If we keep going this direction, our problems will only increase, both for individuals and for society at large. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.  

It’s hard to admit that we have rebelled against God. But God often has mercy on people and allows them to see the true source of their pain. Like the prodigal son so far away from home and away from his father, we can “come to our senses” (Luke 15:17), repent and start the journey back home to our waiting father. 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, CSB)

God has provided a solution for us. Why He’s done this is the greatest mystery of all time! I think after the Adam and Eve debacle, I’d just have scrapped the whole thing and started over with another creation. But that is not God’s way of doing things. He is certainly powerful enough to do it, but he is also holy, righteous and loving. We are made in His image. He chose another way. That will be further explained in other essential elements of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

We are All Accountable To God

The first essential element of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is the understanding and acceptance that we are all accountable to God. 

Many today would balk at the idea of accountability to God. Most today would say that we are accountable to God for just the “big” things, like the Ten Commandments. But just to be absolutely clear, I am not merely stating that we are accountable to God for just the “big” things. Neither am I implying that it is only one day in the future where we will give account of our lives before God. I believe one day we will. It says so in the Scriptures. “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12, CSB) But that is not my main point here. My main point is that we are accountable to God in all things and we are accountable to Him now. 

Certainly there will be a day of accounting. The apostle Paul communicated this when he wrote in the Scriptures, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Corinthians 5:10, CSB)

It is hard for us, in our day, to understand that when we say the kingdom of God or the Gospel of the kingdom of God, we are talking about the good news of the sovereign king. Our problem is that we don’t have the experience of a benevolent king’s reign and rule. We live in a democratic republic here in the United States. Our country has never had a king who reigns and rules. 

Even in Great Britain, they do not experience a true kingdom. Their government is a constitutional monarchy. The powers of the ruler are limited by the constitution. It was not always this way in Britain, but it is today. King Charles reigns but he does not rule. Parliament rules. 

When I write about the kingdom of God, I’m writing about a king who is an absolute monarch, he rules without outside restriction. The only boundaries that God has as king are those within his own nature or He has declared by his own self-imposition. Everyone in His kingdom is governed by his benevolent and righteous, but absolute rule. 

No one in the UK today asks what King Charles thinks about their choice for dinner. They do not ask when in an argument with someone, WWCD? (What Would Charles Do?) They do not think for a moment that King Charles would even want to know what they ate for dinner or what they said in that argument. Their everyday lives do not revolve around what King Charles thinks or does. He may reign, but he does not rule. He doesn’t pass laws and he doesn’t enforce them. Parliament does that. 

As best as I can tell, I believe that there is only one country in the world today that still has an absolute monarchy. That country would be Saudi Arabia. There, the king reigns and rules. There they ask, “What would the king want?” If they do not do the will of the king, the king can do with them as he pleases. 

Like it or not. We are all accountable to God. Even the King of England and the King of Saudi Arabia will stand before Him and give an account. We are all subject to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Writing of Jesus to Timothy, Paul states, “...He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:15–16, CSB)

Every king who has ever reigned and ruled has died. Only one was raised and lives forever and His kingdom has no end. 

A. W. Tozer expressed this same sentiment when he wrote this in his book “He Dwelt Among Us.”

It is He who is the judge, and when the judge of humanity shall appear, He will have the shoulders of a man and the face of a man, the man Christ Jesus. God has given Him authority to judge mankind so that He is both the judge and the Savior of man. That makes me both love Him and fear Him; love Him because He is my Savior, and fear Him because He is my judge.

We may not want to be accountable to God, but we need to be accountable to God. Without this knowledge we as a society and as individuals will become lawless and end up destroying ourselves. 

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.” (Romans 1:25, CSB)

The old Greek philosophers believed that those whom the gods would destroy, they first made mad.  When we think we can make our own rules, then change them when we like, regardless of reality, we lose touch with reality. 

When we cease to believe in the accountability and judgment of God, we go mad.